Cougar in Texas: 3 (Rugged and Risque)

Cougar in Texas

Calista Fox

Book 3 in the Rugged and Risque series.

After a humiliating breakup from her lying, cheating husband, Reese is in financial dire straits with her bed and breakfast. She’s also feeling the sting of all the happy hookups of late in Wilder, Texas. But then the ruggedly handsome stranger Caleb arrives in town, in need of a place to stay while he’s fixing up the Painted Horse Ranch he’s just purchased on the outskirts of town.

The sexual chemistry between Caleb and Reese is instantaneous and sizzling hot. There’s no denying they singe the sheets, but complications arise from his high-society family…and her ex. The cowboy and the cougar will need more than lust to overcome their obstacles and find their own happy ever after.

Cougar in Texas

Calista Fox

Chapter One

“People in Wilder have
got
to stop getting married.” Reese Middleton dropped the “Save the Date” notice on the counter in Jess Mills’ flower shop.

“You adore Ginger and Ryan,” her friend said in her soft Southern drawl. “We’re all looking forward to their wedding.”

“Not on the heels of Liza and Jack’s ridiculously romantic ceremony. Even the Reverend Bain and Lydia are renewing their vows. Everyone in this town is just too lovely-dovey,
thank you so very much
.”

Jess laughed. “You were that way, once upon a time. And we went to
your
wedding.”

“Which ended in a very nasty divorce, let us not forget.”

“Yes, there is that.” With a contrite look, she added, “Be happy for Ginger and Ryan anyway.”

“Of course I’m happy for them. I just feel as though I’m up to my eyeballs in newlyweds. And sexual bliss—none of it being mine.”

Reese sighed. She had worked damn hard at her marriage. And for what? Her lying, cheating ex-husband had run off with the housekeeper from her bed and breakfast! Not only had she lost a man she’d cared so much for she’d been willing to support him, and she’d been minus an employee, but she’d gone into debt because of the costly divorce.

She’d fought tooth and nail, though, unwilling to give up family assets. Luckily Ginger Monroe’s lingerie shop had recently experienced a spike in revenue and she’d offered Reese a part-time position. That had helped to catch her up on past payments but her savings were fully depleted, which alarmed her. Jobs were not easy to come by in the small town of Wilder, Texas, especially after so many businesses had gone belly-up when the reverend and his wife had been on their morality crusade a couple years back and had literally run out of town some of the people who’d not been cut from their pious cloth.

The precarious situation had finally tapered off as the prude brigade had seen the error of their ways and had brought their tirade down several notches. But the damage had been done. Ginger’s first store had been accidentally burned to the ground, and Jack Wade was now the only saloon owner in town. Just a couple of glaring examples that did not bode well for economic progress.

“I know there aren’t a lot of romantic prospects for you in town,” Jess said. “But as I suggested to Ginger a while back, before Ryan returned to Wilder, maybe we should all take a girls’ trip to San Antonio or Austin.”

Reese shook her head. “Thanks, but he’s got to be from around here. I don’t have time to run back and forth to the city. Besides, I’m not looking to hook up any time soon. I’m still the tormented divorcee amongst all this delirium.”

Jess moved away from the counter and retrieved a vibrant red hibiscus from a bucket. Handing it over, she said, “Until a new man comes your way, accept this from a friend.”

“A very good friend,” Reese said, a bit choked up. She hugged Jess. “Sorry I’m bitchin’ so much. Chalk it up to public humiliation and a broken heart.”

“Your ex is a jerk,” Liza Brooks-Wade said with her still-lingering New York accent as she came out of the office. Clearly she’d heard some of the conversation. “You’ll get over Tommy the instant you lay eyes on the man who just bought the Painted Horse Ranch on the outskirts of town.”

“Uh, yeah, just said I wasn’t looking to hook up.”

Imitating a sassy Texan, Liza told her, “Thankfully, it’s a woman’s prerogative to change her mind. ’Specially here in Texas.”Her green eyes held a wicked glint. In her normal voice she said, “I just got off the phone with Nadine Sadler. She’s on her way over. She was looking for you. Seems the new hottie in town is in need of a place to stay while he fixes up the ranch. Rich as sin too, so I googled him on the computer in the office. You can thank me later for the heads-up.” She winked.

