A Texas Cattleman’s Club tale of best friends falling in love

Royal, Texas, is the perfect place for rodeo star Ryan Grant to slow down and finally show Piper Kindred she’s the woman for him. When an accident sends Piper rushing to take care of him, her sexy bedside manner suggests to Ryan that seducing his best friend will be easier than he’d expected.

But Piper knows the lure of the rodeo circuit—and the risk of a broken heart, when Ryan realizes he’s not ready to hang up his saddle for good. She can’t let herself fall for a cowboy. If only her heart would listen!

“You’ve seen me in a swimsuit. It’s not a big deal.”

He couldn’t stop his eyes from roaming over her bare skin and that valley between her breasts. When he met her gaze again, he didn’t see desire like he’d hoped—he saw uncertainty.

“You must’ve really hit your head,” she joked, but the smile failed to meet the expectation of the joke. “You’ve never talked like this before or looked at me like…like…”

“Like what?” he murmured.

“Like you want me.”

“I know exactly what I’m saying and what I want, Piper.” He purposely let his eyes drop to her mouth as he slid his hand up and over her bare shoulder. “You know how special you are in my life and how much I value our friendship.”

“Then why are you looking at me like you want to kiss me?” she whispered.

* * *

To Tame a Cowboy is part of the Texas Cattleman’s Club: The Missing Mogul series:

Love and scandal meet in Royal, Texas!

Dear Reader,

My response when I was asked to be part of the amazing Texas Cattleman’s Club continuity series? Yes, please! Writing about hunky, sometimes rebellious Texans and the women who want to tame them… How could I say no?

You may already be familiar with Ryan, the hot rodeo star, and Piper, the hometown paramedic. These two have been best of friends since Piper socked Ryan in the eye in grade school. But you know what they say about best friends…they make the best lovers. :-)

Getting to know these two characters with their push-pull relationship was such a pleasure. With Ryan’s laid-back cowboy attitude and Piper’s feistiness, I couldn’t wait for them to realize they were a match made in polar-opposite heaven.

This series was such a joy to work on with so many talented authors and friends. I do hope you enjoy Ryan and Piper’s friends-to-lovers story as much as I loved writing it.

For more information on any of my books, check out my website, www.julesbennett.com. I love hearing from readers, so drop me a line!

Happy reading!

Jules

To Tame a Cowboy

Jules Bennett

www.millsandboon.co.uk

National bestselling author JULES BENNETT’s love of storytelling started when she would get in trouble as a child and would tell her parents her imaginary friends were to blame. Since then, her vivid imagination has taken her down a path she’d only dreamed of. And after twelve years of owning and working in salons, she hung up her shears to write full-time.

Jules doesn’t just write Happily Ever After, she lives it. Married to her high school sweetheart, Jules and her hubby have two little girls who keep them smiling. She loves to hear from readers! Contact her at authorjules@gmail.com, visit her website, www.julesbennett.com, where you can sign up for her newsletter, or send her a letter at PO Box 396, Minford, OH 45653, USA . You can also follow her on Twitter and join her Facebook fan page.

First I have to thank Charles Griemsman,

editor extraordinaire, for his cheering and guidance

as we worked together on Piper and Ryan’s story.

Second, to Shannon Taylor. Thank you doesn’t cover all you did to help me. From reading my rough draft to talking me through scenes over the phone to making sure I had my cowboy “lingo” down correctly. :-)

And last, to the other amazing authors

in this continuity. I had a blast swapping scenes and

getting inside your heads for a bit!

Contents

Prologue

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 Fifteen

Chapter Sixteen

Chapter Seventeen

Prologue

Twenty Years Ago

Piper Kindred was so sick of being snubbed by the girls who thought the only things worth talking about were their lip gloss shades and where they got their new outfit. She was also sick of being disrespected by the boys who didn’t quite know how to handle her so they just ignored her.

Where did she fit in? God, she hated school. Even the third grade sucked. She’d switched schools so she didn’t have friends yet, but seriously, if this was how the rest of the year would go, she’d rather be home riding her horse or learning to rope. School was overrated anyway.

Especially considering that at recess for the past two days all she’d heard were brats mocking her. Today was no different.

“Look at her belt buckle.”

“What kind of name is Piper, anyway?”

“Dude, did you see that clown hair?”

Piper rolled her eyes at the annoying kids trying to get on her nerves. It was working, but she’d never let them know it.

She’d heard enough crap from other kids about her name and her wardrobe. So she liked plaid flannel and cowgirl boots; she was Walker Kindred’s daughter. Didn’t they know he was a legend? Morons. Didn’t even know her father was pretty much a celebrity.

And the hair comments they kept tossing her way? Yeah, there was hardly a day that went by she didn’t have to hear something about “carrot top” or “finger in a light socket” or “Bozo the Clown.” So it was red and curly. To be honest, she liked being different from all these other stupid kids.

“Don’t let them get to you.”

Piper spun around on the playground. A boy at least a head taller than her stood with his thumbs hanging in his belt loops. He had a head full of messy dark brown hair and the brightest blue eyes she’d ever seen. And he was wearing a flannel shirt. Obviously they were the only two cool kids.

“I’m not letting them get to me,” she told him, lifting her chin in defiance. “I don’t care about those smelly boys or this dumb school.”

He laughed. “My name is Ryan Grant. Thought you could use a friend if you were tired of playing alone.”

“Yeah, well, I’m not. Those losers have no idea how awesome this belt buckle is,” she told the boy. “My dad got it for me when he won the PRCA title last year.”

The boy stepped forward, his brows raised. “Your dad won the PRCA title?”

“Yeah.”

He shook his head. “You don’t have to lie to make friends.”

Piper shoved her hands onto her hips and glared at the annoying kid. “I don’t have to lie at all because my father is the coolest man ever. There’s not a bronc he can’t ride.”

Okay, probably there was, but still. Her dad was the coolest and he got paid for riding and being a cowboy. Could any of those other loser kids say that?

“What’s your dad’s name?” Ryan asked, obviously still skeptical.

“Walker Kindred.”

Ryan laughed. “You’re lying.”

“I don’t care what you think. My name is Piper Kindred and Walker is my father. Like you know anything about the rodeo anyway. You probably don’t even know what PRCA stands for.”

“Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association,” he shot back. “And I know who Walker Kindred is.”

“Then why do you say I’m lying?”

“Because, well...you’re a girl. I’ve never seen a girl who knows about the rodeo.”

Why were boys so dumb? For real?

Piper sighed, so ready to be done with recess and get back inside where she could just concentrate on her schoolwork and get another miserable day behind her.

“Whatever,” she told him, rolling her eyes. “I don’t care what you think if you’re going to be just as stupid as the others.”

He crossed his arms over his chest and grinned. “Okay, since you got to ask me a rodeo question, I get to ask you one. I bet you can’t answer it.”

Piper had had enough. She clenched her fist and plowed it into his nose. When he landed on his butt on the blacktop, she loomed over him.

“I don’t have time for jerks who think I’m lying,” she told him. “I’ve grown up around the circuit. Walker is my father and if you have any more stupid things to say, I have another fist waiting on you.”

