The Cowboy's Girl Next Door: A BWWM Cowboy Romance by Monica Castle Page B
Authors: Monica Castle
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fish to fry.”
Kyle nodded thoughtfully. “Let me help. I’ve got a room at the hotel in town. Let me help you get things back in order. I don’t know much about horses, but I know about business, and I can help you deal with that.” He rose and walked around the counter to stand next to her. He refrained from touching her, just standing near enough to remind her blood of the link they’d shared in the past. “Just let me help you. Let me make it up to you, at least.”
Weary and overwhelmed from the events of the last twenty-four hours, Claire weakly nodded. “I’ll think about it,” she said. “Just let me get some rest.”
Kyle assented, pointing to the roses as he left. “Don’t forget to put those in some water. I hate seeing beautiful things go to waste.”
She did as he asked after he’d left. Pink roses in perfect bloom: her favorites. She put the vase on the table, and then ate the cold food on her plate. It was all too much, too fast. She needed sleep. She called her mother, told her it was safe to return, and then went upstairs for a shower and a much needed nap. Things had to be better when she woke.
It was dusk when she finally rose, and she panicked a bit at the realization that she’d lost a day’s work. She leaped from the bed, hastily dressed, and ran downstairs. She could hear voices: Jess, Kyle, her mother. She stopped on the landing and closed her eyes. “Guide me, daddy,” she prayed. “Help me make it through this.”
They were an odd group seated at the table. Kyle was stiff and out of place in brand new clothes, he must have deemed “ranch wear.” Carmen was uncharacteristically silent, her fingers beating out a rhythm as she rapped her nails on the table. Only Jess seemed at ease, rising to greet her when she entered, his voice warm and caring. “How are you feeling, my lady? I hope you had a good rest. You needed it.”
Kyle’s head jerked toward Claire at Jess’s words; he was clearly surprised by the tenderness in Jess’s voice, and his accusing stare made her feel a discomfort she knew was irrational. He has no right , she reminded herself . None at all .
She walked over to Jess, eagerly stepping into his offered embrace. He kissed the top of her head. “I’m much better, thank you. Although,” she said, stepping away from him and turning to the paperwork spread out on the table, “it looks like I’ve missed a few things.” Turning to her mother, she asked “Why didn’t you wake me?”
Carmen shrugged. “The men just seemed to take over, and you needed sleep. Don’t worry,” she added, “I’ve been keeping an eye out for you the whole time.”
Jess followed Claire into the kitchen. She took a glass from the cabinet, and he opened the refrigerator. “Water or tea?” he asked.
“Water. Thanks.” She watched as he poured, then took the glass from him.
“So, this is the infamous Kyle?” Jess asked, a hint of confusion in his voice. He’d been surprised, naturally, to find Claire’s ex-boyfriend on the porch when the insurance adjuster had arrived. The two men introduced themselves, had been cordial, even, Jess working hard to temper his bewilderment and jealousy at the sight of this handsome and cultured rival.
Claire nodded silently. She drank down the glass of water quickly then poured herself another. “I’m as surprised as you are to see him here. He’s got lousy timing.”
Jess was stung by the remark. “What timing would have been better?” he asked, regretting his tone immediately, but unable to hold back the acrimony that had been building throughout the afternoon. The two men had wrestled over Claire’s business affairs all afternoon, each seeking to demonstrate their power to the other like a couple of roosters fighting over a prize hen.
Claire recoiled at the question and his tone. “You don’t own me, Jess.” She stepped around the counter. “And neither do you,
Kyle nodded thoughtfully. “Let me help. I’ve got a room at the hotel in town. Let me help you get things back in order. I don’t know much about horses, but I know about business, and I can help you deal with that.” He rose and walked around the counter to stand next to her. He refrained from touching her, just standing near enough to remind her blood of the link they’d shared in the past. “Just let me help you. Let me make it up to you, at least.”
Weary and overwhelmed from the events of the last twenty-four hours, Claire weakly nodded. “I’ll think about it,” she said. “Just let me get some rest.”
Kyle assented, pointing to the roses as he left. “Don’t forget to put those in some water. I hate seeing beautiful things go to waste.”
She did as he asked after he’d left. Pink roses in perfect bloom: her favorites. She put the vase on the table, and then ate the cold food on her plate. It was all too much, too fast. She needed sleep. She called her mother, told her it was safe to return, and then went upstairs for a shower and a much needed nap. Things had to be better when she woke.
It was dusk when she finally rose, and she panicked a bit at the realization that she’d lost a day’s work. She leaped from the bed, hastily dressed, and ran downstairs. She could hear voices: Jess, Kyle, her mother. She stopped on the landing and closed her eyes. “Guide me, daddy,” she prayed. “Help me make it through this.”
They were an odd group seated at the table. Kyle was stiff and out of place in brand new clothes, he must have deemed “ranch wear.” Carmen was uncharacteristically silent, her fingers beating out a rhythm as she rapped her nails on the table. Only Jess seemed at ease, rising to greet her when she entered, his voice warm and caring. “How are you feeling, my lady? I hope you had a good rest. You needed it.”
Kyle’s head jerked toward Claire at Jess’s words; he was clearly surprised by the tenderness in Jess’s voice, and his accusing stare made her feel a discomfort she knew was irrational. He has no right , she reminded herself . None at all .
She walked over to Jess, eagerly stepping into his offered embrace. He kissed the top of her head. “I’m much better, thank you. Although,” she said, stepping away from him and turning to the paperwork spread out on the table, “it looks like I’ve missed a few things.” Turning to her mother, she asked “Why didn’t you wake me?”
Carmen shrugged. “The men just seemed to take over, and you needed sleep. Don’t worry,” she added, “I’ve been keeping an eye out for you the whole time.”
Jess followed Claire into the kitchen. She took a glass from the cabinet, and he opened the refrigerator. “Water or tea?” he asked.
“Water. Thanks.” She watched as he poured, then took the glass from him.
“So, this is the infamous Kyle?” Jess asked, a hint of confusion in his voice. He’d been surprised, naturally, to find Claire’s ex-boyfriend on the porch when the insurance adjuster had arrived. The two men introduced themselves, had been cordial, even, Jess working hard to temper his bewilderment and jealousy at the sight of this handsome and cultured rival.
Claire nodded silently. She drank down the glass of water quickly then poured herself another. “I’m as surprised as you are to see him here. He’s got lousy timing.”
Jess was stung by the remark. “What timing would have been better?” he asked, regretting his tone immediately, but unable to hold back the acrimony that had been building throughout the afternoon. The two men had wrestled over Claire’s business affairs all afternoon, each seeking to demonstrate their power to the other like a couple of roosters fighting over a prize hen.
Claire recoiled at the question and his tone. “You don’t own me, Jess.” She stepped around the counter. “And neither do you,
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