Everything about her kiss pleased him. The moment she wrapped her arms around his neck, he deepened the kiss. She moaned, and he loved the sound. He loved the feel of her body plastered to his. He greedily took her mouth like it would be his last chance to do so.

  Although he wished otherwise, he knew he couldn’t stand here and kiss her all night. Slowly and reluctantly, he ended the kiss. But not before sweeping her lips with his tongue.

  “I love kissing you,” he said against her moist lips. “The first time I saw your mouth, I got turned on by it. Do you know when that was?”

  She smiled up at him. “In Mr. Cavanaugh’s office?”

  “No. Before that.”

  Her forehead bunched up. “Before Mr. Cavanaugh’s office?”

  “Yes.”

  “But I hadn’t met you before then.”

  “True, but I had seen you. The moment I entered town. I was stopped at a traffic light and saw you coming out of an ice-cream shop. Seeing how you were licking that ice-cream cone made my entire body ache.”

  She didn’t say anything. In fact, she actually blushed, and he thought it was the cutest thing. Not able to help himself, he leaned down and kissed her again.

  Moments later, he slowly pulled back, flicked his gaze over her features and saw the expression of a satisfied woman. He smiled, knowing he’d done that. “Good night, Brianna. I’ll see you in the morning.”

  “Baby and I will be there.”

  He couldn’t wait to see the mare she called Baby. He then opened the door. If he didn’t leave now, he would be tempted to kiss her yet again.

  NINE

  “Will you look at that beauty of a horse Brianna is riding?” Zane Westmoreland remarked, staring off in the distance.

  Cash turned and like the others, stared at horse and rider. He knew the others were checking out the horse. He was checking out the rider. She looked absolutely stunning galloping across the plains toward them. The mass of hair beneath her wide-brimmed hat was flying in the wind while she sat astride a huge white stallion that looked fierce. Like he could eat you alive. That was Baby?

  Cash chuckled, deciding the joke was on him. Baby was not a docile mare like he’d assumed. Zane was right. It was a beauty of a horse. And Brianna was handling him like a pro. He glanced around and saw admiration and respect in his family’s and friends’ eyes.

  “Good morning, guys. You ready?” she asked when she came to a stop in front of them.

  “Good morning. Yes, we’re ready,” Cash said, smiling over at her. “That’s a beautiful horse.”

  “Thanks. Baby has been mine since he was a colt.”

  “Baby?” Durango Westmoreland said, chuckling. “He doesn’t look like a baby. He looks mean.”

  “He can be to others but not to me. He’s very protective of me.”

  “You handle him well,” Clint Westmoreland said.

  “Thanks.” She smiled at everyone. “By the way, Dano will have lunch ready for us in the lower valley of your property at noon.”

  Cash lifted a brow. “He will?”

  “Yes, that will save us time since we won’t need to return to the ranch house.”

  Cash was glad she had thought of that and taken care of the arrangements. “Where are we headed to first?”

  “The range. I want everyone to see how vast it is.”

  “Then lead the way.”

  Nearly five hours later, Cash would admit everyone was enjoying themselves. His Denver Westmoreland cousins indicated their land lacked the valleys and plains here, and that the only time they could ride this freely was when they visited Clint’s spread in Austin. Everyone was surprised when at noon they returned to the spot where lunch would be served. Dano had a barbecue pit going and had set up tables to accommodate everyone. The meal had been served with baked beans, potato salad and the best-tasting punch. The weather was perfect.

  Right before dusk, everyone returned to the ranch, tired and excited about how the day had gone. The guys thanked Brianna for being a great tour guide and told her goodbye since they wouldn’t see her again before leaving tomorrow. They then headed inside to shower after what they all considered a wonderful day spent out on the range.

  Cash held back to again talk to Brianna before she rode off for home. She was sitting astride Baby and he stood beside her, glancing up. “Everyone enjoyed themselves, Brianna. I could tell they were impressed with the place.”

  Her smile widened. “I’m glad. It was good seeing you again this weekend, Cash. I hope all of you have a safe trip back home.” Then, as if on impulse, she leaned down and swiped a quick kiss across his lips.

  Before he could react, she straightened in the saddle and took off. She and Baby went racing across the yard toward her home. He licked his lips, still tasting her there.

  He’d never got around to telling her that he would be staying for two weeks. He grinned. She would find out soon enough.

  * * *

  “So, what do you guys think?” Cash asked the crew around the table later that evening.

  It was McKinnon who answered. “You are sitting on a gold mine. This place is perfect for a horse ranch. I can also see you turning it back into a dude ranch. You have enough land to do both. There is one thing I suggest you do, though.”

  “What?” Cash asked.

  “I heard you mention to Zane that you don’t have full access to Keystone River from your property.”

  “That’s right. I share it with someone,” Cash replied.

  “I suggest you contact the owner and make them an offer for it. That could not only be beneficial in a number of ways, but perhaps also necessary.”

  Cash lifted a brow. “Why?”

  “The more water you have for the horses, the better, especially during the year when the water holes on the property become dry. I did my research and that has happened in this area a few times.”

