“That’s Gwen Murphy standing there, Jess reminded himself. She’d rather slug a man than kiss him.

But with her hair all sleep mussed and her curves in that old cotton robe that showed more leg than he guessed she was aware of, she looked sexier than any woman in the flimsiest negligee.

“You’re still here,” Gwen grumbled.

“I told you I’d see you through your recent loss.”

“Not necessary,” Gwen replied. But, suddenly light-headed, she slumped against the doorjamb.

Jess reached her and lifted her into his arms. Her robe opened more, and he realized she was wearing little or nothing under it. Arousal threatened again.

Gwen yanked her robe around her and rasped, “Put me down.”

He must be crazy to be attracted to her, Jess thought. He liked his women soft and sweet.

While tangling with Gwen…would be like tangling with a cougar!

Dear Reader,

Spring cleaning wearing you out? Perk up with a heart-thumping romance from Silhouette Romance. This month, your favorite authors return to the line, and a new one makes her debut!

Take a much-deserved break with bestselling author Judy Christenberry’s secret-baby story, Daddy on the Doorstep (#1654). Then plunge into Elizabeth August’s latest, The Rancher’s Hand-Picked Bride (#1656), about a celibate heroine forced to find her rugged neighbor a bride!

You won’t want to miss the first in Raye Morgan’s CATCHING THE CROWN miniseries about three royal siblings raised in America who must return to their kingdom and marry. In Jack and the Princess (#1655), Princess Karina falls for her bodyguard, but what will it take for this gruff commoner to win a place in the royal family? And in Diane Pershing’s The Wish (#1657), the next SOULMATES installment, a pair of magic eyeglasses gives Gerri Conklin the chance to do over the most disastrous week of her life…and find the man of her dreams!

And be sure to keep your eye on these two Romance authors. Roxann Delaney delivers her third fabulous Silhouette Romance novel, A Whole New Man (#1658), about a live-for-the-moment hero transformed into a family man, but will it last? And Cheryl Kushner makes her debut with He’s Still the One (#1659), a fresh, funny, heartwarming tale about a TV show host who returns to her hometown and the man she never stopped loving.

Happy reading!

Mary-Theresa Hussey

Senior Editor

The Rancher’s Hand-Picked Bride
Elizabeth August

www.millsandboon.co.uk

Books by Elizabeth August

Silhouette Romance

Author’s Choice #554

Truck Driving Woman #590

Wild Horse Canyon #626

Something So Right #668

The Nesting Instinct #719

Joey’s Father #749

Ready-Made Family #771

The Man from Natchez #790

A Small Favor #809

The Cowboy and the Chauffeur #833

Like Father, Like Son #857

The Wife He Wanted #881

*The Virgin Wife #921

*Haunted Husband #922

*Lucky Penny #945

*A Wedding for Emily #953

*The Seeker #989

†The Forgotten Husband #1019

†Ideal Dad #1054

†A Husband for Sarah #1067

The Bridal Shower #1091

*A Father’s Vow #1126

*A Handy Man To Have Around #1157

The Rancher and the Baby #1187

*The Determined Virgin #1229

Paternal Instincts #1265

The Bride’s Second Thought #1288

Marrying O’Malley #1386

Truly, Madly, Deeply #1404

A Royal Mission #1446

Slade’s Secret Son #1512

The Rancher’s Hand-Picked Bride #1656

Silhouette Special Edition

One Last Fling! #871

*The Husband #1059

Silhouette Intimate Moments

Girls’ Night Out #880

Logan’s Bride #950

Silhouette Books

Jingle Bells, Wedding Bells 1994

“The Forever Gift”

36 Hours

Cinderella Story

ELIZABETH AUGUST

lives in western North Carolina with her husband, Doug. They have three grown sons. She began writing romances soon after their youngest was born.

After a bout with cancer, she has learned to relax and enjoy life more. To this end, she has taken up golf. She says her game could use a great deal of improvement, but the beauty of the mountain courses takes her mind off of her bad shots.

Elizabeth has published under the pseudonym of Betsy Page for Harlequin.

Contents

Chapter One

Chapter Two

Chapter Three

Chapter Four

Chapter Five

Chapter Six

Chapter Seven

Chapter Eight

Chapter Nine

Chapter Ten

Chapter Eleven

Chapter Twelve

Chapter Thirteen

Chapter Fourteen

Chapter One

Gwendolen Murphy, known to friends and foes alike as Gwen, grimaced distastefully as she turned onto Logan property. It had taken her nearly an hour to get here from Lubbock and the ranch house was another half a mile from the main road. The Texas heat was oppressive and halfway there her air-conditioning had decided not to work. Her short chestnut hair was damp with perspiration and beginning to curl into little ringlets, the back of her shirt where it rested against the seat was wet and her jeans were clinging with an uncomfortable heaviness. But the physical discomfort wasn’t what was gnawing at her.

Coming back to this small bit of Texas brought too many unhappy memories. The tiny frame house she and her mother had lived in was on property that abutted the Logan ranch. Just driving past the place where she’d spent her childhood had sent a cold chill down Gwen’s spine. Memories of her two stepfathers interspersed between her mother’s boyfriends, the smell of liquor in the house all of the time, her mother passed out on the couch, had assailed her. Her mother hadn’t been a bad woman, just a weak one. Something Gwen had vowed never to be.

And then there was Jess Logan. Since grade school, she and Jess had harbored a mutual dislike. It was, she knew, more her doing than his. Even at that young age, her reaction to him had been defensive. He’d stirred emotions within her that made her uneasy, and the distrust of men she’d learned from watching her mother had fed that uneasiness. As a result, she’d rejected his initial offer of friendship and from then on both had avoided each other whenever possible. Still, the uneasy effect he had on her had been constantly there, deep inside, a nagging something she’d worked hard to kill. When she’d moved to Lubbock following her mother’s death, she’d figured he was one thorn that was out of her life for good.

“I don’t know why I agreed to come,” she grumbled. But that wasn’t true. She’d come because Morning Hawk, Jess’s great-grandmother, had summoned her. There were those who thought the old woman was a few bales short of a full load. Others were intimidated by her. And they all had good reason. Morning Hawk could be enigmatic and cantankerous, but Gwen owed her. It was a debt that dated back to Gwen’s early teens…and was the only time, until today, that Gwen had ever had any contact with Morning Hawk.

Parking in front of the ranch house, she saw the elderly, pure-blooded Apache, small, bent and looking withered with age, sitting in a rocking chair on the porch. As Gwen left the car and mounted the short flight of steps, Morning Hawk rose to greet her.

“I have a quest for you,” the woman said without any preamble.

Gwen felt as if she’d stepped back in time about a hundred years. “A quest?”

Morning Hawk motioned for Gwen to follow her into the house. It was a large, well-maintained home, furnished comfortably. More upscale than most ranch houses, but then the Logans could afford it. Oil had been struck on their land several years earlier. But in spite of the enormous added income the find had produced, it was still a working ranch. Jess’s father had died years earlier. His two brothers had followed in their father’s footsteps and become Texas Rangers. Jess had been the one who had stayed home to run the ranch for his mother. Gwen hoped he was out on the range and would stay there until she was gone.

