Page 40 of Texas Daze (Texas Montgomery Mavericks)

With the barn cleaned, the horses turned out, and nothing pressing that had to be done, she headed back to the house for lunch and a little rest. She’d take Ransom out latertoday.

A couple of hours later, the crunch of tires on gravel pulled her from nap. She opened the door and watched Eli climb from his SUV. Her heart skipped a fewbeats.

“Hey,” she said. “Don’t tell me you were just in theneighborhood.”

He chuckled. “I know I’m early, but I was done at the hospital and I saw no sense to go home for thirty minutes and kill time, so here I am.” He closed the driver’s door and walked around the hood of the vehicle. Dressed in new-looking jeans, definitely new boots and a short-sleeve Henley, he looked great but she had no idea what he was talking about.Early?

“Um,okay.”

He climbed her stairs to the porch. “You soundconfused.”

“That’s because I am. You’re earlyforwhat?”

“First, I’m late for this.” He pulled her into his arms and captured her mouth in a deep, erotic kiss. Their tongues tangoed. Pretty much every bone in her bodymelted.

“Damn you’re good at that,” she said when he finally brokethekiss.

He grinned. There was a solid tug behind her bellybutton. “Thankyou.”

“Is it possible you’re early for moreofthat?”

His eyes dilated with lust. “Oh, there’ll be more of that, you can be sure. But I’m early for the riding lesson you promised. Last night. Don’t youremember?”

It was her turn to chuckle. “No. I don’t remember that conversation.” But pieces were dropping into place. Now that the memory was returning, seemed like he might have had his head between her legs at the time. “No, wait. I remember.” She felt her cheeks warm. “I think I might have agreed to pretty much anything at thatmoment.”

He smiled. “Probably. I brought abribe.”

“I thought your head between my legs last night was abribe.”

He threw back his head with laughter. “Good to know it works. But right now…” He held up the sack that’d been behind his back. She’d noticed the white sack when he’d walked aroundhiscar.

“You didn’t have todothat.”

“Okay. I’ll go put it back in my car.” He turned and pretended to walk away but that wasn’t going to happen. The aroma from the bag was too delicious to letleave.

“No way.” She grabbed for the bag. Inside were fresh pastries from Porchia’s Heavenly Delights. “Oh, man. You know exactly how to bribe me. Come on in. Want some coffee or something?” she said over her shoulder as he followed her into thekitchen.”

“Only if you’re going to haveacup.”

“Sit.” She pointed to the table and chairs. He did and she rounded up a couple of cups of coffee. She set the pastries on the table, got out some forks, plates and napkins and added them to the table. “Help me eat these,please.”

He took his coffee. “Had an interesting case thismorning.”

“Yeah? Wasn’t Grisham,wasit?”

He looked surprised. “No. What happened toGrisham?”

She explained about his ribs. “Sucks. But….” she leaned toward him as though telling a secret, “he couldn’t have chosen a better time of the year. This is one of our few slow times. Who was yourpatient?”

“AdamMontgomery.”

“Travis and Olivia’s oldest. Whathappened?”

“Broke his leg this morning. Was trying to get his horse to jump a fence. Poor kid landedwrong.”

“Poorkid.”

“Yeah, but kids’ bones heal pretty quickly. He’ll be back on his horse before summer.” He shook his head. “Horses and broken legs and you wonder why I’ve been hesitate to learntoride.”

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