The Cowboy's Girl Next Door: A BWWM Cowboy Romance by Monica Castle Page A
Authors: Monica Castle
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after that.”
They were surprised by a knock at the door. “Insurance adjuster,” Claire sighed, as she rose, motioning her mother to stay put. “I’ll get it.”
It wasn’t the insurance adjuster. It was Kyle, smiling at her through the screen door, a bouquet of roses in his hand. Claire was motionless at the sight of him.
“Who is it, baby? Invite ‘em in.”
“Bad timing,” Claire said, to her mother and the visitor at the door. She sighed, resigned, and opened the screen door to invite him in. “Speaking of the devil,” she called out to her mother as she led him through the house to the kitchen.
Carmen nearly dropped her coffee mug when she saw the man standing in her daughter’s kitchen. She recovered quickly, though, curtly greeting him and inviting him to a cup of coffee.
Kyle took an offered seat at the table, resting the roses at his side. “Nice to see you, too, Mrs. Robinson. You’re looking well.”
“Humph,” came her reply from the kitchen. She briskly brought over the coffee and set it down loudly on the table. She pointed to the lazy Susan in the table’s center. “Cream and sugar are there. Help yourself. You’re good at that.”
Claire sank into her chair opposite Kyle. “Don’t pay her any mind.” She drank from her mug, needing some energy to get through this conversation. “Why are you here?”
Kyle seemed undisturbed by both the open hostility from Carmen and the veiled anger from Claire. He carefully prepared his coffee and took a sip. “Mrs. Robinson, a damn fine cup, as usual. Just what a weary traveler needs.”
He looked over to Claire. “I’m here to see you, to apologize for everything that happened.” He glanced at her mother. “Can we speak in private?”
Carmen glared at their unwelcome visitor. “Have all the room you want. Claire, I’m gonna head next door and check on the horses.” She took a set of house keys and her cellphone. “Call me when you’re done with this fool.”
Kyle let out a low whistle after the door slammed shut. “I deserve that,” he said. He looked at Claire, who was now glaring openly at him. He took in her tired, disheveled appearance. “You look like hell. What’s this place doing to you?”
Claire slammed her hand down on the table. “What do you want?” she demanded.
“I told you. I wanted to see you, to apologize. I miss you, baby. I need you.”
“Don’t call me baby, and don’t insult me in my home.” She stood and began to pace between the table and the counter. “How dare you show up here, uninvited and unannounced? We’re done, Kyle. You made sure of that. You ruined my career, ruined our future. How could you think you’d be welcome here?”
He rose and approached her, stopping when he realized a physical advance would be as unwelcome as anything right then. “Baby, I was wrong. I know that. That girl meant nothing to me. It’s just…you were always away, either working or with your horses, and I had a moment of weakness. There was so much going on with the investments and the SEC; it just got the best of me that’s all. I love you. I want to be with you.”
She grabbed her mug and took it to the kitchen, slamming everything around. “And when my father died? Where were you then? You didn’t seem so eager to be with me, to love me then.”
He was sorrowful, apologetic. “You didn’t seem too eager to have me around, then, remember? I was busy, too, with the investigation. I’ve been cleared, you know. They could see that I was just caught up in it, not the one in charge.” He sighed and sat at a stool near the counter. “That was a crazy time, Claire, and I know I made mistakes, huge mistakes, but I want to make amends. I want us to try again.”
Claire bit her bottom lip and shook her head. “I can’t deal with this right now. In case you haven’t noticed, there was a fire here last night. I’ve got bigger
They were surprised by a knock at the door. “Insurance adjuster,” Claire sighed, as she rose, motioning her mother to stay put. “I’ll get it.”
It wasn’t the insurance adjuster. It was Kyle, smiling at her through the screen door, a bouquet of roses in his hand. Claire was motionless at the sight of him.
“Who is it, baby? Invite ‘em in.”
“Bad timing,” Claire said, to her mother and the visitor at the door. She sighed, resigned, and opened the screen door to invite him in. “Speaking of the devil,” she called out to her mother as she led him through the house to the kitchen.
Carmen nearly dropped her coffee mug when she saw the man standing in her daughter’s kitchen. She recovered quickly, though, curtly greeting him and inviting him to a cup of coffee.
Kyle took an offered seat at the table, resting the roses at his side. “Nice to see you, too, Mrs. Robinson. You’re looking well.”
“Humph,” came her reply from the kitchen. She briskly brought over the coffee and set it down loudly on the table. She pointed to the lazy Susan in the table’s center. “Cream and sugar are there. Help yourself. You’re good at that.”
Claire sank into her chair opposite Kyle. “Don’t pay her any mind.” She drank from her mug, needing some energy to get through this conversation. “Why are you here?”
Kyle seemed undisturbed by both the open hostility from Carmen and the veiled anger from Claire. He carefully prepared his coffee and took a sip. “Mrs. Robinson, a damn fine cup, as usual. Just what a weary traveler needs.”
He looked over to Claire. “I’m here to see you, to apologize for everything that happened.” He glanced at her mother. “Can we speak in private?”
Carmen glared at their unwelcome visitor. “Have all the room you want. Claire, I’m gonna head next door and check on the horses.” She took a set of house keys and her cellphone. “Call me when you’re done with this fool.”
Kyle let out a low whistle after the door slammed shut. “I deserve that,” he said. He looked at Claire, who was now glaring openly at him. He took in her tired, disheveled appearance. “You look like hell. What’s this place doing to you?”
Claire slammed her hand down on the table. “What do you want?” she demanded.
“I told you. I wanted to see you, to apologize. I miss you, baby. I need you.”
“Don’t call me baby, and don’t insult me in my home.” She stood and began to pace between the table and the counter. “How dare you show up here, uninvited and unannounced? We’re done, Kyle. You made sure of that. You ruined my career, ruined our future. How could you think you’d be welcome here?”
He rose and approached her, stopping when he realized a physical advance would be as unwelcome as anything right then. “Baby, I was wrong. I know that. That girl meant nothing to me. It’s just…you were always away, either working or with your horses, and I had a moment of weakness. There was so much going on with the investments and the SEC; it just got the best of me that’s all. I love you. I want to be with you.”
She grabbed her mug and took it to the kitchen, slamming everything around. “And when my father died? Where were you then? You didn’t seem so eager to be with me, to love me then.”
He was sorrowful, apologetic. “You didn’t seem too eager to have me around, then, remember? I was busy, too, with the investigation. I’ve been cleared, you know. They could see that I was just caught up in it, not the one in charge.” He sighed and sat at a stool near the counter. “That was a crazy time, Claire, and I know I made mistakes, huge mistakes, but I want to make amends. I want us to try again.”
Claire bit her bottom lip and shook her head. “I can’t deal with this right now. In case you haven’t noticed, there was a fire here last night. I’ve got bigger
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