Hill Country Hero Read Free Page A

bruises.
    “Daddy, I’m sure there’s a perfectly reasonable explanation for what happened. Don’t do something you’ll regret,” CiCi said as she looked through the office refrigerator. She was tempted by the chilled chardonnay but decided to grab a bottle of water.
    Texas Bob leaned back in his large leather chair. “Don’t worry, sweetheart. I knew I needed to cool down before I talked to him. That’s why I gave him twenty minutes to get up here. Are you positive you’re not hurt?” In the boardroom Winston Hurst was as tough as nails, but when it came to his family, he was a big marshmallow.
    “I’m fine. Really.” CiCi could swear on a stack of bibles and it wouldn’t matter one whit. Daddy had made up his mind and nothing she said would change it.
    So to keep her thoughts off whatever Daddy was planning, CiCi sat down to peruse the roster listing Jake Culpepper’s stats. Holy tamale, the guy was six foot five and weighed two hundred and sixty pounds. No wonder she felt as if she’d been hit by a bus.
    “I have a great idea. I think you’ll like it.” Daddy drummedhis fingers on the desk. His face was creased in the shark grin that had struck fear in the hearts of men all over the state. Poor Jake Culpepper wasn’t going to know what hit him.
    And speaking of which, CiCi did a double take when she saw the man himself in the doorway. She’d checked out his picture in the team program but the camera didn’t do him justice. And on the field, she’d been seeing stars.
    Jake Culpepper wasn’t classically handsome, but with dark hair that was just long enough to curl around his collar, pale green eyes and eyelashes a mile long, he oozed sex appeal.
    He was obviously everything CiCi hated—an arrogant jock with an ego the size of Dallas. So why was she staring at him like a smitten schoolgirl?
    “Sir,” Jake said, addressing Texas Bob. Then he walked to the couch where CiCi was sitting with her feet curled up under her.
    “Ms. Hurst, I can’t tell you how sorry I am. Did I hurt you?”
    CiCi shook her head. It wasn’t often she was at a loss for words, but right now she couldn’t do much more than gape. Fortunately, Jake didn’t seem to notice that she’d turned into a zombie.
    “I never would have pulled that stunt if I’d known you were in the chicken suit. I thought you were my cousin Dwayne. He stole my car this morning and wrecked it, so I thought I’d teach him a lesson. I wasn’t planning anything major. I figured we’d just have a little scuffle.” Somehow, during his explanation, he’d managed to get close enough to take her hand.
    When CiCi realized what he was doing, she snatched it away. Charming jocks should be banned from society. They weren’t trustworthy. Like her philandering ex. They’d pledged to love each other through good times and bad, but that promise had obviously meant nothing to Tank. So it was good bye to her marriage and hello to a crisis of self-confidence.
    “Looks like you really stepped in it this time, Culpepper.” Texas Bob stacked his hands behind his head. “Sit. I have an offer I don’t think you’ll be able to refuse.”
    CiCi had a flashback to the Godfather movie. She glanced at Jake and discovered he was probably thinking the same thing. Nevertheless, he took a seat in one of the lush leather chairs.
    “I was on my way out to the field to talk to my daughter when I saw you assault her.” Daddy’s face had turned an alarming shade of red. “I almost had a heart attack. What the hell were you thinking?” He slammed his hands on the massive walnut desk. “You could have killed her.”
    “Sir—”
    “Did I say I wanted to hear from you?”
    “Uh, no, sir.” Jake slumped back in his chair.
    She almost felt sorry for him. “It’s okay, Daddy. I’m okay. No harm, no foul. I’m sure he—” she waved a hand in the athlete’s direction “—didn’t mean to hurt me. So let’s just forget it.”
    Jake started to speak but Texas Bob