Page 61 of Cowboys & Navy SEALs

Lucas made a face. “Seriously? What kind of trust is this?”

“Don’t even get me started,” Magnolia fumed. “I’m so ticked at my late grandmother. If she were here right now, I’d squeeze her neck until her head popped off.”

Lucas chuckled. “Okay, tell me how you really feel.”

“Believe me. I am!” Magnolia shot back.

The pieces of the puzzle were starting to shift into place. He eyed Magnolia. “So you need a fiancé.”

She nodded, looking away.

He turned to Lexi, his voice throttling up several notches. “And you thought that would be me?”

Color brushed his younger sister’s cheeks. “I did. You want to purchase a ranch.”

A disbelieving laugh tickled his throat. “Yeah, but you can bet your best boots that I’m not gonna marry a sugar mama to get it. You know me better than that.”

Magnolia’s face drained. “I told you this wasn’t going to work,” she said to Lexi.

Lexi moistened her lips, tucking her hair behind her ears. “Magnolia called me in a panic. Her boyfriend—the man she thought she would marry—cheated on her.” Lexi gave him a pleading look. “I figured if anyone would understand the pain that causes, you would.”

Lucas’s lungs squeezed, cutting off his air. A sense of shame cloaked him when he saw Magnolia’s sympathetic expression. He certainly didn’t need anyone—least of all Magnolia Bentley—feeling sorry for him. “I’m way past caring what happened to my failed marriage,” he said gruffly.

Lexi touched his arm. “I know. I only meant that you and Magnolia have something in common.” She glanced at Magnoliaas she spoke. “Magnolia asked me to fix her up with a good guy.” Her voice quivered with intensity. “You are one of the best I know.”

Lucas’s thoughts were thrashing around his skull like a bronco, refusing to be reined in. “I’m not marrying for money.” The idea went against every core principle that made up who he was. “And I’m especially not getting hitched to some spoiled heiress who wouldn’t know what a hard day’s work was if it bit her in the butt.”

Outrage streaked over Magnolia’s face, turning it cherry red. “You don’t know me,” she hissed. “I’ll wager that I could work you and every other block-headed cowboy under the table. Despite what you think, I’ve worked hard to get where I am.”

Amusement simmered in his gut. “Oh, yeah, and exactly where are you? Front and center of the country club league or whatever you people call your little get-togethers?”

“That’s enough,” Lexi warned.

Magnolia looked like she might spring out of her seat any minute and flee the room. Well, maybe that was for the best, so they could put an end to this ridiculous conversation.

Lexi tipped her head thoughtfully. “What if Magnolia’s right?”

Lucas sensed a trap. “What do you mean?”

“I’m sure you could find plenty of work for Magnolia to do on the ranch. She could show you her skills.”

The mortified look on Magnolia’s face nearly matched Lucas’s own shock. He rubbed his neck, a smile tugging at his lips. “Yeah, I don’t think that would work.”

“He’s right,” Magnolia agreed. “It’s freezing outside right now, not the best time to be working on a ranch.” She hugged her arms like she was suppressing a shiver.

Lexi gave Lucas a speculative look. “Think about what it would mean for you to have your own ranch. No more taking orders from Jaxson.”

His sister knew just what buttons to push. “You’re right, I do want my own ranch. But there are limits to what I’m willing to do.”

Magnolia gave him a challenging look. “Would marrying me be so bad?”

His answer was an immediate resounding, “Yes.” He could almost see steam coming out of Magnolia’s ears. “Look, we dated. It didn’t work out.”

“That’s not what happened at all,” Magnolia shot back. “It worked too well. You were scared of committing, so you retreated. That’s the real story.” She gave him a superior look.

“Yep, it was all about me and my lack of commitment. It had nothing to do with you snubbing your nose at my profession or freaking out when your designer shoes got muddy.”

“Okay,” Lexi said with a laugh. “I thought we weren’t going there. Here’s the deal. Magnolia needs a husband. You need a wife. You’ve dated half the countryside and haven’t found anyone, what can it hurt to give Magnolia a chance?”

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