Page 24 of A Baby for the Texas Cowboy (The Texas Wolf Brothers #3)

“You might taste some early season raspberry, a touch of pipe tobacco and then a bit of spice on the finish.”

The women swished and swallowed and nodded.

“Anders Wolf, when are you going to give her the flowers and ask for forgiveness?” Minna put her empty glass down.

“Thought I’d let my girl finish her job first, ma’am.” He smiled. “Didn’t want to interrupt your tasting experience.”

“Which you did by barging in,” Minna said.

“Noted, ma’am. I admit, I was too excited to wait to see Tinsley.” Anders grinned in such an engaging, aw-shucks, how can I help myself way that she found herself staring at him smiling like a besotted idiot.

She scrunched her face to rearrange her features, but judging by his answering smile, it wasn’t in time.

“But I do need to be doing some measuring, ladies,” he said suddenly as if remembering.

“For a tux,” one sighed.

Tinsley nearly dropped the bottle.

“Hopefully, soon she’ll make an honest man out of me.” He winked at her, and she had an impulse to bean him over the head with the bottle—not an auspicious start to what wasn’t even really an official first day.

“Not quite that romantic. I am measuring for a pizza oven. Tinsley wants one for the tasting room and wine bar guests, and I’m going to build it for her.”

That met with a lot of murmurs of approval.

“You?” She couldn’t help her outburst.

“Yup. I Googled directions.”

“I love a man who’s good with his hands.” One of Minna’s friends sighed.

“And one who can follow directions is even rarer,” Minna said, sitting forward and giving Anders a stern look.

He didn’t even flinch.

“Can you show me where you want the pizza oven?” he asked so earnestly that Tinsley almost believed he really wanted to design one for the tasting room.

“Out on the patio. You should see how much Catalina and I got done.”

“I heard.”

She winced a little and then realized that he didn’t sound judgmental and there was no censure on his face.

“Would you mind if I steal your host for a few minutes, ladies?” he asked, all sweetness and light.

“Take your time.” A couple of the women waved him on as if they were in charge.

“Anders, I’m in the middle of a tasting,” she said, keeping her voice low and her face serene.

Someday that Oscar will be mine.

“Two minutes,” he said appealingly, and she could feel her resistance untether.

“That’s all you got?” Minna demanded. “I’m deeply disappointed, Anders Wolf.”

“Well, he is a bull rider, Minna. Maybe he’s speedy at everything,” another woman chimed in.

Anders turned bright red, and Tinsley laughed.

“I’ll show you the patio,” she said, tucking Catalina’s pinot against her body and taking his arm. “And perhaps rescue your reputation.”

“You’re supposed to be in Tulsa. You’re usually scheduled to show up at different sponsor events on Thursdays,” she said. “You’re cutting it crazy close, Anders.”

“You didn’t think I’d leave without saying goodbye to my girl.” He handed her the flowers and lightly kissed her cheek. Then he rolled back the door to the outside and did a double take.

“Seriously, you and Catalina did this?”

“There were a lot of minions.” Tinsley surveyed the patio with pride.

“I missed you,” he said.

“You did? But you left.”

And he was leaving again.

“I was pushing you too hard,” he said. “I don’t want be a jerk, Tinz, one of those guys who always has to get their way. I’m not like that. I just…this is all new to me, and I’m trying too hard, but keep effing up—” He broke off as she pressed her finger to his lips.

“I was a bitch,” she said. “I hate that I was mean. I don’t want to be like that either.” She searched his eyes and gave him more. “My mom was like that. Cold. Critical. I don’t want to ever be like that.”

They stared at each other. His eyes were so blue, and the way the late morning sun slanted across the patio threw the hollows under his cheekbones into stark relief. She tangled her fingers with his before she realized she was doing it.

“Baby, I’m sorry,” he said, bringing their joined hands up to his mouth and kissing her knuckles.

“I’m sorry too,” she said quickly and tried to pull her hand away, a bit embarrassed by her spontaneous show of affection.

They weren’t a couple.

But man oh man, he was beautiful, and when he wasn’t bossing her and when he was looking at her as if she could fly, she almost felt like anything was possible.

“I wish I hadn’t left.” He murmured the words and brushed his lips back and forth along her ear. Her breath caught, and she shivered even though it was in the mid-seventies. “I wasted a day I could have spent with you.”

“Why did you?” she asked, wondering if he’d give her the truth.

“I needed to get my head on straight,” he said. “I’ve been discussing some investment and business opportunities with Kane Wilder.”