  “Do you know the person you share that property with? Do you think they would be interested in selling the land?” Bane asked.

  Cash didn’t say anything. “Yes, I know the owner. In fact, the land was part of the original deed to the ranch before Ellen died.”

  “Then what happened?”

  Cash rubbed his hand down his face before saying, “Ellen divided it up in her will. That part of the property was given to Brianna.”

  Derringer smiled. “Oh, well, then you don’t have anything to worry about. She might just sell it back to you or at the very least, let you lease the land.”

  “I’d prefer if he made an offer to buy it,” Durango said. “McKinnon and I tried leasing land to expand and ran into problems. When it came time to renew the lease, the landowner doubled the price because he knew how essential the land was to our business.”

  “I can’t see Brianna ever doing something like that,” Sloan said. It was obvious Sloan had been taken with Brianna.

  “Probably not Brianna, but she’s young and single. What if she marries one day and her husband is an ass with a lot of influence on her?”

  “Brianna can’t up and marry anybody,” Maverick said matter-of-factly, grinning from ear to ear.

  “Why not?” Mac was curious to know.

  “Because she’s Cash’s girl. Didn’t you see how he was practically breathing down her neck all weekend? Even on Friday night, his hand seemed to be glued to hers.”

  Zane rubbed his chin. “Yes, I noticed. I think we all did.” He then glanced over at Cash. “Is she your girl?”

  Cash found it somewhat amusing how they had been discussing him like he hadn’t been in their presence. When he didn’t answer right away, an impatient Sloan asked, “Well, is she your girl or not, Cash?”

  Cash gave his brother a slow smile. “Yes, Brianna is my girl. She’s all mine.”

  It was strange that he’d just done something he’d never thought he would. Claim a woman as his. But he felt damn good about it, even though he didn’t know how Brianna might feel about him stating ownership the way he just had. She had no idea that he wanted to engage in a relationship with her—not just to see where it went, but to make sure it went where he wanted it to go.

  Cash then remembered what she’d told him about never wanting to fall in love again for fear of having her heart broken. She’d seemed pretty damn adamant about it. That meant he had to come up with a plan to win Brianna over.

  And he would.

  TEN

  Brianna was surprised when she arrived at the Blazing Frontier bright and early Monday morning to find Cash’s rental car still parked in the driveway. Did he not leave with the others yesterday? She didn’t recall him saying he would stay longer.

  She tried to stop her heart from beating so rapidly as she got out of the car, not sure why she was so anxious when she’d been around Cash all weekend. But then, there had been others around as well. Now they would be alone and the last couple times they’d been alone, he had kissed her. Would he do so again? Did she want him to?

  She walked up the steps and before she could knock, the door opened.

  “Good morning, Brianna,” Cash said, smiling at her.

  She tried to ignore the effect that smile had on her. “I thought you would be leaving with the others,” she said, walking into the ranch house when he moved aside.

  “I decided to stay awhile.”

  “Oh.”

  “I looked forward to seeing you this morning,” he said.

  “How did you know I was coming over today?”

  “Dano mentioned you would be returning to go through Ellen’s belongings. I was just about to grab a cup of coffee and some of those strawberry muffins Dano made. Will you join me?”

  Brianna figured there was no reason she shouldn’t. Besides, maybe he would tell her if he had made a decision about the ranch. “I’d love to join you,” she said, following him into the kitchen. He looked good in his jeans and shirt. “Why did you decide to remain here instead of leaving with the others yesterday?” she asked before she could stop herself from doing so.

  When he turned and looked at her over his shoulder, she quickly added, “Sorry, it’s really not any of my business.”

  He pulled two cups out of the cabinet and poured coffee into them. “In a way, it is your business. I decided to help you go through Ellen’s things after all.”

  The pulse beat in her neck. “You have?”

  “Yes.”

  She met his gaze when he handed her the coffee. What had made him change his mind? Had he gotten around to seeing that packet she had left in his bedroom? Whatever the reason, she didn’t want to think about them being in such close proximity.

  “How long will you be staying?”

  He met her gaze. “That depends on you.”

  “On me?” she asked, surprised.

  “Yes. I plan to be here for as long as you need me here.”

  She nodded. They were still talking about working together to go through Ellen’s things, right? Brianna took a sip of her coffee and tried not to think of him possibly meaning anything else.

  Deciding to change the subject, she asked, “Did everyone enjoy themselves this weekend?”

  “Yes, they did. They were impressed with the place,” he said, setting a plate of muffins in front of her. He had warmed them up and they smelled heavenly.

  “Blazing Frontier is a beautiful spread,” she said before taking a bite. She glanced up and saw him staring at her. She licked a crumb off her bottom lip and then asked, “Is anything wrong?”

  He shook his head and smiled. “No, there’s nothing wrong. You like that muffin?”

  She chuckled. “Yes. I love strawberries so these are my favorite muffins.” As they ate, Brianna couldn’t stand not knowing any longer. “Have you decided whether you’re going to keep the ranch or sell it?”

