Courted by a Cowboy Read online

  Evernight Publishing

  www.evernightpublishing.com

  Copyright© 2013 Vanessa Devereaux

  ISBN: 978-1-77130-591-4

  Cover Artist: Sour Cherry Designs

  Editor: Melissa Hosack

  ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

  WARNING: The unauthorized reproduction or distribution of this copyrighted work is illegal. No part of this book may be used or reproduced electronically or in print without written permission, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in reviews.

  This is a work of fiction. All names, characters, and places are fictitious. Any resemblance to actual events, locales, organizations, or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.

  DEDICATION

  For J.J Thompson

  COURTED BY A COWBOY

  Love Cowboy Style, 1

  Vanessa Devereaux

  Copyright © 2013

  Chapter One

  Whitney ran her fingers back and forth around the outer edge of the steering wheel while trying to calm her nerves. The dark brown building housing the law school department stood directly ahead. She reached for the bottle of water on the passenger seat, lifted to her mouth, and took three long gulps. The temperature wasn’t overly hot, and she wasn’t thirsty, but the inside of her mouth felt parched. Sweaty palms and dry mouth were both sign that she was nervous. She tried get out of her car, but suddenly both her legs felt like they’d been filled with cement.

  She banged the sterling wheel with the heel of her right hand, angry with herself for becoming the indecisive person she’d turned into these last few months. The victim’s counselor had assured her it wasn’t her fault. Everyone suffering trauma went through this phase. Whitney rested her forehead on the steering wheel. She’d thought coming home would help, that thinking about a new career might shake her out of the funk she’d been in. She considered starting the ignition and backing out of the parking space but then realized that this was it. It was now or never. If she drove away she’d probably never find the nerve to return a second time. And this was after all, just a class to check out if law was something she actually wanted to study. Before giving it any more thought, she grabbed her purse, got out of the car, and headed toward the building.

  This was a crossroads.

  Not her terminology but her mother’s. Maybe she was right. Not everyone reached a crossroads in their lives by being taken hostage for three plus hours, but she knew what her mother meant. Something happens to everyone at some point and it forces them to look at things at little differently.

  Whitney headed inside the building and froze on the spot at the sheer hustle and bustle she was witnessing. She’d forgotten what it was like to be in college. And it had to be change over time for classes because the place was packed with students milling around, and their constant chatter on cell phones made her ears ring. She looked at the clock on the wall. Only two minutes before the first year introduction to law course got underway. Walking over to the map of the building, she suddenly caught sight of an arrow pointing up the stairs and the word auditorium printed underneath it.

  Whitney ran and then took the stairs two at a time. She tried to get her breath back. Since the incident at school she’d even stopped jogging. That had to change, too. She coughed a few times before heading toward the auditorium door. She slowly pulled it open and noticed that this particular entrance was at the back of the room so she was able to sneak in without disturbing the students or the professor who was already talking to the class.

  She blew out some air from her mouth, sat down, and put her purse under her feet. Whitney focused on the front of the room. The professor was male, probably in his late forties. He wore jeans and cowboy boots, but the strangest thing was he looked familiar to her.

  No wait, it can’t be.

  Holy shit it was.

  He’d aged, but aged well. She slid down in her seat, hoping he didn’t see her. She’d dated his son while she’d been in high school and the saddest thing was she’d had more of a crush on him that she had on his offspring, Mark.

  Even if she’d been older, Mark’s father would have still been off limits. He was after all, a married man. His wife was one lucky woman because even today he oozed sex appeal. His dark wavy hair, greying around the temples, and the broad chin with the sexy cleft in it looked as appealing as it did all those years ago. Unfortunately his son hadn’t inherited one. She noticed his cowboy hat sitting on the chair behind him. Truth was she’d always had a weakness for a Montana cowboy and Colt Robson personified them. She wondered if he’d retired and was teaching law instead of practicing it.

  She reached into her bag for her pen and notebook. She was here to check out the class to see if it was something she really wanted to pursue, not have dreams about a man who was still on the do not touch list. Whitney wiggled around in her seat, suddenly feeling turned on and uncomfortable. The chair squeaked and didn’t get anyone else’s attention, but his.

  He glanced her way. They looked at one another.

  Does he recognize me?

  He didn’t move, didn’t say anything for a few seconds but stood in place looking up at her. Colt finally walked to the left of the lectern and continued with his lecture.

  That had been uncomfortable. Now she was sure he’d recognized her. She drew lines on the notebook, not sure why or what if anything they sub-consciously meant. If he was the professor of this course and one that she’d have to take, maybe fate had stepped in and made the decision for her. No law school. Not if it meant running into him on a daily basis and her lusting after him like a lovesick school girl.

  She’d been lost in thought and hadn’t realized the lecture was over until she noticed everyone standing, slinging their backpacks over their shoulders and milling out of the auditorium. Whitney stood too, not knowing if she should just exit and pretend she hadn’t recognized Colt, or stay behind and say hi. She wasn’t the type of person to be rude so she made her way down the stairs to the front of the auditorium. He stuffed papers into his briefcase but then glanced over at her.

