brides for brothers 04 - cowboy surrender Read online

  “Great. I’ll keep an eye on the babies for you.”

  “Not necessary. We’re taking the entire family. Mrs. Mott is coming in to watch the babies and Toby,” Pete assured his brother.

  “Toby?”

  “Yes, B.J. and Mildred are going with us,” Janie explained, smiling before she suddenly turned serious. “You don’t mind, do you, Jake? Pete told me that you thought we were, uh, but—”

  “Well, I am a little worried about Mildred,” Jake responded, trying to ease the awkward moment. After all, he had nothing to worry about with B.J. along. The woman would scarcely talk to him, much less think of him as husband material.

  “I’ll warn her to keep her hands off you,” Janie agreed, laughing.

  They divided into groups, six of them in the sedan they kept for family trips, and four of them in one of the pickups with a crew cab.

  B.J., thrust into the back seat with Jake, leaned over and whispered, “If you’re worried about them matchmaking me with you, don’t. I’ll keep my distance.”

  He breathed in her perfume, felt her warmth down one side of him and decided her keeping her distance would be a good idea.

  He’d known all along why he’d avoided B. J. Anderson the past nine months. He just hadn’t wanted to admit it to himself or anyone else. But he’d better face it now and prepare his defenses.

  She disturbed him.

  She made him entertain thoughts he shouldn’t be having.

  She made him want to throw her on a bed and fall on top of her so fast she couldn’t get away, and make slow, mad love to her.

  “Here we are,” Pete called out as he parked the car in front of the steak house in Rawhide.

  “I hope they’ve got a table big enough for all ten of us,” Janie said as they piled out of the car.

  “Uh, sweetheart, we’ll need a table for eleven,” Pete corrected.

  They were joined by the others from the pickup and Megan said, “Better make that twelve.”

  “Wait a minute. What’s going on?” Jake asked, the hairs on the back of his neck rising.

  “Sorry, Jake, but Bill Morris called. He helped me get the contract, so I didn’t think any of you would mind if he joined us.” Pete looked directly at B.J. with a smile of apology.

  Jake almost chuckled aloud as he noticed B.J.’s reaction, her hazel eyes widening in alarm. Bill was good with cows, but he left a lot to be desired in his social skills. Served B.J. right, after being so unsym-pathetic to his plight.

  But he’d forgotten Megan’s words.

  “Hey, that works great,” Megan said. “I ran into Ceci Holmes. When I told her we were celebrating Pete’s contract, she asked to come along. I couldn’t say no. This way, neither Jake nor B.J. will be by themselves. So…you don’t mind, do you, Jake, B.J.?”

  That suspicion that he’d almost quieted roared back, and Jake wasn’t about to be a patsy a fourth time. Without looking at B.J., conveniently standing beside him, he said, “Sorry to disappoint you, but Ceci and Bill will have to console each other. B.J. and I are together tonight.” Then he wrapped an arm around her shoulders and squeezed. “Right, sweetheart?”

  Chapter Three

  B.J. couldn’t have been more on the spot if she’d been standing in the center of the arena of the National Rodeo, all eyes trained on her. She knew what Jake wanted her to say. And the picture of Bill Morris sitting next to her, trying to paw her under the table, as he’d done once before when she’d found herself beside him, weighed heavily in Jake’s favor.

  At least she knew he didn’t have any interest in her.

  She slid her arm around Jake’s waist and leaned against him, finding her five-ten height fit perfectly against his six-four frame. “Jake’s right. We’re together.” She felt a sigh of relief travel through his body, sending tingles through her own.

  “Really?” Megan asked, her eyes big. “Then I guess Bill and Ceci can entertain each other.”

  “I guess so,” Jake drawled, then to B.J.’s surprise, turned his head and kissed her.

  It was a brief kiss, his lips just brushing hers, but it shot through her like an electrical charge. She was glad he still had his arm across her shoulders, otherwise, she might have fallen.

  When she gathered herself together enough to look at the group, she discovered them all staring at her and Jake, bemusement on their faces.

