Flirting with Fortune

Her body hummed beneath his touch. The surprised wonder in her eyes when he hit a sensitive spot told him she didn’t have a lot of experience. This was fine with him. But it meant he needed to go slow.

Going slow became increasingly difficult. The taste of her aroused him. Hunger struck against equal hunger, creating fire. As they continued to kiss, as he caressed her, the fire became an inferno. He cupped her and she whimpered, pressing up against his hand.

If Jude was only thinking of himself, he’d take the blanket off his saddle roll, shuck his clothes—and hers—and be rolling around on the ground in seconds. But he wanted the first time they made love to be special.

She melted against him, allowing his tongue to slip inside, just as he wanted to slip inside her.

As if reading his mind, she shifted slightly, opening her stance. They came together perfectly—two halves finally made whole—only separated by clothing.

When she began to shimmy against him, Jude had to fight to hold on to control.

Up. Down. Up. Down.

Her throaty cries made his blood burn hot.

Up. Down.

He envisioned her—wet, slick and ready beneath the denim.

Her breath came in little moans. Or were those sounds from his own throat? Could a man die from raw need? At the moment it seemed highly probable.

The sun burned hot overhead but Jude barely noticed. All he knew was Gabi and the feel of her soft body against the hard length of him.

Tension filled every muscle. He couldn’t get enough of her. He dug his fingers into her hips and increased the rhythm. Faster. Her frantic response urged him faster still.

She strained toward him, reaching, needing, wanting.

Seconds later, her body convulsed in release. She cried out, pressing hard against him, her eyes going blind. Still he continued. Up. Down. Slowly now—gentling the contact until the last bit of pleasure had been wrung from her body.

Until she went limp and collapsed in his arms with a shudder.

* * *

Once Gabi’s brain became capable of forming a coherent thought, she realized anything she’d experienced before had only been a pale imitation of the real thing. She hadn’t even gotten naked yet, but she’d experienced more passion and felt more satisfaction than she ever had before.

While Gabi had enjoyed her previous sexual encounters, she’d never been swept away in the moment. Yet, only a few seconds earlier, she’d been willing to do anything to ensure Jude kept touching her, kissing her.

She now stood cosseted in his arms, sated and content. A slight breeze ruffled her hair as she rested her head against his chest and listened to the comforting beat of his heart.

Gabi inhaled deeply. She loved the way he smelled—a woodsy mixture of cologne and soap and maleness that kept heat percolating low in her belly.

Jude’s lips brushed the top of her head. “You,” he said, “are amazing.”

The feeling beneath his gentle tone and the answering emotion it aroused sent red flags popping up. How could she feel so close to a man she barely knew? Things were moving too fast and in a direction she couldn’t afford to go.

If it was only the physical aspect drawing her to Jude, she’d be safe. But Jude Fortune Jones was the total package. Which was why it made sense to put a little distance between them. But when Gabi moved slightly back, he tugged her close.

Her fingers itched to reach between them, unzip his jeans and give him all the pleasure he’d so generously given to her. Then round two could begin, only this time sans clothing.

The mere thought of his talented fingers and mouth on her bare skin sent anticipation coursing up her spine and heat pooling between her thighs.

She’d let it go this far. What would be wrong with taking it all the way?

Yet, even as temptation beckoned, there were things they needed to settle first. She could be Jude’s friend and even entertain the possibility of a friends-with-benefits relationship while she was in Horseback Hollow.

But she couldn’t become involved in a serious relationship or plan a life with him. Not with her future so tenuous.

She’d witnessed firsthand the toll that losing her mom had taken on her father. It wouldn’t be fair to fall in love, marry and knowingly put a man she loved in that same situation.

Though Gabi had done well since her surgery, she knew that could change without warning. She’d seen that happen with Mary and Kate, a couple of her transplant buddies.

While she may have told her father she was “all better” and didn’t have a “condition,” she knew she’d always be a heart patient. She’d always be on antirejection medication. And she’d always be at an increased risk of a health crisis that could take her life.

Of course, she might be making a big deal over nothing. Not all men who pursued a woman did it with a serious relationship or marriage in mind. If Jude was indeed a man who “liked the ladies,” a few weeks of fun and sex before she returned to Florida could be all he was after.