Ryan shook his head and came back to his feet. Surprisingly, he was grinning.

“You pack a mean punch, even if you are a girl.”

Piper eyed him. Apparently that was a compliment.

“You wanna hang after school?” he asked, holding his hand to his nose then looking at it to see if he was bleeding.

Piper figured they’d just made some sort of bond so she nodded. “Sure, but don’t think just because I’m a girl that I don’t know everything about the rodeo.”

Ryan laughed. “Wouldn’t dream of it, Red.”

She sighed and headed toward the double doors as the bell rang for them to go back inside.

If the worst he called her was Red, he might just become her one and only friend.

One

Piper Kindred did a double take at the black sports car. Her heart sank, bile rising in her throat. No, it couldn’t be.

Oh, sweet mercy. There was no way this massive accident would have no casualties. Wreckage lay crushed with mangled pieces across the median, shattered glass scattered along the stretch of highway, a black BMW on its top and a large tractor-trailer on its side, blocking both lanes of traffic.

As a paramedic, Piper had seen plenty of wrecks, fatalities and gut-wrenching scenes, but nothing settled fear as deep within her as seeing the familiar car that was so often in her driveway...the car that belonged to her best friend, Ryan Grant.

The ambulance barely came to a stop before Piper grabbed her heavy red medical bag, hopped out and hit the ground running. The warm November sun beat down on her back as she ran toward the chilling scene.

The medic in her couldn’t get to the victims fast enough. The woman in her feared what she’d uncover once she reached Ryan.

Once closer, she squatted in an attempt to see the inside of the vehicle. A wave of relief swept through her the second she realized the car was empty. Okay, so he wasn’t trapped, but what was the extent of his injuries?

Sirens blared in near surround sound between the police, ambulances and a fire truck trying to assist the wounded and clean up the mess.

Piper tried to keep her eye out for Ryan, hoping she’d see him sitting in the back of an ambulance with just an ice pack on his head. But her duty was to assist where needed...not to seek out those most important in her life.

As she moved closer to the tractor-trailer, where the majority of the cops seemed to be congregated, she noticed numerous Hispanic people huddled together. With disheveled clothes, scraggly beards and various cuts and bruises, Piper couldn’t help but wonder what they were all doing at the scene of an accident involving only one semi and the car of her best friend.

Piper ran to the group of obviously injured men and women. Some were crying, some had their heads dropped between their shoulders and some were shouting Spanish slang even she didn’t understand because of the rapid rate, but she could tell they were angry and scared.

As Piper passed two uniformed police officers she heard the words illegal and FBI. Yeah, this was so much more than an ill-fated accident. By the number of uniformed officers scouring the area, it looked as though these people were not here legally.

Moments later she heard other officers discussing how so many stowaways were hidden in such a small compartment in the back of that semi. This situation was beyond what Piper was used to. Her job right now was to assess and treat the victims, not to worry about the legalities of this mess.

“Where do you need me?” she asked another paramedic who was examining a man’s leg beneath his torn pants.

“The truck driver was pretty shaken,” the paramedic told her. “He’s sitting in the back of a squad car for questioning right now. No visible injuries, but his pupils were dilated and he did say his back was hurting. Seems he was driving this illegal group and he had no clue.”

Piper nodded, gripped her bag tighter and headed toward the squad car closest to the overturned semi. Sure enough a trooper had his forearm resting on the roof of the car as he leaned in and listened to whatever the man seated in the back was saying.

“I swear I had no clue what was in the back of my truck. Please, you’ve got to believe me,” the driver pleaded. “I was just trying to get into the other lane and that car came out of nowhere. I didn’t see him at all.”

According to the man’s story, he was completely innocent. This was a mess of epic proportions and not something a few questions would solve. But all Piper needed to do was to assess the man to see if he needed to go to the hospital or if he could continue being questioned.

“Officer, may I please check him out?” Piper asked. “I understand he has back pain.”

The officer stood to his full height and nodded, but didn’t move too far away. Often medics and cops worked together. Being a first responder required teamwork and so far she’d never had an issue with any cop getting in the way of her treating a patient at the scene.

Piper leaned in and saw a middle-aged man with a protruding belly hanging over his faded jeans, a dirty, bushy blond mustache with matching beard and nicotine-stained fingers.

“Sir, my name is Piper and I’m an EMT. I was told your back is hurting. Can you stand?”

He nodded and slid out of the car as Piper backed up. When he came to his full height, he winced, grabbing his lower back—whether for show to get the officer’s sympathy or because the pain was indeed real, she didn’t know. Yet again, not her place to judge.

“If you’ll come this way, we can set you in the back of an ambulance. You may want to go to the hospital just to make sure nothing else is wrong, but I can get your vitals over here.”

“I appreciate that, ma’am.”

As she led the man toward the nearest empty ambulance, her eyes scanned the crowd for Ryan. Had he already been taken to the E.R.? Were his injuries life-threatening? The unknowns were killing her.

She knew a life flight chopper hadn’t been dispatched to the scene, so that was a mild comfort. Not only for the fact Ryan didn’t need a medevac, but that none of the others involved in the accident did, either.

Another ambulance arrived on the scene as Piper assisted the truck driver into the back of a vacant one. When fresh paramedics hopped from their emergency vehicle and made their way toward the group of injured people, she jogged back over to assist.

But froze in her tracks as one head lifted and a familiar set of dark eyes met hers. He was amid a group of Mexicans, but this man... She knew this man.

Dear God. How could this... What the hell...?

“Alex?” she whispered to herself.

Piper took off at a dead run and stopped beside Alex Santiago. Her bag dropped at her feet as she held her breath.

Was she honest to God seeing the man who’d disappeared months ago without a trace? Could it truly be him?

The man glanced up at her, holding his hand over his eyes to block the glaring afternoon sun.

My God. It was him. The hair was a shaggy, unkempt mess and the scruff on his cheeks and chin indicated he hadn’t shaved in a few days or even weeks. But this was Alex... The man who’d been missing from Royal, Texas, for months.

The man most people assumed had become a victim of foul play, maybe even at his best friend’s hand. But here he was, living and breathing.

“Alex, what on earth are you doing here? Where have you been?” she asked, eyeing the knot on the side of his head.

He winced as she slid her fingertip over the swollen bump. “You must have me confused with someone else. My name isn’t Alex.”

Piper’s hand stilled above his head as she leaned down to look him in the eyes. She was pretty sure she knew what her friend looked like. Just because she hadn’t seen him in months didn’t mean she was clueless.

She looked closer. Um...yeah, this was Alex. If he didn’t think he was Alex, then he’d hit his head too hard in that crash. But at least he was alive.

“Your name is Alex Santiago,” she told him, making sure to keep her eyes locked on to his, waiting for a spark of recognition from his end.

His brows drew together and he slowly shook his head. “I’ve never heard that name.”

“Then what do people call you?” she asked, worry growing deeper with each passing moment.

Alex’s eyes searched hers; he opened his mouth, closed it and sighed. “I don’t...remember. That doesn’t make sense. How could I not know my own name?”