  Pete spoke up. “Well, let’s go inside, shall we? I’m starving for one of those thick steaks.”

  There was general movement, but Jake held her back. When the others were several steps away, he whispered, “See? I told you they’d start on you next.”

  “They weren’t matchmaking,” she muttered, ducking her head, hoping he wouldn’t notice her reaction to his warm breath skittering across her skin. “But I’ve dealt with Bill Morris before. I don’t want him touching me.”

  Jake frowned and lifted her chin so she had to look at him. “He’s bothered you?”

  She shrugged, not wanting to tell tales out of school.

  “B.J.?”

  “He tried to paw me under the table.”

  “I’ll take care of it,” Jake growled, and started into the restaurant, his arm still around her.

  “No, wait,” she protested, forced to walk with him. “I didn’t tell you that so you could do something to the man. I dealt with it. I told you so you’d understand why I went along with your—your lie.”

  “It’s not a lie. We are together,” he replied with a grin.

  When they reached the tables the waitress indicated, they discovered Bill and Ceci already with the others. Bill immediately moved toward them.

  Jake pulled B.J. along with him, rounding the table to whisper something to Pete. Pete took Janie’s arm and moved her down a couple of chairs, leaving a place for Jake and B.J.

  “B.J., how you doin’?” Bill asked, coming to stand beside her, leaning close to her.

  Jake immediately pulled B.J. to his other side, putting his left arm around her and sticking out his right hand to Bill. “Hi, Bill. How you doing?”

  “Fine. Looking forward to visiting with B.J. Pete said she’d be here this evening. I never see you, B.J. Every time I call, Mildred says you’re busy.”

  “I’ve had a lot to do lately,” she said, but didn’t smile. She didn’t want to give the man any encouragement.

  “And I’ve taken up the rest of her time,” Jake drawled. He let his arm slide from her shoulders to her waist and turned to pull her against him, and he kissed her again.

  He was going to have to stop that, B.J. reasoned, because it left her dizzy. And wanting more. She’d have to remember to tell him when they were aloneno, not alone. She didn’t need to be alone with Jake.

  Ceci appeared beside Bill. “What’s going on? Are you two an item? Is there going to be another Randall wedding?”

  “No!” B.J. protested, but her voice was soft, hoarse.

  “Who knows?” Jake replied heartily, his voice easily covering hers.

  Was the man crazy? Ceci was a nonstop gossip. She’d be spreading rumors all over the county.

  Before B.J. could protest again, Jake pulled out her chair. “I think the waitress is waiting to take our orders. There are a couple of chairs over there,” he said, pointing out two places on the other side at the end of the table.

  “Beside Red and Mildred,” Ceci noted with a smile. “Don’t they make the cutest couple? I was talking about those two the other day. Everyone’s betting they’ll marry. I swear, you Randalls are certainly marriage minded these days. What a change!”

  Bill pulled the bubbling Ceci after him, but he was frowning in B.J.’s direction. Not that she cared. She owed the man nothing. But she was concerned about the impression Jake left.

  “Don’t you think you overdid it?” she whispered, leaning toward him so no one else could hear.

  “Do you want that…man calling you?”

  “You know I don’t.”

  “Well, I took care of it.”

&
nbsp; “But, Jake, Ceci will tell everyone—”

  “So no one will call. Is that going to bother you? You got a hot romance going?” His voice had sharpened, and he leaned closer.

  She swallowed and turned away, reaching for the glass of water the waitress had just placed in front of her. Not only should they avoiding kissing, but also they should keep a lot of space between them. No close quarters.

  “Don’t be silly,” she finally managed to respond, mumbling into her napkin.

  “So what does it matter?”

  “I thought it mattered to you. I thought you didn’t want to consider marriage.”

  “I’m not!” he said sharply, drawing everyone’s gaze. He nodded and smiled, but B.J. could tell it took some effort. Without losing his smile, he muttered, “Don’t get confused. I have no intention of marrying ever again. We’re just pretending.”