“Come along.” Morning Hawk took her by the arm and guided her down a hallway. Stopping in front of a closed door, Morning Hawk knocked sharply, then opened the door and, with Gwen still in tow, entered.

Seated at the desk in the study punching buttons on a computer keyboard was Jess Logan. Half-Apache, his Native American heritage was strong in his rugged features. His muscular build and callused hands gave evidence that a great deal of his time was spent in manual labor. Gwen had to fight down the urge to turn and run. Silently she cursed herself. In spite of all the effort she’d put into trying to rid herself of this effect he had on her, it was as strong as ever.

Jess frowned at his great-grandmother. “You said you had someone coming this morning it was important I meet with.”

His tone told Gwen she didn’t fall into that category. Well, he wasn’t on her list of people she wanted to see either.

“Remember your manners,” Morning Hawk admonished. She motioned for the two of them to be seated as she seated herself.

Neither obeyed.

“I don’t believe there is anything Miss Murphy and I have to discuss.” Jess headed to the door, adding over his shoulder, “I’ve got work to do.”

“Jess Logan, you will sit down,” Morning Hawk commanded. “And listen to what I have to say.”

Outwardly, Gwen kept her expression blank. Inwardly, she couldn’t help but smile at the way this order from such a tiny old shriveled woman stopped the mountain of a cowboy in his tracks.

“All right, I’ll give you five minutes,” he grumbled, taking his seat behind the desk.

Her curiosity overcoming her discomfort in Jess’s presence, Gwen seated herself without protest. Morning Hawk knew of the animosity between Gwen and her grandson. Everyone did. They just didn’t know why it existed. Even Jess, Gwen knew, had been stunned by the intensity with which she’d rejected his offer of friendship. But Gwen wasn’t willing to reveal to anyone how much she feared the very womanly sensations his presence evoked. She didn’t even like admitting them to herself. In the end, people, Jess included, had decided that it was one of those chemistry things—like oil and water or opposite poles of a magnet that repelled each other. So why would the elderly Apache insist on having the two of them in the same room together?

Morning Hawk turned her full attention to Gwen. “I understand you run a very personalized investigative service. You are hired by people who aren’t certain they can trust the man or woman they are dating and want to know the whole truth about them?”

Her intonation made her words a question and Gwen elaborated on the service she provided. “In today’s world, people move around a great deal. That makes it easy for a person to change their past to suit their present needs. And then there’s the Internet. Someone from New York might meet a person from Alaska online and begin a long-distance romance, but how does either one know the other is telling the truth? They don’t. So one or the other hires me to find out.”

Morning Hawk nodded approvingly as if to say what she had just been told was what she had wanted to hear. “So in a way you are a matchmaker.”

“More of a match breaker, usually,” Gwen corrected. “You would be amazed by the lies people will tell to deceive others.”

“No. No, I would not. And that brings me to the reason I arranged this meeting.” Morning Hawk turned her attention to Jess. “It is time you took a wife.”

Jess shook his head. “I knew you were up to something when you started humming as soon as Mom and Grandma left for California to visit Uncle Crow. I’ll get married when I’m good and ready. And right now, I’m just not ready to take that step.”

“You’re twenty-nine, that’s old enough to be good and ready,” Morning Hawk returned.

Jess frowned. “Why this sudden interest in my marital status? Both of my brothers were older than I am now when they got married.”

“I’m getting on in years. I want to see you happily settled before I pass on.” Morning Hawk returned her attention to Gwen. “And that’s where you come in. I want you to find him a wife.”

Gwen’s eyes rounded in shock while her stomach knotted tightly. “You want me to find him a wife?”

Jess’s frown darkened until it reminded Gwen of thunderclouds gathering the sky. “I’ll find my own wife.”

“You’re too busy running this ranch for your mother and overseeing the family’s oil interests. And,” Morning Hawk added sharply, “I didn’t care at all for that last floozy you were seeing. She made me question your taste or, at least, the places where you meet women.”

“Floozy?” Jess questioned pointedly. “Are you talking about Jeanette Harrison, our neighbor’s daughter? She speaks four languages. She’s traveled all over the world and she has a personal fortune of her own. I don’t believe floozy is a fair description.”

“Well, she’d never be happy living here. That socialite mother of hers has made certain that no Texas dust settled on her daughter. You need a woman who will love this land and this kind of life as much as you do.”

Jess’s gaze leveled on his great-grandmother. “I will choose the kind of woman I want to marry.”

Morning Hawk stared back at him. “I can be just as hardheaded as you.”

“More,” he muttered under his breath.

“This is important to me. I rarely ask you to do something for me, but I’m asking now. Let Gwen find three women who fit both your criteria and mine. Take them out. Get to know them. If none of them appeals to you, I will feel that I have, at least, done my best.”

For a long moment Jess made no response. Then in an easy drawl, he said, “I want your word that if I do this, you will never interfere in my private life again.”

“You have my word.”

Gwen had watched from the sidelines with dry amusement. She knew Morning Hawk’s reputation for getting what she wanted, but she also knew how stubborn Jess could be and had no doubt he would win out. Suddenly realizing that he was conceding to his great-grandmother’s wishes, her amusement vanished. “Now, wait. Wait just one minute,” she blurted. “Finding a wife is a lot more difficult than investigating someone. I really don’t think I’m the person for this job.”

Morning Hawk smiled at her. “Of course you are. I trust you. You’re a good, decent person and I know you will do an excellent job.”

Jess smiled cynically. “What Gwen means is that she doesn’t think she can find a woman who’d put up with me.”

Morning Hawk’s gaze swung back to him. “Considering the way you behave sometimes, I can’t blame her. But I know you better than she does. You’ll make a fine husband…provided she finds a woman who knows how to handle you.”

“I really can’t take this job,” Gwen insisted, rising from her chair.

Morning Hawk rose, too, and laid a hand on Gwen’s arm. “But you must. You’re the only one I would trust with such a quest. Even though you and my great-grandson obviously have a strong personality clash that has prevented you from being friends, you’re an honest person who would do her best, no matter what the circumstances.”

“I’m not a matchmaker.”

“Let me talk to Gwen alone,” Jess interjected.

“It won’t do any good.” Gwen edged toward the door. She was uncomfortable being in the same room with Jess Logan. The last thing she wanted was to be alone in one with him.

Challenge showed in Jess’s eyes. “Don’t tell me you’re afraid…not the leather-tough lady who can handle every problem on her own.”

Gwen’s shoulders straightened with defiance. “Don’t be ridiculous. Of course I’m not afraid of you.”

“Behave yourselves,” Morning Hawk ordered, heading to the door.

