Compromised Cowgirl Read Online Free Page A

swore to keep her identity a secret.
    It was Bonham money that Ben used to buy and stock the Bitterroot Ranch.
    Their mother, Louisa Bonham, eloped with Benjamin Elliott, a man far beneath her, and travelled west. Of course, she was immediately disinherited. Though her maiden sister was the last of a distinguished family, Jessamine Bonham had standards. Bonham money would go to the Elliotts only if they proved they were ladies and gentlemen.
    To get her inheritance, Jessie had to complete two years at the Virginia Female Institute, behaving like a perfect lady the entire time. When Ben visited her and charmed Miss Jessamine Bonham, their mother’s maiden sister, she’d deemed him acceptable enough to receive a Bonham inheritance. As he was a lawyer, she gave him Ranger and Patrick’s share, which he used to buy the Bitterroot Ranch. Once Jessie finished these three weeks, she’d use her portion to buy a quarter of it. She’d work the ranch with Ben, Ranger, and Patrick for the rest of her life.
    Her brothers protected her from Fin and Hugh, the oldest and nastiest of the MacDougal brothers, all her life. They accepted her as one of them, a cowboy. Ever since she left Texas , she imagined how the four of them would live together, working and profiting from their labors. It was wonderful to have Trace and his wife, Beth, along with the twins Simon and Jack, next door. With cousins Gillis, Ross, and Nevin MacDougal across the river, life would be near perfect. But none of them would know she was home until her three weeks were up. Ranger would make sure of that.
    She checked the coffee. It was near boiling, and the iron fry pan on the coals was hot. The salt pork sizzled when she dropped it in the pan.
    “That you making breakfast, Jessie?”
    “Coffee’s ready,” she said in reply. She figured the voice belonged to Henry but wasn’t going to guess. It certainly wasn’t Sin’s low rumble. If they had to spend another night around the campfire, she’d sleep farther from him. Maybe that would stop her from dreaming about his hands on her skin.
    Sin walked a fair way from camp before taking a leak, though Ace and Henry didn’t bother going too far. Heat crept up her cheeks when they unbuttoned and pulled out their cocks. She kept her face near the fire, using it as an excuse in case they noticed a red tinge. Growing up surrounded by men, she was used to that sort of thing, but it was different when she was related to them. For some reason, she wanted to see what these men had in their pants. Maybe English cocks were different from Western men’s. Curiosity, that was all it was.
    Sin came over and nudged her shoulder with his knee. “Coffee,” he growled in a morning voice.
    She glanced up then quickly put her eyes on her task when he yawned and scratched his naked chest. His blond curls let her see his nipples. Her heart thudded, hard. Maybe it was because the men in Virginia were always dressed from toes to neck. She wasn’t used to casual nakedness. The interest should fade in a day or two.
    She wrapped a cloth around her hand and poured coffee into a tin mug. Since he didn’t move, she had to reach back to hand it to him. His eyes, half-closed as if not yet awake, flicked over her. A rush of heat hit, just like the previous night. He took the cup, nodded his thanks, and moved away. She fixed the same for Ace and Henry. By the time they finished their coffee, the salt pork was sizzling and beans bubbling.
    “I could get used to this,” said Henry. “What else can you cook?”
    “This isn’t cooking,” she scoffed, keeping her voice as deep as she could.
    “Answer my partner’s question,” demanded Ace.
    “Biscuits and gravy, stew, potpie.” She shrugged. “Anything on a campfire.”
    “We’d better keep him,” said Henry to Ace. “I don’t mind cooking dinner and supper, but waking up to hot coffee and breakfast is a treat.”
    “Ranger says the boy knows the land though it’s been a couple of