Naked Desire: Naked Cowboys Book 5 Read online

  “Wait, wait, wait,” she protested.

  She had no idea who this was, but she was hardly ready to discuss business—or anything else—with a man who looked like this. How many years had it been since her body responded to the sight of a man this way? And why now, when she was so desperately trying to pick up the torn threads of her life? When she felt so vulnerable? What was wrong with her anyway?

  Amy raised her eyebrows? “Wait? For what?”

  “B-But I’ve barely signed the lease on the store,” she stuttered. “I have to think about what the inside should look like. I mean—”

  “Cyn.” Georgie laughed. “Take a breath. This is the first day of the rest of your life. And look what you’ve got. A new business and a gorgeous man to help you do the build out. I can certainly tell you doing that turned out well for me.”

  “Really well,” Amy teased.

  Cyn was still trying to get her brain on track when the man arrived at their table, flashing even white teeth in a wide grin. Her brain kept trying to tell her she was a forty-two-year-old has-been but her body was saying yum.

  Ohmigod!

  “Nice to see you, ladies.” He bestowed a brief kiss on the cheek of everyone he knew. Then his eyes landed on Cyn. “I see you’re adding to the scenery around here.” He held out his hand. “Jesse Orosco.”

  “C-Cyn Dellinger.” She held out her hand. “Nice to meet you.”

  Eyes black as onyx blazed from beneath lashes any woman would kill for, and when he smiled, a dimple winked from one corner of his mouth. The touch of his warm hand sent electricity sizzling through her arm to various parts of her body. Cyn swallowed a gasp. Shockingly, between his looks and his touch, the man she was staring at stirred things in her she had been sure were dead and buried. Or maybe had never even stirred to life.

  Down, Cyn. You’re here for business, not sex. If you even remember what that is. Besides, he’s way younger than you are. Maybe nine or ten years. Good. That age difference makes a good barrier. I hope.

  “Nice meeting you too.” He flashed a devastating white smile.

  “Jesse is the most talented craftsman around.” Amy grinned at the hunk. “He did a lot of work at our ranch when Buck first bought it.”

  “For me too,” Georgie chimed in. “He did all the finish work that Cade didn’t have the experience for. When you get back there today, remind me to show it to you.”

  Jesse glanced from one to the other, one eyebrow cocked, a quizzical look on his face. “Thanks for the endorsement, ladies, but what’s this all about?”

  “Cyn’s new to Saddle Wells,” Reenie said. “She moved here recently and rented that last empty space on Main Street. She’s got a specialty item she’ll be selling and she needs someone to help her turn the space into an attractive store.”

  “And we think you’re the right one to take on the job,” Amy added.

  Cyn felt as if she’d somehow lost control of the situation and it was running away from her.

  “Hold on a sec,” she interrupted. “Please.” She let out a breath. “Ladies. Take a minute. He probably has plenty of work on his plate already.” She looked up at him. “Right? I don’t want you to feel like they’re pushing you in to something.”

  His laugh was a devastating sexual weapon all by itself.

  “Not to worry. I’ve known most of them a long time. Anyway, you’re actually in luck. I finished a big job last week and was taking a little breather.”

  “Hmm. Well, I don’t want to intrude on your down time.”

  “Not a problem.” He dragged an empty chair over from a nearby table, turned it around and straddled it, resting his forearms on the back. “So tell me about this store.”

  Cyn tried to organize her thoughts but her brain seemed to have stopped functioning. Heat crept up her cheeks and she cursed herself for the uncontrollable blush. At forty-two, she found herself suddenly tongue-tied and self-conscious. You’d think she’d never talked to a good-looking man before. Well, not one like this. Frank had been handsome but in a different way. And as the marriage had crumbled, he’d become less and less appealing.

  Get it together, kiddo. This is the next step in the liberation of Cyn Dellinger.

  “Cyn?” Amy poked her. “Jesse asked you something.”

  “What? Oh.” She blinked. “Sorry. Yes. The store. I’m, ah, going to sell barbecue rub.”