Gwen barely heard, her gaze locked with Jess’s, blocking out nearly everything else. When Jess was angry or determined, his dark brown eyes turned nearly black, intimidating his opponents into submission, but she was equally determined that no man, not even Jess Logan, was going to intimidate her. “You can talk until you’re blue in the face,” she said the moment the door closed behind Morning Hawk, “but I’m not taking this job.”

Breaking his gaze from hers, Jess drew a terse breath. “Look, I don’t like this any better than you do, but when my great-grandmother sets her mind to something, she can make a person’s life miserable until she gets her way. I’ll pay you ten thousand dollars to find three reasonably pleasant women for me to take out on a couple of dates each. That way, I’ll have lived up to my end of the bargain and Morning Hawk will have to live up to hers.”

“I’m not interested in taking your money.”

Jess scowled. “Next to my great-grandmother, you are the most stubborn, bullheaded woman I’ve ever known. No, I take that back. You’re even more stubborn and bullheaded than she is.”

“I’ll take that as a compliment. Now if you’ll excuse me, I’ve business elsewhere.” Gwen started to the door, inwardly relieved that she’d delivered her exit line and could be on her way.

But before she had gone two paces, Jess’s hand closed around her arm, bringing her to a halt. His calluses were rough against her skin but instead of feeling abrasive, they caused an intense sensual stirring deep within. She rebelled against this sensation. I am not my mother, she seethed at herself. Aloud she snapped, “Let go of me,” and attempted to twist free.

Jess released her and held up his hand in a sign of peace. “Okay, okay. I didn’t want to turn this into another of our skirmishes. All I want is to pacify Morning Hawk.” A dry smile curled one corner of his mouth. “And save you some trouble. She’s got her mind set on you doing this for her and she’ll pester you until you do. Believe me, I know.”

Gwen held her arms stiffly at her sides, fighting the urge to rub off the lingering effect of his touch while she considered his words. She guessed he was right. It was common knowledge that when Morning Hawk set her mind to something, it remained set. Besides, she did owe the woman for talking her out of doing something that could have proved to be very foolish. This would clear up that debt, then she would never have to have anything to do with any of the Logans or their kin again. “Okay,” she agreed grudgingly. “But I won’t take your money. I’ll bill your grandmother for my time like I would any other client. And,” she added firmly, “I’ll do my best to find suitable candidates. I hope you’ll treat them with respect.”

“I always treat women with respect.”

Gwen gave him a dry look, then strode out of the room. A curl of guilt wove through her. The skeptical glance she’d tossed at him had been unfair. The truth was she had no reason to doubt his statement. In fact, she had every reason to accept it as fact. She’d never known him to treat anyone with disrespect unless they deserved it.

Morning Hawk was waiting on the porch. “Well, will you accept my quest?”

“I’ll find three candidates.”

Morning Hawk grinned widely. “I’m sure you’ll seek out the perfect wife for my great-grandson.” Her manner became businesslike. “Do you want to move in tonight or wait until tomorrow?”

Gwen stared. “Move in?” she finally managed to choke out.

“Well, of course. You have to get to know Jess before you can find a match for him.”

“I don’t think getting to know him will prove useful. You can both just give me a list of criteria and I’ll go from there.”

“Don’t be ridiculous. To do the job right will require much more knowledge than what we can put on paper.”

“Really, Great-Grandma.” Jess stepped out onto the porch. Obviously he’d been listening from the hall and decided that his intervention was necessary. “There’s no reason for Gwen to move in.”

“This is your life. She must understand it and you to find the right woman for you.”

It was clear to Gwen from the expression on Jess’s face that he didn’t like the idea of her living under his roof any more than she did. “I’m sure Jess has a very good idea of the wife he wants. He can simply describe her to me and I’ll go from there.”

“Fantasies never work out well. He needs a real woman who will fit into his life.” Morning Hawk’s tone became sterner. “And not one who’s simply after his money.”

“I’m not stupid enough to be taken in by a gold digger,” Jess growled.

Morning Hawk tossed him an indulgent look. “Any man can be taken in by a pretty face and good figure. And that’s what the service Gwen provides will protect against. She goes beyond face value. Anyone she finds for you will be trustworthy as well as fit your requirements.”

Jess breathed a resigned sigh. “She can move in today. The sooner we get started, the better.”

“I really d—” Gwen started to protest.

“A person could get the idea that you’re afraid of sharing the same roof with me,” Jess cut her off, challenge again in his eyes.

Gwen’s shoulders stiffened. “I’m most certainly not intimidated by the likes of you, Jess Logan.” Heading to her car, she added over her shoulder, “I’ll go get my things and be back in a couple of hours.”

Driving away, she glanced in her rearview mirror to see Jess stalk back into the house. She rolled her eyes toward the heavens. “I can’t believe I’m doing this.” Abruptly, a crooked grin tilted one corner of her mouth. She wasn’t alone. Both she and Jess Logan had been manipulated by Morning Hawk. And the thought of him being maneuvered into a corner by the elderly woman made the situation laughable. Almost laughable, she corrected, reminding herself that she was in the same corner.

Chapter Two

An uneasy feeling ran through Gwen as she parked in front of the Logan ranch house later that day. Her father had exited her life even before she was born. When she was seventeen, her mother had died. Since then, she’d lived alone and grown used to her solitary existence.

“I had Lilly make up a room for you.” Jess greeted her, coming out of the house and heading to her car.

“Lilly?” Gwen had been under the impression Jess and Morning Hawk were the only people occupying the house.

“Our housekeeper. Lilly Chambers,” Jess elaborated. “She was in town doing some grocery shopping when you were here earlier.”

Gwen chided herself mentally. Of course the Logans would have a housekeeper. “Thanks,” she replied curtly, using terseness to hide her growing nervousness.

“Look, I’m not any happier about this than you are,” he returned with equal animosity, “but we’ve made a bargain and we might as well be civil about it.”

“I’m used to living alone.” She tried to school the tenseness out of her voice but an edge remained. Not wanting him to guess how uneasy he made her, especially after that unnerving reaction she’d had to his touch, she added, “I guess I’m a little short on people skills.”

“You always have been.”

She bit back a retort. She had good reason for being the way she was, but that was her own private hell and no one else’s and she had no intention of revealing it just to justify her behavior.

Jess’s eyebrow raised in a questioning arch when she made no response. Then obviously accepting her silence as an end to the conversation, he picked up her satchel and computer bag.

Gwen grabbed at it. “I can carry my own things.”

“My mother taught me to be polite to guests.”

“Well, I’m no guest. I’m an employee.”

“You’re a female. I’d never hear the end of it from the women in my family if I didn’t carry your bag.”

Realizing she was fighting a losing battle, she shrugged and reached into the car for the old wooden baseball bat lying on the floor.

Surprise showed on Jess’s face. “Don’t you think that’s overreacting a bit. I’m just trying to be a good host.”

A flush reddened her cheeks. “I wasn’t going to use it on you.”

A grin tilted one corner of his mouth. “Never thought I’d hear myself saying this, but you look kind of cute when you’re flustered.”

