THE RELUCTANT RANCHER
Luke Tanner and women didn’t mix, plain and simple.
Luke Tanner learned early on that no one cared enough to look past his roughhewed appearance and sour attitude to discover what lay beneath the surface – other than his wallet. When Mary Carter hits him up for a loan, he makes her a proposition she can’t refuse.
Mary fantasized about Luke Tanner since her first glimpse of the veritable mountain of a man. She knows there’s more to Luke than his bank account. Though she tries to hide her feelings, a fire burns between them.
Will it end in ashes or forge a love that would last a lifetime.
Meet Luke Tanner—the original gruff and grumpy rancher…who will melt your heart.
Outside, the rain fell in sheets hitting the metal roof of the barn. The hay in the loft muffled the sound, cocooning them in a world all their own.
Luke watched Mary for several minutes as she rubbed her arms against the chill in the air. Finally, he tugged her into the V of his splayed legs and moved her hands out of the way.
His body tightened as he noted the contrast of the color of their skin and the compatibility of their sizes. He had always felt uncomfortable around Debbie and most of the other women he dated. As if at any moment he might break then in two if he held them too hard. He never once allowed his passion to become uncontrollable for fear he would hurt them. But with Mary, he could see himself completely losing control. His instincts told him she would be the perfect love in so many ways. “You’re going to freeze to death,” he muttered.
“Oh, why did it have to rain?” Mary’s voice held a breathless quality which he hoped resulted more from his touch than the short ride.
“It’s just as well,” he answered, his own voice a husky drawl. “If you had ridden for much longer, you’d have been too sore to move in the morning.”
Instantly they both became aware of the double entendre and his fingers tightened about her waist.
“Don’t look at me like that,” he demanded.
“Like what?” She sounded confused.
“You don’t know much about men, do you?” Luke tugged at the clip that bound her hair, freeing it to his touch. The long, blonde strands fell in waves about her shoulder. He wanted to bury his face in the silky softness. Instead, he trailed his fingers through her hair and relished the shudder it caused to run through her frame. “I think I deserve a thank you for teaching you how to ride, don’t you?”
“I don’t think that would be such a good idea,” she said, trying to draw away.
“That’s the second time you’ve said that. Don’t you know what you want?” Luke’s fingers tightened at the nape of her neck, holding her still as he lowered his head.
“I know what I want.” His warm breath caressed her cheek.
He wanted to kiss her.