  “So how have you been Whitney?”

  So he had definitely recognized her.

  She stood frozen on the step, hugging her bag to her chest.

  “I’ve been good. How about you?”

  “Never better. Your name wasn’t on the list of students.”

  “No, I was just observing.”

  He walked over to her and she got a whiff of his cologne. It was the same fragrance he’d worn all those years ago. She’d loved being in their house when he came home from work. He would walk into the kitchen, and she’d inhale the spicy scent. She hadn’t smelled it since, and now it brought back a flood of memories. She remembered the great food his wife cooked, and the Monopoly all four of them used to play out on the patio by the swimming pool she loved so much.

  She’d forgotten what gorgeous blue eyes he had. Mark’s had been brown. In fact, they didn’t share any facial features, and Whitney had often wondered if they’d adopted him and maybe never told him.

  And his lips were so inviting.

  “You’re thinking of studying law?” he asked.

  Whitney nodded. “And I take it you’re teaching it now?” she asked.

  He shook his head. “I’m on the board of regents at the university and was a guest speaker for the day.”

  “So you’re still a lawyer?”

  He nodded. “I bought the law firm I worked for…same one I was partner at when you knew Mark.”

  “And how is he?”

  “Great. He got married about three years ago and made me a grandfather last year.”

  Sexiest grandpa she’d ever set eyes upon.

  “That’s great. Please tell
him I said hello.”

  “I’ll do that. And did you ever marry and have a family?”

  “No, I never did.” She shuffled her feet, suddenly getting uneasy and wanting to retreat back to the safety of her car. “I need to get going and I’m probably stopping you from something very important,” she said.

  “No, well, not unless you call a round of golf with some stuffy judges important.”

  She laughed. Not that it was that amusing, but it was something she always did when she was nervous. He made her edgy because he was still so damn hot. “It was nice seeing you again.”

  “How about having a coffee with me at café in the student union?” he asked.

  “Thanks for the invitation but no, I’m sorry I can’t because I have lots of errands to run.”

  It was tempting and it was just coffee, but she had to resist.

  She smiled, and was almost to the door when he called out to her.

  “I wouldn’t think about going into law if I was you. You’d make an awful attorney.”

  She turned to face him, trying to come up with some smart ass answer for his nerve at being so blunt.

  “I mean you’re a horrible liar. I know you lied about running errands.” He smiled at her, making those high cheekbones of his rise and the cleft in the chin stand out.

  Was she that awful at telling a white lie or two? Okay, she’d been caught red-handed. It was coffee and small talk, probably about old times and that was all.

  “Guilty as charged. It’s coffee, and I have only thirty minutes, and I’m not lying.”

  “Fair enough.”

  Colt joined her at the door and placed his hand on the small of her back, which sent a tingly feeling racing up her spine. “It’s down the stairs, out the door, and just a short walk across the path,” he said as they made their way to the lower level.

  He held the main entrance door for her and soon they were walking side by side toward the student’s activity center. She couldn’t think of anything to say, and he obviously couldn’t either as they strolled in silence.

  “You were always shy around me.”

  Wow, that had thrown her.

  “I’m shy around everyone.”

  “You never were with Mark or my wife. I used to hear you chatting away to them and as soon as I walked in, it was almost as if you’d suddenly taken a vow of silence.”

  He’d remembered so well. She felt herself blushing just thinking about it and how coy she’d be when he strolled in, hung his cowboy hat up, and walked across the kitchen to get a beer.

  He opened the door for her and she stepped inside, enjoying the cool blast of the air conditioning. Hopefully it would take the burn off her cheeks.

  “Maybe your wife put me at ease.”

  Holy shit, how she’d envied that woman. Being married to a sexy man like Colt and living in a dream house.

  “And I didn’t, and obviously still don’t,” he said.

  She looked at him, hoping for another great comeback line, but her brain couldn’t find one to conjure up. He grinned at her.

  “Yeah, not sure why I did that,” she said of her odd behavior.

  Please don’t let him know I’m lying again.

  He winked at her. “Let’s get those coffees, because I’m thirsty.”

  He ordered two espressos and carried both of them to a table by the window.

  “How is your wife?” Whitney asked, twirling the spoon around in the froth.

  “She’s doing great, but she’s no longer my wife.”

  Upon hearing that Whitney let the spoon fall, sending some of the coffee spilling onto the table. Colt grabbed a napkin and mopped it.

  “I hope none of it dripped on that pretty skirt of yours,” he said.

  “No, just the table. I’m sorry about being clumsy.”

  “No problem, probably due to the shock of discovering that I’m a single man.”

  Now she was definitely blushing.

  She shouldn’t get into it but she had to know.

  “So what happened?” she asked.

