“I make some of the best elk beef stew around. Want some?”

“Eww, gross! No, thank you.”

Just then, two labs came running up to us. One was black, and the other was brown.

Oh, I love labs! I bent down and was attacked with nothing but wet kisses from both.

“All right, y’all, leave her be. Kennels.”

And with that, they both ran into another room.

I looked up at him with a questioning look. “Kennels?”

“Yep. I just have to say it, and they go lie down in their kennels.”

Damn. The thought of him training his dogs to listen so well was a total turn-on.

I pulled out my cell phone. Shit! Still no signal. “Um…I still don’t have a signal. Do you have a landline I could use?”

Layton walked over and picked up a telephone. He also pulled out a book and flipped through a few pages before he started dialing a number.

“Jack? Hey, it’s Layton Morris.”

Morris. Something about his name was so damn sexy.

Oh my God…what in the hell is wrong with me? Stop it, Whitley. You’re done with men—forever. They are nothing but evil bastards who only want to take everything from you and then leave you empty and alone.

“Yep…it’s on the south side of my property on Old Mills Road. Yeah, sure. It’s Whitley, and it’s…” He looked over at me and raised his eyebrow.

Really? He forgot my last name already?

“Reynolds,” I said with a sarcastic tone as I rolled my eyes.

“Your cell or home number, so he can reach you?” he asked with a smirk.

“Oh…” I rattled off my cell phone number and my home number.

While Layton was talking with Jack on the phone, I took advantage and looked around his house. I walked to another room and peeked in to find a huge den and office. Again, the room was covered in dead animals. If I didn’t know any better, I would swear that the deer was turning its head and following me.

Yuck! I’d have nightmares from living here.

I saw a desk and noticed a few pictures on it. I made my way over and picked up a picture of Layton and another guy who looked to be a few years older than him.

Brother maybe? Damn, these two boys are drop-dead gorgeous.

“Jack is on his way to get your car.”

I jumped and damn near dropped the picture. “Shit! You scared the hell out of me.”

“You enjoy walking around, snooping in people’s homes?”

I felt my cheeks instantly turn hot. I placed the picture back down on the desk and quickly walked out of the room.

As I passed him, I whispered, “I’m so sorry.”

I made my way back into the living room, through the kitchen, and out the door onto the back porch where I stood and took in a few deep breaths. The breeze was just enough to help me cool off from the instant hot flash that had swept through my body. I didn’t know if I was pissed at how he had just treated me or embarrassed that I had been caught snooping in his office.

I heard the door open and close, followed by his footsteps on the wooden porch. Then, he came and stood next to me.

“I’m sorry. That was rude of me. I’m just not used to people walking around in my office.”

I slowly turned and looked him in the eyes. There was such sadness there. I wanted to ask him who was in the picture with him, but just by his reaction, I had a feeling I already knew who it was.

“No, I shouldn’t have walked into your study like that. I’m terribly sorry. So, um…you’ll let me know who’s coming to get my car?”

“Oh yeah…here. I wrote it down for you. Jack is probably the best mechanic in town. You’re in good hands.”

As he handed me the paper, our fingers touched. He jerked his hand back and then ran it through that messy hair before putting his hat back on. I shoved the paper into my purse and then looked back out toward the hills.

“I bet the sunsets are amazing from this porch,” I said as I glanced over at him.

He smiled, but then it faded. “Yeah, they’re pretty amazing.”

“Surely, there’s someone special you share all this with?” I asked with a smile.

He glanced at me, and the hurt in his eyes was more than I could stand.

“No, Whitley, there’s no one. I’ll take you to Mrs. Pierceson’s place now.”

He turned and started to walk toward the garage as I followed. A silver Ford F-350 was parked right outside the garage. He went up to the passenger side and opened the door for me.

“Christ almighty, is everything in Texas big?” I said with a slight smile.

He smiled and winked. “Yes, yes, it is.”

He held his hand out for me and helped me up and into the truck. He shut the door and strolled around the front.

I didn’t want to admit that I was glad I’d made him smile. The idea of him being sad bothered me for some reason.

“You’ve got your purse and laptop?” He looked me in the eyes.

“Yep, got ’em.”

“Good. I wouldn’t want you needing an excuse to come back and take another peek around my house.”

And there was the asshole I’d met a bit ago.

I rolled my eyes and turned away from him. “Don’t worry. I won’t be gracing you with my presence ever again, Mr. Morris.”

He laughed as he took off down his driveway. “It’s a small town, Miss Reynolds. I wouldn’t make promises you can’t keep.”

I glanced over at him and saw that smile again.

Ugh. Bastard.

I just needed to get away from him and get to my first client. The start of my new life was waiting for me, and now, I was going to have Layton Morris breathing down my throat as I tried to sell myself as the best party planner Mrs. Pierceson would ever hire.

