A Very Tempting Texan (Texas Cattleman’s Club: The Missing Mogul) by Janice Maynard
Authors: Janice Maynard
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One
S hannon Morrison scrunched down in the driver’s seat and pulled her ball cap low over her eyes, hands clenched on the steering wheel. She was parked at the curb of the local mercantile where she had recently purchased two new pairs of work gloves, a washing machine hose and a half dozen potted begonias to brighten up the front porch of the home that had been in her family for six generations—the Bar None Ranch.
Across the street and down the block, in front of the courthouse, stood a man she wanted to avoid at all cost. Rory Fentress. Hometown bad boy made good. A guy who happened to live hundreds of miles away in Austin.
As a rebellious eighteen-year-old kid, he had kicked the dust of Royal, Texas, off his feet and headed out to make his fortune. Little more than a dozen years later, he was wealthy, powerful and even more good-looking than he’d been as a wiry high school kid.
Unfortunately for Shannon, she knew exactly what the adult Rory looked like naked.
Her skin tingled. The mental image was impossible to shake. Especially since she returned there again and again in her dreams on a nightly basis. She should be over him by now. After all, she had been the one to call a halt to their madness some weeks ago. It wasn’t as if he had dumped her. Theirs was an incendiary affair that had burned hot and bright, leaving ashes in its wake. And all because she had been introduced to a man she now knew to be her own personal Kryptonite.
One hundred and eighty days ago, give or take—not that Shannon was counting—Rory had returned to Royal intent on mending fences with his past and proving that he was now a man and not an angry teenager. The town had welcomed him with open arms. Even in a state as big as Texas, Rory had managed to become a household name after being named Austin’s most eligible bachelor. After graduating from law school with honors, he had founded a financial consulting firm that rocketed to success like an expensive Fourth of July firework. The man had money, good looks and charm. Who could resist him? Certainly not the old-timers in Royal who saw a chance to put their town center stage on the political map. Rory made no secret of his ambitions.
The incumbent state senator in Austin was deeply entrenched, so Rory had decided to run from the district of his birth. Once elected, rumor had it that the next goal would be a governor’s race by the time he was forty.
It wasn’t long before Rory’s visits to Royal became monthly and then bi-weekly. His popularity grew. It was no surprise to anyone when the final seal of approval was offered and accepted. The Texas Cattleman’s Club inducted the sinfully handsome and sexy Rory Fentress into its hallowed ranks as an honorary member.
Shannon was still a little miffed about that. It had taken a veritable earthquake of change to orchestrate the inclusion of women in the esteemed membership of the TCC. Shannon herself was one of the first four female members, and she had received an invitation only because her late father had been a wealthy, powerful fixture in Royal. And because Shannon was keeping his ranching legacy alive. But Rory, who had been a hell-raiser for most of his misspent youth, had been ushered in with typical “good ol’ boy” enthusiasm.
All a man had to do was reinvent himself, and suddenly all his past sins were forgotten. At least that’s how it seemed to Shannon.
Now...barely able to peer over the dashboard given her current position, she eyed him from a safe distance. Much as she would a dangerous bull. Because on his last trip to Royal, Rory had spent three days and nights with her, most of them in bed.
They had met six months ago during his first week back home, introduced by mutual friends. Soon, Rory was pursuing her with single-minded intent. And she had enjoyed every minute of it. Until she discovered a disheartening truth. In order to run for state senator from Royal’s district, Rory had to be a legal
S hannon Morrison scrunched down in the driver’s seat and pulled her ball cap low over her eyes, hands clenched on the steering wheel. She was parked at the curb of the local mercantile where she had recently purchased two new pairs of work gloves, a washing machine hose and a half dozen potted begonias to brighten up the front porch of the home that had been in her family for six generations—the Bar None Ranch.
Across the street and down the block, in front of the courthouse, stood a man she wanted to avoid at all cost. Rory Fentress. Hometown bad boy made good. A guy who happened to live hundreds of miles away in Austin.
As a rebellious eighteen-year-old kid, he had kicked the dust of Royal, Texas, off his feet and headed out to make his fortune. Little more than a dozen years later, he was wealthy, powerful and even more good-looking than he’d been as a wiry high school kid.
Unfortunately for Shannon, she knew exactly what the adult Rory looked like naked.
Her skin tingled. The mental image was impossible to shake. Especially since she returned there again and again in her dreams on a nightly basis. She should be over him by now. After all, she had been the one to call a halt to their madness some weeks ago. It wasn’t as if he had dumped her. Theirs was an incendiary affair that had burned hot and bright, leaving ashes in its wake. And all because she had been introduced to a man she now knew to be her own personal Kryptonite.
One hundred and eighty days ago, give or take—not that Shannon was counting—Rory had returned to Royal intent on mending fences with his past and proving that he was now a man and not an angry teenager. The town had welcomed him with open arms. Even in a state as big as Texas, Rory had managed to become a household name after being named Austin’s most eligible bachelor. After graduating from law school with honors, he had founded a financial consulting firm that rocketed to success like an expensive Fourth of July firework. The man had money, good looks and charm. Who could resist him? Certainly not the old-timers in Royal who saw a chance to put their town center stage on the political map. Rory made no secret of his ambitions.
The incumbent state senator in Austin was deeply entrenched, so Rory had decided to run from the district of his birth. Once elected, rumor had it that the next goal would be a governor’s race by the time he was forty.
It wasn’t long before Rory’s visits to Royal became monthly and then bi-weekly. His popularity grew. It was no surprise to anyone when the final seal of approval was offered and accepted. The Texas Cattleman’s Club inducted the sinfully handsome and sexy Rory Fentress into its hallowed ranks as an honorary member.
Shannon was still a little miffed about that. It had taken a veritable earthquake of change to orchestrate the inclusion of women in the esteemed membership of the TCC. Shannon herself was one of the first four female members, and she had received an invitation only because her late father had been a wealthy, powerful fixture in Royal. And because Shannon was keeping his ranching legacy alive. But Rory, who had been a hell-raiser for most of his misspent youth, had been ushered in with typical “good ol’ boy” enthusiasm.
All a man had to do was reinvent himself, and suddenly all his past sins were forgotten. At least that’s how it seemed to Shannon.
Now...barely able to peer over the dashboard given her current position, she eyed him from a safe distance. Much as she would a dangerous bull. Because on his last trip to Royal, Rory had spent three days and nights with her, most of them in bed.
They had met six months ago during his first week back home, introduced by mutual friends. Soon, Rory was pursuing her with single-minded intent. And she had enjoyed every minute of it. Until she discovered a disheartening truth. In order to run for state senator from Royal’s district, Rory had to be a legal
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