Free The Cowboy Claims His Lady by Meagan McKinney

public arena she might have succumbed, right then and there.
    â€œIs the battle mine?” he whispered harshly when he broke away.
    â€œYou won’t win the war,” she almost panted.
    â€œTake it one fight at a time, love. You might find we’re on the same side.”
    She wanted to laugh and cry at the same time. He inspired feelings inside her that she thought Mitch had destroyed. It was a shock to find she was still human and breathing and feeling, after all she’d been through.
    It was also a shock to see she still held hope inside her, as if it were some kind of precious gem that, no matter how she denied its existence, still shone within her, everlasting.
    â€œMaybe this wasn’t such a good idea,” she whispered, her hand across her mouth as if her lips still burned from the kiss. She wondered if she hadn’t just yanked the tail of a sleeping beast.
    â€œNo, it’s a great idea.” He grinned, his mouth twisting in a lopsided way that made him—all steely muscles and steely eyes—look boyish.
    Her gaze locked with his, and her confidence that she could control him faded with every excited beat of her heart.
    â€œDo we start tonight?” He placed his hand on her waist and tried to kiss her again.
    She nearly jumped. “Hey—let’s not get carried away. I can’t win right away. This has to look realistic.”
    â€œYou mean you want a challenge?”
    â€œYes. This has to be a bit of a challenge, don’t you think? Or Hazel won’t believe it.”
    â€œI’ll make Hazel believe it.”
    â€œThat’s the spirit,” she said, her heartbeat calming.
    â€œBut I got no tolerance for teasing.”
    â€œWhat do you think I plan to do? Show up on the trail ride in just my panties and bra?” She laughed. “We’re on a dude ranch. It’ll be a miracle if you can still tell I’m a woman underneath all the dust and sweat in this place.”
    â€œYou’re the Panty Princess. Don’t know what you sell in that shop down in New Orleans, but I know I don’t want to be teased by it.”
    â€œThis is just to fool Hazel,” she countered. “I’m not really going to try and seduce you. You do understand that, don’t you?”
    He nodded.
    Then, with a harsh whisper, he said, “I know. ’Cause I’m going to seduce you.”
    Â 
    The crisp mountain air was something Lyndie was unused to. Riding Girlie along McCallum land, she revelled in the expansive view of rock and snow and velvety green valleys. They had breakfast on one side of the Continental Divide and lunch on the other. It was the first time in her life she’d tasted water that led to two different oceans.
    â€œHaving fun?” Annette asked, pulling her horse next to Lyndie’s.
    Lyndie smiled. “Having a blast. How about you?”
    â€œIt’s a dream come true. I had no idea heaven was in Mystery, Montana.”
    Lyndie looked around her. It was heaven.
    The last of the sun bronzed the face of the Divide, turning the snowtops to molten gold. Long blue shadows fingered up through the valleys to meet the thunderous cloudbank overhead. The scenery around her enticed and threatened like none other.
    Except the cowboy who headed the trail.
    Lyndie kept an eye on Bruce. He slouched deep in his saddle, clearly a veteran of trail rides. Beastie Boy kept a sure foot on the narrow trail.
    It had been like this for three days. After her challenge, instead of playing along, all he did was ignoreher. She was ready to give up the joke because it wasn’t being played out too effectively. It was hard to pretend-seduce someone who didn’t even look at you.
    â€œAre you finally ready to embrace cowboy life, Lyndie?” Roger called out from behind.
    â€œI’d have to be blind not to love it here,” she called back, realizing it was true. For three days she’d done nothing but eat, sleep