If she knew that was his mindset, Gabi would rip off his clothes and have her way with him right now. Even the knowledge that the cows would get an eyeful wouldn’t slow her down.

But what was going through his head was a mystery, so Gabi determinedly stepped from his arms and pretended sudden interest in straightening her clothing.

When she looked up, his blue eyes, so often filled with good humor, reminded her of a stormy windswept sea. The expression on his face was serious as his eyes searched hers. “Are we good?”

It didn’t take a rocket scientist to realize he wanted to know if their momentary interlude had screwed things up between them.

Easy-breezy, she told herself and smiled. “Stellar.”

The tenseness eased from his shoulders, but a hint of worry remained in his eyes.

“The air between us was hot enough to combust.” Jude shoved his hands into the pockets of his jeans. “I hadn’t planned—”

“On a make-out session in front of the bovines?”

Jude laughed then cocked his head. “We could take it to the next level and really give them something to look at this time.”

His wicked smile tempted, but she shook her head.

“You have to check on the fence,” she reminded him, keeping her tone light, fighting for casual. “Besides, I’m in the mood to ride.”

It sounded plausible. Practical. Believable.

If she could have kept her eyes from straying to the bulge below his belt buckle. If her breath hadn’t hitched.

She heard him chuckle, jerked her head up.

The stormy eyes now held laughter and what she recognized as the hot glint of desire.

“A horse.” She moved quickly to Sweet Betsy’s side even as the image of her riding him painted bold, fiery strokes across her brain. “I want to ride a horse.”

The knowing look in his eyes told her he wasn’t fooled. “Need any help mounting the...horse?”

Gabi’s throat went dry as dust. If he touched her now...

“Got it covered,” she managed to croak before pulling herself up onto the mare with the ease of an experienced rider.

In seconds Jude was on the stallion. He shifted a bit as if trying to find a comfortable position.

Though it wasn’t at all charitable, especially in light of how generous he’d been with her, Gabi stifled a snicker.

Instead of giving the horse a light tap of his heel, Jude stared with those enigmatic blue eyes, his gaze lingering on her mouth.

Gabi licked the lips that were now as dry as her throat.

As if satisfied, his molten gaze dropped to her chest. Her breasts had begun to tingle when his gaze lowered again.

One look was all it took. A river of heat rushed through her to settle at the apex of her thighs. She squirmed, trying to find a position that didn’t intensify the ache between her legs.

The smile Jude shot her stopped just short of a smirk. Then he pressed his lower legs against the horse and took off across the field toward the fence line.

Now he wasn’t the only one who wanted, the only one left with unrequited yearnings. As he disappeared over the ridge, Gabi realized with a pang that letting him ride away was exactly what she’d soon face.

But not today. Not yet.

She pressed her heels into Sweet Betsy’s sides and raced after him.

Chapter Seven

Gabi and Sweet Betsy reached the big red barn shortly before eleven. After the ranch hands took the horses, Jude invited Gabi into the house. He promised coffee to go with the slices of banana bread they had yet to eat.

A desire to stay warred with Gabi’s need to leave and make sense of what had happened today. She was relieved she could honestly say her father expected her to join him for both lunch and dinner.

Disappointment skittered across Jude’s face, but he walked her to the Buick like a gentleman, their interlocked fingers swinging easily between them.

The simple act only intensified the conflicting emotions battling inside her. She wanted to see Jude again, wanted to touch and be touched by him. But considering the intensity of the emotions and desires he engendered, being close didn’t seem wise.

She worried this was all a game to him. Yet, wasn’t that what she wanted? She felt dizzy as possibilities spun and swirled in her head. Could she do easy-breezy with no strings? Did she have a choice?

Thankfully she had the hour drive to Lubbock to think, to plan, to decide where they went from here.

But when she tried to slip behind the wheel of the LeSabre, Jude blocked her with his arm, a pleasant smile on his lips, a watchful look in his eyes. “I want to see you again.”

“I’m sure you will.” She lifted a shoulder, not wanting to commit to any course of action until she’d thought things through. “Horseback Hollow is a small town. Our paths can’t help but cross.”

Confusion blanketed his face. It was obviously not the response he’d expected. “Are you angry with me about something?”