Abruptly, her eyes turned cold with warning. “I’d better correct my last statement. I’m not planning to use this bat on you right now. But I do plan to keep it around in case any varmints wander too close.”

“Cute like a rattlesnake,” Jess muttered, clearly rethinking his first reaction. He met her icy glare with impatience. “Well, you don’t have to worry about me.”

“Good.” A curl of self-directed anger wove through her. He’d just told her what she wanted to hear. She should have been relieved, but deep inside she’d felt a sting. I’m just overly tense, she reasoned, pushing the car door closed.

Leading the way into the house, Jess silently cursed his great-grandmother for inviting this woman under their roof. She’d always been as prickly as a cactus and the fact that she thought she needed a bat to protect herself from him grated on his nerves. He sure as heck had never given her any indication he found her the least bit attractive. Not that she wasn’t physically good-looking…nice figure, curves in all the right places, green eyes and chestnut hair cut short so that it framed her face in a gentle style. But her core was cold as ice and hard as stone.

After showing her to her room, he went in search of Morning Hawk and found her in the kitchen with Lilly.

“I’ve got a stew on the stove and will be putting the corn bread in shortly,” Lilly said. She was in her mid-fifties, comfortable in her manner and she had a kindly disposition.

“Thanks.” Jess gave her the barest of glances. Lilly had worked for the Logans since she was a teenager. He considered her a trustworthy part of their household and thus felt perfectly comfortable discussing Gwen in front of her. Locking his gaze on Morning Hawk, he said tersely, “I don’t think inviting Gwen to stay under our roof was such a good idea.”

“She’s not as difficult to get along with as some people think,” Lilly spoke.

Surprised by the housekeeper’s defense of his unwanted guest, Jess’s gaze swung to her.

“She kept my niece from getting involved with a real loser. My sister didn’t like the guy so she hired Gwen to check him out. Turned out he not only had a criminal record, he had two wives and a total of six kids.”

“I’m not saying that what she does isn’t useful.” Jess’s gaze traveled between the two women. His jaw tensed. “She keeps a baseball bat with her.”

Morning Hawk regarded him indulgently. “A woman who lives alone should have something to protect herself with.”

Lilly nodded. “A lot of young women have taken to carrying guns. Not that I think that’s such a good idea. But on the other hand, the world has become a much more dangerous place, or so it seems. My daughter has taken up karate and she’s already up to a brown belt.”

“Maybe I should take some self-defense courses before I go out on my next date. And maybe carry a metal detector with me,” Jess muttered, shaking his head as he left the kitchen and went to his study.

Seated at his desk, he doodled on the edges of a sheet of paper where he’d listed a number of women’s names. He had nothing against marriage. He just hadn’t met the woman he wanted to spend the rest of his life with. Even more, he didn’t like being pushed! “I’ll find a wife myself and in my own sweet time,” he growled, then focused his full attention on the paper in front of him.

After Gwen had left, he’d given this current situation a great deal of thought. He didn’t like blind dates. If he was going to go out with someone, it was going to be someone he had, at least, a passing acquaintance with. His plan was to hand Gwen the names of three women and tell her to set him up with them. That would make his part a bit more palatable and hers easy, allowing them to get finished with this charade quickly. Stopping his doodling, he made his final list.

Gwen stood at the window in her bedroom, knowing she had to leave the sanctity of the room and face Jess but not wanting to. She’d never understood why he had such a strong effect on her. He just did.

Her mind went back to her first day in school after she and her mother had moved to this panhandle area of Texas. She’d been in fourth grade. When it came time for lunch, a couple of the popular girls had attached themselves to her, more to find out all about her than to claim her as a friend. The three of them were just finishing eating when Jess wandered over to introduce himself. The other two girls had twittered, clearly excited and pleased by his presence. He was two years older and the fact that he was welcoming Gwen was clearly an event as far as her friends were concerned. But he made her feel weirdly uncomfortable in ways she’d never felt before and that had scared her. To hide her discomfort, she’d given him a cold look that told him she didn’t want him anywhere near her. The two girls she’d been eating with were both stunned and quickly made excuses to get away from her. From then on she’d been excluded from the popular crowd. But she didn’t care. They would have expected her to invite them to her house and she never invited anyone there. In addition to the house always smelling like liquor and stale cigarettes, her mother was a lousy housekeeper. Bottles and full ashtrays littered all the rooms except for Gwen’s and she never knew when her mother might come home early from work with a new “friend.”

Even Henry, the one lasting friend she’d made while in school here and who she’d learned to love like a brother, had only been inside a few times. His home life had been as bad as hers in its own way, so she hadn’t been quite so embarrassed about him coming in. Still, the uncertainty of finding her mother drunk or with a “friend” caused her to check the house before she let even him enter.

A knock on Gwen’s door startled her, jerking her mind back to the present. Answering the summons, she found her nemesis standing there.

“I suppose I should be flattered that you didn’t answer with your weapon in your hand,” he muttered.

Again a tint of red colored her cheeks. She’d tried to make herself leave the bat behind, but it had been her security blanket from an early age and she couldn’t sleep without it under her bed. “You said I was safe from you and from what I’ve heard, Logans keep their word.”

Jess nodded to emphasize this point, then extended a piece of paper toward her. “I’ve decided to make your job a lot easier by providing you with the names of three women you can set me up with.”

“I suppose they’re ones who will be totally disagreeable to your great-grandmother, so she won’t get any more ideas about matchmaking.”

“No. Morning Hawk would never believe you would find anyone totally unsuitable. They’re women I might consider marrying if I was of a mind to get married. After you’ve stuck around here for a couple of days, you can say you know enough about me and we can get on to the dating phase of this.”

Before Gwen could respond, he strode away. Closing her door, she stared at the names he’d given her.

For a moment she was surprised that Jeanette Harrison wasn’t at the top of the list. Then recalling the exchange between Jess and Morning Hawk, she realized he was excluding her because he knew Morning Hawk considered her unsuitable and he wanted this little game to flow easily and quickly to its finish.

And it should, she thought as she reviewed the list. She knew all three women to some extent. Each had been born and raised in this rural community of which the Logan land was a part. And they’d all attended the same grade school and high school as she and Jess. After high school, they’d continued their educations and eventually settled in and around Lubbock.

The first was Susan O’Rilley…a tall, slender redhead who was not only beautiful, but very clever and highly intelligent. She had a law degree from Harvard. Currently she was an assistant district attorney in Lubbock, and there were a lot of people who believed she would eventually be top dog.

Next was Mary Beth Lloyd, pretty, medium build, a brunette, also college educated. She taught grade school and had a motherly aura.

The last was Brenda Jackson, a blonde with curves in all the right places. She was a nurse, and a great many of her male patients said she’d given them a new lease on life just by walking into their rooms and smiling at them. Gwen had even heard her referred to as “that healing angel” and “the angel in white.”