“How will I get home? I forgot to call Courtney.”

He didn’t even waste a second. “I’ll drive you back into town. I have some business I need to take care of anyway.”

“Fine. But don’t utter a word. I’m doing business, and the last thing I need is you making some crack about me being from the city.”

He laughed as he looked over at me. “Oh, don’t you worry your pretty little self now. I promise not to let Mrs. P in on my nickname for you, CG.”

“Ugh…just don’t talk. Better yet, just wait in your truck.”

As he laughed and shook his head, I had a strange feeling that Layton Morris was going to be nothing but a pain in my ass.

Chapter Four: Layton

Whitley did nothing but fiddle with her damn hands the whole way to Mrs. P’s. She seemed nervous as hell.

“Just relax, CG. Be yourself, and you’ll do fine.”

I saw her head snap over toward me as she let out a sigh. I knew calling her CG was getting on her nerves, which only made me do it even more. I quickly glanced at her, only to see her shooting me a dirty look.

“Why do you insist on calling me that?”

I shrugged my shoulders as I turned into the driveway. I rolled down the window and hit the call button.

“Hello?”

“Mrs. P, how are you today? It’s Layton.”

“Layton! My Lord, boy, where in the hell have you been? I’ve missed you. We’re neighbors, for God’s sake!”

I laughed and shook my head. “I’m delivering a Miss Reynolds. She has an appointment with you, and her car broke down. Jack is coming to pick it up.”

The giant iron gate started to open.

“Come on up, sweetness.”

“My God, everything in Texas really is bigger. I think her entrance is bigger than yours,” Whitley said as we headed down the driveway.

Mrs. P lived damn near toward the back of her property, so we had a bit of a drive just to get to her house.

“Where in the hell is the house?” Whitley looked at me with a smile. “Does she have just as much land as you do?”

“Just about. Her husband was big into cattle. I pretty much bought all his cattle, so he could retire. They only have one son, who wants nothing to do with the cattle business.”

Whitley turned slightly in her seat. “So, you raise cattle?”

“Yep. That’s one of the things I do.”

I glanced over, and she tilted her head somewhat.

“What else do you do, cowboy?”

I smiled. “I also raise Thoroughbreds.”

She smiled bigger. “No shit? For racing?”

Ah…so my CG likes horse racing, does she? “Yes, ma’am, for racing.”

“I used to love going to the racetrack with my parents. My father made some good money on a few horses he owned.”

I nearly slammed on the brakes. “You mean to tell me that you grew up around horses?”

She gave me that damn cute little smile of hers and then turned back and looked straight ahead.

“Yes, sir, I did. I was on my first horse when I was three years old.”

Well, damn.

“You must be good at what you do, considering you have so much land, and your house is…”

“My house is, what?”

“Nothing. I’m being rude by just even talking about your income. I’m so sorry.” She looked out the window and started messing with her hands.

“I’ve learned not to put all my eggs in one basket, Whitley. I’ve made investments in real estate, horses, and stocks. You know, those sorts of things. The property is owned outright, so—”

“Please, Mr. Morris, you don’t owe me any explanations at all.”

“Now, we’re back to Mr. Morris. Okay, Miss Reynolds, we’re almost to the house.”

She shifted in her seat, and I wanted to ask her why she’d done a one-eighty and gone all formal on me.

We rounded the corner, and my heart dropped to my stomach.

Fuck! What’s she doing here?

I wanted nothing more than to turn around and leave, but I didn’t want to be rude to Whitley. I pulled up and parked next to the white BMW convertible.

“Wow! Mrs. Pierceson drives a nice car.”

I jumped out of the truck and walked around to help Whitley out. She had her purse and laptop carrier in one hand as she allowed me to help her down, much to my surprise.

“That’s not her car.”

Whitley turned and looked at me. I was sure she had heard the fear in my voice.

“Whose car is it then?” She raised her eyebrow.

“Her niece’s. Let’s go. Mrs. P is waiting for you, and you’re already late.”

I gently took her by the arm to lead her in, but then she jerked away from me. I looked at her, and her face was white as a ghost.

“Please don’t touch me like that—ever again.”

She smoothed out her pants and shirt and walked past me up to the porch. She stopped for a brief second and took a deep breath before walking up the steps and ringing the doorbell.

I stepped up to her and leaned down. “I’m sorry, CG. I don’t have some weird kind of country disease or anything. I’ll make sure I never touch you again.”

She snapped her head up and was about to say something when the front door opened.

“Well, looky here, if it ain’t my handsome Layton! Son, you have to come over more often! Mr. Pierceson is down at the barn, doing God knows what, if you want to say hello.”