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“What about Cocoa Java Junkie? I thought that was your favorite.”
Belle picked up the Cocoa Java Junkie muffin and set it in front of Liberty. “It’s your favorite. It has always had too much coffee flavor for me.”
Liberty studied her, and as always, read her well. “So you want to make your own decisions. Is that it? Well, that’s great. It’s about time. We have an entire calendar of events we need to do, both here and in Houston, and I can’t be two places at once. So you’ll have to do the events in Houston and I’ll do the ones here.”
Normally, Belle would agree. But she wasn’t in an agreeable mood today. “No.”
Liberty huffed. “Fine. You do the ones here and I’ll do the ones in Houston.”
Belle took another bite of muffin before she spoke. “You misunderstood me. I’m not doing either. I’m taking some time off.”
She didn’t know who was more surprised by her words, she or Liberty. Probably Liberty. Her eyes were wide and her mouth gaped open. Belle could tell by the tic at the corner of her eye that things were about to get ugly. Sweetie and Cloe knew it too. They both rested their hands on Liberty’s arms as if to keep her seated.
“Now, Libby,” Sweetie said. “There’s no need to get upset. I’m sure Belle has a good reason for needing some time off.” She looked at Belle, who finished off her muffin and wiped her mouth with a napkin before she spoke.
“Not really. And it’s not like it’s surprising. I was planning to take some time off anyway to help Mama and Daddy sell the ranch—”
Liberty cut her off. “Mama and Daddy aren’t selling the ranch anymore. It’s not theirs to sell!”
“I know that. But we still planned for me to take off this month. Which is why we didn’t take on as many events as we normally do. It was you who added more to our calendar by agreeing to do events for the townsfolk—without even consulting me, I might add.” She shrugged. “So it’s you who needs to figure out how to take care of those events.” She got up. “Now if you’ll excuse me, I need to order another Pea-Nutty Buddy. Who knew I was such a peanut butter fan?”
Chapter Nine
“Don’t look so grumpy, Cory.” Sunny shot him a bright smile. “This is fun!”
This wasn’t even close to what Corbin would consider fun. He’d planned on letting his sore butt heal before he got back on a horse. All it had taken was one of Sunny’s puppy dog looks to have him bouncing along on the back of Homer with his teeth jarring and his still-sore butt aching.
He was a complete sucker.
And not just for Sunny.
Mimi bossed him around like he was a wet-behind-the-ears kid. Just this morning, she had gotten after him for holding Tay too much. So now the kitten was wandering around the ranch and getting into things she had no business getting into.
Then there was Darla Holiday. The woman had completely won him over with her baking. She had figured out he had a sweet tooth and was constantly bringing him cookies, brownies, and pies he couldn’t resist.
The only one who hadn’t turned him into putty in their hands was Hank. But with the way the older man had taken Sunny under his wing, Corbin didn’t dislike him as much as he used to.
Then there was Belle. What had he been thinking to offer her his trailer? But it had been impossible not to when she had looked like a little lost lamb that couldn’t find its way back to the flock.
Except she wasn’t a little lost lamb. She was a full-grown woman. A woman who had kept him up for the last two nights with thoughts of her sleeping in his trailer. Had she slept in his bed? Had she rested that mane of ebony curls on his pillow? Tucked those long legs under his sheets? Had she showered in the tiny shower? Lathered her hands with his soap and run them over her curvy hips and perfect breasts?
And if those thoughts weren’t bad enough, he couldn’t stop thinking about the kisses they’d shared on their date.
Belle might be the tentative twin, but she wasn’t a tentative kisser. On the front porch, she’d kissed him with hot slides of her lips and demanding thrusts of her tongue until he had been so hard he’d worried about climaxing in his jeans. The other night, he’d wanted to feel those lips again. When she’d released that breathy little sigh and closed her eyes, he’d been seconds from giving into the temptation.
Thankfully, he came to his senses and left.
Now he just wished he could get her to leave his mind.
“Did you hear about Jesse and Liberty going to Houston?” Sunny cut into his thoughts.
He adjusted his butt in the saddle. “No. What are they doing in Houston?”
“I guess Liberty has some events there this weekend and needs Jesse to help her.”
“Why isn’t Belle helping her?”
“According to Jesse, Belle decided to take some time off. Now Liberty is stuck doing all the events on her own. She’s having Cloe and Sweetie help her with the Memorial Day picnic this weekend, while she and Jesse are in Houston doing a wedding and anniversary.” She laughed. “I can’t shake the image of our rodeo cowboy big brother fluffing a bride’s veil before she walks down the aisle.”
