Page 47 of Texas Honor

“He’s been horrible,” Lillian whispered while Ward was getting the bag out of the car. “Just horrible. He moped around for days after you left and wouldn’t eat at all.”

“He should have foreclosed on somebody, then,” Mari said matter-of-factly. “That would have cheered him up.”

Lillian literally cackled. “Shame on you,” she said with a laugh.

“What’s all the humor about?” Ward asked as he joined them, his expression tight and mocking.

“Your appetite,” Mari volunteered tongue in cheek.

Lillian had turned to go back inside. Ward leaned down, holding Mari’s eyes. “You know more about that than most women do, honey,” he said in a seductive undertone. “And if you aren’t careful, you may learn even more.”

“Don’t hold your breath,” she told him, rushing away before she fell under the spell of his mocking ardor.

“Where’s Bud?” Ward asked as they entered the hall.

“Did somebody call me?” came a laughing voice from the study.

The young man who came out to greet them was a total surprise for Mari. She’d been expecting Ward’s cousin to be near his own age, but Bud was much younger. He was in his late twenties, at a guess, and lithe and lean and handsome. He had Ward’s swarthy complexion, but his eyes were brown instead of green and his hair was lighter than his cousin’s. He was a striking man, especially in the leather and denim he was wearing.

“Have you been sneaking around after my bull again?” Ward demanded.

“Now, Cousin,” Bud said soothingly, “how would I find him in there?” He jerked his hand toward the study and shuddered. “It would take a team of secretaries a week just to find the desk!”

“Speaking of secretaries,” Ward said, “this is my new one. Marianne Raymond, this is Bud Jessup. My cousin.”

“Ah, the much-talked-about niece,” Bud murmured, winking at Mari. “Hello, Georgia peach. You sure do your home state proud.”

Ward didn’t like Bud’s flirting. His eyes told his cousin so, which only made Bud more determined than ever.

“Thank you,” Mari was saying, all smiles. “It’s nice to meet you at last.”

“Same here,” Bud said warmly, moving forward.

“Here, son,” Ward said, tossing the bag at him. “You can put that in the guest room, if you don’t mind. I’m sure Mari would like to see the study.” Before anybody could say anything else, Ward had taken Mari by the arm and propelled her none too gently into the study.

He slammed the door behind them, bristling with masculine pride, and turned to glare at her. “He’s not marrying material,” he told her immediately, “so don’t take him too seriously. He just likes to flirt.”

“Maybe I do, too,” she began hotly.

He shook his head, moving slowly toward her. “Not you, honey,” he replied. “You aren’t the flirting kind. You’re no butterfly. You’re a little house wren, all feathered indignation and quick eyes and nesting instinct.”

“You think you know a lot about me, don’t you?” She faltered on the last word because she was backing away from him and almost fell over a chair. He kept coming, looming over her with threatening eyes and sheer size.

“I know more than I ever expected to,” he agreed, coming closer. “Stop running. We both know it’s me you really want, not Bud.”

She drew herself up, glaring at him. “You conceited...”

He moved quickly, scooping her up in his arms, holding her off the floor, his eyes wavering between amusement and ardor. “Go ahead, finish it,” he taunted.

She could have if he hadn’t been so close. His breath was minty and it brushed her lips when he breathed, warm and moist. He made her feel feminine and vulnerable, and when she looked at his hard mouth, she wanted to kiss it.

“Your office,” she swallowed, “is a mess.”

“So am I,” he whispered huskily, searching her eyes. “So is my life. Oh, God, I missed you!”

That confession was her undoing. She looked up at him and couldn’t look away, and her heart felt like a runaway engine. Her head fell back onto his shoulder, and she watched him lower his dark head.

“Open your mouth when I put mine over it,” he breathed against her lips. “Taste me...”