“No.” She briefly rested a hand on his arm. “I like you, Jude. What woman wouldn’t? You’re a handsome, sexy cowboy.”

To her surprise, he didn’t appear particularly pleased by the compliment.

“That liking goes both ways.” He spoke cautiously as if feeling his way over unfamiliar terrain. “But I think there’s more between us than sexual attraction.”

A chill traveled up Gabi’s spine. “More?”

“Friendship for starters.”

He looked sincere, even sounded sincere. But her antennae were quivering. “Friendship is all there can be.”

Jude rocked back on his heels, shoved his hands into his pockets. After a moment, a boyish grin tipped his lips. “Would that friendship be served with or without benefits?”

When she didn’t immediately answer, he continued, the words coming fast. “I’m open to either possibility. If you want sex to be a part of the friendship, great. If you prefer to keep it at a good-night kiss, that’s fine, too. If you don’t want any physical contact—” a pained look crossed his face “—I’ll respect your wishes.”

“That seems a bit extreme.” Gabi laughed. Then, without a thought for the wisdom of her actions, she brought her mouth to his in a light kiss. “Thanks for a wonderful morning.”

As she slid behind the wheel, his eyes met hers. “Are you free tonight? After the dinner with your dad?”

Jude reminded her of a tenacious terrier. The voice of reason in her head urged her not to make any commitment to see him again until she’d had time to think.

Stall. That would be the smart thing to do. She’d tell him she had plans for later tonight. She’d—

“What do you have in mind?” The question slipped past her lips before she could stop it.

His slow smile did funny things to her insides. “Do you know how to play poker?”

“I’m proficient.” She quirked her lips in what her father called her Mona Lisa smile.

“Some guys and I get together once a month for Texas Hold ’Em,” she heard him say. “I’d like you to fill in. Ryan’s wife had a baby last week, so we’re a man short.”

“In case you haven’t noticed—” she gazed at him through lowered lashes “—I’m a girl.”

“Oh, darlin’—” Jude took off his hat and swiped his brow in an exaggerated move “—believe me, I’ve noticed.”

Gabi laughed, as pleased by the easy camaraderie as she was flattered by the sexual overtones.

“Do you play for money?” Even as she asked, she told herself this wasn’t a date they were discussing. It was simply cards. She’d been on a tight budget since coming to Horseback Hollow and could stand to pull in some extra cash.

“Fifty is the buy-in.” He brushed a strand of hair back from her face. “I can front you the—”

“Not necessary.”

Hope flashed in those brilliant blue eyes. “Does this mean you’ll come?”

With poker on the agenda? Gabi grinned. “Wild horses couldn’t keep me away.”

* * *

Gabi’s car had barely disappeared down the lane when Jude’s mother appeared on the porch and invited him inside. Over thick slices of banana bread and strong black coffee, Jude mentioned Gabi would be filling in for Ryan tonight.

Jeanne Marie cocked her head. “I don’t recall you ever inviting a woman to play before.”

Jude paid close attention to the bread he was slathering with butter. “With Ryan sitting out, we’re one short.”

His mother topped off his coffee then resumed her seat across the table. “One of your brothers could have taken his place.”

Breaking off a piece of bread, Jude shook his head. “I look at their ugly faces enough during the day.”

“You like this young woman.” A smile blossomed on Jeanne Marie’s lips. “Really like her.”

Denying it would be pointless. Hadn’t he already declared his feelings to his family at the barbecue? He only hoped his friend Gabi didn’t hear he loved her from one of his relatives before she was ready to accept they were meant to be together forever. “I knew Gabi was The One from the first moment I saw her.”

Unlike Liam, Jeanne Marie didn’t scoff. Instead her eyes turned dreamy. “It was that way between your father and me. Forty years of marriage later, we’re more in love than ever.”

“Gabi just wants to be friends.” Jude decided he might as well lay it all out. But simply speaking the words brought back the confusion.

His mother cut her slice of banana bread precisely in half then picked up the small square, her blue eyes fixed firmly on him. “How do you feel about that?”

“It’s okay.” Jude shifted his gaze away, knowing his mother would be able to read the truth in his eyes. “For now.”

