Page 5 of The Cowboy's Unlikely Love

“I’d better get to work if I’m going to finish this before dinnertime,” he said and stood up.

“Please do, cowboy. I don’t want to trip on those steps again.”

After she went back inside, he shook his head. He’d never been grilled that hard in his life, and he wondered what was behind it. Was she worried that he had designs on Taylor? If so, he’d have to find a way to reassure her that that was not the case.

However, as he sank new four-by-four supports into the ground and cemented them in, Taylor ruled his thoughts. She was all he could think of as he cut the two-by-sixes and screwed them into the supports. And visions of the beautiful young woman filled his mind as he sanded the rough edges from the finished steps.

A car approached the house, and he turned to watch it pull up. It was Taylor coming home from work. Despite himself, his heart started to pound.

***

Taylor stared at thestrange truck backed up to her front porch. Where was her aunt? What was going on? Then she spotted the cowboy as he walked around the corner of the truck. She recognized him, didn’t she?

She drove closer. Yeah, it was that guy from the grocery store. What was his name? Something about a horse. She pulled to a stop on the other side of the truck, needing time to get her bearings. The last thing she’d expected to see after a long day at work was that cowboy standing in front of her house.

As she got out of her car, she suddenly spotted his reason for being there. Brand new porch steps glowed in the afternoon sunlight. Well, would wonders never cease? She strode toward him with a smile and offered her hand. “Thank you for this. Thank you so much.” Damn it! What was his name? This was embarrassing.

As if sensing her uneasiness and why, he said, “Colt Meadows,” as he shook her hand.

“Colt! It’s good to see you again.” God, she was babbling.

Shannon walked through the screen door.

“Have you met my aunt? This is Shannon Kent.”

His mouth opened as if he didn’t know what to say.

Holy shit. Of course he’d met her.She rubbed her forehead, stifling a moan. “Excuse me. I’m exhausted.” Offering him her best smile, she strode up the new steps and into the house.

Shannon followed her to her bedroom and shut the door behind them. “Honey, are you okay?”

Taylor rolled her eyes as she pulled her maternity T-shirt off over her huge belly and head and shoulders. “I know, I made an idiot out of myself. I don’t understand what the heck got into me.”

Her aunt smiled. “Well, I might make an idiot out of myself too if I was standing that close to a handsome cowboy.”

She didn’t look at her aunt. “That’s not it. I just wasn’t expecting company.”

Her aunt handed her her robe, knowing that Taylor was headed straight for the shower. “You go on telling yourself that, honey, and maybe you’ll start believing it. Or maybe you’ll realize that there’s more to this life than cleaning other people’s toilets.” Shannon kissed her on the cheek with a knowing smile and left the room.

Taylor stared after her. Was her auntie right? Was she interested in the sexy cowboy? She shivered. What if he wasn’t as he seemed? What if he was a liar? What if he was a really bad man?

Her stomach clenched as she stripped off her jeans. A handsome man could be deceiving. Inside, he could be a boiling mass of evil and hate. No, she couldn’t go through that again. She’d kill the next man who tried to maul her. She was licensed to carry, and her handgun stayed with her. She took it from her purse and set it on her nightstand.

As she walked toward the shower, she decided she could be friendly with Colt Meadows. He seemed like a nice guy, and her aunt appeared to like him. But she wasn’t taking any chances.

Twenty minutes later, when she headed to the kitchen to help her aunt prepare supper, she was startled to find Colt sitting at the table.

She joined her aunt at the sink. “What can I help you with, Auntie?” Then she whispered, “What’s going on? Why is he still here?”

Her aunt said softly, “When a man comes to help right out of the blue, there’s a reason—and this young man’s reason is you.” She nudged Taylor with her shoulder. “Now go on over there and sit down and get to know him. He’s a real sweetheart.”

“Anybody ever tell you you’re a busybody, Auntie?” she whispered fiercely.

“All the time, Niece.”

“Glad you could stay for dinner, Colt,” Taylor said in a cheerful voice as she sat across the table from him.

“I appreciate the invite.” After a moment, he asked, “How was your day?”

---