Page 24 of Texas Daze (Texas Montgomery Mavericks)

“Nice to meet you,” Eli said to Grisham, whonodded.

Marti took his hand and they walked to his SUV. The rain had stopped, but there were running streams and mudeverywhere.

“Have to say that this was an interesting date,”Elisaid.

“Yeah, I don’t usually provide a live birth asentertainment.”

He pulled her in close and wrapped his arms around her. “Thank you.” He kissed her, his lips full and warm on hers. “I had awonderfultime.”

Wrapping her arms around his waist, she snuggled against him. “I did too.” She pressed her mouth to his, sliding her tongue through his parted lips. His tongue stroked hers and she moaned. He glided his hands down her back until her cupped her bottom. Then, pulled her against the thick bulge behind his zipper. She broke the kiss with a long sigh. “I better letyougo.”

“I know,” he said. “Tonight, or maybe I should say last night, wasgreat.”

She stepped back and tilted her head. “Where did you learn todance?”

Surprise flashed in his eyes. “Excuseme?”

“Dancing. You were as smooth as glass. How’d you learn to dancelikethat?”

He chuckled. “My mother insisted. I had to go to all these country club functions growing up, so she made me take dancelessons.”

“Well, they paid off. Maybe we can hit Leo’s Bar one night fordancing.”

“Maybe we can.” He checked his watch, the first time she’d noticed he was wearing one. She didn’t know the brand, but even she could recognize an expensive piece of jewelry. “I hate to do this, but I’vegotgo.”

She nodded and backed out of reach. “Me, too. Animals to feed. New babies toplaywith.”

“Thanks again. I’ll call you…about the ridingthing.”

“Sure.” Her heart sank a little. He’d call about the favor he wanted but not about another date. She got the message. “See youlater.”

She turned and headed back toward the barn, refusing to let her head turn back toward him. She could be as cool as any guy when it came to being blown off. He’d obviously seen through the fancy dress and shoes. Her callused hands gave her away. He was a Harvard-trained physician. She was a Texas cowgirl. That combo was notdestiny.

Chapter7

The week startedwith a downed fence that ate up Monday. A group of stubborn moms and calves gave her a run for her money, not to mention a splitting headache on Tuesday. By Wednesday, she was ready to call it done. The cattle wouldn’t behave. The fences wouldn’t stay where they were supposed to. A bull decided to have a day with the ladies by busting through from his field totheirs.

To put a cherry on her crappy-week-sundae, Eli didn’t call. Maybe she’d misjudged the evening. She’d have bet money she wasn’t the only one feeling something during those kisses. She wasn’t that out of practice,wasshe?

If she realistically looked at the situation, it was obvious that they were oil and water as a couple. Still, it would have been nice to think he’d been slayed by hersexiness.

She dumped a large horse turd into a bucket. Yeah, that pretty much describedherlife.

On Thursday, a large truck turned onto the Flying Pig drive and stopped near the barn. Out in the pasture checking on the new calves, Marti noticed the delivery truck but didn’t head back. Grisham was there and could handle whatever the situationentailed.

She’d just swung down off Ransom when her phone beeped with a textmessage.

Grisham:Can you head back? You need to deal with thisdelivery.

Marti groaned with a sigh. She didn’t have time for more crap today. She had to tag those new calves. Still, her foreman rarely, if ever, needed help withanything.

Marti:Heading back. Be thereinten.

She finished putting an ear tag on a calf, all the while staring down a pissed-off mom. “There,” she said to the cow. “Done. He’s all yours.” She pushed the baby bull toward his momma, who led him away, stopping a couple of times to give death stares to Marti. She couldn’t suppress herchuckle.

Ransom had her back at the barn in under ten minutes. A grinning Grisham stood with a young man in a truckingshirt.

“Hi, I’m Marti Jenkins,” she said, pulling off her glove and extending her hand. “How can Ihelpyou?”

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