Reese’s mind reeled. “Whoa. Wait a sec. First, he’s in need of a place to stay?”

“Nadine highly recommended your B&B.”

“Praise the Lord. Cash flow.”

Liza continued. “Since Ginger snapped up Ryan when he was renting one of your rooms, I figure you’re getting a second chance at a potential romance.”

“No,” Reese said with another shake of her head. “I don’t want the complication.”

“Did I mention he’s rich?” she added. “Comes from some society family in Dallas.”

“Strike one. I know their kind.”

“And he’s drop-dead gorgeous.”

Reese sighed again. “Strike two. Those are the types who have women falling at their feet. And if they don’t possess the strong constitutions your husbands do, they just end up cheating. Like
my
husband.” She smirked.

Undeterred, Liza added, “Bonus, he’s only twenty-six and never been married. No baggage.”

“Oh hello,” Jess finally chimed in. “How sexy is that?”

“Not,” Reese was quick to say. “That would make me five years older than him.”

Liza let out a low growl and said, “Cougar in Texas. How sexy is
that
?”

Reese’s jaw dropped. She stared at her friends, no doubt an incredulous look on her face. “Ladies, seriously.
Not
interested. Except in the room rental, of course.”

“Well, you’re just takin’ all the fun out of this,” Jess said, followed by a soft
tsking
sound.

“Does the phrase ‘put through the wringer’ mean anything to you two?”

“Hey,” Liza said as she crossed her arms over her chest. “My Mount Sinai surgeon boyfriend was blowing half of Manhattan… I
know
what it’s like to be devastated by a man. But then I met Jack.”

“Who is hopelessly devoted to you,” Reese said in an envious tone. “Trust me, no wealthy twenty-six-year-old is going to be hopelessly devoted to
me
.”

“Are you kidding?” Jess all but snorted. “Do you not have reflective surfaces in your house?”

“I’m thirty-one,” she reminded her friends.

“And beautiful,” Liza said.

“My hips are too big. No twenty-six-year-old man is going to want a woman with big hips.”

“They’re
not
big,” Jess told her, exasperation in her tone. “They’re shapely. I’d kill for those hips.” She eyed Liza and added, “Yours too. I’ve got no shape whatsoever. I’m the boring, straight road to Austin. You’re both the fun, curvy one to Galveston.”

With a laugh, Reese said, “She’s comparing us to asphalt. How lovely.”

“You get my point.” Jess waved her hand in the air. “Anyway, here comes Nadine. Do your best to not insult her—and
your
—new client before you’ve both cashed your checks.”

Reese turned as Nadine pushed open the glass door and entered the shop.

“I’m so glad I tracked you down,” the real estate agent told her. “Have I got a treat for you.”She crossed to where the three women stood. Patting her smart, silver bob, she said, “You’re going to be thanking me profusely for some time, my friend.”

“I heard.”

“His name is Caleb Bennett and he wants to rent your suite with the private entrance for a month. He’ll pay you up front.”

“A whole month?” Reese wouldn’t be surprised if dollar signs flashed in her eyes.

“Maybe more. Depends on how long it takes him to fix up the ranch.”

Liza rested her forearms against the counter and asked, “So what’s his story?”

“Down from Dallas with a nonprofit business idea in mind. I’ll tell you, he is one good-looking son of a gun. If I were twenty years younger…” She fanned herself with a bejeweled hand as though heat raced through her over the new kid in town.

“Nadine Sadler,” Jess snapped playfully, “you are married to one of the nicest men in this entire county.”

“With the largest gut,” she quipped. Laughing, she added, “But that’s my fault. They say the way to a man’s heart is through his stomach and that’s how I landed my dear, sweet William.”

“Oh good grief,” Reese said. “Another deliriously happy couple. Why don’t y’all just shoot me now? Put me out of my misery.”

“Now, Reese,” Nadine said. “Don’t you dare think twice about what Tommy did to you. Everybody knows you put your heart and soul into that marriage, and the only one to blame for the split is your no-count husband. Well, and that little tramp he ran off with.”

“Thanks, I so needed the reminder,” she deadpanned.

“Why don’t you wander on over to the B&B?” the older woman suggested. “Caleb’s signing papers at the title agency right now, then he’ll stop by.”

