Primal Surrender by Lori King

heavy, and the horse shuffled a step away from them sensing their tension. She couldn’t blame Juliet for wanting to escape it. The last thing Claudia ever wanted to do was fail to secure this project, and have to return home with her tail between her legs.
    Instead of arguing or trying to convince her otherwise, Mack just sighed, and resumed his easy going attitude. “Okay. Well then let’s just take it one day at a time, shall we? No need worrying about the future until it gets here. Now, up with you city girl, show me how a duchess rides.”
    Relief washed over her, along with a touch of annoyance at his use of the prissy nickname. “Just because I rode in an arena doesn’t mean I don’t have skills, cowboy. Back up.” She gave him a little shove with her shoulder to his ribs, and lifted her foot into the stirrup. The swing up into the saddle was high, but she felt at ease once she took her seat. There was something comforting about the easy acceptance of Juliet, and the gentle sway of her movements as she adjusted to Claudia’s weight. The saddle felt different than she was used to, but not terribly so, and she quickly took the reins to direct the mare away from the barn. Glancing over her shoulder at Mack, she smiled saucily, “You coming, cowboy? Or are you just going to watch me show you how it’s done?”
    His laughter boomed through the yard, echoing off the building and drawing a couple of ranch hands out of the barn. The front door of the house opened, and Rachel stepped outside holding a chubby little girl in her arms. The man who followed her onto the porch looked a lot like Sawyer, and the possessive way his arm wrapped around the two females with him, assured her this was another Brooks brother.
    “Claudia! It’s good to see you again,” Rachel called out, and Claudia directed the horse over to the edge of the porch to greet her new friend.
    “You too, Rachel, and this must be your lovely Juliet.”
    Juliet was sucking on her fist like it was the last bit of food in the world. Drool coated the one-year-old’s chin and chest, but the smile she gave her mom when her name was mentioned was radiant. “Yes, this is Miss Jules, and this is my husband, Hudson, I don’t think you two have met yet.”
    Claudia nodded at Hudson Brooks, wondering again how Rachel managed to juggle so many men in her life. Just being with Mack and Ryker as a pair left her feeling out of her element, so she couldn’t imagine how much harder it would be if she were dating them both.
    “Nice to meet you, Claudia,” Hudson said politely. “You’re not quite what I pictured when Sawyer told me Mack was dating a real estate tycoon.”
    Shaking her head, she laughed, “I’m no real estate tycoon. Just a regular woman doing a job. With any luck the town will side with Schmidt Properties tomorrow night and Granite Estates will be a reality.”
    “Exactly why would that be a good thing?” Another Brooks brother appeared in the doorway, and Claudia actually felt herself cringe away from the distrust and genuine disgust he directed her way.
    “Rogan, stop it. Be polite,” Rachel snapped.
    Refusing to cower, Claudia stiffened her spine and leveled her gaze on Rogan Brooks. “Mr. Brooks, Granite Estates would bring more families to Stone River, which at this moment is bogged down in the good old days. The world has changed, but this tiny Texas town has resisted changing with it. It can’t hold out forever. If not Schmidt, then another company will come in and buy up land, but instead of putting up homes and schools, and bringing in businesses, they will throw up oil derricks and trailer parks for the workers who run them.”
    “Not if we stand our ground,” Rogan snapped. “The last thing we need is for Austin to swallow up Stone River. We live here because we like being part of a small town. If you bring the city here it will take away our freedom, and the values we have built generations of families on. I don’t