Her Temporary Hero (a Once a Marine Series book) (Entangled Indulgence) by Jennifer Apodaca Page B

took a breath and shifted her focus. “You mentioned fishing, hiking, and horseback riding, too.”
    He settled a hand on her waist. “I’m acquiring the horses now, working with them and hoping I can get Abby to help me.”
    It took her a second to place the name. “She’s your other sister?”
    “Yes.” His jaw bulged for a second. “Abby’s not like Pammy. She’s angry at me.”
    “Why?”
    He looked down at her. The overhead lights bounced off his dark hair, emphasizing his strong bone structure. His sister Pam had a much more delicate build, brown hair, and lighter skin. He must have gotten his darker coloring and unique green eyes from his mother.
    “I’m good with horses, but Abby is amazing. Like nothing I’ve ever seen. She knows horseflesh, and can spot a fast runner, a good cutter, even a horse who will do better with a child. She can get more out of a horse than any other person breathing.”
    “That makes her angry?”
    “No. In Abby’s mind, I’m the interloper that ruined everything in the family, including her chances of getting control of that ranch.”
    She tried to makes sense of it all. “But all you want is this piece of the ranch.”
    He nodded.
    “Why isn’t she mad at your father?”
    “It’s easier to blame me. When I first came to live here, Pricilla hadn’t known about me. My father just showed up and announced that I was his son.”
    That was unbelievable. “He’d never told her?”
    “No. She knew about his brief marriage to my mother, that was common knowledge. But few people knew she was pregnant when she ran off. When I came to live with them, it was an ugly time. Pricilla tried not to hate me, but I’m sure part of her did. And Abby was just old enough to pick up on that.”
    She couldn’t imagine. “That had to be awful for you.”
    “Wasn’t fun for Pricilla either. Believe me, I didn’t make it easy on her. When she tried to be kind, I was a snarly little bastard.”
    “Did it ever get better?”
    He smiled. “I don’t know how Pricilla’s lived with my father so long and not become a raving bitch, but she hasn’t. We thawed over time, probably a lot of that was Pammy. She followed me around and I secretly liked it. Pricilla loves her daughters, and since Pammy loved me, we had to find a way to co-exist. After a year or two, I realized Pricilla wasn’t all that bad and stopped working so hard to make her every waking moment miserable.”
    Becky leaned her head back against his shoulder. “Pricilla wanted to have a big reception.” She told him the whole story.
    “Luce had a point. It’s a good idea for us to be seen as a couple. Not just for me, but for you and Sophie, too.”
    “True.” Logan was keeping his word. Yesterday, once the tow truck had taken her car away, he’d driven them to the lawyer’s office and paid the retainer. And today, her car had been delivered to the ranch with four new tires. “Thank you for the tires on my car.”
    He brushed his hand up her arm. “I want you and Sophie safe.”
    Damn, he was doing it again, creating the illusion that he cared. “No one can see or hear us, you don’t have to say things like that. Or touch me.”
    He turned her in his arms, spreading his hand over her lower back. “Is that what you think?”
    The masculine scent of soap, leather, and hard work clung to him and Becky wanted to inhale it so deep into her lungs she’d keep it forever. Combined with the feel of his hand wide and possessive on her back, she melted more with every passing second. Struggling to regain her bearings, she said, “It’s what you told me. Like when you kissed me today in front of your family. That was for them.” Right?
    His eyes caught the sunlight streaming through a window, turning to green fire. He cupped her nape, sliding his thumb long the side of her throat. “It should have been.”
    Tingles fanned out from his touch. “It wasn’t?”
    “Sugar, you’re doing something to me. When I got back