  B.J. pasted on a smile, too, but she ordered, “Don’t you dare insinuate I’m trying to trap you into marriage. I’m not the one who created this—this situation.”

  “Fine!” he snapped, his false smile still on his lips.

  “Fine!” she returned, and picked up the menu.

  JAKE COULDN’T ENJOY his steak because he knew what was coming next. And wondered if B.J. had thought about the dancing that would follow. Maybe dancing with him wouldn’t bother her.

  But it was going to be hell on his nerves.

  He was only playing a role, of course. That’s why he’d kissed her. Twice. Once to convince his family. And once to warn off Morris. He’d never particularly liked the man, but now he despised him. He’d have to warn Pete not to have much to do with him in the future.

  He looked sideways at B.J., calmly eating and chatting with Janie, who sat on her other side. No sign of nerves there. Of course, B.J. could handle emergencies. She had to in her line of work.

  His gaze encountered Bill’s as he looked away from B.J. The man was glaring at him. With grim satisfaction, Jake put his arm along the back of B.J.’s chair, his fingertips caressing her shoulder. Bill smoldered.

  B.J. turned to look at him, a question in her hazel eyes. “Did you want something?”

  “No. Just making sure Bill gets the picture.”

  “I think you’re getting carried away, Jake. I told you I took care of the situation.”

  “But he’s been calling you, so you must not have done a thorough job.”

  “Then I’ll handle it.”

  “You’re not dancing with him.”

  “Jake,” she said in irritation, “I am not one of your brothers. You can’t order me around.”

  Amused by her indignation and fighting the urge to kiss those tempting lips again, he leaned closer. “No, but I’m with you tonight. You agreed. So you dance with me.”

  “So you’re only going to dance with me? Do you realize how much you’re limiting yourself?”

  “Not much. You’re the best-looking woman here. Dancing with you won’t exactly be a hardship.” He gave her his best smile, one that had charmed many a woman.

  His compliment received a glare before she turned back to talk to Janie.

  “Jake?” Bill called from down the table.

  “Yeah, Bill.”

  “How long have you and B.J. been seeing each other? I hadn’t heard she was taken.”

  With his fingers still stroking her shoulder, he leaned back in his chair and drawled, “Long enough.”

  “Not long,” B.J. said immediately after. “We have a lot in common.”

  “Yeah, we like to chat,” Jake added, grinning wickedly at her, daring her to recall their earlier conversation.

  She rolled her eyes at him and then returned to her meal.

  “There’s been so much happening around our place, it’s hard for anyone to keep up,” Janie said. “Or maybe I’m saying that because the twins keep me so busy. You’re going to have to come visit, Ceci. I don’t think you’ve seen them yet.”

  “I intended to, though I’ll have to admit I was a lot more enthusiastic before I realized Jake was taken. All us girls have been talking about it now being Jake’s turn to marry.” Ceci giggled and then added, “I guess you’ve been thinking the same thing, Jake.”

  Red stood suddenly and raised his glass of iced tea. “A toast to Jake and B.J.”

  Jake almost choked. Maybe he had gone a little overboard. B.J. was right about gossip spreading fast. If he wasn’t careful, he was going to be married to the woman before the end of the week. At least in the minds of his neighbors.

  “Uh, thanks, Red, but I don’t think we’re to the toasting stage yet,” Jake said after they all had put their glasses down.

  “Then we should probably drink a toast to Red and Mildred,” Ceci suggested.

  Both Red and Mildred blushed a bright red, and Jake hastily intervened. “I think that’s enough toasting for now. I hear the music warming up. Let’s do a little dancing before it gets crowded.”

  Red and Mildred responded to his suggestion with enthusiasm, probably glad to get away from Ceci and her ideas. Jake noticed B.J. watching Mildred. He guessed Mildred was going to get a few questions from B.J. later.

  Grinning, he decided the next time B.J. thought he was bossing around his brothers, he’d remind her of her interest in Mildred’s activities. Maybe he’d been more accurate than he thought when he’d said he and B.J. had a lot in common. They both tried to take care of their families.

