Page 38 of No Place for Single Cowboys

Her breaths shortened into pants. Her skin went tingly. Her pulse turned slow and sticky.

Cordy was turned on, wildly turned on, simply from him taking her hand.

It was the hormones, she told herself. That was the problem with being pregnant—she was horny as hell. Cordy had done her best to push those needs down since there was no way she could find a partner, and her vibrator couldn’t pull her hair, but it all came roaring to life in an instant. Like a puddle of gasoline catching a match flame.

Her vision had gone all filmy, so she couldn’t read Chance’s expression. The man was a master of seduction—could he sense where her mind had gone? Could he read the signs that had to be written all over her body, the dew of sweat on her collarbone, the flush on her cheeks, her rock-hard nipples poking through her bra?

Settle down.Cordy decided the first thing once the boxes were unloaded would be a long, cold shower. She would not allow her body to go crazy here and ruin the nice friendship she and Chance were building.

She wriggled her fingers free once her feet were firmly on the ground. “Thanks,” she said shortly. “I didn’t realize Ruby was going to be here.”

“Neither did I.” Chance gave her a searching look. “She never comes over. She thinks I’m a bad influence.”

“Wait, on Quint?” Cordy couldn’t believe that—other than that once, Quint never came into the bar with Chance. Ruby came in on her own sometimes, but Quint didn’t.

Unless the brothers went out together to the Red Dog. Chance could do a lot of bad influencing there.

“A bad influence on Quint?” Cordy asked again.

Chance didn’t answer. He walked up to the front porch, a smile on his face. “Ruby. Good to see you. Did you come to play mover today?”

“I wanted to help welcome Cordy into her new place.” Ruby didn’t smile back as she came down.

When Ruby’s gaze met Cordy’s, Ruby’s expression softened. Cordy felt the knot of unease in her stomach loosen. Ruby didn’t look like she held any grudge against Cordy.

“Thank you,” Cordy said, really meaning it.

“I heard about Justin moving back,” Ruby said. “Kaylynn is in my class, and she said her daddy is coming home.”

Cordy blinked. “Justin has a kid? Glenn has a grandkid?”

“More than one,” Ruby said. She slipped her arm into Cordy’s. “Maybe it’s better that you moved. Several women are wondering where Justin is so they can garnish his paychecks, and that apartment will be the first place they look.”

“I’m shocked. Glenn never said a thing.” Her boss always talked about Justin but never about any grandkids. Did Glenn just not care about them?

Cordy’s opinion of Glenn, which had already slid pretty low after he kicked her out, now sank into the mud.

“We should chat.” Ruby looked at the men. “I brought pizza. Chance, you’ve got beer and soda?”

“Yep,” he said. “And some seltzer for Cordy. The lemon blueberry flavor.”

That caught her by surprise. “That’s my favorite. How did you know?”

“You’re always drinking something clear and bubbly when you’re behind the bar.” He shrugged. “I figured it was seltzer, and the lemon blueberry one sounded good.”

Her heart gave an odd thud. Cordy had no idea he’d even noticed. Not to mention guessing her favorite flavor, like some kind of mind reader.

“It is good,” Cordy said. “You should try it.”

“Is that your dog?” Ruby asked excitedly.

Iggy was bounding toward Ruby, his tongue lolling out of his mouth and his adorable ears perking up.

“Yep,” Cordy said proudly.

“He’s so cute!” Ruby gave him some vigorous ear scratches, and Iggy’s back leg thumped blissfully. “What’s his name?”

“Noodle,” Chance said.

---