“This list should please Morning Hawk.” Still, the whole business grated on her nerves. Abruptly, she squared her shoulders. “I can’t stay in here forever.” Opening the door, she stepped out into the hall.

“So where to now?” she murmured under her breath. Old habits died hard. Without even making a conscious decision, she headed away from the main part of the house, casing out the hall on which her room was located. She’d always felt safer when she knew her surroundings. There were three other bedrooms there. The first two she peered into had a vacant feel to them. Pictures and mementos on the bureaus led her to believe they had belonged to Slade and Boyd Logan, Jess’s older brothers. And she guessed they were kept in readiness for visits from either of them and their wives. The third door was the one next to hers on her side of the hall.

Opening it, she looked around cautiously. It had a lived-in look. There was a shirt hung over a chair and the mild scent of aftershave lingered in the air. Without any doubt, she knew this was Jess’s room. As if she’d uncovered a rattlesnake’s lair, she took a step back and pulled the door closed.

“Looking for me?”

The sound of Jess’s voice startled her. Turning to face him, she ordered herself to appear calm. “No. I was merely checking out my environment. You know, escape routes in case of fire and such.”

“There’s a window in your bedroom and we’re on the ground level.”

“So I might be somewhere else.”

A sarcastic smirk tilted one corner of his mouth. “My room?”

“I didn’t know it was your room before I opened the door. And I can tell you this will be the one and only time I do that.” With a look that said this was a promise, she strode past him and down the hall.

In spite of the air of relaxed comfort the decor of the house portrayed, Gwen felt out of place. Deciding to make herself useful, she headed to the kitchen to offer assistance.

Lilly greeted her with a smile. “Morning Hawk told me why you’re here and swore me to secrecy. I’m supposed to tell everyone that you’re helping her with some sort of genealogy search.”

“Sounds like a good cover.”

Lilly shook her head. “I don’t know what’s gotten into her. It’s not like her to mettle in her great-grandsons’ lives like this. And it’s not like the family was worried Jess would never get married. He’s got nothing against marriage.” Her expression took on a hint of apology. “I’m not saying your services aren’t valuable. In fact, I was telling Jess earlier today how you helped out my niece. But hiring a matchmaker. I can’t believe Jess is going along with it.”

“He didn’t have a choice.”

Lilly nodded solemnly with understanding. “When his great-grandma gets a bee in her bonnet, generally humoring her is the best way to handle it. Sometimes, it’s the only way. And she did tell me that he only has to date the women you pick. She’s not actually insisting that he marry any of them.”

“That’s right,” Gwen confirmed.

“Well, I guess it’s all right then. I just hate to see her putting Jess through all of this on a whim.” A puzzled expression came over her features. “What’s really peculiar is that I’ve never known her to do anything on a whim.” Again she shook her head. “Never thought I’d see the day when she got senile. But maybe this is the first sign. Some people think she’s always been a bit wacky, but it’s been my experience that there’s generally a good reason behind everything she does.”

“She did say she wanted to see Jess married before she met her maker. Maybe she’s suddenly gotten worried about her mortality and this crazy idea sprung out of that.” Gwen offered an explanation for Morning Hawk’s behavior. “People can get a bit eccentric when they finally face the fact that they’re not going to live forever.”

Lilly nodded vigorously. “That’s true.”

Not wanting to discuss Jess or his great-grandmother any further, Gwen changed the subject to her original purpose. “Can I give you a hand with dinner?”

Lilly shook her head. “Oh, no. You’re a guest.”

“I’m an employee just like you,” Gwen corrected. “And right this minute I need to feel useful.”

For a moment Lilly made no response, then said, “If you really don’t mind, I would like to get home a little early. Bobbie, my grandson, has a baseball game tonight and I told him I’d try to get there to see him pitch.”

Gwen had hoped that Lilly was live-in help. The more people around, the better. Then chiding herself for this bit of totally unnecessary cowardliness, she forced a smile. “No problem. What do you want me to do?”

“I’ve cooked a stew.” As she spoke, Lilly lifted the lid of a heavy iron pot on the stove and gave the contents a stir. With a shrug of her shoulder toward the long heavy wooden table in the center of the large kitchen, she added, “And the table is set. All that’s left is to take the corn bread out of the oven. When the timer goes off it should be ready.”

“I know how to tell if it’s done,” Gwen assured her. “You run along.”

Lilly hesitated. “Are you sure?”

“Yes, now go.”

Lilly was heading for the door when Jess entered.

“I told her to leave and let me finish putting the meal on the table,” Gwen said hurriedly, uncertain how strict Jess was about his help leaving early and not wanting to be the cause of any anger toward Lilly.

“I was just coming in to offer the same service,” Jess returned in an easy drawl, giving the housekeeper a friendly smile. “You run along and go see Bobbie pitch.”

“Thanks.” Lilly grinned back, then hurried on her way.

Surprised that Jess had been willing to take over kitchen duties, but wanting him to leave, Gwen said, “I can take care of things in here. You go back to whatever you usually do before dinner.”

“Fixing dinner isn’t your job.”

The need to feel useful was too strong for Gwen to retreat. “I told Lilly I’d do it. Now, just go away and let me take care of things here.” Suddenly realizing she was trying to order Jess Logan around in his own home, she hid her embarrassment behind a shield of angry impatience.

For a long moment, Jess studied her, then a small crooked grin tilted one corner of his mouth. “I’d offer to arm wrestle you for it, but I figure I’d better keep my distance. As I recall, the last time I saw someone get you riled it was Joe Jackson and you punched him so hard in the stomach, you got yourself suspended from school for three days.”

Gwen recalled the incident vividly. It had happened during her sophomore year in high school. The minute she’d thrown the punch, she’d known it was the wrong thing to do and truly felt horrible about it. But Joe had hit a tender nerve…a very tender nerve. He’d whispered in her ear that he’d heard her mother was “easy” and could be had for a couple of drinks. Then he’d wanted to know what Gwen’s price was. Her shoulders straightened with defiance. “Joe Jackson had a vulgar mouth.”

“True. But most girls would have just slapped him or given him a nasty look and walked away.”

“That would only have egged him on.” Fighting down a surge of old guilt at her act of violence, she added in her defense, “He needed to be taught a lesson.”

“You’re right. He did.”

Gwen had expected Jess to continue mocking her behavior. That he agreed with her, startled her. Adding to her surprise, he grinned.

“I can still see the look on Joe’s face,” he said. “He always bullied you girls because he never expected you to respond the way you did.”

A haunted shadow flitted in Gwen’s eyes. “His type only prey on those weaker than themselves.”

Jess’s smile vanished and his gaze narrowed on her. “You sound like you’ve had more than your share of experience with his type.”

Angry that she’d nearly revealed things she was determined to keep private, she said with cool calm, “All women have had experience with his type. Some are just slower learners than others. That’s what keeps me in business.” Not wanting this conversation to continue, she turned her attention to the timer on the stove. “Looks like it’s getting to be time to pour the drinks.” Realizing he wasn’t leaving, she added, “Since you came to work and you know more about where things are in this kitchen, you can do that. I’ll take water.”