There was no way he was telling his mother that Gabi thought he was sexy. That while all signs indicated she’d be amenable to a friends-with-benefits arrangement, she didn’t appear to want more. At least not from him.

The bottom line—she’d sleep with him, but not love him. That was a kick in the ass.

“She’s being smart.” Jeanne Marie punctuated the words with a decisive nod. “The best relationships are built on a firm foundation of friendship and mutual respect. Love won’t survive the ups and downs of life without a sturdy base.”

Jude took a bite of bread, chewed, considered.

“You thought you were in love before,” his mother gently pointed out. “Those relationships didn’t last.”

“This is different,” he insisted. “Gabi is different.”

“She very well may be.” The matter-of-fact manner was as much a part of Jeanne Marie as her wide-brimmed summer gardening hats. “If she is, if what you feel for her is the real thing, becoming friends will only strengthen the bond between you. That’s a good thing.”

Jude took a drink of his rapidly cooling coffee, considered what he’d do if Gabi refused to move past the friendship stage. There was no alternative. If that happened, he’d simply find a way to change her mind.

“Honey, if the two of you are meant to be together, it will happen,” his mother assured him, her voice softening. “In the meantime, inviting her to your home tonight was a smart move.”

Startled, Jude inclined his head.

Jeanne Marie’s smile widened. “Believe me. How a woman plays poker can tell you a lot about her.”

* * *

During the drive back from Lubbock, Gabi had come to a decision. While in Horseback Hollow she’d accept Jude’s friendship. “Benefits” might eventually be part of that friendship, but not until she knew Jude better and he knew her.

While a serious relationship with marriage in mind might not be possible, that didn’t mean she’d cast aside her moral compass and sleep with someone she didn’t know and trust. Easy-breezy, yes. But only with a healthy dose of true friendship and mutual respect tossed into the mix.

The niggling thought that Jude couldn’t truly know her until she told him about the transplant was shoved aside as she considered what to wear for an evening of poker. When she played with her brothers, it was comfort clothes; yoga pants and a T-shirt. But then, she’d never cared about impressing them.

By the time the pile of clothes on her bed outnumbered those in her closet, Gabi had settled on tan pants and a royal-blue cotton sweater. Dangly earrings with brightly colored stones added a festive touch.

Since the other players were men, Gabi figured the refreshments would be salty snacks and beer. Before she left the house, she stashed a couple of bottles of water and a bag of baby carrots into her favorite grocery bag.

If the guys commented on her healthy snacks or the fact she wasn’t drinking alcohol, she’d tell them she was staying sharp so she could take their money.

Her painted lips curved. The men would soon discover that wasn’t far from the truth. From the time she’d been little more than a child, her analytical mind had embraced numbers and probabilities. When she reached middle school, her father reluctantly admitted he had nothing more to teach her about the game of poker. It was around that same time that her brothers began to refuse to play cards with her if money was involved.

Gabi wondered how Jude would react when he lost. Her father said you could learn a lot about a man playing cards with him, especially if you beat him. Which meant she was going to know Jude Fortune Jones a whole lot better by the end of the evening.

After parking in front of his home, Gabi sat for a minute. She let her gaze linger on the old farmhouse that Jude called home. The one-and-a-half-story white clapboard structure had a fresh coat of paint, a new green roof and a gorgeous wraparound porch. Half-moon pieces of stained glass over the front windows gleamed in the yard light’s glow.

The warm, friendly aura emanating from the structure enveloped her when she finally stepped onto the porch and rang the bell.

When the door opened, Gabi’s smile froze. Instead of Jude, his father stood in the doorway, tall and broad-shouldered in a Western shirt and jeans.

“The token female has arrived,” Deke called over his shoulder, then flashed Gabi a grin and motioned her inside. “I bet you’ve come hoping to clean the boys and me out of our hard-earned cash.”

“Ah, I guess that’s the plan.” Gabi roused herself from her stunned stupor. “It’s good to see you again, Mr. Fortune Jones.”

A pained expression skittered across his face. It was gone so quickly, Gabi wondered if she’d imagined it.

“Deke, please.” He reached around her and pulled the door shut. “If you’re going to make a valiant attempt to take my money, we might as well be on a first name basis.”