  Jesse’s eyes lit up. “Yeah? No kidding? Well, you’ve come to the right place for it.”

  “I hope so. Leaving Memphis was a big step for me.”

  “Memphis, huh? You’ll like it here a lot better.”

  “I hope so. I’ll sell bottles of the spice mixture and the barbecue sauce along with some gifty kind of things and kitchen and barbecue accessories.”

  “Sounds great. I hope we all get an advance taste of the rub.”

  “We absolutely should,” Jinx put in. “Maybe we could have a dinner and use the rub on the meat.” She looked at Cyn. “Get a preview, you know?”

  “Oh. Of course.” Again, Cyn was startled at how quickly and easily these women picked up threads and made whole cloth out of them.

  “So, Cyn.” His deep voice was like a warm blanket around her. “What are you looking for in this store?”

  Cyn looked up at him. “I need a counter, of course. And shelves for display. And a little conversation area. There’s a nice-sized back room where I can keep supplies and also put in an oven.”

  “You’re cooking?” Amy asked. “In the store?”

  Cyn nodded. “Samples to serve with coffee when people come in. The more they relax the more they browse and buy.”

  “Great idea,” Amy enthused. “In fact, why not roast some meat in there while Jesse’s working on the interior. Cut it up and offer it to people passing by. You know, give them a little taste of what’s to come.”

  “What a fabulous idea.” Jinx clapped her hands. “I can do a bit about it in the paper and even get a picture of it to run.”

  Cyn could do nothing but laugh at their enthusiasm. They actually made her believe this could work.

  “Jesse hasn’t agreed to do the work yet,” she pointed out.

  “Oh, I’m sure I’ll be able to handle things for you,” he assured her. “There isn’t much I can’t take care of. When can I get a look at it? Get an idea of what we’re dealing with?”

  “Why don’t you take him over after lunch.” Reenie urged. “Jesse, have you eaten yet?”

  “I have.” He smiled at Cyn. “Why don’t you finish here while I do a couple of errands. I’ll meet you in half an hour. That good for you?”

  “Half an hour?” Everything was moving so fast she had to reach for the edges of her brain. “Yes. Okay. Let me write the address down for you.”

  “I know where it is.” He stood and moved the chair back to its table. “We’ve all been wondering what would move in there. Nice chatting with you, ladies.” He smiled at Cyn. “See you in thirty.”

  As soon as Jesse moved away, Amy grabbed Cyn’s arm. “Isn’t he gorgeous? The best eye candy around.”

  Jinx laughed. “Better not let Buck hear you say that.”

  “I’m not dead,” Amy protested. “Neither are you. We can still look.”

  “Ladies,” Cyn protested. She felt the heat of an embarrassing blush creep up her cheeks. “Please. Have mercy. The last thing I need in my life right now is a man. Any kind of man. Any age, but especially not one younger than me. I have to give myself a pep talk just to get out of bed every day.”

  “Jesse’s better than any pep talk,” Reenie teased.

  Cyn shook her head. “No. I can’t do that. I-I’m not even sure I should hire him.”

  “All kidding aside,” Amy said, leaning forward, “he’s the best there is around here and he’ll give you a fair bid on the job. He’ll make sure that store rocks.” She leaned back and grinned. “And if it comes with some extra side benefits, who cares?” She waved her hand around the table. “Every one of us has been in a situation that we swore wouldn’t work. Was bad for us. Would cause gossip.”

  “Yeah,” Jinx added. “And look at us now. None of us would trade where we are now for anything else.”

  “But—”

  “No buts.” Reenie took her hand. “We want to help, Cyn. If flirting with Jesse—or anything else—makes you feel uncomfortable, then don’t do it. But you’re finally free of a relationship that made you doubt your self-worth. Isn’t it time to try out the new you?”

  “I-I don’t know. I guess.”