  “Nothing you could put your finger on. Which I think means everything was wrong. You might have guessed that we weren’t the most compatible couple in the world.”

  She hadn’t. To her they’d always been the most perfect family she’d ever known.

  “We had too many different interests and things got dull in the bedroom, too.”

  Wow, she hadn’t expected him to be that open. What did he want her to do, spill the whole cup of coffee on the table or what? Her hand shook, knowing that maybe the conversation was edging to a topic she didn’t feel comfortable discussing.

  “At least you have a grandchild in common.”

  Great comeback line and that should move the conversation into more neutral territory. Who doesn’t like talking about their grandkids?

  “Yeah, there’s always that.”

  He drank his coffee, spying at her over its rim. He put the cup back on the saucer.

  “Would you have dinner with me Saturday night? I mean now you know I’m single, you’re single…well, I hope you’re not seeing anyone.”

  She couldn’t lie again.

  “And if you tell me you’re busy…” He raised his eyebrows. “ We can make it the following weekend.”

  No wonder the man had won ninety-nine percent of his cases. He was relentless when he wanted something.

  “How about I think about it?”

  “Counter negotiation. I like it.” He pulled out one of his business cards and slid it across the table to her. “Cell phone, office, and home phone number, you pick which one you want to use, but I pick the restaurant.”

  “You’re that sure I’ll call.”

  “I’d bet my next case on it.”

  Chapter Two

  Colt hadn’t been able to get Whitney out of his mind. He’d thought she was pretty the first time Mark brought her home. He’d been happy that his son obviously had a keen eye for an attractive female. She’d seemed intelligent, too. When he’d been able to get in conversation with her she’d discussed current affairs with the ease of someone ten years her senior. And when he’d seen her in the auditorium he’d known straight away it was her. No second guessing, he’d recognized the pretty strawberry blonde hair. Now she was all grown up, curvier, and no longer off limits to him.

  She hadn’t called…yet, but he wasn’t going to give up. Despite their age difference, Whitney was the sort of woman he’d like to get to know better. He hoped she felt the same way about him.

  He tapped his fingers on his desk. He should be thinking about his upcoming case, but he couldn’t seem to focus. He’d always had a thing for fuller figured women, and Whitney fit the bill in that department. He stopped himself from imaging him spanking that beautiful round ass of hers. He hadn’t been able to take his eyes off it as she’d walked away from the table in the café. The pretty floral dress hanging over it, and the way she sashayed all the way to the door. If only she’d known she’d given him an instant hard-on.

  Just recalling the image was making his cock twitch. It wasn’t that he’d been without sex. He’d taken a woman to his bed less than three weeks ago, but it hadn’t been that satisfying. Strangely it hadn’t been for a long time. It made him realize a cold hard truth. Fucking wasn’t everything. He needed a woman to romance. Yeah, he’d like to court Whitney.

  Wow, he’d just referred to courting her. Who used that word these days? He laughed. Mark had warned him these were all little signs he was on the downside of middle age.

  He looked at the phone, foolishly thinking he could will it to ring and when it did that it would be Whitney on the other end. He’d been a fool not to take her number, but he hadn’t wanted to seem too pushy. He liked to be the dominant one in a relationship with him calling the shots, but he didn’t want to scare her off completely.

  Colt turned on his music and rested back in his chair. She had to call him, because he had a special restaurant all picked out.

&nb
sp; ****

  Whitney eyed the card one more time.

  “You expecting it to move or levitate?”

  She jumped because she hadn’t realized that Josie, who owned the café where Whitney often ate the $1.99 breakfast special since she’d been back in Missoula, was wiping down the table next to hers.

  “You’ve been staring intently at that thing for the last ten minutes,’ said Josie.

  Had it been that long?

  “I’m trying to make up my mind whether or not to call this man.”

  “Is he cute?” Josie collected coffee mugs from the table across from the booth where Whitney sat.

  “Very, well, sexy handsome and I’ve always had thing for a guy in cowboy hat and boots.”

  Josie slid into the seat across from where Whitney sat. “Now I’m intrigued,” she said, taking the card from her. “Cowboy and attorney at law. Rich too?”

  Whitney nodded.

  “Phone him,” said Josie, sliding the card back to her.

  “He’s an older man.”

  “They don’t all need those little blue pills.”

  “I wasn’t thinking about that…okay, that did factor into it, just a little.”

  Josie smiled. “So, honey what are you waiting for?”

  “I used to date his son.”

  “Oh, it gets better and better,” said Josie, wiping down the table.

  “I know this is going to sound awful because I was only eighteen at the time, but I used to have a crush on him.”

  “Him or the son?”

  “Him.”

  “And now you’re all grown up, so what’s there to think about? Phone him and if it doesn’t live up to your dream, well, then you just file it under done that, and move on.”

  It was Whitney’s turn to smile. Not only were the bargain breakfasts worth coming into this place for, Josie’s sound advice was priceless.