Her Unbridled Cowboy (Harland County Series) Read Free Page A

dimples that showed up with his ever-present lop-sided grin.
    This new Connor didn’t look like a
reckless cowboy at all. In fact, she had no trouble picturing him in Armani. Darn
it. Her gaze dropped to his left boot again. Forget the Marlboro Man ,
he could easily model for GQ.
    She took a long sip of the bubbly
in order to calm her jumpy nerves. Why in the world did this uncouth, sexy, reckless… cowboy have this effect on her? She didn’t like it at all. Not one little bit. Kerri
always prided herself in being in control but gosh-darnit , whenever he
was near that trait seemed to disappear along with her common sense.
    Looking up, she caught her father
and Mr. McCall studying her strangely before their gazes darted away.
    Ah, great . Her throat dried.
She knew that look. They were in match-making mode. Again. And this time she
was the target along with…
    Her gaze drifted back to Connor. Those
darn dimples appeared, backing up the amused glint in his eyes. He’d definitely
witnessed their fathers’ exchange. Of course he was laughing. Her and him? Yeah, biggest mismatch of the century. The sexy, cowboy chick-magnet and the
girl who was more at ease turning on an oven than men.
    Well, whatever the case, she didn’t
want any part. No way. And figured Connor didn’t either. As far as she knew, he’d
been engaged three times, and after his last fiancée was arrested for murdering
a husband Connor had no knowledge of, Kerri heard he’d given up on marriage for
good. 
    She certainly had.
    Just thinking about her former
marriage and all her inadequacies brought a sour taste to her mouth. No thanks.
She’d weathered enough self-depreciation storms, thank you very much.
    A sudden need to escape the room
became overpowering. She’d had enough. Needed a breather.
    Placing her glass down on the
nearest table, Kerri walked as nonchalantly as possible to the door and slipped
quietly from the room.
     
    C onnor McCall’s gut
twisted tighter than a rope around a bull’s horns as he watched the beautiful
west coast chef close the door. Their fathers’ were up to something. He’d seen
their exchange.
    Well, it wasn’t going to work. Hell
no. He’d already told them. Not on this cowboy. Just because they’d managed to
help bring Jordan and Cole together, they now thought they were experts. But
what the experts failed to realize was his brother and fiancée had a
thing for one another since their childhood.
    Not at all the case with him and
Kerri.
    Sure she’d been a cute, smart,
sweet kid who’d grown up...okay, amazing. Still, despite her beauty, Connor had
absolutely no interest in obtaining a wife. Been there. Tried it. Failed
miserably. Three times. And each time it had ended in devastation instead
of marriage. Cripes . After the last one, he had absolutely no wish to go
for number four.
    She sure grew into a looker
though , Connor thought with a twitch of a smile tugging his lips.  Long,
straight, chocolate brown hair fell past her shoulders while a smattering of
bangs covering her forehead and temple.  All of this framed a heart-shaped face
that held the most beautiful eyes he’d ever seen. Eyes that mesmerized and could
stop a bull at twenty paces.
    God, they were gorgeous. Big and
brown with lashes so thick he doubted she used makeup. They drew him in, held
fast, tugging deep in his gut. And her lips? Damn. His insides twisted tight.
He’d never forget when he’d briefly touched them with his own a few months
back. 
    Full and soft, she’d tasted like
strawberries. Sweet, succulent strawberries. That was the good part. The
dangerous part was the current that’d shot straight to his toes. His toes! What
the hell? The unexpected sensation caused him to abruptly end the kiss,
apologize and run away as fast as his cowboy boots would take him.
    He was no idiot. That woman could
hogtie and filet him in under eight seconds if he was so inclined. Which he was
not. Hell no. Not him. Never again.
    “How’s Kerri