“You have a good bump here on your head,” she reminded him as her eyes traveled down to the wrist he cradled in his other hand. “Looks like you may have broken your wrist.”

He glanced down and simply nodded. Piper worried shock may be setting in. Between the accident and the apparent memory loss, she had no doubt Alex was shaken.

“Let’s get you to an ambulance and see what the doctors have to say once you get to the hospital,” she said gently. “I’m sure you’ll remember you’re Alex Santiago in no time. I’m Piper Kindred and we’ve been friends for a while. Can you at least tell me how you got into that truck?”

Piper lifted her duffel bag, helped Alex to his feet and held an arm around his waist when he started to sway. “Easy,” she told him. “No rush. We’re only going to that ambulance a few feet away. Think you can make it or should I bring a gurney?”

“No, I’m okay.”

She didn’t quite believe him so she kept him leaning against her side as she led him to the waiting ambulance.

“Go ahead and lie down on that cot,” she said as she assisted Alex into the back of the vehicle.

“Do you know where you are?”

His blank look added to the sickening feeling in her stomach.

“We ready to roll?”

Piper glanced at the other EMT on the scene. They might as well go without her because there was no way in hell she was leaving without at least seeing that Ryan was okay...and to tell him of miraculously discovering Alex.

“Go ahead and take him. He’s got some memory loss so he doesn’t know his name. Make sure the doctors are aware this is Alex Santiago and he’s been missing for months. I’ll go inform an officer because Alex was the subject of an ongoing investigation.”

Turning her attention back to Alex, Piper offered a warm smile. “You’re in good hands now, Alex. I know you’re confused, but I’ll be at the hospital as soon as I can to check on you.”

Continuing to hold on to his wrist, Alex leaned back on the gurney. Piper closed the doors and tapped the back to inform the driver he was good to go.

With several paramedics now on the scene, Piper felt comfortable going in search of Ryan.

After searching frantically, running through the chaos, she found him next to the road on the other side of the overturned semi. Her knees weakened with relief at the sight of Ryan whole and upright. He was a good bit from his car, so she had to assume the officer had taken him aside to get his statement.

But glancing at Ryan and actually talking to him were two different things. He looked fine, but looks, as she’d discovered numerous times over the years, could be deceiving. Internal injuries were nothing to mess around with and could prove fatal even when a patient looked perfectly fine.

Added to needing to know the extent of his injuries, she had to tell him about the mind-blowing discovery she’d just made.

Alex Santiago was alive. Their friend who had been missing for months was alive and on his way to Royal Memorial Hospital with an obvious broken wrist and some memory loss. But he was alive.

But, my God, what in the world had he been doing in the back of a semi-truck filled with illegal Mexicans? So many questions whirled around in her mind. She had no idea what the hell was going on, but she knew Alex was probably scared and confused.

As Piper moved closer, she noticed Ryan holding on to one of his sides. A trooper was jotting down notes and nodding as he took Ryan’s statement. Piper closed the gap, but stayed a few feet away, waiting for him to finish.

The sight of him with a slight bruise over his right brow and his hair even messier than usual made Piper want to throw her arms around his broad, muscular body and squeeze him to death for scaring her. But he’d probably laugh at her if she got all misty-eyed or mushy right now.

She’d seen this cowboy compete on the rodeo circuit countless times. She’d seen him get knocked around, bucked and nearly trampled, but nothing had terrified her more than the sight of his totaled car.

The trooper stepped away and Piper inched closer on still shaky legs.

Ryan caught her eye and offered that crooked smile. “Hey, Red.”

That smile could melt the panties off any woman...and it had according to rumor. But Ryan was her friend so her panties had stayed in place over the years. Though she wasn’t blind—her bestie was the sexiest cowboy she’d ever laid eyes on.

With that dark, messy hair usually hidden by a black Stetson and heavy-lidded baby blues, yeah, Ryan Grant was one very fine-looking cowboy and he did some mighty nice things to a pair of well-worn jeans.

“You need to be seen,” she informed him, raking her eyes over him to look for other visible injuries. “And I won’t take no for an answer.”

“I’m just sore and banged up a little, that’s all.” He reached out, grabbed one of her shaky hands and squeezed. “You look tense. I’m fine, Piper.”

“You will be checked out because you’ll want to come to the hospital anyway when I tell you who I saw.”

Ryan shrugged, hissing and grabbing his side again. “Who?”

Piper’s eyes darted down to his ribs. “If they’re not broken, they’re bruised, so you’ll be going straight to X-ray when you get there, big boy.”

“Who did you see?” he insisted.

All joking aside, she leaned in and said, “Alex.”

“Alex?” he repeated. “Alex Santiago?”

Piper nodded. “He was in the back of that semi.”

“Piper...” He eyed her as though she was the one who’d hit her head. “Alex was in the truck?”

She merely nodded, crossing her arms and silently daring him to argue.

“How in the hell did he get there?” Ryan asked.

Piper nodded toward another ambulance and guided Ryan toward the open back. “He doesn’t remember.”

Ryan, still holding his side, put his foot on the back step. “He doesn’t remember how he got into the semi?”

“He doesn’t remember anything,” she whispered. “He didn’t even know his damn name was Alex when I was talking to him. He didn’t recognize me and he was totally clueless.”

“Damn it.” Ryan glanced around at the group of Mexicans being tended to by EMTs and talked to by the cops. “He has amnesia?”

Piper shrugged. “I honestly don’t know. He had a good-size knot on his head, but that could’ve happened from the accident. He’s on his way in the squad I came with, so we’ll catch a ride with another. Right now I think we both need to get to the hospital for multiple reasons.”

“I don’t need to get checked out, but I’ll appease you only because I want to see Alex for myself.”

Piper studied him, as if she could see beyond the surface and actually make an official diagnosis.

“You all right?” he asked. “You look a little pale.”

Piper caught his worried gaze and smiled. “I’m fine. And if the doctors give you the go-ahead and release you, I’m going to kick your rear end for worrying me to death when I saw your overturned car.”

Ryan’s wide, signature smile spread across his face. “There’s that Piper love. Come on. Let’s get to the hospital.”

“Oh, God, Ryan.” She held a hand on his arm before he could step into the back of the ambulance. “What about Cara? Someone needs to call her.”

Piper couldn’t even imagine what Alex’s fiancée, Cara Windsor, would think when she was told he was alive. Piper was stunned and thrilled, but she was worried about how extensive this memory loss was.

“Let’s get the facts from the doctor first,” Ryan suggested. “We can’t have her running all in there in hysterics and shock. We need to prepare her for this and have concrete information.”

Piper nodded. “I agree. Let’s get to the hospital. And while you’re getting checked out, I’ll find out Alex’s status.”

“Red—”

She held up a hand. “The fact my heart rate is still out of control after not knowing if you were okay or not gives me the right to override anything you say. Now get your butt in and let’s get to the hospital.”

Two

“Nothing broken.”

Piper stood inside the thin white curtain separating Ryan’s cubicle from the rest of the Emergency Room.

She crossed her arms and smiled. “Anything else you want to tell me?”

Ryan shrugged. “Not really.”

