A Sweetheart for Jude Fortune. Cindy Kirk. Читать онлайн. Newlib. NEWLIB.NET

Автор: Cindy Kirk
Издательство: HarperCollins
Серия:
Жанр произведения: Современные любовные романы
Год издания: 0
isbn: 9781472047663
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of her glass and watched his eyes darken.

      Without a word, he took her elbow, maneuvered her around several older couples sharing appetizers and conversation.

      By the time he spoke again, the darkness in his eyes had lifted. “How is your father?”

      “Much better,” she told him. “Thank you for asking.”

      “It was a sacrifice for you to come all the way to Texas to be with him.”

      It was a statement, not a question.

      “Nothing could have kept me away.”

      “As it should be” was all he said.

      The conversation shifted to her life in Miami. Gabi kept it brief when telling him about her job at the bank. Though she enjoyed her work, she’d learned real estate lending wasn’t all that interesting to those outside of the industry. She sipped her ginger ale. “What is it you do, Jude?”

      “I have a ranch not far from here.” Jude took a pull from his beer. “I do whatever needs to be done.”

      Though he shrugged, the pride in his voice told her he was one of the lucky ones who’d found his passion.

      She’d opened her mouth to ask about his duties when one of his brothers—Christopher?—walked by and deliberately pushed Jude against her.

      Jude’s arm shot out, slipping around her, steadying them both.

      For a second Gabi thought she heard Christopher laugh, but then the outside world disappeared as she gazed into Jude’s eyes.

      “Sorry ’bout that,” he said, his gaze never leaving hers.

      She swallowed and found her voice. “I’m not.”

      He grinned. “Hell, I’m not, either.”

      Yet she noticed he took a step back.

      Gabi tried to collect her rioting thoughts. Say something, she told herself, get the conversation back on safe ground. She found herself blurting out the first thing that came to mind. “You grew up in Horseback Hollow?”

      “I did.” A twinkle filled his eyes, as if he could read her mind and found her unsteadiness amusing.

      “Do you plan to stay?” Her tone held a hint of coolness. Gabriella Mendoza drooled over no man, at least not so he could notice.

      “I like it here.” He took a barely perceptible step forward. “Lubbock is close and with the recent growth in Vicker’s Corners, there’s enough to do.”

      “I guess I’ll have to take your word. I haven’t had the chance to do much exploring.”

      “I’d be happy to show you around.”

      She gave a little laugh, took another sip of her drink. “I wasn’t hinting for a tour guide.”

      “I know.” His eyes met hers and then slid downward to linger on her mouth. “But since I’m already taking you on a tour of the buffet, why stop there? Let’s take it a step further.”

      Gabi arched a brow, touched the tip of her tongue to her lips and watched his eyes change. “A step further?”

      “Have dinner with me tomorrow night.” Although his eyes burned, his smile was easy. “I’ll introduce you to Horseback Hollow’s culinary delights.”

      “I appreciate the offer.” Gabi hesitated, sorely tempted. While it would be fun to spend time with Jude, the reason she was in Texas was to be with her father.

      For a second the cowboy looked nonplussed. She guessed he wasn’t used to being turned down. Not that she’d said no. She just hadn’t said yes.

      “You have to eat.” His tone turned persuasive. “Surely you can spare an hour to become better acquainted with our town?”

      With me.

      Though he didn’t say the words, Gabi knew what he was asking. She had to admit the short time she’d spent with Jude had only whet her appetite for more.

      It wasn’t as if she had to spend every waking second at her father’s bedside, Gabi reminded herself. Taking a bit of time to get better acquainted with the town where her father lived might be a good idea.

      But when she smiled and gave Jude Fortune Jones her answer, it wasn’t getting acquainted with the town on her mind, it was getting better acquainted with her Texas cowboy.

      Chapter Three

      “I’m going to marry her,” Jude told Liam, pointing across the room with his bottle of Dos Equis. “She’s The One.”

      His older brother glanced out over the crowd, settling on...Delaney. “Uh, you’re marrying our sister?”

      “Not her.” Jude spoke through gritted teeth. “The one next to her.”

      “The pretty Latina.” Interest filled Liam’s eyes. “She’s a looker, all right. I wouldn’t mind getting her between the sheets—”

      Jude punched his brother in the shoulder. Hard. “Watch it. That’s my future wife you’re talking about.”

      Liam snorted. “Heard that one before.”

      “Heard what?” Sawyer sauntered up and handed Liam a beer.

      “Jude says he’s found The One.” Liam laughed. “More like The One This Week.”

      Sawyer looked perplexed, but Jude saw no need to enlighten the cousin he’d only recently met. By the gleam in Liam’s eyes, his brother didn’t feel the same constraints.

      “My brother here—” Liam gestured with his head toward Jude “—falls in love with every pretty filly that crosses his path. And just as quickly out of love. A guy could get whiplash watching him.”

      Obviously intrigued, Sawyer cocked his head. “Who is it this time?”

      “Gabriella Mendoza.” Jude let the name roll off his tongue. The name was as pretty as the woman. “I’m going to marry her.”

      “Ah, didn’t the two of you just meet tonight?” Sawyer asked cautiously.

      “Actually we ran into each other at the Superette this morning.” Jude smiled, recalling how pretty she’d looked with the sun glinting off her walnut-colored hair. “Love at first sight.”

      “It’s a little faster than normal,” Liam informed Sawyer as if Jude wasn’t standing right there. “I’m figuring it’s the hearts and flowers in the air, what with Stacey getting engaged and Valentine’s Day drawing near.”

      “Scoff all you want,” Jude told his brother. “She’s The One.”

      “She’s a nice woman,” Sawyer said cautiously. “And very attractive.”

      “I’m taking her to dinner tomorrow.”

      Surprise flicked across Sawyer’s face. “You move fast.”

      “I figure why waste time?” Jude took a long pull of beer. “When you know what you want and you find it...you go after it.”

      * * *

      Gabi spent most of the next morning at the rehabilitation hospital, observing her father’s therapy sessions. With an arm broken on one side and a leg broken on the other, it was difficult for Orlando Mendoza to even get up from the chair much less manage what the nurses called his ADLs—activities of daily living.

      But her dad was tough. A man didn’t survive all those years as an air force pilot and raise five kids without survival instincts. Gabi had lunch with him in the dining room down the hall from his room. Apparently the nurses believed in keeping the patients out of their rooms as much as possible.

      “This is tasty.” Gabi glanced down at the grilled