Hot Christmas Cowboy (Montana Made #4)

Chapter One

Riley Fletcher minded his own business. Almost always, anyway.

Marietta, Montana, was a small town, but it was home to a lot of farms and ranches.

Which was why he couldn’t figure out why Lane’s Feed and Supply was the only feed store in town.

Seems like there was plenty of room for another one.

He ran into a friend of his—fellow rancher Dylan Gallagher—and after shooting the breeze for a few minutes, they wound up at Grey’s, waiting for Dylan’s wife, Samantha, to meet him after she got off work at the hospital.

Dylan went to get them both a beer and Riley sat down in an empty booth.

He saw a number of people he knew but since it was early on a Tuesday night, the place wasn’t crowded yet.

“Saw Liam McFarland’s new hand over at the bar,” Dylan said, setting a beer in front of Riley. “From what I overheard he’s putting the moves on Letty North.”

“Letty? She’s not generally big on cowboys.

” He knew, although Dylan likely didn’t, that Letty had a bad experience with a cowboy when she was younger and since then tended to stick with other guys when she dated.

As far as he knew, that cowboy was the closest she’d come to being serious about someone.

Letty was a librarian and good friends with Riley’s younger sister, Val, so he heard things others might not.

Sure enough, Letty sat at the bar talking animatedly to a dark-haired man in his mid to late twenties.

They looked pretty cozy, which annoyed the hell out of him.

Now Riley had absolutely no business interfering with who Letty flirted, dated, or slept with.

Even though Letty had lived with his family for a year or so after her parents died, she wasn’t in any way related to him.

But he couldn’t help noticing that something was definitely off about Letty tonight.

She was too happy. It wasn’t like he’d never seen Letty with a man, but he didn’t think he’d ever seen her being quite so exuberant.

Reckless even. Or maybe he was overreacting.

“Earth to Riley,” Dylan said.

“What?” he answered, but didn’t take his eyes off of Letty.

“You look like you’re about to go into big brother mode. I’ve met the guy, and he seems okay.”

“I’m not her brother,” he snarled. “And he doesn’t look okay to me. He’s got his damn hand on her knee.”

Dylan burst out laughing. “Oh my God. He should be drawn and quartered!”

“Very funny. I think Letty’s been drinking.”

“That’s what happens when you go to a bar.”

“She doesn’t usually drink much.”

“Maybe she likes him and is having a good time.”

“I don’t like it.”

“You’re not required to. Letty’s a pretty woman. Who looks damn good in a pair of tight jeans. Obviously Bud Davis thinks so too. Why is that a problem?”

“You’re married. You have no business looking at her…jeans.”

He admitted he was overreacting, but damn it, the sight of that dude pawing at Letty just flipped his switches. “What?” he demanded, realizing his friend was staring at him with his mouth open.

“Damn, Riley, I didn’t realize you had an interest there. You and Letty? Wait until I tell Sam.”

“There’s nothing to tell. I’m simply concerned about her. Letty’s naive sometimes.”

“Letty? Naive? Since when?”

He couldn’t think of an answer so he said, “Shut it.” He stood, picked up his beer, and said, “See you later,” before walking over to the bar where Letty and her new friend sat.

Letty wasn’t naive. She wasn’t shy and retiring despite that being a stereotype for librarians. Letty was a smart, capable, woman who, other than a brief time with the Fletchers, had been on her own since her parents died her senior year of high school.

Riley hadn’t stopped thinking about her, and not platonically, for quite a while.

Then a few months ago Letty had come out to the ranch to give his mom a birthday present.

He’d been walking up from the barn when he saw a woman at the back door.

At first, he didn’t realize who it was, only that she wore tight jeans and had curves like a racetrack.

His mom opened the door just as he reached her and said, “Why Letty, you’re so sweet. You didn’t need to bring me a present.”

Letty? Riley hadn’t been able to get her off his mind since. He even dreamed about her. Hot, sexy dreams that woke him up aching. He’d dreamed about her in the past and felt guilty every damn time. Damn it, she’d lived with them. She’d practically been a sister. Except she wasn’t. Thank God.

“Hi, Letty. What’s going on?”

She turned around and looked at him with surprise. “Oh, Riley. Hi. What are you doing here?” She looked hot tonight with her red sweater that followed the swell of her breasts and her tight jeans that followed her other curves even closer.

“Having a drink. Looks like you are too.” Margaritas. More than one, he figured, since she looked a bit flushed and bright-eyed. Not drunk, but not completely sober. “Who’s your friend?”

“Oh. I figured you two knew each other. This is Bud Davis. He works on the McFarland ranch. Bud, this is Riley Fletcher, his ranch is—”

“Next door to the McFarlands’. Good to meet you.” He didn’t offer a hand and neither did Riley, but they nodded at each other.

Riley settled in, ignoring completely Davis’s attempts to get him to leave. He parked himself there, a big fat interruption in whatever game Davis was playing.

Finally, ignoring Riley in turn, Davis asked Letty to leave with him. Before she could answer Riley said, “She can’t.”

The cowboy glared at him, obviously annoyed. “Why don’t we let Letty answer that question for herself?”

Letty stared at him with her mouth open. “He didn’t ask you, Riley. You have no say in what I do. What is with you? Why are you even here? And why are you acting like you’re my brother?”

“I’m not your damn brother.” He barely stopped himself from grinding his teeth.

“I know.” She drained her drink and slapped it down on the counter, sliding off the barstool as she did so. “Come on, Bud. Let’s go.”

“I don’t think so.” Riley took hold of her arm. To Davis he said, “Can’t you see she’s drunk? She’s coming with me.”