  “Think about it,” Amy said. “That’s all we ask. We’re your friends now. We would never encourage you in something if we thought it was all wrong or might turn out badly for you. But isn’t it time for you to have a little fun in your life?”

  Cyn lifted her glass and took a long drink of her iced tea. “Maybe.”

  Maybe?

  She could still feel the place where Jesse’s hand had gripped hers, still feel the impact of the look he’d given her. Her friends were all well-meaning, but things had moved so fast. She had the strangest feeling she had fallen down the rabbit hole.

  Chapter Two

  The key stuck in the lock the first time Cyn tried to open the rear door of the store. Maybe, she thought, it was because her hands were shaking so badly she couldn’t insert it properly. She was hyperaware of Jesse standing less than a foot behind her. If she had this much trouble being near him like this, how was she supposed to handle hours with him in the store while he worked?

  What is the matter with me? I’m acting like a virgin or something. I wasn’t even this n
ervous with Frank.

  Of course, Frank didn’t… Well, he just didn’t. So forget that.

  “Need some help?” His deep voice resonated in her ear and his breath was a soft wind against her skin.

  “N-No, thanks. I’ve got it.”

  And she did. Taking a deep breath, she shoved the key into the slot, heard it click, turned it and pushed open the door. The interior was nothing more than two empty spaces, the larger one at the front of the store. When she had first looked at it, she had the unexpected feeling it was sitting there waiting for her to give it life. She felt that way now as she stepped inside. This was the first step on the path for the rest of her life. It was scary and exhilarating at the same time.

  “I’m sorry it’s so dusty in here,” she apologized, waving her hand in the air as if her feeble effort could clear the dust motes away. “The real estate agent told me the space has been vacant for a while.”

  “Yeah, it has. Used to be a sort of gift shop.”

  Cyn gave a thready little laugh. “How do you have a sort of place?”

  “Woman who ran it did it as a hobby. Opened when she wanted. Sold all kinds of weird things.” He chuckled. “Finally decided Saddle Wells might not be the place for her, I guess.”

  They were standing in the back room of the store. To the right was a small bathroom. The rest of the space was an empty square that, like every other inch of the store, needed scrubbing. Badly.

  “So this is what you’ll use as your storeroom?” Jesse asked. He was right next to her now, so close only a sheet of paper could fit between their shoulders.

  Cyn didn’t know if the heat consuming her emanated from him or from her, but she suddenly wished the air conditioning was turned on. She moved a step away and gestured at different spots.

  “I plan to put the oven on this wall over here. And a sink over there.” She turned and pointed to a space next to the bathroom where pipes came out of the wall. “The rest will be storage shelves. Oh, and a space in the middle for a small work table.”

  “Oh, yeah, right. You said you planned on doing some cooking or baking or whatever in here.

  She nodded. “While you’re doing the work I’m going to cook. I’ll bake mini corn muffins. I can serve wedges of them with the chicken and ribs I plan to roast using my rub. There’ll be plenty of people passing by that I can offer a taste to.”

  Jesse turned and grinned at her. “Great sales technique. Do I get the first sample?”

  Cyn wanted to say, “Of what?” But she knew he meant the food. Right?

  Ohmigod, Cynthia. How stupid can you be to lose your head over this guy? Besides the fact that he’s younger, he’s going to be working for you. Get it?

  But she saw the admiration in his eyes, even if it was professional, and her ego, badly bruised from the years with Frank, drank it up like a woman dying of thirst.

  “Um, yes. Of course.” She tried to adopt a nonchalant air. “You can be my guinea pig.”

  “What’s so special about this recipe anyway?”

  “It’s been in my family for generations,” she explained. “My great-granddaddy created it with a lot of very special herbs. People used to come from all over to buy their barbecue from him. It passed on through the family to me, even after the little shack he and his son ran closed up.”

  Jesse lifted an eyebrow. “And you’ve been holding on to it since then? How come you never put it to use if it’s that good?”

  Bitterness swept over Cyn as she considered how best to answer him. A heavy sigh escaped her.

