The White Cowboy - Complete BWWM Romance Box Set by Susan Westwood

Jessica's betrayal. "But she's going away."
    "Nothing is in stone, Brandon."
    Clint looked past him as if he knew that to be very true.
    "I think her plans are pretty well set. She's leaving when her car is fixed." Brandon didn't think he could change her mind, and it wasn't his place to. Jessica had run away to find her spotlight, and he didn't think he could keep anyone else away from their dream.
    But he hadn't known about Jessica's dream. She'd never told him. Gemma had been upfront from the beginning.
    Clint took off his hat and scratched his head. "Maybe, but why not be happy while she's here?"
    Brandon wasn't sure he could do that.
    ***
    Gemma couldn't have felt more relief that Brandon was not in the house. She knew because she would have felt that strong male presence.
    The dishes had been done, so she wiped off the counter. With no other chores inside, she knew she had to help him with the outside ones.
    With a heavy heart, she dressed for the cold weather. Spike greeted her when she left the house. She'd never been anywhere this cold before. The California sunshine was looking better and better.
    But would the people be as warm as Brandon's bed? She blinked. She had to stay the course. She wouldn’t let a man keep her from her dream.
    "Where's Brandon, Spike?"
    He barked, but instead of leading her anywhere, he ran circles around her. She trudged through the snow to the first barn. Brandon was checking a cow near the doorway.
    She observed as he spoke to the animal in low tones, patting its side with one hand and rubbing its belly with the other. The cow seemed to trust him. Should she?
    "Hi," she said finally.
    He flinched.
    Her eyes narrowed. Was he regretting last night also? She chewed the inside of her cheek as she closed the door against the cold.
    "Hello," Brandon said.
    "Is something wrong with the cow?"
    He didn't make eye contact. Not a good sign. "She's pregnant, and I'm just checking on her."
    Gemma could count on one hand the facts she knew about cows. They gave milk. She didn't know how or why or when or even how often. Like most consumers, she took it for granted that the milk would be there in the refrigerator at the store when she needed it. "Is she due soon?"
    He finally glanced her way. His hat sat low on his brow so she couldn’t see his eyes, but his head was facing her way. She'd take that little concession.
    "In about a month, but I found out after she got pregnant just how big the bull was."
    She blinked. "You couldn't see how big the bull was?"
    Brandon laughed. "She was artificially inseminated. A bull mounting her would hurt her."
    Okay, she was a city girl. She wouldn't have known that. "Oh. Didn't know that."
    He waved a hand away. He wasn't making fun of her. She liked that. "No need for you to."
    She'd come out to do chores, so here she was. "What can I do?"
    "I'm done in here," he said. "Can you start on the next barn? You'll find Clint, a friend of mine, in there milking the goats."
    He hadn't made eye contact yet. So he was feeling the same regret she was. She'd deal with this when he came to the other barn. If they were alone.
    Right now, she'd been dismissed.
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     

CHAPTER TWO
     
     
    Despite regretting what he'd done, Brandon still felt the pull of attraction for her. He didn't want to. He wanted to forget last night happened, but if she looked at him with those doe eyes again, he'd take her right there in the barn.
    The harsh light of reality shone on his actions and they'd didn't look so good.
    Yes, she was an adult, but she'd been vulnerable last night.
    He never should have taken advantage of that. He hadn't thought twice. Just took her to his bed and never realized that he could hurt her.
    Brandon looked around the cow barn one more time before heading over to where his horse was. Gemma had already let him out to pasture, and was filling up his water trough. Clint must have things under control in the goat barn.
    Brandon only had three