Free Courting Her Rebel: (Taken by Cowboys: Part 2) A Billionaire Western Romance by A.L. Loire Page A

occurrence at Getaway, where guests tended to be as enthusiastic as they were out of shape, so it was a believable story.
    “Some of these guys still think they’re spring chickens when they’re pushing sixty,” Nate said, shaking his head.
    Spencer was relieved when a pair of regulars at their table, Nancy and Bill, sat down and started to regale Nate about their successful afternoon of trout fishing. Nate was used to taking Spencer’s word at face value and he wasn’t one to ask too many questions, but it had been a close call all the same.
    Jess showed up halfway through dinner, showered and changed, her beautiful face composed as if nothing had happened. It was pretty damn impressive to see her looking so unruffled, and it turned him on even more to think of the secret they shared. She sat down across the table a few seats away and almost instantly became engaged in conversation with Caroline, their do-it-all assistant at the guest ranch. The two were becoming fast friends.
    He had to force himself to look away, picking up his water glass and taking a long chug. The way her face flushed in the candlelight reminded him of how she’d looked in the throes of passion, her legs quaking as he made love to her and brought her closer and closer to her ultimate pleasure. It had happened mere hours before, but already, he wanted to have her again. He was pretty sure Nate noticed his stare—it would be pretty hard not to. His gaze was glued to her like a fly in honey.
    Their gaze met over the candles once. She paused in her conversation with Caroline and picked up her wineglass. That chance look seared him to the core. Her big dark eyes, the long, glossy hair falling over her pale skin, the look of desire mixed with a cool, steady resolve in her eyes. He just barely resisted the urge to stand up, walk around the table, and pull her up and into his arms right there. But Caroline said something to her, and she returned to her conversation, leaving him feeling hot and limp as a helium balloon on a blazing summer day.
    I’ve got it bad, he thought. Worse than I can remember.
    *
    Dinner ended, and most of the guests headed off to the main lodge for a movie. Saturday was always Western night, Caroline told her, complete with popcorn, candy, and whiskey highballs to really get everyone in the spirit. “That sounds like every night of my life for the past six months, minus the whiskey,” Jess responded, explaining that she’d been obsessed with watching Westerns on TV lately. “I don’t think I need to now, though—I have the real thing!” She excused herself and went back to her cabin.
    She was exhausted. As soon as she got back, she changed into a nightie, brushed her teeth and flopped down on her bed, letting the events of the day settle in on her. Her body was aching from the hike up Little Big Horn, which she had barely survived thanks to her none-too-impressive endurance. Underneath her throbbing muscles, she felt the residue of the deep satisfaction that Spencer had given her. She had to admit it—he had left her calm, content, and thoroughly satisfied.
    His eyes had been hooked to her all through dinner. She’d tried her best not to meet them, because she knew that if she did, what had happened between them would be written all over her face. The way he’d looked at her—she’d never felt so truly and genuinely desired before. It had almost made it hard for her to eat. Almost.
    But now what? Their lovemaking had seemed genuine and passionate, but was she just letting a bit of sex get to her head? What if he didn’t feel the same way? He told her that he wanted to get to know her and that he felt a pull towards her—but how could she know? It wasn’t like her to sleep with men she barely knew, and despite the draw she felt to Spencer, she was starting to doubt herself. Maybe hooking up with him had been a terrible mistake. Maybe he would hurt her just like the rest of them had.
    To make matters more confusing,