Gwen could feel Jess staring at her. Her breath locked in lungs as she waited for him to make some snide remark about her ordering him around in his own kitchen. Then the sensation was gone and she heard him moving around the room, finding glasses and filling them.

Neither spoke except for the necessary communications involved in getting the dinner on the table and summoning Morning Hawk. As all three seated themselves and they began to dish food onto their plates, the stilted atmosphere remained.

Morning Hawk’s gaze traveled between them. “Obviously the two of you haven’t decided to be social to one another yet, but I am relieved you can be left alone in a room full of weapons and not get into a fight.”

Jess’s eyes leveled on Gwen. “I tried to make small talk but she was like a wet cat. She snapped at everything I said.”

Gwen met his gaze. “You were being nosy.”

“All right, so maybe I was.”

Gwen’s eyes rounded. “You admit it?”

“I realized a long time ago that your coldness wasn’t limited just to me. You seem to hold a grudge against men in general. I was just curious as to why.”

Gwen’s jaw hardened. “Men are users.”

“Not all men.”

“I suppose. But it’s hard to know which are and which aren’t. To avoid any trouble, I prefer to assume the worst and steer clear.” Immediately, she regretted not keeping her mouth shut. Jess was regarding her so narrowly his gaze felt like a knife trying to pierce the thick skin she’d grown around herself. Refusing to allow this conversation to remain on her, she added in a calm tone, “But then some women are users as well. I’m assuming that’s why I’m here. To make sure you don’t get hooked by one of them.”

Jess’s attention turned to his great-grandmother. “I’ve always considered myself real good at telling a shark from a trout.”

Morning Hawk smiled. “Sometimes a man’s vision can be so blurred by the beauty and excitement of the moment, he’s sunk the hook before he realizes he’s snagged a fish not worth reeling in.”

“When I’m doing some serious fishing, I always cast my line carefully,” Jess assured her.

Morning Hawk’s expression became that of a wise sage. “No one can be certain about what lies beneath still waters.”

Jess shook his head in a gesture of defeat and turned his attention to his food.

Gwen breathed a mental sigh of relief as silence again settled over the table.

A couple of hours later, Gwen plopped into the chair in her bedroom.

Following the meal, Jess had insisted on helping her clean up the kitchen.

“I’m sure the two of you don’t need my help,” Morning Hawk had said, and headed for the door. Then as if she’d had second thoughts, she’d seated herself in a rocking chair by the potbellied stove and taken out some handwork she kept in a basket there.

Gwen had the impression the elderly woman had decided that a peacemaker or, perhaps, a referee might be needed.

But as it turned out, the cleaning up had gone smoothly. She and Jess had kept their conversation focused on getting the job done and afterward he’d retired to his study and Gwen had taken refuge in her room.

Drawing in a deep breath to calm her taut nerves, she realized she hadn’t locked her door. Something was definitely wrong with her survival instinct. From an early age, she’d always locked her door. Rising, she flipped the latch, then reseating herself, she frowned.

When she and Jess were cleaning the kitchen, his arm had brushed hers a couple of times and each time she’d felt as if she’d been shocked by a bolt of electricity. And then there was that moment at the table when he’d admitted he’d been prying. The tiniest hint of an embarrassed smile had played at one corner of his mouth and she’d found herself thinking that he looked boyishly handsome. There had even been a momentary weakening in her knees. This was not good. Her mother had always been feeling weak in the knees about one man or another, and that was something Gwen had vowed never to do.

“Clearly, I’m just overly tense,” she reasoned. “I’m not used to living under the same roof with strangers or with anyone else for that matter. I just need a good night’s sleep.”

But even as she muttered these words, she was sure attempting to sleep would prove futile. However, a short while later, after a final check to make sure her bat was within reach, she crawled under the covers and closed her eyes. Almost immediately she fell into a comfortable slumber.

Chapter Three

Gwen opened her eyes to discover sunlight streaming in her window. She couldn’t believe it. In a strange house with a man who unnerved her merely by his presence, she’d had one of the best night’s sleeps she’d had in her life. “I’m definitely losing my edge,” she grumbled, throwing off the covers.

Entering the kitchen a short while later, she found Morning Hawk sitting at the table drinking coffee. Jess was nowhere in sight.

“He’s out riding fences,” Morning Hawk said, as if sensing the trail of Gwen’s thoughts. Nodding toward the refrigerator, she added, “Lilly won’t be here until a bit later. We get our own breakfast around here. There’s eggs, ham and bacon. Make whatever you want.”

Gwen started to say she wasn’t hungry, then her stomach growled and she realized she was. “Thanks.” Opening the refrigerator, she took out a couple of eggs and the ham.

Watching her slice off a piece of the meat, Morning Hawk said, “I assume Jess gave you a list of names you’re supposed to pretend you chose for him.”

Gwen looked over her shoulder. “Does anything ever get by you?”

“Not where my great-grandsons are concerned. At least, not Jess.”

Gwen turned, leaned against the counter, crossed her arms and regarded Morning Hawk wryly. “If you knew that was what he would do, why this charade?”

“Because without some prodding, he wasn’t going to do any serious wife hunting and I want to see him settled before I go to the great hunting grounds in the sky.”

“But this isn’t serious wife hunting. You’re both just playing a game with each other.”

“Did he put Jeanette Harrison’s name on the list?”

“No.”

“Then it’s serious wife hunting.”

“He left the name off because he knew you would protest.”

“He left the name off because, deep down inside, he knows she’s not good wife material.”

Gwen straightened. “Look, I didn’t like taking money for this charade before, but now that I know you’re not being fooled, I refuse to play this game.”

“But it’s not a game. Whether you’re willing to believe it or not, these are women Jess thinks he could marry. And I want you to investigate them just as you would if you were playing matchmaker for one of your regular clients.”

“I don’t play matchmaker for my clients. I merely tell them if what they see is what they’re getting or if there’s a hidden side to the person they’re dating that they should be aware of.”

Morning Hawk rose, approached Gwen and took her hands in hers. “Please, do this for me and promise me that you won’t tell Jess I’ve guessed his game.”

“I don’t feel right taking money for this.”

“Don’t be silly. You’ll be doing your usual investigation.” Morning Hawk’s expression became sage. “Besides, if this prodding of mine does make him decide to get married, you wouldn’t want to let him fall into the clutches of the wrong woman just because you refused to help me weed out the bad ones.”

Gwen wanted to say that she was sure Jess could take care of himself, but Morning Hawk had planted just enough of the seed of guilt to force her to admit that if he did pick unwisely it could be partially her fault. “Even if we warn him, I doubt he’ll listen to us,” she said, wishing she’d never gotten involved in this in the first place.

“At least we’ll know we tried,” Morning Hawk countered. “Now I want your promise that you’ll keep this conversation between the two of us.”