Gabi had liked Jude’s father from the moment she met him. There was no subterfuge in the man, none of the posturing so prevalent in South Beach men. Just like his son, what you saw in the rugged rancher was what you got.

“I thought I heard the door.” Jude appeared in the doorway, looking positively delectable in worn jeans and a long-sleeved T-shirt the color of oatmeal. “Hey.”

“Hey back at you.” Gabi glanced around, taking in the ceilings with rough-sawn cedar beams, the cream-colored plastered walls and the textured rag rug on the shiny hardwood floor. On one side of the living room, plaid fabrics on wing chairs and an old deacon’s bench added color and warmth. The other side of the room held a table surrounded by Windsor chairs. “You have a lovely home.”

“Thank you.” Jude took Gabi’s hands and gave them a squeeze. His eyes never left her face. “It’s good to see you.”

The warmth of his gaze chased away the last remnants of the chill from the outside wind. “I’m happy to fill in.”

“I was looking forward to winning some money this evening.” Deke’s deep voice pulled Gabi’s attention back to him. “Until my son told me you’re a cardsharp and I’ll be lucky to have my pants when I walk out the door.”

Gabi felt her cheeks pink. She shot Jude a censuring look. “I don’t know where he got that idea.”

“I recognized the gleam in your eyes.” Jude’s teasing tone made it hard for her to hold on to her irritation. “But win or lose, you’re still my girl.”

Jude moved to her side, and for a second Gabi feared he meant to kiss her, right in front of his father. Instead he extended his hand. “May I take your coat?”

Feeling foolish, Gabi shrugged off the jacket. She glanced around. “Have the other players arrived?”

“Dustin and Rowdy showed up about ten minutes ago.” Deke’s easy manner reminded her of his son. “They’re in the kitchen trying to wheedle Jeanne Marie out of another brownie.”

“Your mother is here?” Gabi glanced at Jude. She thought she’d known what to expect this evening. Now she was thoroughly confused. “Is she filling in, too?”

“My parents came for dinner.” Jude paused. “I’d have asked you to join us but you mentioned you had plans with your father.”

“You fixed dinner for them.” Gabi widened her eyes. “I’m impressed.”

Deke gave a snort of laughter.

Jude shot a quick glance at his father, whose grin only widened. After placing her coat in the closet, he ushered Gabi into the living room. “My mother likes to make sure my kitchen gets some use.”

Deke nudged Jude with his elbow. “What the boy is trying to say is Jeanne Marie made the meal.”

“The boy is a man.” A muscle in Jude’s jaw jumped. “And I can speak for myself.”

His father only chuckled.

“Coming over and insisting on fixing a meal is something my mama would have done.” Gabi’s voice softened the way it always did when she thought of her mother. “She loved to putter in the kitchen.”

Deke’s eyes turned dark with sympathy. “I heard you lost her several years back.”

“What doesn’t kill you makes you stronger.” Gabi forced a lightness to her tone she didn’t feel, then sighed. “Or so everyone says.”

“I told you she wouldn’t give us another one,” a male voice groused.

“She might have if you hadn’t—” The dark-haired man stopped speaking when he saw Gabi. “Well, hel-lo, pretty lady.”

Jude placed a proprietary hand on Gabi’s arm as the two men trooped into the room, cowboy boots clicking on the hardwood.

“Dustin, Rowdy, this is Gabriella Mendoza,” Jude began.

“Gabi, please,” she said quickly.

“She’s filling in for Ryan this evening,” Jude said, then continued with the introductions.

“Pleased to meet you.” Dustin, sandy-haired with a broad smile and a baby face, pumped her hand.

Rowdy had a shock of dark hair and a gap-toothed grin. His gaze settled appreciatively on Gabi. “You’re much better-looking than Ryan. If we’re voting, I say he’s out, you’re in.”

“If I take your money, you might not feel the same way,” Gabi teased back.

They spent the next few minutes bonding over light banter about poker prowess. Jude had just finished explaining that his father was filling in for Liam, who’d come down with the flu, when Jeanne Marie appeared in the doorway.

“Gabriella.” Jude’s mother smiled broadly. “I thought that must be you at the door. You simply have to try one of my chocolate hazelnut cheesecake brownies.”

Gabi hesitated.