“I’m not drunk! And even if I was, it’s none of your business.”

“You’re making a scene,” Riley told her, unperturbed. She looked like she was about to explode. Or punch him out.

Davis frowned and said, “I’m going to take off. This is way too much for me. Call me if you change your mind, Letty.”

Letty jerked her arm out of Riley’s grasp and watched the man go, an angry expression coloring her face. “Thanks for running off the most fun I’ve had in ages.”

“You’re welcome. Come on, let me take you home.”

“I’m not leaving with you. I’m mad at you, you jerk.”

“Fine. You can yell at me at your place. But you are leaving with me,” he said, taking a firm hold of her arm again.

She didn’t wait. She got in his truck and reamed him out the whole way to her apartment. Which, thank God, wasn’t very far away.

*

Riley parked and got out of his pickup. Letty had jumped out of the truck the minute he pulled to a stop. He followed, catching up to her at her door.

“Go away. You’re not coming in.”

“Come on, Letty. Don’t be childish.”

“I’m not childish. I’m annoyed as hell.” After wrestling with her key, which made him wonder if she wasn’t more impaired than she let on, she managed to get her door open. She stomped inside, tore off her coat and threw it on a chair.

“What’s wrong, Letty?”

“What’s wrong?” She parked her hands on her hips and glared at him. “Gee, I don’t know. Maybe I’m upset because I was having a good time and didn’t need you to—to harsh my mellow.”

He laughed. “I haven’t heard that expression in a while.” He took off his coat and laid it on the same chair that held Letty’s coat. He sat on the couch and patted the seat beside him. “Come on. I know something’s wrong. You can tell me.”

After crossing her arms over her chest and still frowning, she sat down. “I’m perfectly capable of taking care of myself. I don’t need a big brother interfering in my life.”

“I’m not your brother.” Damn, he hated it when she or anyone else said that. “I’m a friend. That guy was putting the moves on you, or didn’t you notice?”

“Of course I noticed. I’m not an idiot. And I was well on the way to doing exactly what I set out to do.”

“Which was what?”

“I wanted to forget. And Bud was willing to help me.”

He felt a flash of anger, lined with jealousy. “Willing to get in your pants, you mean.”

“What of it?” She tossed her head. “I’m a single adult. If I want to have a one-night stand, or an orgy, or dance naked on tables, that’s my decision.”

He was definitely not going to think about Letty naked.

Riley wasn’t a prude. He’d had one-night stands before.

Why shouldn’t Letty have one if that’s what she wanted?

He tried to squash the thought of just how many one-night stands she’d had before.

Not his business and not something he was comfortable thinking about.

Because he didn’t want to think about her in another man’s bed.

He shook off that line of thinking and got back to the issue. “What are you trying to forget?” She turned her head and wouldn’t look at him. “Letty? Tell me.”

She put her face in her hands and said, “Go away.” Her shoulders shook.

Damn it, she was crying. He put his arms around her and hauled her against his chest. “Don’t cry.”

She raised her head and glared at him through the tears. “I wouldn’t if you hadn’t dragged me out of Grey’s. I’d be pleasantly buzzed and having sex, instead of sitting here crying with a man who isn’t my brother but treats me like he is.”

He kept getting distracted by her mouth. Lush and eminently kissable. He’d thought about that before, but he hadn’t been holding her in his arms at the time. Besides, whenever he’d imagined it, he’d immediately tried to think of something else. Anything else. “I am absolutely not your brother.”

“You sure as hell act like you are.”

A man could only resist for so long before he broke. He kissed her. Her lips parted in surprise. His tongue dipped inside to taste her. Sweet, sexy Letty. At first, she hesitated but then she responded, tongues and teeth clashing in a kiss that asked for more.

He groaned and deepened the kiss. His hand tangled in her hair, pulling her closer.

He hadn’t kissed Letty in years. Not since she was eighteen and shocked the hell out of him.

But back then she’d kissed him. Tonight, he’d instigated the kiss.

At the moment, he couldn’t remember why he’d taken so long to do it again.

Slowly, he became aware of her hands pushing against his chest. He released her and they stared at each other.

She wiped off her mouth with her sleeve. “I don’t need a pity kiss. Or a pity anything, for that matter.”

“That felt like pity to you?” Because it sure as hell hadn’t to him.

She merely shrugged.

He bent his head to kiss her again, but she moved away, shaking her head. “Not happening.”

“You said I acted like your brother, and I wanted to prove to you that I’m not.”

“Fine. You proved it. Now you can go.”

Clearly, this wasn’t the time or place. She was still upset. He wasn’t so blind he couldn’t see that. “Tell me why you’re so upset.”

She hesitated for some time before finally saying, “I hate this day.”

November twentieth. What happened—Oh, shit. He closed his eyes. He was an idiot. “Your parents. Damn, Letty, I’m sorry. I didn’t think about it.” The day Letty’s parents died in a car crash and left her an orphan, her senior year of high school.

“I wish I could forget it. But I can’t. Every damn year I think I’ll handle it better. But I never do.”

“So you decided a one-night stand was the answer?”

“I tried everything else. I had counseling, you know. Your parents insisted. It helped some. But not today. Everything comes back to me on this day. Every feeling of loss, of despair.”

“Letty, I’m so sorry. But a one-night stand?”

“It was working. Until you ruined it.”

“Don’t expect me to be sorry about that.”

“Why couldn’t you have just minded your own business?”

“You deserve better than a man who’s going to use you and forget you.”

“Maybe that’s exactly what I wanted. For God’s sake, Riley, I’m not a virgin. I’m a grown woman with needs.”