  He didn’t say anything for a moment. “I’ve decided to keep the ranch.”

  A huge smile spread across her face and she couldn’t contain her happiness. “You have?”

  “Yes. However, there’s something I need to talk to you about.”

  “Oh? What?” she asked, wondering what that could be.

  “I want to get the most use out of the ranch and think I can by turning it back into a dude ranch, as well as making it into a thriving horse ranch. There’s certainly enough land for both. However, there is a slight problem,” he said.

  “What’s the problem, Cash?”

  “Although there are plenty of water holes on the property, they tend to dry up. Before making a final decision, I have to be sure a permanent stream of water will be available for the horses. The best roaming and grazing areas for them are on land near Keystone River. However, only a small portion of the lake is on the section of Blazing Frontier that I own. The largest part of the lake is on the land Ellen gave to you.”

  He paused and then said, “I need to buy that section of land from you, Brianna.”

  * * *

  Cash watched her take another sip of her coffee. She hadn’t said anything, although he was certain she had heard him. If she needed time to digest what he’d said, he would give it to her.

  A few seconds ticked by before she finally spoke. “I have no problem leasing fifty acres to you, Cash.”

  “But I’d have a problem with it.”

  “Why?” she asked.

  “Because such an agreement isn’t permanent. The amount of money that my investors and business partners will put into this ranch to bring it up to par can’t hinge on such an agreement. What happens when the lease expires?”

  “Then we enter into a new one,” she said.

  “We would negotiate for a new one with the hopes that both you and I are happy with the terms. What if we aren’t? That would place my investors and business partners at risk.”

  She studied the contents of her coffee cup before glancing back at him. “Your offer is unexpected. I need time to think about it.”

  Cash released a sigh. “I wish I could say take all the time you need, but I can’t. I will need to know by Friday, Brianna. I’d like to start work on this place before the end of the month.”

  “That soon?”

  He smiled. “Yes, that soon,” he said, starting to feel excited about it. “A number of repairs are needed, including a new roof on this house, the barn and several of the cottages. We also need to upgrade the game center and renovate the pool area.”

  Brianna nodded. “I will have my answer to you by Friday, Cash.”

  “Thank you. If there was any way I could do what’s needed without the fifty acres, I would, but I can’t. Otherwise, I will have to sell the ranch to someone who won’t need as much water as I will.”

  “I understand.”

  Cash wondered if she honestly did. If he put the ranch up for sale, he would have to consider all offers. He was a businessman, after all. But then, what she’d shared with him about Sutherland bothered him deeply, and he knew it bothered her. Therefore, he would not be entertaining an offer from Sutherland, no matter what.

  They finished their coffee and muffins in silence. Then he asked, “Where do we start with going through Ellen’s belongings.”

  Brianna pushed her empty plate and coffee cup aside. “Last week I finished in her bedroom after you called to say you were coming. I donated her clothes and shoes to charity.” She chuckled softly. “Ms. Ellen had over a zillion pairs.”

  “She liked shoes, huh?” Cash said.

  “Yes.”

  “So do I. My brothers claim I own more shoes than I will ever wear.”

  “Then that’s something you and Ms. Ellen had in common.”

  Cash said nothing to that comment as he got up from the table. “So, what’s the plan for today?”

  She glanced up at him. “We can do the attic.”

  A few minutes later, Cash followed Brianna and tried not to notice the sexy shape of her backside when she walked ahead of him up the stairs, but he couldn’t help doing so. And she smelled good, too. Trying to take his mind off the sexy woman in front of him, he made a mental note to install sturdier railings for the stairs.

  When she opened the attic door, he had expected to find a cluttered area but saw the place was tidy, filled with several filing cabinets. Instead of boxes, there were stacks of bins lined in neat rows against the walls.

  Cash followed her into the room and saw how spacious the attic was. It didn’t have a window, or central air and heat. The room could be converted into a nice-size office. It was on the far end of the hall and in a private corner.

  Brianna glanced over at him. “While in high school, I used to earn my money each summer by keeping the attic neat.”

  He nodded. “What’s in the bins?”

  “Most contain ranch records dating back to heaven knows when.”

  “Any reason this stuff can’t be shredded?” he asked her.

  “No, but the only shredder we have is located behind the check-in desk downstairs,” she told him.

  “I’ll haul it up here, no problem.” He rolled up his sleeves. “Okay, let’s get started.”

  They worked in companionable silence for the next couple hours. He had turned on the one ceiling fan in the room, but the air still wasn’t circulating sufficiently. He noticed Brianna had rolled up the sleeves of her blouse.

  After wiping sweat off his brow a few times, he said, “It’s hot as the dickens in here. Mind if I take off my shirt?”

  She looked over at him. “No, I don’t mind.”

  “Thanks.”

  He began taking off his shirt, knowing her gaze was on him. He tried not to make it obvious that he knew she was watching him even though she was pretending she wasn’t.

  He inwardly smiled.

  * * *

  Brianna would not have minded if Cash had removed his pants as well.