  They all rose and moved in the general direction of the dance floor. He rested his hand on the small of B.J.’s back, guiding her, but his touch became more possessive on her waist as Bill waded through the crowd.

  “B.J., how about a dance?” he asked as he reached them.

  “Sorry, Bill,” Jake replied before B.J. could. “I’ve staked my claim on all her dances this evening.”

  “What’s wrong, Randall? Afraid of a little competition?” the other man snarled.

  “Not any you can offer,” Jake said softly, fighting to hold on to his temper.

  As if aware of the tension, Pete turned back and put a hand on Jake’s shoulder. “Any problem?”

  “No, I don’t think so,” Jake assured him, but he continued to stare at Bill. “Is there, Bill?”

  “No, no problem…yet.”

  Jake smiled at his brother, grabbed B.J.’s hand and led her to the dance floor. With perfect timing, the music started and he swung her into his arms.

  Tonight she was dressed in a soft denim skirt, with a blue-green blouse that made her eyes sparkle. Feminine clothes that made her more attractive, if that were possible, than her blue jeans.

  “Why haven’t you dated?” he asked abruptly.

  She looked up. “Why are you asking?”

  “I hadn’t thought about it until the other night.”

  Her lips twisted in a half smile. “I know. You’ve basically ignored me for the past nine months.”

  “With good reason,” he muttered and then wished he hadn’t spoken.

  “What good reason?”

  “I didn’t figure I had any business with you.”

  He thought he’d come up with a good substitute for the truth—that he was too attracted to her for his own good. Her response smashed that idea.

  “And you have business with me now?”

  “Yup. We’re together. Remember?”

  “Mmm.”

  They danced in silence as he became more and more aware of her. His embrace grew closer, and she surprised him by laying her head on his shoulder. He glanced down to discover her dark lashes resting on her soft cheeks.

  “So you’re not going to tell me?” he whispered, his cheek touching her silky dark hair. It wasn’t braided tonight, but she’d pulled it back with combs. He wanted to take them out and run his fingers through it.

  She didn’t answer, only shaking her head against his chin. He smiled and closed his eyes, too. This closeness was too nice to waste. He hadn’t enjoyed a woman as he was enjoying B.J. in a long time. Or maybe never.

&nb
sp; RED AND MILDRED CIRCLED the dance floor, not talking.

  Finally Red said, “I don’t think you’re going to have to tell her now. Ceci made things pretty clear.”

  “I don’t know.”

  “Millie, I don’t want to wait.” He tightened his hold on her, even though he knew she would protest. She wanted everything circumspect.

  “Red, I can’t just leave her and Toby. They need me.”

  “Leave her? You’d only be moving a few yards away. You’d still be there for both of them.” They’d had this argument for several weeks now, ever since he’d gotten up enough nerve to tell Mildred how he felt about her.

  It hadn’t been easy. He’d never proposed to a woman before. And the hardest part was that he understood her feelings about B.J. and Toby. After all, he’d been there for the Randall brothers for as long as he could remember. Even now he wouldn’t be able to walk away.

  But he wasn’t asking that of Mildred.

  “You could ask her, see what she says,” he pleaded.

  Mildred looked up at him, her hazel eyes quite like her niece’s. “I’ve been thinking.”

  To Red’s surprise, her cheeks were bright red.

  “What have you been thinking?”

  “Maybe—maybe we should…” She sighed.

  “Should what?”

  “Have sex instead of marryin’.”

  Red came to an abrupt halt, throwing off several couples around them. He made his apologies and then led Mildred from the floor. At the table, he pulled out her seat.

  “Mildred, if you’re ashamed of me, just say so. But I’m too old to sneak around. I want you, but I want you forever, not in the laundry room when everyone is gone.”

  With those words, he sat down beside her and crossed his arms over his chest.

  TWELVE TIMES TWELVE is one hundred forty-four. Twelve times eleven is—

  No use. For the past ten minutes, Jake had run through the multiplication tables to help keep his mind off how close. B.J. was, how soft she felt. But even the twelves weren’t enough. He simply gave up and took her back to the table.