Narrowing her eyes, she stalked forward. “Keeping the bruised ribs and concussion to yourself?”

Busted.

“I’m fine,” he assured her. “Nothing a little over-the-counter pain meds won’t fix or a good shot of my grandpa’s bourbon. A cure-all, he always claimed.”

Piper rested her hands on her hips, pulling the buttons across the chest of her cute little EMT uniform. Damn, but she was pretty when she was angry or about ready to light into him like some mother hen.

“You have a concussion, Ryan. No drinking.”

“You medical types always take the fun out of healing.”

As he’d intended, she took his joke and rolled her eyes with a hint of a grin.

“Seriously, I’ve had way worse getting bucked off a horse.”

“You’re staying at my place tonight,” she told him, pointing her finger at his chest. “No arguing.”

As if he’d turn down that invitation. Piper wasn’t only his best friend, but a friend with whom he’d always wanted more. Yeah, he may have a concussion from that accident, but he wasn’t dead.

He’d never pursued anything beyond friendship with her for a couple of reasons, the main ones being he was always traveling and she’d never shown any interest in him on an intimate level.

Added to that, her father had been a rodeo star and he’d heard Piper swear on more than one occasion that she’d never, ever fall for a cowboy.

But he was home now and ready to see if something beyond friendship could exist.

“Fine, I’ll let you pamper me. But only if you’ll make that chicken soup I love so much.”

Piper threw her arms in the air and sighed. “Don’t milk this, Ryan.”

He laughed and extended his hand for her to take. She moved closer and he wasn’t about to mention the trembling he instantly felt when they connected.

“Tell me about Alex,” he said, stroking her palm with his thumb. “What are the doctors saying? Did you call Cara?”

Piper eased a hip onto the edge of his very narrow, very thin E.R. mattress. “The doctors are still unsure as to whether or not the amnesia was caused before or during the accident. He has old bruises, so he was in a fight or some other accident before today. His wrist has several breaks and he’ll be going to surgery soon to repair that. More than likely they’ll either do a plate or at the very least pins.”

Broken bones were reparable, death was not. Ryan couldn’t even believe that Alex was here after all these months of wondering what had happened—whether he’d run away or been the victim of foul play. But now he was back and hopefully this amnesia was short term so he could explain just what the hell had happened.

“What about Cara?” he asked.

“I just checked with the nurse and Cara has been notified. I’m sure she’s on her way.”

“What did they tell her?”

Piper looked down at their joined hands. “That Alex was found alive, but he’d been in an accident. He has some memory loss and a broken wrist.”

“She’s got to be worried sick,” Ryan said.

“I can’t even imagine.”

“When can I get out of this bed?” Ryan grumbled. “I want to go see Alex and I think someone should be with Cara when she arrives. They’re going to need their friends.”

Piper nodded. “Dr. Meyers said you were free to go as long as someone stays with you overnight. I assured him you would be in good hands.”

Ryan only wished he’d end up in her hands. But, alas, Piper would never see him as anything other than her best friend. Even if she did have deeper feelings, the woman was stubborn and because her father had pretty much abandoned his family to dominate the rodeo circuit, Piper would never turn to a cowboy for any kind of a relationship beyond friendship.

And that left him out, considering he’d traveled the circuit for years and now intended to open a school for children to teach them his love of rodeo. The new ranch he’d purchased a few months ago just outside town had a vast amount of acreage, perfect for teaching young children the basics and allowing them to progress to higher levels of learning all in one location.

But as much as he loved his sprawling new ranch, he was more than willing to go to the small bungalow Piper was renovating.

“Let’s get to Alex’s room,” he told her as he eased off the bed, concentrating on his movements so he didn’t get dizzy, stumble and cause Piper to have him admitted. “Is he still in the E.R. or in his own room?”

“They just put him in a room and they’re going to do the surgery in a few hours once the surgeon is available and up to speed on what happened. They have to be careful with the anesthesia because of his head trauma.”

Piper slid the curtain aside with a swish and took off down the hall toward the elevators before she froze and turned back to him.

“Sorry, Ryan,” she said as she waited for him to catch up. “I’m so used to going at lightning speed, I wasn’t thinking you’re probably sore.”

“I’m fine, Red.” Though he wasn’t going to object when she slid her arm through his to guide him. Not that he needed it, but he appreciated her care. “I’ve been through worse with my job.”

They reached the elevator and rode up in silence. When the doors slid open, he let Piper take the lead because she knew the hospital better than he did and he wanted her to think she was actually assisting him in walking, though he really wasn’t in all that much pain except for the ribs.

“He’s in the last room on the right,” Piper said as they rounded the corner. “Should we both go in or just one at a time? I don’t want to bombard him or overwhelm him since he won’t remember us.”

Ryan held on to his sore side. “He’s already talked to you and I don’t think I’m that intimidating.”

Piper nodded. “Just don’t pressure him about details. The doctors said the memories need to come naturally and not be forced.”

Ryan pushed the door open and gestured for Piper to enter first.

“Hi, Alex,” she greeted with a warm, kick-in-the-gut smile. “I wanted to check on you and I brought another one of your friends.”

“The police just left,” he told her. “I didn’t know if they were going to let visitors in or not.”

“I’m sure visitors are fine,” she told him, stepping aside so Alex could get a look at Ryan. “And I’m sure in no time you’ll be mobbed. You’ve had a lot of people worried to death about you.”

Alex’s dark eyes darted from Piper to Ryan, then back to Piper.

“Do you remember him?” Piper asked hopefully. “You guys are in the Texas Cattleman’s Club.”

“Sorry.” Alex shook his head. “I’m afraid I don’t.”

“It’s okay. I’m Ryan Grant.”

Ryan stepped toward the bed and still couldn’t believe his eyes. Alex truly was here. He was banged up and in desperate need of a haircut and shave, but the man some feared dead was actually alive.

“I think we should also tell you that someone else is coming to see you,” Piper said. “Cara Windsor.”

Ryan watched Alex for any sign of recognition. But nothing. Not a blink, not even an eye twitch.

“She’s your fiancée,” Ryan stated. “But if you’re not ready to see her, that’s fine. She’ll do whatever you want.”

“I felt she deserved to know you were alive,” Piper told Alex.

Alex leaned his head back against the stark white pillow. “Damn it. This is frustrating. I don’t even recognize my own fiancée’s name? What the hell happened to me?”

Piper patted his uninjured arm. “That’s what we’ll find out. Don’t push it, Alex. The memories will return. The doctors still aren’t sure if the memory loss is long or short term, but we will do everything we can to make sure you get your life back.”

“Would you rather we ask Cara to stay out right now?” Ryan asked. “Visitors are up to you. Whatever you’re comfortable with.”

Alex brought his tired gaze back to Ryan. “No. No. If seeing her will help trigger something, I’m all for it. Does she know about my condition?”

“The nurse who called Cara filled her in.” Piper slid her hands into the pockets of her navy work pants. “I’m sure she’ll be here anytime. Is there anything you want me to get you? How’s the pain?”

“The wrist hurts, but it’s tolerable since they gave me some pain meds when I got here.”