“I owe you a large debt, but you’re asking a lot. I don’t like to deal in lies.”

“These are just little white ones and for a good cause.”

“I’m not so sure Jess would see it that way.”

“Please. I’ve communicated with the spirits and they’re leading me now just as they led you to me years ago.”

Memories of that dark night so long ago when fear had caused Gwen to run from her home came vividly back to Gwen’s mind.

“Promise me you’ll see this through,” Morning Hawk coaxed.

“It’s against my better judgment, but all right,” Gwen relented, adding, “I wouldn’t do this if I didn’t owe you so much.”

“You’ll see, you’re doing the right thing.” Morning Hawk gave Gwen’s hands a motherly squeeze. “Now eat some breakfast. You’ve got work to do.”

Gwen leaned back in her chair and stretched. She’d moved a table and chair into her bedroom and set up her computer there, then spent all morning checking the easily available records pertaining to the women Jess had chosen.

At first, she’d locked her door. But both Lilly and Morning Hawk had dropped by to see her for various reasons and, not only had it been inconvenient to have to get up and unlock the door each time one of them knocked, but the look of surprise they’d given her when they’d discovered she had locked the door had made her feel foolish. And so, in the end, she’d not only left the door unlocked but open as well.

Bootfalls in the hall warned her of someone approaching. Even before she turned her head to see who had come to a halt in the doorway of her room, she knew it was Jess. The hairs on the back of her neck had always prickled slightly when he was around and right now they felt like the spines on a cactus. Suddenly she found herself wishing the door was not only locked but bolted as well. Silently she cursed herself for allowing him to have such a strong effect on her.

“You sure you aren’t cramped in here?” he asked.

Gwen turned and grinned dryly. “You’ve never been in one of the rooms at Mrs. O’Grady’s boardinghouse, have you?”

“Can’t say as I have.”

No, of course he wouldn’t have ever been there, she mocked herself, her grin vanishing. Mrs. O’Grady ran a clean, respectable place but it was way across the tracks from anywhere the Logans would go. Except maybe Jess’s brothers. They’d probably been in the neighborhood chasing down criminals. She rose, her manner crisply businesslike. “This room suits me just fine.”

Jess studied her. “Sounds like you’ve lived in some pretty tough neighborhoods. Now I understand the bat.”

She met his gaze. “You don’t understand anything.” The moment the words were out, she regretted them.

Jess’s gaze narrowed. “What don’t I understand?”

“Look, I’m hungry. I’m going to see if Lilly has lunch ready.” Her tone let him know she considered their conversation over.

Jess shook his head. “I’ve never met a woman as closemouthed as you.”

“Most men would be grateful for that. Isn’t ‘women talking too much’ one of your major complaints?” He was still blocking the doorway. Normally she would have pushed past, but recalling the effect of contact with him, she chose not to get too close. “Would you mind moving out of my way?”

Jess took a couple of paces back into the hall.

Passing him, she headed toward the kitchen, only to hear his footfalls behind her. She glanced impatiently over her shoulder, then stopped and turned back. “Do you have some reason for dogging my tracks?”

“I came to tell you that Lilly has lunch ready,” he replied in an easy drawl.

As usual, in Jess Logan’s presence, she’d overreacted. She handled being around other men just fine…always remaining in cool control. But he seemed to bring out the worst in her, causing her to suddenly be terse and impolite. It’s not him; it’s me, she admitted grudgingly. Something about him threatened her control. He was so darn…virile. This thought shook her and she shoved it from her mind. “Thanks,” she said in a level tone. Wanting to put distance between them, she again started down the hall.

Jess fell into step beside her. “Didn’t you get bored sitting in that room all morning? You could have said you wanted to do some visual surveillance and run into town.”

“I was doing my preliminary workups.”

He frowned. “What for? This is just a game to pacify Morning Hawk.”

“She’ll expect to see some paperwork.”

“She may, but I don’t. I figure if I’m interested enough in a person, I’ll find out what I need to know myself, in my own way.”

“That’s exactly what a lot of the women I end up working for said the first, second and third times around before they finally realized how devious some people can be and came to me.”

“I’m not the victim type.”

Gwen had to admit that was her feeling, too. Still, a cautionary cord in her caused her to say, “Anyone can be a victim when it comes to love.”

“I suppose. But I’m willing to take my chances.”

She told herself to drop the subject, but heard herself countering with, “Don’t forget the old adage, The bigger they are, the harder they fall.”

“So, I’ll just have to make sure that when I fall, the woman I choose will be the kind who won’t let me get hurt.”

Gwen found herself hoping that same thing. What startled her was the strength of that hope. It came very close to feeling actually protective of him.

“You got hurt? A fence barb get you?” Morning Hawk questioned sharply, catching the last three words as Gwen and Jess entered the kitchen. “Let me see.”

“We were talking about women.” Jess’s gaze leveled on his great-grandmother. “I don’t intend to get hurt by one. And especially not because I let someone push me into something I’m not ready for.”

“I’m just giving you a little nudge. I’m not shoving you off a cliff.”

Lilly eyed the group, her hands on her hips. “If you ask me, I think Jess should be left alone and allowed to get married when he’s ready and not before.”

Jess gave Lilly an approving look. “Thanks.”

Lilly’s gaze focused on Morning Hawk. “Meddling in other people’s business, especially their love life, can bring results you least expect,” she warned. Then clamping her lips shut to indicate she’d said all she felt she needed to say on this subject, she returned to putting food on the table.

Morning Hawk regarded the housekeeper indulgently, then turned to Gwen. “You should go out with Jess this afternoon. You need to know as much about him as possible to find the right match.”

“I really don’t think tagging along after him is necessary,” Gwen protested, silently cursing the elderly woman for what she considered pushing this charade much further than was necessary. “Besides, I don’t know how to ride.”

Morning Hawk regarded her patronizingly. “Then it’s time you did.”

“I really…”

“You might as well give up now,” Jess interrupted. “She’s not going to stop until she has her way.”

“But I’m sure you’re much too busy to teach me how to handle a horse.”

“I feel certain you of all people will pick it up very quickly,” Jess returned. “All you need to do to make a horse behave is let him know that you’re not scared of him and consider yourself in command. You’re too tough to be afraid or to give an inch in your authority.”

He made her sound hard as nails. And the truth was that she prided herself on being just that. But for some reason, hearing him say it made her feel subhuman. “Some people don’t have it as easy as others. They have to learn to be tough to survive.” Immediately she clamped her mouth shut. Why was she always blurting out things in front of him that she’d never said aloud to anyone else before? Beetles, she cursed mentally.

“I didn’t mean to sound critical,” Jess apologized. Then he added, “Well, maybe I did a little. I’m used to women showing at least a semblance of a soft side.”

Back in control, Gwen managed a shrug of indifference. “Well, just consider me one of the guys.”

