Men to Trust: Boss Man / The Last Good Man in Texas / Lonetree Ranchers: Brant

She picked up her purse and sweater and turned to look at him. “What?”

He shoved his hands into his pockets. “You’re a Puritan, Violet,” he said somberly. “You weren’t a virgin by accident.”

She colored. “I don’t date much…”

He waved away the rest of the reply. “You’re in love with me. I’ve always known it. There isn’t any other reason that would make you give yourself to a man without marriage.”

She glared at him. She hated being so transparent.

He moved closer, taking her gently by the shoulders. “You’ll work for me until we find out, one way or another, if there are going to be any consequences.”

“I should never have…!”

He kissed her mouth closed. “We’re both human.” He searched her eyes. “I love the way you were with me,” he added huskily. “It was the most exciting encounter of my life, Violet. I think I could live on it, if I had to. You were…extraordinary.”

“I didn’t know anything,” she blurted out.

“Instinct must go a long way, then.” He bent and kissed her again. “Try not to be ashamed of something so beautiful,” he added quietly. “We have a lot in common. I think we’ll find even more, as we go along.”

He was saying something incredible. She stared up at him, fascinated.

“I was happy being alone until you came along and shook up my life,” he murmured absently, watching her closely. “I can’t go back.”

“You can’t?”

He brought her soft palm to his mouth and kissed it hungrily. “In a few days, I think we might go and look at rings,” he said hesitantly, and his high cheekbones took on a ruddy color.

“Rings?”

His thumb rubbed over her ring finger. “Rings.”

She couldn’t manage a single word.

His blue eyes were somber. “Today was a beginning. Not the end.”

Her lips parted as she studied him, with love radiating from her face. He saw it, and felt humbled by it. He’d never been with a woman who was so violently in love with him. He felt cosseted, valued, possessed.

He drew her against him, aware that he became aroused the instant he felt her soft breasts against his chest. That hadn’t happened even with Shannon, when he was much younger. Violet lit fires in his body.

“Feel that?” he whispered as he bent to her mouth. “You arouse me so much that it hurts.”

She opened her mouth when she felt his lips on it. He built the kiss, lifting her free of the floor in his embrace. “I would still let you,” she whispered.

“I know,” he whispered back. “You’re part of me now. I’m part of you. Kiss me…”

The kiss was long, hard, passionate. When he finally put her down, she was trembling.

“Go home,” he said firmly, leading her to the door with her purse in his hand.

“Throwing me out?” she teased.

He chuckled. “Saving you,” he murmured wickedly. “I need a cold shower.”

She touched his chest with her hand, dizzy and aching with new sensations, new joy. “I know you already know it,” she said softly. “But I love you.”

He traced her mouth with his fingertip. The words bit into him, made him feel guilty. He wanted her, but he didn’t feel that emotion for her. Not yet. He just smiled. “Drive carefully. Call me when you get home.”

He didn’t say it, but he had to feel something powerful for her, she was certain of it. She beamed. “Okay. Good night.”

“Good night, angel,” he said softly.

He watched her walk away with feelings of utter self-contempt. He’d taken advantage of what she felt for him, lost control and put her at risk. Now he had to stand by and wait to find out if she became pregnant, knowing that if she did, he’d be forced to marry her to save her reputation. It wasn’t the best night of his life, despite the lingering pleasure that reminded him of the afternoon.

Chapter Six

Violet managed to slip into her house without being seen by her mother. She was disheveled and her hair was a mess. Her mother wasn’t blind or stupid, she’d know that something torrid had been going on. To prevent any uncomfortable questions, Violet had called to her and then went straight to her room without letting herself be seen.

From there, she went to the kitchen, trying not to let her mind wander to the afternoon. Then she remembered that she’d promised to bring her mother some trout. She groaned inwardly. She heated her mother a bowl of soup and crackers for supper.

“I’m sorry about the trout,” she began. But she was beaming and she couldn’t help it.

Mrs. Hardy grinned. “Never mind that. Soup is fine. You’ve got feathers on your lips, my darling cat,” she chided. “So what’s going on with you and that dishy man?”

So much for deterring her mother’s suspicions. Violet blushed, grinning back. “The boss man is talking about rings.”

Her mother gasped. “Darling!”

Violet laughed. “Can you believe it? And we were fighting and giving each other fits just last week!”

“He didn’t really know you before, though,” the older woman pointed out as she sipped soup from a spoon. “You were too shy to be yourself with him.”

“I was,” Violet agreed, vaguely ashamed of what had happened, just the same.

“Did he mention a date?”

Violet shook her head. “We’re going to take it one day at a time,” she replied.

Mrs. Hardy only smiled. She knew that when couples got to the ring stage, weddings very often came quickly. “I’ve only ever wanted to live long enough to see you married and secure,” she said absently.

“You’d better be around longer than that,” Violet chided. “I can’t do without you!”

“Bosh,” the other woman murmured. “You’ve got your own life to live. I’m just about done with mine.”

“Don’t you talk like that,” her daughter chided. “You’re not nearly done. You have so much to look forward to!”

“Such as?” Mrs. Hardy asked, her eyes lackluster.

“Grandchildren!” she replied, and blushed again, because she could already be pregnant.