“Have you had any spark of a memory?” Ryan asked, coming to stand at the end of the bed.

“Nothing. I keep waiting for something... Anything.” Alex glanced at Piper. “So my name is Alex...”

“Santiago,” she supplied.

“And I have a fiancée?”

Piper nodded. “Cara Windsor.”

Ryan waited, but thankfully Piper didn’t mention any more about Cara or her father who wasn’t too keen on the idea of his baby girl’s engagement to Alex.

Alex may be a venture capitalist, investor and new member of the most elite men’s club in the U.S., but being a member of the Texas Cattleman’s Club still didn’t mean he was good enough for Cara...according to her father anyway.

Alex looked at Ryan. “And you say we’re members of some club?”

“The Texas Cattleman’s Club,” Ryan confirmed. “Do you recall any of the men there? Chance McDaniel or Gil Addison? Chance is your good friend and Gil is the TCC president.”

Alex ran a hand down his face. “I don’t know either of those names.”

Frustration hung heavy in the air and Ryan’s heart ached for his friend. So many people cared about Alex and would want to help him through this tough time, but would Alex want a bunch of strange faces all up in his business right now?

“Oh, God.”

At the veiled whisper, Piper and Ryan turned to the door to see Cara—pale face, hand covering her mouth, eyes wide. As if she realized there was an audience, she dropped her hand, straightened her shoulders and moved in with slow, easy steps, all the while never taking her eyes off the patient.

Ryan watched as Piper stepped aside and made room at the edge of the bed for Cara. Cara started to reach for Alex’s hand, but stopped as if she remembered he had no idea who she was to him.

“I can’t believe this,” she said, her voice thick with emotion. “I’ve prayed for so long. Wanted to believe you were okay, but not knowing...”

Alex studied her. “Cara?”

“Yes.” She held up her hand, the one showcasing an impressive diamond. “I never took it off, never gave up hope.”

Ryan stepped around the bed and tapped on Piper’s arm, nodding toward the door.

“We’re going to let you two talk,” Piper told Alex and Cara. “It’s good to have you back, Alex.”

He smiled and nodded, but kept his eyes locked on Cara. Hopefully seeing the love of his life would spark something that mere friends couldn’t conjure up from whatever depth of suppressed memories he had.

“Call me if you need anything,” Piper whispered to Cara.

“Can I talk to you for just a second?” Cara asked.

Piper nodded and stepped outside the doorway.

“Is there anything you can tell me about his status?” Cara pleaded.

“All I know is that he was found in the back of a semi in a hidden compartment with a group of illegal immigrants. The doctor isn’t sure if his memory loss is from the accident or something that happened before. That’s really all I know.”

Cara let out a shaky breath. “Thank you for being here for him until I got here.”

Piper reached out and squeezed Cara’s hand. “I know we don’t know each other that well, but please, if you need anything at all, I’m here. It’s no comparison, but Ryan was in the accident, too, and seeing him there really shook me up. I can’t imagine how you’re feeling. So if you need to talk, cry or just vent, I’m here.”

Cara’s smile reached her watery eyes. “I appreciate that, Piper. More than you know. And I may take you up on it. I need to get back inside.”

Piper gave her a brief hug and watched Cara go back on the other side of the privacy curtain just inside the door. Seconds later Ryan walked out.

Ryan closed the door to give the newly reunited couple some much needed privacy.

“Did you see his face?” Piper asked. “He looked so lost, so confused.”

Ryan leaned against the door and stared up at the ceiling. “I can’t even imagine what he’s feeling. But they’re strong. Cara will help him through this.”

“But what if he doesn’t remember and he doesn’t love her anymore?” Piper asked.

Glancing back down, Ryan shook his head. “That won’t happen. Alex is stubborn and a fighter. He won’t give up until he finds his way back to us...and Cara.”

Piper looped her arm around his and tugged him away from the door as she started walking down the hall. “I hope so. But for now, they have each other and I plan on getting you home so you can rest.”

“And while I rest, you’ll make that chicken noodle soup?”

Piper glanced up at him, trying to hold back a smile and failing. “Only because I’m so thankful you’re alive and I know how much worse you could’ve been injured. But don’t expect this every time we’re together, big boy.”

“Wouldn’t dream of it, Red. Wouldn’t dream of it.”

Three

Piper got Ryan settled on the couch, remote in hand and feet propped up, before she went to make his precious soup.

Wasn’t that just like a man? Fondling the remote, reclined in a cushy chair and waiting on supper? She smiled as she headed to the kitchen. For some reason catering to Ryan didn’t bother her in the least. She knew he was no slacker when it came to work. The man was iconic in the rodeo circuit and now he was working his butt off trying to get a school open for children to learn the tricks of the trade. Piper was proud of her best friend and if the man wanted chicken noodle soup, then that’s what he’d get. And she’d throw in some homemade bread just because she was still so relieved he hadn’t come out any worse for the wear from that scary accident.

The look of despair on Cara’s face kept filling Piper’s head. Cara’s world had been turned upside down months ago when Alex had disappeared and again today when Cara discovered he was alive...but he wasn’t the Alex she knew and loved.

Piper was grateful Ryan was in her living room, fully aware of everything and everyone around him. Not that Piper and Ryan had the romance Cara and Alex did, but the bond she shared with Ryan was the most secure relationship she’d ever had...and stronger than most marriages.

Sighing, Piper focused on the task at hand. She was thankful that when she cooked, she planned ahead and froze things. She pulled open her freezer drawer and took out the chicken and stock she’d cooked and frozen just last week.

In no time the kitchen smelled wonderful and homey, nothing a scented candle could provide.

The TV blared in from the living room and Piper smiled. He was watching bull riding and cheering like some men do with football or basketball. Her Ryan was bulls, horses and broncs all the way, baby.

She rested her palms on the edge of the granite counter and sighed as she closed her eyes and thanked God for so many things today. First, she was beyond relieved that Alex was alive and, for the most part, unharmed. Second, she was grateful nobody had been killed in that horrendous accident. But more than anything, she was beyond grateful Ryan was okay. Not only was he okay, he was dominating her television and recliner, and that was just fine with her.

If she ever decided to settle down and marry, Ryan Grant held all the right qualifications. Oh, she’d never put the moves on her best friend. That would be weird...wouldn’t it?

She’d be lying if she didn’t admit she used to wonder “what-if,” but Ryan never saw her as more than just one of the guys. So that was the role she stuck with.

Besides, even though he had stepped aside from the rodeo circuit, he still had that thrill for adventure and danger in his blood. She couldn’t live with that, not again. She’d spent years watching her mother suffer while her father chased danger on the circuit. Injury after injury, her mother swore she couldn’t handle it anymore.

And finally one day, she didn’t. They’d divorced and Piper had rarely seen her father again. She refused to do that to herself or her future children.

So, while she may be looking for a man just like Ryan Grant, there was no way she could make him Mr. Right. But having him for a friend was one of the best things that had ever happened to her.

“Hey.”

She turned to see Ryan, arms crossed over his chest as he leaned against the doorframe. Sweat beaded on his forehead.

