Romancing the Rancher
TO KISS A COWBOYTheresa Pirelli isn’t used to being looked after, but a few weeks at Jarrett Deeks’ rustic cabin seemed like the perfect place to get back on her feet after an accident. That is, until this rugged man sweeps her right back off them again!Jarrett may have been a rodeo star, but women like Theresa have always been off-limits. Yet one kiss changes everything. Theresa’s his for only a few weeks, but once he has her in his arms he knows he’ll do anything to keep her there…
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The conversation around her came to a halt ⦠and she saw him.
Jarrett, holding out his hand. âCan I have this dance?â
Are you sure thatâs a good idea? asked a voice in her head.
No, Iâm not sure at all.
But as she placed her hand in his, a bad idea had never felt so good.
âI, um, havenât danced since the accident.â But as his palm slid to her lower back and he pulled her body close to his, heat spread from his palm throughout her limbs, melting every bit of resistance within her.
He smiled. âNot a lot of call for dancing on the ranch, either. But I figure we make the perfect partnersâyou lean on me, I lean on you. As long as we keep our feet moving, we can call it dancing.â
It was what a relationship was supposed to be, wasnât it? Two people trusting in one another.
She cupped the back of his neck, her fingers sliding into his hair, and she didnât feel the least bit clumsy. With the heat flaring in his eyes, the slight catch in his breath, she felt sexy, seductive ⦠whole.
And she liked it.
* * *
The Pirelli Brothers: These California boys know what love is all about!
STACY CONNELLY has dreamed of publishing books since she was a kid, writing stories about a girl and her horse. Eventually, boys made it on to the page as she discovered a love of romance and the promise of happily-ever-after. When she is not lost in the land of make-believe, Stacy lives in Arizona with her three spoiled dogs. She loves to hear from readers at stacyconnelly @cox.net or www.stacyconnelly.com.
To the people who dedicate their lives to animal rescueâmy doggies and I thank you!
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âYou know, youâre more than welcome to stay with us.â
Theresa Pirelli shifted her gaze from the towering redwoods flashing by the passenger-side window to glance over at her cousin Sophia Cameron. Concern drew Sophiaâs dark eyebrows together beneath her fringe of bangs, and Theresa forced a smile.
A smile sheâd gotten used to pulling out like fine chinaâall for show and, often she feared, just as fragile. âAs much as Iâd love to spend my whole trip spoiling that baby of yours, the three of you need your time alone.â
And so do I.
After the weeks sheâd spent in the hospital following a devastating car accident and then the months of recovery under her parentsâ watchful and worried eyes, Theresa desperately needed an escape. But it had to be one that wouldnât cause her parents further angst. A visit to Clearville and to meet the newest member of the family fulfilled both of those needs.
But with her cousin Drew getting married to local baker, Debbie Mattson, her family would soon descend en masse on the Northern California town. Her freedom from their almost suffocating concern wasnât going to last long, but she planned to make the most of it and use these precious days to figure out what to do with the rest of her life.
âNot so much alone time that you couldnât stay with us for a few weeks. Adult conversation is appreciated, you know. Iâm half afraid baby talk is going to become my first language.â
Despite the complaint, Theresa didnât think sheâd ever seen her cousin so happy. And why not when Sophia was married to the man she loved. A man who was not her sonâs biological father. Theyâd had a rocky start to their relationship, but Jake had fought hard to prove that he was the family man sheâd been looking for, finally winning Sophia over.
It was a similar battle to the one Theresa had fought with her fiancé, Michael Parrish. Only she had lost.
Her muscles tightened, as if physically trying to block out the memories. Her right hand curled into a tight fist in her lap while her left hand...did not.
After pulling in a deep breath, she made sure her voice was even and calm as she stated, âItâs not like we wonât see each other while Iâm here just because Iâm staying outside of town.â
âI know but...in one of Jarrett Deeksâs cabins?â
From what Theresa had read online, along with being an equine rescue, the Rockinâ R offered trail rides, lessons and boarding for horses. Recent expansion included building half a dozen or so guest cabins on the property. Judging by the somewhat stark descriptions on the website, the cabins didnât offer much in the way of amenities. They were an alternative for people who didnât want to stay in the cute and cozy Victorian bed-and-breakfasts the small town was known for.
Theresa supposed hunters and fishermen drawn to the area by its rugged wilderness werenât interested in sleeping in the âRose Suiteâ or âDaisy Drawing Room.â
âIâm sure the cabins will be fine,â Theresa insisted. Long hours working as a nurse in a St. Louis emergency room had taught her to sleep wherever and whenever she could. Lumpy couches, narrow, uncomfortable beds, even sitting on the floor with her back propped up against a wall had all provided her with a few hoursâ rest between many a shift.