“That’s an excellent idea.” Morning Hawk broke in, smiling broadly at Gwen and then turning her grin on Jess. “Men always tell each other things they wouldn’t tell a female and Gwen needs to know as much about you as possible to find the perfect match.”

Both Gwen and Jess frowned at her delight, then turned their attention to their food.

Chapter Four

With an outward show of confidence to mask her inward trepidation, Gwen entered the fenced grazing area adjacent to the stables with Jess. Jess whistled. A large black stallion looked their way. Gwen had the distinct feeling the animal had known they were there all along, but was waiting to hear them announce themselves. Then with an easy grace, the horse turned in their direction and approached.

Gwen took an involuntary step backward as the animal reached Jess and bent his head toward the cowboy.

“Afternoon, Raven. Looks like we’re going to have company on this ride.” In an aside to Gwen, Jess added, “He won’t bite. You can step forward again.”

She hated the fact that she’d shown even a moment’s cowardliness in front of him. With a long step closer, she placed herself right next to the beast. “Good boy,” she said firmly, and patted his neck the way she’s seen people do in the movies.

“I can’t believe you live in Texas and haven’t learned to ride,” Jess commented, as he slipped the lead halter on Raven.

Raven moved slightly and, with every ounce of control she could muster, Gwen managed to stop herself from jumping away. Instead, she sidestepped as gracefully as her shaky legs would allow. “I’ve never had any need to.”

Jess smiled. “I told you there’s no reason to be skittish around Raven. He’s a lot gentler than he looks.”

Gwen continued to eye the horse cautiously. “I prefer to stay away from anything too big for me to throw.”

Jess’s smile broadened. “So that’s why you’ve always kept me at arm’s length.”

A confident smiled curled one corner of her mouth. “Oh, I can throw you. I have a black belt in karate.”

Jess continued to grin. “Maybe someday we’ll just have to see about that.”

Gwen had never felt so tightly strung and the temptation to release some of her tension by proving to him right then and there that she wasn’t being flippant was strong. But even as her body prepared to toss him, something deeper stopped her. It was a very peculiar reaction to the thought of physical contact…something between excitement and terror. Again she recalled sharply the effect his hand had had on her arm and the currents of electricity his simple brushing against her in the kitchen had sent through her body. Drawing a deep breath, she shut down her body’s fight mode. “I don’t think so. I wouldn’t want you to get hurt.”

Jess’s smile vanished, and he regarded her narrowly. “Don’t you ever joke or have any fun?”

“Not when I’m on a job.”

Jess turned to Raven. “I’d watch my step with her,” he warned the animal.

Raven snorted and nodded his head as if he’d understood.

Jess turned back to Gwen. “I’ll cut Lady Grace out for you. She has an easy lope.” Swinging up onto Raven’s bare back, he nudged the horse and they headed to the far side of the fenced area.

“Raven and his master are well paired,” she muttered, recalling the animal’s almost human reaction to Jess’s warning. Well, he and his master could mock her all they wanted. What any male thought about her—what any person thought, she corrected—didn’t matter to her.

A strong nudge on the middle of her back sent her forward. “What do you—” she growled, turning around to confront her assailant. The words died when she found herself face-to-face with a chestnut horse. And there was, she was sure, a mischievous glint in his eyes.

In spite of the animal’s size, she found herself thinking that he was like a little boy, playing a game. “Don’t think you can get away with pushing me around,” she warned him sternly.

He cocked his head to one side as if sizing her up.

Remembering what Jess had told her about handling horses, she placed her hands on her hips and said curtly. “Behave yourself.”

The chestnut straightened and took a step forward.

“Oh, great. A horse who bucks authority,” she muttered. Unable to stop herself, she took a step back only to find herself up against the fence.

The horse nudged her shoulder gently, then stepped back.

Suddenly realizing he was asking to be her friend, Gwen experienced an overwhelming sense of delight. “Okay, tough guy,” she said, moving forward and patting his neck. “Or should I say tough gal?”

“Tough guy was correct,” Jess said riding up with a gray mare on a lead rope.

Gwen continued to grin at the chestnut. “So, what’s his name.”

“Cantankerous.”

“Cantankerous?”

Jess dismounted. “He earned it.” Nodding toward the stables, he added, “Come on. We’ll get these horses saddled and you can have your first lesson.”

“See you later, buddy,” Gwen said, giving the chestnut a final pat on the neck, before falling into step beside Jess.

The gray she noticed seemed almost lethargic and definitely disinterested in her. An elitist, she decided. She’d never been fond of elitists. Out of the corner of her eye, she noticed that Cantankerous was following and a hint of a smile played at the corner of her mouth.

“I’d rather ride the chestnut,” she heard herself saying without even realizing she’d been going to speak aloud. Inwardly, a nervous twinge spiked through her. What did she think she was doing? She was a novice rider. She didn’t need a horse that was unpredictable.

Jess frowned. “I’m not so sure that’s a good idea.”

“I thought cowboys were supposed to feel a bond with their mounts. Well, I sort of feel that with Cantankerous.” She couldn’t believe she was arguing with him over which horse she should ride. She was no judge of horseflesh. Still, she thought she saw a plea in the chestnut’s eyes asking her to choose him.

“I suppose there could be a personality match between the two of you,” Jess conceded.

Gwen gave him a dry look. Then in a moment of honesty, she heard herself saying, “You could be right.”

Jess regarded her thoughtfully. “So you are capable of not taking yourself too seriously all of the time.”

“I have my moments,” she replied.

“Great.” He grinned. “There’s hope for you yet.”

His approval caused a warm glow to spread through her. So, maybe she did take everything a bit too seriously. Immediately her jaw tensed. She’d had to learn to be hard in order to survive. “I think I’m doing just fine exactly as I am.”

Jess frowned with impatience. “I was only suggesting that you could lighten up a little bit.”

Her shoulders stiffened with dignity. “And I choose to stay the way I am.”

“Stubborn,” Jess muttered, releasing Lady Grace.

Gwen breathed a sigh of relief as he turned his full attention to saddling the horses. In spite of her bravado, he made her want to relax her defenses and show the softer, more vulnerable side she kept hidden from view. Fear suddenly washed through her. No, her inner voice ordered. Every instinct screamed that lowering her defenses could be dangerous and the protective shield she kept around herself once again solidified.

“Time to mount,” Jess announced, cutting into her thoughts. “Always from the left,” he added.

“That part I know.” Rounding the horse, she grasped the horn of the saddle and tried to get her foot up into the stirrup. It was a stretch she couldn’t quite make. “I didn’t realize how tall he was,” she said looking around for a bucket to give her some height.

“Here, I’ll give you a hand up.” Jess cupped his hands in the shape of an open stirrup. “Hold on to the horn and get ready to swing up into the saddle when I give you a lift.”

Gwen nodded, firmed her hold on the horn, then slipped her foot into his hands. The contact unexpectedly caused her legs to weaken. She couldn’t believe it. He was wearing heavy gloves and she was wearing boots, yet heat was rushing through her as if they were touching skin against skin.

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