Of all the times for a heat wave to sweep through Royal, Mother Nature decided now would be a good time. What happened to the cold spell they’d just had last month?

“Sorry about the air,” she told him. “Remodeling your own house can save a bunch of money, but there are certain drawbacks. I’m hoping to have the system put in next week. That’s why I keep the blinds down and fans on in every room. I also wasn’t expecting the temperatures to get back up to Hades levels this time of year.”

“I’m good,” he told her. “I’m more concerned about dinner.”

He smiled, but all Piper could think about was how he’d been flipped in his car only hours ago. Yet here he stood in her kitchen joking about the heat and dinner.

“You okay?” he asked.

Piper offered a smile. “I’m fine. Just slaving away in here while you do nothing. You were supposed to be resting in there, you know.”

He pushed off the frame and eased toward her in that easy way he moved, but she figured he did it now so she wouldn’t catch on to the fact he was still dizzy.

“I’m resting,” he assured her.

“You’re in the kitchen—that’s not resting.” She looked up at him when he came to stand within inches. “I can’t pamper you if you won’t let me.”

“Is that what you’re doing?” he asked with a crooked grin. “Pampering me?”

“Not if you don’t get your butt back in that recliner,” she insisted, hands on her hips. “Now get out of my space so I can work.”

“You’re trembling, Red.”

“It’s out of anger,” she lied. “You need to be relaxing.”

He stepped forward, she stepped back. They danced until she backed up against the countertop.

“I think you’re finally coming down from the adrenaline rush of your workday,” he told her, holding her gaze and invading her personal space. “I think you’re in here thanking God about Alex, about me.”

She narrowed her eyes. “You know me too well.”

He grinned, placing a hand beside her hip as he swayed slightly. “Yes, I do. And that’s how I know your trembling and feistiness stems from relief. You know how this day could’ve ended.”

Piper closed her eyes, an attempt to block out the initial images she’d conjured when she’d arrived on the scene...especially when she’d spotted his car. She’d have nightmares about that terrifying sight for weeks.

“You have no idea what went through my head when I saw your car,” she whispered. “I couldn’t take the time to single you out, I had a job to do and it nearly killed me.”

Ryan brought up his other hand to stroke her cheek and she realized he’d wiped a tear away. She lifted her lids, found him studying her face as he eased closer.

“Nothing can keep me down, Red. I won’t go out in something as trite as a car accident. I’ve been through a lot in my years and a flipped car is nothing.”

Piper inhaled, taking in Ryan’s masculine, familiar scent. He stood so close and, not for the first time, Piper admired that stubbled chin and jawline, those broad shoulders and full lips.

Damn, she shouldn’t be admiring her best friend’s lips, no matter how kissable they looked.

“It’s that danger you crave that scares me, Ryan.” She valued their relationship and that she could be brutally honest with him. “You’re so laid-back, so carefree. But when it comes to adventure, you live for it. Do you know how broken I’d be if I lost you?”

Those lips turned up as he shrugged. “Don’t worry about me. I know my limits and I know how to remain in control.”

His eyes darted to her mouth, then back up to her eyes as he inched forward. This time she knew he wasn’t reacting from the concussion and swaying. He had genuine lust lurking in those baby blues.

“This is just both of us coming off adrenaline,” she whispered. “Nothing more.”

“Maybe. Maybe not.”

His thumb stroked across her bottom lip and Piper forced herself not to slide her tongue out and taste him.

The timer on the oven beeped, making her jump.

She stepped aside, causing Ryan to move, as well. He shoved his hands into his pockets as if he didn’t know where else to put them.

“Dinner is almost ready,” she told him, yanking a drawer out to grab a pot holder. “I’ll bring it to you.”

She silently pleaded that he’d go back into the living room because if she turned back around and he was still there looking at her with those heavy-lidded hungry eyes, she feared she’d succumb and take what she thought he was offering. And, dear God, she’d die of humiliation if she ended up giving in only to find out he hadn’t wanted intimacy.

How in the hell had they come to this point? Was it the adrenaline or had today’s accident been a wake-up call? Surely he didn’t feel that way toward her. They’d been friends for years and he’d never tried taking it to the next level.

But the desire in his eyes said he was ready. If this wasn’t just an aftershock from the accident, she had to consider a whole new angle to their friendship.

No matter what, Piper knew she needed to keep her emotions under control. She couldn’t get romantically involved with Ryan. Being best friends was as far as she could allow her heart to go.

She still had a sinking fear that he would get bored with being home for good. She knew him well enough to know that if he got restless, he’d head back out on the road, leaving her staring at his taillights.

* * *

Ryan closed the bathroom door and turned around to...

Oh, for the love...

Could he not catch a damn break? First he wasn’t steady on his feet because he’d hit his head, then he’d nearly kissed his best friend and now this? Come on.

Lingerie everywhere. Every damn where.

Red lace, yellow satin... Bras, thongs, silky-looking nightgowns. Of course she hung this up to dry. And of course laundry day was the day he had to stay with her.

Well played, Fate.

As if that damn near kiss in the kitchen wasn’t enough to have him cursing his overactive hormones, now he was faced with the very intimate undergarments Piper slid into after a shower or before bed.

He couldn’t help but imagine peeling that bright blue thong down her long, toned legs.

Who knew Piper kept such a beautiful secret beneath flannel, T’s and well-worn denim?

Ryan rested his hands on the edge of the sink and stared at himself in the mirror. What the hell had he been thinking rubbing her lip like that? He knew she was leery of trusting people. After all, he’d been in her life since she’d punched him in the face in grade school for accusing her of lying about the rodeo. Of course, once he’d finally believed her dad was the Walker Kindred, Piper’s cool status had skyrocketed. They’d been near inseparable since.

So why had he taken such a dumb, careless risk with her?

Ryan sighed, reaching to turn on the faucet to splash some cold water on his face. He’d taken a risk because he’d always wondered what that sometimes smart mouth felt like, tasted like.

Oh, they’d shared pecks on the cheek and countless hugs over the years, but Ryan fantasized about peeling back another layer, finding that hidden sexuality.

He’d been on the road so much, he’d known it wouldn’t be fair to her to start a relationship. She’d lived through enough comings and goings when her parents were married. No way would Piper want to have a part-time boyfriend. But it was hell always coming home between circuit tours, seeing her, hanging out with her and not touching her.

And because they were best friends, once he’d had to hear about the night she’d lost her virginity to some schmuck who hadn’t deserved her, let alone something so sacred.

Ryan splashed his face once more with the refreshing water and used the small white hand towel to dab it dry. With his face buried in the terry cloth, Ryan inhaled her sweet, jasmine scent and groaned.

“Damn.”

He was pathetic. On the circuit he could’ve had damn near any buckle bunny he’d wanted but, despite what the media had portrayed, he truly wasn’t a man-whore. He’d had many lonely a night when he’d wonder about Piper... Wonder what she was doing or who she was with. Wonder if she was falling in love with some local cowboy who only dressed the part but played it safe or if she was cozying up with someone even calmer like a teacher or a banker.

He’d spent much of his time on the road wondering what his best friend was doing back in Royal without him.