“Oh boy, do I like the sound of this.” Liza straightened and rubbed her hands together, as though anticipating a juicy story to unfold. Jess nodded in concurrence.

“Now don’t go getting excited over there,” Reese told them. “I am absolutely
not
looking for a new man. No matter how hot he is.”

Though she’d tried to make light of her failed marriage since the news of Tommy’s cheating broke nearly a year ago, with the divorce being finalized six months thereafter, she’d actually been cut to the quick. Betrayal had to be one of the most heart-wrenching feelings in the world. She didn’t need a repeat performance—or any sort of rejection while she was still in agony over the gaping wound Tommy left behind.

“Let’s just keep this conversation to ourselves, hmm?” She eyed each of her friends pointedly. Then added, “I have a room to book. I’ll see you all later.”

“Dinner tomorrow night at Pietro’s,” Jess reminded her. “It’s George’s birthday.”

“Sure you don’t want to stay home and give him his gift?” Reese wagged her brows.

In a mischievous tone, Jess said, “Sugar, I’ve been giving him that gift all damn week.”

Reese groaned. “Sorry I asked.”

Leaving the flower shop, she strolled down the sidewalk to her car. She’d parallel parked outside of Lydia Bain’s hair salon on Main Street. She considered stepping in to make an appointment for early next week, but decided a cut and color could wait a while longer. Wouldn’t hurt to have Caleb Bennett’s check in hand before she doled out a hefty sum to sit in Lydia’s chair.

She climbed into her car and drove to the B&B, praying the whole way there Nadine was right about Wilder’s newcomer—that he’d hang his hat for a month in the largest room she rented. She did some mental calculations and determined her savings account would get a sufficient boost from this unexpected turn of events, even though she’d offer him a discount for the long-term booking.

Inside the B&B, she hummed softly to herself as she started on an apple-and-cinnamon pie in the kitchen. Her guest might find the aroma inviting, solidifying his decision to stay. The suite was already made up. For a couple, she would have added a fresh bouquet of wildflowers to the desk that sat in the corner, but decided it’d be too frou-frou for a single man. Particularly one of his age.

Just as she was pulling the pastry from the oven, the doorbell chimed. She was used to visitors sticking to formality, despite the fact her welcome sign encouraged them to come in during business hours. Once they’d completed the room registration, they were more inclined to enter as though they weren’t intruding on her private space.

She whisked off her apron and used it to wipe the flour from her hands, since she’d decided to whip up dough for a batch of pumpkin scones with spiced icing too. Something about the crisp winter air and the holiday season always put her in the mood to bake.

She rounded the corner of the wide, framed entryway of the kitchen. The foyer was decent sized and opened to the living room, with numerous sofas and chairs scattered about and a tall fireplace trimmed with river rock. A round dining table sat in a nook off the foyer, separated by a half-wall. In the back of the house, across from the kitchen, was a formal dining room with several tables for multiple guests staying at the B&B. When she had them. An extremely rare occasion these days.

Not allowing her optimism to wane, she pulled open the front door with a gracious smile on her face. One that quickly faltered.

“
Oh
,” she said on a sharp breath as she eyed the man on her porch. Her heart leaped into her throat and her stomach flipped. Those were the most minor of sensations to grip her. Every erogenous zone she possessed seemed to spring to life, taking immediate notice of the tall, dark and strapping man standing before her.

Good Lord, he had to be at least six-three, with wide shoulders, tapered hips and powerful-looking thighs.

“Howdy,” he said in a casual tone as he tipped the front of his hat. Stetson, no doubt.

Her nipples tightened and her clit tingled. She’d always been a sucker for hunky cowboys in hats. This one wore jeans and a black T-shirt that pulled tight against his defined chest and showcased his bulging biceps.

Eventually finding her voice, she said, “You must be Mr. Bennett.” Her tone was a breathy, sultry one. Virtually unrecognizable to her own ears.

“Caleb,” he told her as he extended a hand. A very large, tanned one with long fingers she couldn’t help but think would feel heavenly trailing over her inner thigh or across her stomach. Perhaps along the swells of her breasts, now heavy from the desire suddenly coursing through her.

Slipping her hand in his, she managed to say, “Reese Middleton. Nice to meet you.”