One Texas Cowboy Too Many (Burnt Boot, Texas #3)(84)

“It’s probably Sawyer wanting to know what’s going on over here or Polly if she and Gladys are up late watching television,” he said.

Rhett sat down on the porch step and pulled her into his lap before he handed the phone off to her. “It’s your father,” he said.

“Daddy?” she said.

“It’s the hay barn at the back of the property. We’ve called the fire department, and they said they’d come back to town but their trucks are empty and it’s too far from a pond to pump water from it. It’s already too far gone for them to do much good. We’ll have to stand watch for a couple of days to make sure the hot spots don’t fire back up and get carried to another part of the ranch with this wind. They will pay for this,” Russell said.

“So Rhett was right. It was a diversion and a means to make sure the fire trucks were empty,” Leah said flatly.

“Looks that way. And before you figure it out and go into hysterics, your old barn cat, Ella, put all five of her kittens in the back of my truck. The place was on fire when we got here, so I guess she’d moved them out before that. Want me to bring them over to you after church in the morning? She won’t like it, but I can put her and the kittens in the carrier you used to take her to the vet,” Russell asked.

“Daddy, I’m so sorry. This is my fault for not playing along with Tanner.” She turned to tell Rhett what her father said about the cats and the barn.

Rhett kissed her on the cheek and said, “You don’t get to blame yourself for what they did.”

“Think Dammit will have trouble with cats?”

“You can bring whatever you want to the ranch and however many kittens you want into the house,” he answered. “And Dammit loves cats. He thinks they’re his toys.”

*

Rhett finally got into bed at three o’clock in the morning, but he was still too wound up to sleep. The adrenaline rush hadn’t settled down nearly enough for him to shut his eyes, so he laced his hands behind his head and tried to figure out exactly when he’d fallen in love with Leah.

It must’ve been the day he rode into town and met her in the store. But, he argued, I do not believe in that love at first sight like my cousin did when he went all crazy in love with his wife.

The door eased open, and he figured Dammit had pushed his way inside his bedroom so he kept his eyes on the ceiling. Then Leah slipped beneath the covers, and his arm went out to draw her close to his side.

“I can’t sleep alone in that bed tonight. It might not be right to come in here like this, but right now I don’t care. I want to feel you next to me,” she said softly.

“I couldn’t sleep either. I should’ve gone over to River Bend and helped your dad tonight, but I couldn’t leave you alone, and I didn’t want you to be around a fire that big.” He pushed her hair back, tucking it behind her ear so he could see her face better. The moonlight filtering through the window lit up her light green eyes.

“You fit pretty good right here in my arms,” he said.

She covered a yawn with her hand. “I like being here.”

“Sleepy now?” he asked.

She nodded.

His own eyelids drew heavier and heavier until finally he couldn’t hold them open anymore. When he kissed Leah’s lips, she didn’t even stir, but one of her legs was suddenly over his and she snuggled down closer.

It was full daylight when he awakened and his first impulse was to jump out of bed, call Sawyer and apologize for not being at Fiddle Creek in time for morning chores, and rush around to get dressed. Then he realized it was Sunday morning. Not only was Sunday his day off but the day before had been his last day to work at Fiddle Creek or at the bar. From now on, he’d be responsible for his ranch seven days a week.

“And those damn Gallaghers best never step one foot on it or they’ll find themselves in a war like they’ve never seen before,” he mumbled.

“What?” One of Leah’s eyes slid open. “Oh, I remember.”

“Good mornin’, gorgeous. How did you sleep? I slept like a baby with you by my side,” he said.

“Best in a long time,” she said. “Let’s go back to sleep until noon.”

“Oh no,” Rhett said. “It’s eight o’clock. We’re making breakfast and then we’re going to church.”

“No!” she said.

“Yes, ma’am. Best way in the world to thwart any future crap from either the Gallaghers or from your grandmother is for us to walk right into that church and sit together in the middle section. Maybe we’ll put a roast in the oven and invite your dad to have dinner with us when he brings your mama cat to the ranch.”

She sat up in bed and wrapped her arms around her knees. “I’d like that, Rhett.”

Rhett pulled her back down beside him. “Are you ready for a real kiss?”

“Why would you ask that?”

“Last night you said you felt as if you’d been violated. I don’t want to pressure you until you are ready,” he said.

She pulled his face down to hers and their lips met in a kiss so full of passion that his heart raced. Her hands slipped beneath the covers and circled his semi-erection, and in minutes he felt as if he couldn’t breathe.

“I want you to make love to me. Sweet love without a lot of foreplay,” she whispered.