And admitting that to even himself was a big step. For years he’d fought the growing attraction, thinking the emotions stemmed from her being the only woman he was that close to with whom he’d never slept.

But Ryan knew different. He knew Piper was special, which meant she deserved someone special who would treat her right and be the man she needed him to be. A man who would stay grounded and give her the stable life she’d always craved.

“You okay?”

Piper tapped on the door and Ryan pushed away from the sink, which he had to grab on to again because quick motions like that weren’t the smartest move to make.

“I’m fine,” he called back. “Be right there.”

After I get my libido and dizziness in check.

He took a deep breath, wincing at the pain in his side from his damn bruised ribs. He opened the door and turned the corner, only to find himself tilting. Or was the hallway moving? Either way, before he could get a hand to the wall, he went down. Flat on his face.

“Damn it.”

Piper came rushing around the corner. “Oh, Ryan. What happened?”

She squatted to take his arm and humiliation set in. Really? Was this necessary? Did he have to be coddled by the woman he’d rather be seducing?

Surely the sight of sexy lingerie hadn’t caused all the blood to rush south.

“This damn concussion made me dizzy,” he told her, coming to his feet. Slowly. “The last time I had a concussion, I was laid up in bed for two days.”

Piper wrapped her delicate arm around his waist and smiled up at him. “And I’m sure you had some cute little buckle bunny keeping you company and playing nurse.”

Ryan laughed as she led him back to the living room and into the recliner. “Nope. Just my partner, Joe, and he complained the entire time.”

Above him, Piper propped her hands on her flared hips and lifted one perfectly arched brow. “I know how those hoochie mamas are. Not only are you a big name, you’re smokin’ hot. You should’ve demanded someone who looked better in a skirt.”

Ryan laughed so hard, he had both hands on his side trying to suppress the pain. “Smokin’ hot? You think it’s wise to call me that after what almost happened in your kitchen?”

Piper shrugged. “You’ve seen yourself, Ryan. Don’t deny it. I can admit when I think someone is sexy and there’s nothing wrong with stating the truth. As for what didn’t happen in the kitchen, I already told you, it was just adrenaline.”

Ryan held her gaze, waiting on her to look away because they both knew she was lying. Adrenaline had nothing to do with the near kiss. A kiss he could practically taste.

“Stay right there,” she ordered. “I’ll bring you a tray with your food on it. Do you need another pain pill?”

“I’m good,” he said, shaking his head. “I’ll tell you if I want one later.”

Her eyes narrowed. “Don’t try to be macho. If it hurts, no one has to know you needed something to take the edge off.”

Ryan leaned his head back against the cushiony chair and laughed. He knew exactly what would take the edge off. Unfortunately he feared she’d give him a black eye if he mentioned it.

“Whatever that smirk is, I know your mind has wandered into the gutter.” Piper bent down, pointing in his face. “Don’t think I don’t know how your dirty little brain works.”

Grinning at her, he shrugged. “And that’s why you’re my best friend. You know and you still love me for it.”

Piper rolled her eyes and went back into the kitchen. Ryan didn’t even try to look away from those swinging hips. The woman was going to be the death of him.

Unless he actually got her into bed. Because if that day ever came, Ryan knew they’d set each other on fire with all this chemistry suddenly simmering between them.

Four

Okay, so sleeping naked wasn’t an option, but damn it was hot in here. Ryan had gone all the way down to his black boxer briefs, put the large box fan blowing right toward the bed and he’d kicked off all the covers. Even the ceiling fan on high wasn’t helping.

Of course, it wasn’t just the heat that was bothering him; it was the damn woman who insisted on pampering him. While he loved a little bedside manner now and again, he’d prefer it with a little more petting and kissing and a hell of a lot more naked skin than his nurse had showed.

Ryan tried to get comfortable, but his damn side was killing him and that embarrassing fall he’d taken earlier in the hallway hadn’t helped. But he wasn’t about to mention that to Piper. She’d rush him back to the E.R. for more X-rays. Surely she had some over-the-counter pain meds. Maybe that and an ice pack would help.

If she only knew half the injuries he’d had over the years, she wouldn’t be so worried about a few bruised ribs and a concussion.

He glanced at the bedside clock. Nearly midnight and he hadn’t heard anything in the house for a while. More than likely Piper was sleeping in something satiny, sans sheets and blankets to stay cool, with all that silky red hair spread across her pillow.

When she tapped on his door, Ryan jerked up in bed. Damn ribs had him wincing and clutching at the sheet like a baby. Obviously she wasn’t resting.

“Come on in.”

He had no idea what he expected her to be wearing when she stepped in, but booty shorts and a skimpy tank both in the color of a pale blue was not it. Would he have welcomed her in had he known she was wearing so little? Hell, yeah. Even if he didn’t have permission to touch, he would look and capture mental picture after mental picture to use for future fantasies.

How pathetic could he be? In his defense, he usually only saw her in that ugly work uniform or denim and boots. Though he did admire her in a nice pair of fitted jeans and those sexy cowgirl boots she wore. Now if he could just get her to wear them with a little skirt or something to show off those long legs. And her pajamas did cover more than a bathing suit, but still...

“I brought you an ice pack and some ibuprofen.”

With all his fantasizing, he hadn’t even noticed she carried a bottle of water and ice pack in one hand and three pills in the other.

“I assumed you wouldn’t come ask for anything.” She set the water on the bedside table and handed him the pills. “So here they are and we can pretend you’re still macho and repel pain, but humor me, take the pills and use the ice pack.”

Ryan laughed, popped the pills into his mouth and took a long swig of water. He needed it to replace the saliva that had all dried up when his best friend and her smokin’ hot body had sauntered in.

“To be honest, I was just thinking of getting something for the pain.”

“Let me look at your ribs,” she told him, easing down on the side of the bed. “I’ll try not to poke too much.”

While most women who wanted to get up in his business tended to tick him off, he found Piper’s gentle hands and caring nature sexy and appealing. She was certainly no buckle bunny with blatant sexual advances. Piper wasn’t a woman who needed to throw herself at a man to gain attention, nor did she need a man to complete her.

But that didn’t mean he wouldn’t try like hell to get her attention. This was new territory for him, but after seeing passion flare in her eyes in the kitchen earlier, he was confident in his quest.

Piper Kindred had been independent since she’d bopped him in the eye in the third grade and as the years had moved on, he’d respected her more and more.

But now his feelings were growing beyond respect, beyond friendship. And now that he’d retired from the circuit and was closer to opening his own rodeo school, the thought of settling down appealed to him more and more. Piper appealed to him more and more. He’d have to be damn sure he wanted to cross over that friendship line and take her along for the ride.

As she slid her hands over the tattoos covering his torso and side, Ryan resisted the urge to reach out and move a wayward curl that had slid down over her eye. Instead he allowed his gaze to journey down to the vee of her cami. The thin material did nothing to hide the outline of her nipples. And those dainty straps could be snapped off with one expert flick of his fingers.

“There’s still some swelling,” she murmured. “But the ibuprofen and the ice will help with that.”

