Cowgirls Don't Cry by Lorelei James Page B

was horrible.”
    “Jess.” He set his hands on her shoulders.
    She flinched and shook off his show of sympathy. “Don’t touch me. I’m so mad right now I just want to scream!”
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    Cowgirls Don’t Cry
    Brandt could take it if she lashed out at him—physically or verbally. Instead of heeding her warning, he enfolded her in his arms, hugging her against his chest. Just as he suspected, she didn’t fight him at all.

A minute or so passed and he whispered, “Still wanna do it?”
    “What? Scream?”
    “There’s no one here but us. No one would hear but me and maybe a few mule deer.”
    Her body tensed.
    “Come on. Let it out.”
    And she did. She screamed and screamed and it absolutely ripped his heart from his chest. Brandt closed his eyes and listened while she let that anger go. Let the frustration go. The hurt, she’d hang onto.
    He held her until the screams tapered offinto sobs. She ended up facing him, her face buried in his neck.
    “Oh God, it hurts.”
    “I know it does.”
    “I loved him. I loved him like crazy, so how can I hate him so much now?”
    “You hate the position he put you in, not him.”
    She hiccupped. “This is so fucked up. Here I am telling you that I loved your brother, but I hate him, and you’re trying to make me feel better about having those conflicting feelings, even when you can’t possibly understand because you loved him.”
    “Yes, I did. But that doesn’t mean I can’t hate some of the things Luke did, Jess.”
    She tipped her head back and blinked away her tears. “Will this get easier?”
    “The situation with Landon? I wish I could say yes, but I don’t know.”
    “At least you didn’t bullshit me.”
    “Honesty is always the best policy in my book.” Brandt smiled and pecked her on the forehead. “I’m here for you. Anything you need.”
    Jessie shivered. “Thank you. We’d better get going.”
    “Good. And after hearing those excellent screams, I’m suddenly in the mood for a horror flick.”
    She actually laughed and shoved him. “Fine. But this time you’re making the popcorn.”

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    Chapter Six
    Friday afternoon Brandt came into Sky Blue daycare to pick Landon up for the weekend. They’d already loaded Landon’s paltry amount of stuff in Brandt’s truck before they started their respective workdays, so the kid handoff was all that remained.
    “Is there anything else?”
    She snagged the last bottle out of the fridge and jammed it in the diaper bag. “No. That’s it.”
    “We’ll get outta your hair then.” He hefted Landon onto his hip and slung the diaper bag over his shoulder.
    “What are your plans?” she asked. How was it that Brandt looked masculine even carrying a quilted diaper bag printed with yellow duckies?
    “Nothin’ big. Dalton suggested we test Landon’s rodeo skills on the back of a bull first thing in the morning. Tell thinks Landon is built more like a saddle bronc rider. While I’m leanin’ toward blowin’ off all them rough stock events and teachin’ him bulldoggin’. Naturally the afternoon will be devoted to getting Landon used to his very own dirt bike.”
    Jessie laughed. “I’ll bet Landon would look cute in teeny tiny chaps and a little hat.” She reached down and snapped the bottom button on Landon’s coat. “Tell and Dalton are spending the night?”
    “Yeah. Chores don’t stop because it’s the weekend. Thought we’d do the minimum tomorrow and take Landon with us.”
    “Sounds like you guys will have fun.”
    “What are your weekend plans?”
    “Depends on the weather. Might work the horses. I’ll probably just stay home.” Like usual. She used to go out with Keely at least one Saturday night of the month, but after Keely and Jack got engaged, Cowgirls’ Night Out stopped.
    “If you get bored or need anything, or just wanna hang out with us guys, call me, or just show up, okay?”
    Brandt was so damn sweet. She couldn’t