made the mistake of not taking heed of his mother’s wisdom, and the pain had wounded his heart, turned it cold, unyielding.
Do not make the life mistake I made with your father, Silver Wolf. When you find a spirit who will reside forever in your heart, walk as one with her. Stand together and you will find happiness.
Walk as one. Stand together. Chase wondered if there was such a woman for him.
He glanced down at Letty Sue. Certainly, the woman who lay quietly in his arms—the stillness before the storm—wasn’t such a woman. Inwardly he scoffed at the notion. Letty Sue was a responsibility he’d rather not have.
She broke the silence with a softly spoken question. “What will you tell Mama about this?”
This? The fact that he was holding the most beautiful woman in the entire territory in his arms and both of them were nearly buck naked? “She doesn’t have to know the particulars. We got caught in the storm and waited it out in this supply shack.”
Letty Sue let out a compressed breath. “Thank you.” Her voice was soft and sweet. She didn’t seem the spoiled temptress at the moment, only a cold and exhausted young woman.
He wove his fingers through the long waves of her hair, fanning it out to keep her as dry as possible.Bringing her closer, he wrapped both arms around her and spoke into her ear. “Don’t thank me. I’m not doing it for you. Your mother would be real upset if she found out about this. Might even change her travel plans.”
Angry sparks lit Letty Sue’s blue eyes like a match to kindling. When she opened her mouth, he muffled any protests she would make with his hand. “Quiet now. It’s time we both got some sleep.”
She wrestled free and scooted inches away, turning her back on him. Fine by him, he thought. Holding her soft body brought too many unwelcome notions.
Once again, Chase cursed his bad luck.
This woman was trouble. No doubt about it.
It would serve him well to keep his distance. Joellen’s daughter was strictly hands-off.
He had a job to do and he wouldn’t let Joellen down.
The slightest hint of jasmine, diluted by the scents of earth and of rain, invaded his senses. Letty Sue wiggled deeper into the grain sack, but kept close enough to feel his heat.
And he, hers.
Chase gritted his teeth.
All of a sudden, three months at the Double J sounded like a long stretch of time.
Hell, this was only the first day.
Chapter Two
J oellen set a plate of hot chili in front of him. The spicy aroma made his mouth water. “This is hardly the welcome I’d anticipated for you, Chase.”
“It’s all right. Nothing like a Texas storm to thwart your plans.” He stirred the chili slowly, letting the steam rise up. Glancing at Jasper, then at Joellen, both of whom were watching him intently, he took a spoonful in his mouth. “This sure is good.”
“Thank you.” Joellen said, facing him across the kitchen table. “It’s one of Jasper’s favorites. And Letty Sue’s. Too bad she isn’t joining us for dinner. Appears she’s had a tough time today. Good thing you came along when you did, rescuing her from the storm.”
He shrugged. The less said the better. He hated lying to Joellen. “Glad to help out.”
“You know, Chase, my daughter is…well, at times you might find her…difficult to deal with. I’ve made it clear to her that your word is gold. She’s to abide by your rules while we’re gone.”
Jasper added, “I’ve become quite fond of her myself, but on occasion, and I’m sure my wife won’t mind me saying, Letty Sue can be…well, impetuous.”
Chase hid a smile. “You don’t say?”
“She’s a good girl, but she’s also headstrong and, well, you’ve seen her. I don’t think I’m bragging to say my daughter’s a beauty,” Joellen added.
Chase nodded, not wanting to add that her skin was soft as silk, her body was created for pleasure and her sky-blue eyes could render a weaker man completely helpless.
“That’s part of the