She glanced up at him, and he was totally busted for looking at her chest.

“Are you serious?” she joked with a smile. “You’re checking out my boobs?”

Ryan shrugged. “You put them out there.”

Piper rolled her eyes. “I sleep in this, you moron. Besides, you’ve seen way better racks on the hoochie mamas that chase you all over the circuit. There’s not a lot here to see.”

“Listen, I’m a guy,” he countered. “You should be worried if you’d walked in here like that and I didn’t stare. Boobs are boobs and we want to see them all.”

“Yes, I know. Any hint of skin around the chest area and you guys instantly quit blinking and your mouths fall open.”

Grinning, Ryan took the ice pack she held out. “We only do that with attractive women.”

“Oh, please.” She laughed. “Besides, Ryan, we’re best friends. I’m like one of the guys.”

“Not from where I’m standing. You’re all woman.”

With no effort on his part, his tone had changed. His voice had deepened, his smile had faded. Yeah, he wasn’t kidding about her not being just one of the guys. Yes, she’d grown up around cowboys and now worked with mostly men, but she was far from a guy and all that silk and lace hanging to dry in her guest bath proved his point.

“You’ve seen me in a swimsuit,” she reminded him, her voice softer. “It’s not a big deal.”

He couldn’t stop his eyes from roaming over her bare skin and that valley between her breasts. When he met her gaze again, he didn’t see desire as he’d hoped, he saw uncertainty.

“You must’ve really hit your head,” she joked. “You’ve never talked like this before or looked at me like...like...”

“Like what?” he murmured.

“Like you want me.”

“I know exactly what I’m saying and what I want, Piper.” He purposely let his eyes drop to her mouth as he slid his hand up and over her bare shoulder. “You know how special you are in my life and how much I value our friendship.”

“Then why are you looking at me like you want to kiss me?” she whispered.

“Because I do.”

She didn’t back away, but her body froze beneath his touch. The dead last thing he wanted to do was to scare her or to make her uncomfortable. Unfortunately he’d managed to do both.

His plan of seduction needed a bit more work. He wasn’t used to being the one chasing. If he didn’t botch it, this could be interesting.

Ryan dropped his arm and eased back into his propped-up pillows. “Thanks for the pills and the ice.”

Her brows pulled together. “So you get all worked up and then...nothing?”

Shrugging, Ryan grinned. “I’ve been worked up before, Red. Now get out of here before I take what I really want.”

Deep green eyes widened, but she just nodded as she came to her feet. “Good night, Ryan. I’ll be in periodically to check on you.”

He swallowed, afraid that if he opened his mouth, he’d beg her to stay, to crawl beneath the sheets with him and see just how far they could push their friendship.

But in the end he watched her go, and waited for the door to click shut before he groaned out his frustration.

Thank God his injuries weren’t worse. There was no way he could stay here long term and not want to try his hand at playing house with his very sexy, very intriguing best friend.

And he’d been scared that retirement would be boring.

* * *

Mercy. Someone had beaten him with a two-by-four...or his car had flipped and pinned him. Either way, Ryan nearly whimpered when he crawled—yes, crawled—out of bed the next morning.

He’d been thrown from a horse countless times. But normally he’d soaked in a tub of hot water and have a nice rub-down after to help ease the pain that would inevitably set in.

But asking Piper for a rub-down last night would’ve only ended one way...with all their clothes off.

Padding down the hallway toward the kitchen, Ryan rounded the corner. At the small kitchen table, Piper sat with papers spread around her and her hand holding her forehead up while her other hand scribbled something. A tall oscillating fan sat in the corner, rotating back and forth to stir the air.

“Piper?”

She jerked, dropped the pencil and sent it rolling off onto the tile. “Ryan? You okay? I didn’t expect you up this early.”

Her eyes ventured down his body, heating him even more. Okay, if she didn’t keep her eyes up, she was really going to get a sight. He was barely holding it together as it was, considering she sat there in that damn flimsy pale blue tank. The outline of her nipples mocked him just as it had last night.

“I couldn’t sleep, but I’m usually up early anyway.”

“I know you cowboys are notorious for being early risers, but I was hoping you’d rest a bit more.”

Piper came to her feet and damn that silky outfit looked just as sexy this morning—more so since it was all rumpled against her body...not to mention how sexy that satin looked lying against dewy skin. Yeah, the heat was taking its toll and he was reaping the benefits.

The curves of her perfectly shaped bottom taunted him. Ryan flexed his hands at his sides and called on his every last ounce of willpower.

She bent to retrieve the pencil and the top gaped just enough to give him even more to fantasize about. He looked away because, God help him, if he kept looking at her he was going to forget she was doing a good deed for him and totally swipe those damn papers off her table and lay her down and...

“Are you in a lot of pain?” she asked.

“Yeah.” His tone sounded like sandpaper, but he couldn’t even get enough saliva to swallow. “All over.”

She tossed the pencil onto her pile of papers and moved across the room to open a small cabinet. She removed a bottle and popped the lid, shaking out three pills.

“Let me get you some water.” She handed him the medicine and pulled a bottle of water from the fridge. “You probably need to keep some ice on those ribs, too.”

While she busied herself getting his ice pack, he watched her turn into a paramedic right in front of his eyes. She was always putting others’ needs first and it was apparent he’d interrupted something she was working on.

“What are all the papers?” he asked, nodded to the mess on the table.

Piper moved to his bare side and gently applied the pack. “Oh, it’s nothing. Just the glamorous spreadsheets my life has been condensed to.”

“What the hell do you need a spreadsheet for?” he asked, walking over to take a glance.

“I like organization,” she explained. “I can’t focus on my renovations and the budget if I don’t have it laid out right in front of me.”

Ryan fingered through a few sheets before he turned back to her. “I’ve told you I will gladly foot the bill for someone to come in and finish this. You don’t have to drag out the process of fixing up your house.”

Crossing her arms over her chest, Piper lifted her chin. “Are we seriously going to get into that again? I know you have a concussion, but surely you recall me not only saying no to your first offer, but hell no.”

Ryan propped his hands on his hips, a little more than pleased when Piper’s eyes drifted down. She quickly brought them back up to meet his gaze, but she’d looked enough to puff up his ego where she was concerned. Yes, he’d planted the seed and now he just needed to keep her sexual curiosity up.

“Listen, Red...” he started. “I know you have this stubborn pride, but I can afford to help. Why won’t you let me? Pay me back as needed. That’s fine if that’s how you want it. But for heaven’s sake, at least let me send someone to fix the air-conditioning.”

Before I die from watching sweat trickle down that tempting valley between your breasts.

“I told you it will be installed in a couple of days.”

“I can have someone out here today.”

Piper rolled her eyes. “Quit steamrolling my life.”

“‘Steamrolling’?” he repeated. “I’m trying to make you more comfortable.”

“Really? Comfortable? Is that what you call it when you undress me with your eyes like you did last night and then admit you want to kiss me?”

Ryan raked a hand through his bed-head and sighed. “Piper—”

“Seriously, Ryan.” She cut him off. “I want to chalk this up to your concussion, but I need to know what’s going through that head of yours.”

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