Tinsley felt like she’d swallowed a block of ice.

“Why?” she whispered.

“I can’t ride forever. Don’t want to think like that, but…”

“Then don’t,” she said quickly, putting one hand on his chest. “You have time. You don’t need to decide anything now.”

He covered her hand with his.

“I want to kiss you.”

“Anders.” Her breathy objection was no objection. “It’s a seven-hour drive.”

“I got a brother with a plane and a bored pilot, so I just had to ask my spoiled brat of a brother if he’d do his equally spoiled brother a solid.” His mouth was so close she just had to tilt her head and stand on her tiptoes.

She breathed him in, and her heart flipped over. Anders might come home more often.

Home.

The word sounded so right and alien at the same time.

“I’m going to kiss you now.”

“I’m going to kiss you back.”

And then Tinsley was in his arms. Her fingers curled in his hair and before she could think about the ramifications of kissing him, her lips met his.

She’d always loved kissing him—the way he tasted, felt and the way his mouth moved over hers so expertly.

He kissed her lips again then her cheek and slowly down the side of her neck.

She tilted her head to give him better access.

“Stay safe,” she whispered. Her hands rested on his shoulders. She knew they had things to say. Apologies. Promises. Explanations. So much. But with the sun warming her shoulders and his hands and mouth bringing her to life all she wanted to do was feel.

“Intend to. I’ll be back Sunday morning.”

“Really?” The flush of pleasure that moved through her should have scared the snot out of her. Instead she deepened the kiss and slid her hand from his shoulder into his back pocket and squeezed his tight ass.

He murmured his pleasure and pulled her closer so she could feel the hard length of his reaction.

She sighed into his mouth, forgetting her rules and her concerns.

She looked around for a place to put down the wine and the flowers so she could hold on to him with both hands, because what he was doing felt sinfully delicious and she didn’t want to miss a second.

“Anders Wolf, what you are measuring has nothing to do with a pizza oven.” Minna’s acerbic voice made both of them jump.

She held out her hand and Tinsley blinked at her, confused.

“I’ll take that bottle of wine, dear. It was our favorite, and my friends and I are going to finish it off. August can put it on my tab.”

“Your tab?” Tinsley struggled to get her mind back on work and off of the cowboy whose kiss and touch had lit a fire even Minna’s unexpected interruption had barely banked.

“The tab I am starting. I’ve decided I like the idea of having a tasting room in town. I like you. And I like wine, and if August has any objections to me running a tab and becoming the first member of his wine club he can drive out to the house and discuss it with me personally.”

Anders stifled a laugh, and Minna’s gaze swung to him.

“You have something to say, young man?”

“Actually, ma’am,” Anders said, “I’d like to treat you and your friends to that bottle of wine and another if you have a designated driver.”

“My grandson is leaving the paper at noon to take his lunch and drive us all home. Thank you, Anders, for your kind offer. Now carry on.” Minna’s eyes twinkled, and she snagged the wine from Tinsley’s fingers and all but marched back into the tasting room.

“Carry on?” Tinsley repeated.

“I and the rest of the town have learned that it’s best to not disappoint Minna,” Anders said. “And I definitely want to remind you what you’ll be missing while I’m away.”

*

Anders waved goodbye to August’s pilot, who had his own car parked at the Gillespie County Airport.

He winced at the pain that clawed up his left side, from his hip to his shoulder, when he climbed in his truck.

The ibuprofen hadn’t done jack to cut the pain, but since he knew he’d be driving, he hadn’t dared accept more than that.

Although he had allowed himself one shot of whiskey the minute he’d climbed on board.

Stupid fall. He’d ridden Brawler in Tucson last year and he’d pulled the same acrobatic handstand move—left twist and head toss back like he was in a Beyoncé video.

Anders hadn’t been prepared. Why? He hadn’t reviewed Brawler’s rides.

Why? Looking at engagement rings online on Blue Diamond and Tiffany’s.

And then he’d researched more about breeding bucking bull operations.

He’d talked to the stock contractors more about how they’d set up their breeding programs than about the actual bulls he was about to climb on the back of and risk his life riding.

Distractions were beyond dumb.

He’d known that before high school.

Worse, he’d been in first place. By five points. Not all that common. All he’d had to do was stick the ride. But no!

He’d lost his focus. Lost his seat. Lost the buckle. Lost the prize money. And his pride had taken as hard a hit as the left side of his body.