  “When I got married, I agreed to let my husband use it for the restaurant he owned. It really put the place on the map and fueled the expansion to other locations.”

  He studied her as if searching for something in her face. Her eyes. “But you still owned it, right?”

  “Yes,” she hissed the word out. “Much to his intense anger.”

  His lips curved in a slow grin. “I take it the two of you are no longer, ah, together?”

  “Damn straight.” She hadn’t meant to sound so angry. But she had so much rage repressed deep inside her that it bubbled out when she least expected.

  “I’ll take a wild-ass guess here that he wasn’t too happy you walked away with the recipe. Am I right?”

  Cyn fisted her hands and dug her nails into her palms. The mere mention of Frank Dellinger spiked her blood pressure and made her nauseous. She needed to be careful how she answered Jesse. She didn’t want him to see how angry she still was and how thoroughly shaken she was at the revelation of his infidelity. Sure, the marriage had fallen short of her expectations, but Frank had made her feel it was all her fault. The last thing she wanted now was to appear pathetic. To have Jesse feel sorry for her.

  She took in a deep breath and slowly let it out. With a determined effort of will, she pushed away her past and focused on her future.

  “Yes.” She was pleased at how calm she sounded. “And now it’s going to be the foundation of my new business.”

  They were in the front of the store now. Jesse walked around the space with his easy, loose-hipped stride, eyes scanning every bit of the area.

  “You’ve got a good spot here.” He glanced out through one of the dust-streaked windows. “Right in the center of Main Street. At the heart of the foot traffic.”

  “That’s what the real estate agent said,” she agreed.

  He turned to face her, that slow grin sliding across his face again. “If your rub’s any good, you should do very well.”

  “I hope so.” She watched him run his gaze over every inch of the space, mentally calculating dimensions.

  “I know you said shelves and a conversation area where people could gather, nibble on samples and drink iced tea. Which, by the way, is a great idea. They can talk each other into buying more of your product. Do you have some idea about how you want the layout?” he asked.

  She reached into her purse and pulled out a folded sheet of paper.

  “I’m not much of a sketch artist, Mr. Orosco—”

  “Jesse. Please.” There was that lethal smile again. “If we’re going to be working together in close quarters, we need to ditch the formality, right?”

  “I still don’t know if I can afford what your estimate will be. I’m really watching my budget here.” Just in case she fell flat on her face.

  “I can work with anyone’s budget,” he assured her. “And give you quality work. In fact, when we’re through here, how about I show you some of the other things I’ve done?”

  “Let’s talk about this first.” Her hands shook slightly as she unfolded the sheet of paper. “This is what I hope it will look like.” She pointed as she listed her needs. “Shelves there and there, counter there. The small sitting area I mentioned at the restaurant where I can serve muffins and coffee and samples of my rub.” She walked around the space, pointing to where she wanted things placed.

  “Who’s going to manufacture the goods for you? Someone around here? Because if you don’t have anyone I can recommend—”

  “I’ve got that taken care of.” Telling him about that contract, saying it out loud, made a scary kind of exhilaration sizzle through her bloodstream.

  Jesse nodded. “I know him. Good guy. I did some work for him too. So what else will you be selling besides the rub and the sauce? Anything?”

  “Oh. Of course.” She swallowed. “I plan to have barbecue accessories, cook books, maybe some Texas trinkets.”

  “Nice.” Jesse nodded. “Very nice. Well, I promise you I can give this a real down-home Texas feel.”

  “Within my budget?” she asked, naming a figure for him.

  “We’ll make it work. I promise.” He scanned the space once more. “I can meet you here first thing in the morning with sketches and estimates, if that works for you.”

  “Yes, that would be great. Are you sure I’m not taking you away from another job?”

  “Like I said at the restaurant, I finished a project last week and I was looking at what to bid on next.” He took another lazy stroll around the space. “This place has good bones. I can already visualize some things that will fit right in with your product.” He turned his megawatt grin on her again. “So, tomorrow morning?”