Wild Cowboy Ways (Lucky Penny Ranch #1)(23)

Dammit! Why did there always have to be a but?

But, the voice in his head said loud and clear, what if these women are looking for more than a one-night stand or a weekend romp in the sheets? What if they want a long—term relationship? Then you’ll be up shit creek without any sign of a paddle because the whole town will turn against you for hurting their feelings.

Lucy clapped her hands. “Okay, ladies. This man has work to do if he’s going to get this place whipped into shape. Let’s go on now. We will see you in church on Sunday, won’t we, Mr. Dawson?”

“You are all such sweethearts to take care of me like this and yes, ma’am, I will be in church Sunday. I might be twenty pounds heavier after eating all this good cookin’, but I’ll be there,” he promised.

Lucy nodded. “You’ve got an open invitation to go home with me and my husband, Herman, for Sunday dinner anytime, honey. You might get lonely and Herman can talk the legs off a kitchen table when it comes to ranchin’ and cows.”

“Thank you again for everything.” Blake followed the parade back through the living room.

“You don’t need to come out to the porch, cold as it is,” Ruby said. “Just get on in there and open up that fried chicken and my potato casserole. They go right well together. And I do believe that Nadine sent her famous apple pie.”

“I can’t thank y’all enough for making me welcome,” Blake said.

“Honey, I’d like to show you just how welcome you are,” Sharlene said softly just before she followed the rest of the crowd outside.

Blake was still shaking his head, wondering how in the hell he was ever going to deal with so much temptation on every corner, when Deke pushed into the back door.

“We’re at a stopping place. Mind if we come in and get warm. Holy shit! What is all this? I saw them bringing in stuff but man, this looks like a buffet for an army.”

“Take off your coats and get comfortable. Make yourselves at home. Most of this will go in the freezer. Thank goodness it is only half full and will hold everything, but I reckon we won’t have to cook much for a few weeks around here. I understand that the fried chicken is still warm and there is a potato casserole somewhere,” Blake answered.

Deke headed for the living room. “Sounds like heaven to me.”

Allie pulled off her gloves, tucked them in her coat pocket, and then hung it on the back of a chair. “Okay if I wash up at the kitchen sink? The hot water will warm up my cold hands. And then I’ll help you find the chicken and potatoes and after we eat, I could help you put the other stuff in the freezer.”

“Help yourself and thank you,” Blake said.

“Ahhh,” she said as the water went from cold to warm and then hot. “I need to do inside jobs in the winter.”

“Speaking of that. Do you have anything lined up right now? I could sure use some help on the ceilings where the roof leaked through. Any advice you can give would be appreciated,” he said.

She turned off the water and looked around for a towel. “Well, it should just take some drywall and a paint job. Probably not too expensive.”

Blake picked up the hand towel from the cabinet and held it out toward her. “Would you be able to do the job? I’d be glad to help.”

She turned around quickly and ran right into his chest. “Oh, s-sorry,” she stammered.

He ran the back of his hand down her cheek and looked deeply into those brown eyes. He tipped her chin up with his knuckles and slowly bent to brush a soft kiss across her lips.

Never had a first brief kiss affected him like that, not in all the years he’d perfected his wild ways with women. The feeling was so new that he wasn’t sure what to do with it. Did he apologize for kissing her or kiss her again with more intensity?

She took a step to the side and her hand went to her lips. “I can work for you, Blake Dawson, but you cannot do that again.”

“Are you seeing someone?” He handed her the towel.

She dried her hands and threw it over his shoulder. “No, and I’m not looking to be either. I was married at one time and I loved that man with my whole heart. When the marriage ended, my nerves were shot. It’s a long story and it’s sure nothing to do with you but…”

“Guess I got mixed signals. Can we at least be friends?”

“I don’t know, but I…”

Two buts in less than a minute. Two women chasing him, ready and waiting for his call and the one that had buts at the end of every sentence was the one who turned him inside out with a simple kiss. God hated him!

“Hey, it smells good in here.” Deke appeared in the doorway rubbing his hands together. “Blake, why don’t you hire Allie to give this place a facelift while her business is slow?”

In a couple of long strides, Allie was behind her chair, her hands gripping the back where her coat hung.

“That’s what we’ve just been talking about,” she said.

Deke pulled out a chair and sat down. “Well, I’m going to be cutting wood if Blake was serious about the mesquite. I can make more at that than helping you, but I will miss the dinners.”

“If you are willing to clear mesquite, I will gladly provide dinner. You can eat with me and Allie every day,” Blake said.

Deke glanced over his shoulder toward Allie. “You okay with that since I’m not going to be helping you?”