Rebel Cowbear (Lone Star Cowbears Book 1) Page 2

  “Come on, live a little.” Zack pointed the spatula at his brother. “You can’t turn your nose up at good barbecue. That would be un-Texan-like. There’s not a bear in Old Lake County who can resist it. Come to the dark side.”

  “Ugh.”

  Zack chuckled. At least Remy liked fish. If any of his other brothers ever told him that they were going vegetarian, he’d have to beat that nonsense out of them real quick.

  “I’ve gotten this far without eating that stuff,” Remy said. “I’m sure I can hold out a little longer.”

  “More for us then,” Kody chimed in as he arrived with an armful of plates. His younger brother slapped Remy on the back with his free hand. Wine sloshed over the edge of Remy’s glass.

  “Watch it!” Remy snapped. “Do you know how much this vintage costs?”

  “Let me guess—expensive?” Kody smirked.

  “That’s putting it lightly,” Remy said. “This is from a vineyard out west that only sells a few bottles a year. It’s very exclusive.”

  “Tell me the food will be ready before he bores us to death with another dissertation on the fine art of winemaking,” Kody said.

  “It’s coming off the grill right now.” Zack rang the cowbell to let his other siblings know that the food was ready.

  “Thank God,” Kody said. “If I have to sit through another one of Remy’s Wine Spectator-induced lessons, I’m throwing him on the grill.”

  “You’re not cooking our brother,” Beth scolded as she entered the barbecue area. She set a large pitcher of iced tea in the center of the table. “Now, set the table or you’re going to be the one on the wrong side of that spatula.”

  “I’m going,” Kody said before muttering, “How does she do that?”

  “I found it best never to ask,” Zack said. “But if I had to speculate, I’d say she was gifted with supersonic bear hearing.”

  “I heard that.” Beth arched a brow.

  Zack laughed. He strolled over to one of the large wooden picnic tables which sat under a canopy of huge, southern red oak trees. As he helped Kody set the table, he inhaled the rich, earthy scent of summertime. A huge blue sky hung over the ranch. But that didn’t mean much. A thunderstorm could blow in without warning, so he’d learned to enjoy the weather while it lasted.

  “Keep it up, boys. I have a pitcher of ice-cold tea with your name on it.” Beth hoisted the pitcher over her head.

  “Don’t hurt the cook.” Zack held up his hands in mock surrender.

  “Slow down before you knock something over,” Beth told Kody as he rushed to set the table.

  Zack secretly enjoyed Beth’s mother-hen-like attitude. It was more endearing than annoying. Even though they were all grown men, she seemed to enjoy babying them. As the only woman in a house full of brothers, she needed to stand her ground—and she did. They knew better than to cross her. After losing their mother when they were in their teens, she’d stepped in to help keep them in line. Lord knows their father wasn’t about to lift a finger, God rest his troubled soul.

  Harley and Diesel arrived with a bowl full of corn on the cob and another filled with baked beans. They set the sides on the table.

  “Catch any gators?” Zack asked.

  “Nah, but we lost another cow,” Diesel grumbled.

  “I’d like to get my hands on one of those gators. I need a new pair of boots,” Harley said.

  “Are those gator shifters still trespassing on our property?” Zack asked.

  “I’d bet my left nu—”

  “Watch your mouth,” Beth snapped.

  “Sorry,” Harley said.

  “Those Thompson brothers are a pain in the a—butt,” Zack said. “If I ever catch them slithering around here, they’ll wish they’d never left the bayou.”

  “I don’t know why Sheriff Baxley won’t go after them,” Beth said.

  “Not enough proof. They’re sneaky bastards.” Zack ignored Beth’s stink-eye. “If I ever catch them slaughtering our animals, I’m going after them claw first and I’ll ask questions later.”

  “Are we getting grub anytime soon, or are we gonna have to order takeout?” Jameson arrived with two beers in hand—late, as usual.

  “How nice of you to join us,” Kody said.

  “Hold your fur, Jameson. Food’s coming.” Zack nodded toward the beers. “Isn’t it a little early for that?”

  “What?” Jameson asked with a shrug. “It’s noon and Remy’s already chugging wine.”

  “I’m not chugging,” Remy muttered.

  “If I have to do extra chores again because you didn’t pull your weight, I’m going to thrash you myself,” Harley said.

  “Just because Aaron left you in charge doesn’t mean you have to be a jerk. I always get my stuff done,” Jameson grumbled before taking a long swig from the bottle.

  “Hey,” Beth said. “No arguing at the table. I know your bear’s probably aching for a fight, but we don’t roughhouse during meals. We should take the time to be thankful for all that we have, including each other.”

  Everyone stared at Jameson until he muttered, “Sorry.”

  Zack plopped two plates down in the middle of the table. As his siblings hauled hunks of steak and piled hamburgers onto their plates, he returned to the grill. He’d set the best cut aside for himself. Chef’s prerogative. When he returned to the table, he added a piece of grilled corn and heaping spoonful of smoked barbecue beans to the plate. His mouth watered as he surveyed the appetizing feast.

  “Aaron called,” Harley said. “He said Drew and Cindy’s wedding at Curvy Bear Ranch was beautiful. I’d love to go visit our cousins in Montana. I haven’t been there in years.”

  “When things slow down here, you can take a vacation,” Zack said.

  “Aaron won’t be back until next week,” Harley said. “He warned me that he’d better not come back to a mess.”

  “I swear you boys don’t know how to have any fun when you’re away from the ranch for more than a day,” Beth said. “Of course we’re not going to turn this place to a pigsty while he’s gone. He shouldn’t even be worrying about it.”

  “Aaron’s so uptight sometimes,” Kody said. “I know how to have fun when I’m on vacation.”

  “I hope you told Aaron to calm down and enjoy his vacation,” Beth said.

  “Yeah,” Harley said. “He’s just worried that the cottages won’t be ready. With all of those people coming in for the barbecue competition, we’ll be packed.”

  “We’ll be ready,” Zack said.

  “Speaking of getting ready for things,” Jamison said. “Are you ready for the contest, Zack?”

  “I can’t wait to rake the competition across the coals,” Zack said.

  “I heard that people are flying in from all over the country,” Jamison said. “You might have some stiff competition.”

  “Brother, have some faith,” Zack teased. “Before this is over, those judges will be falling all over themselves trying to pin that first-place ribbon on my chest.”

  “You’ll need more than just a cocky attitude if you want to win this one,” Beth said.

  “I’m not cocky,” Zack said. “Just confident.”

  “If you’re so confident, then why won’t you let us sample your new recipe?” Kody asked.

  “He has a point,” Remy added.

  “I don’t want your negative energy screwing up my cooking mojo,” Zack said. “Don’t worry, you’ll be able to eat the fruits of my labor after the contest.”

  “I can’t wait to see you in action,” Kody said. “It’s over at the fairgrounds, right?”

  “Yep. It starts at 8 a.m. tomorrow.”

  “Some of us have to stay here and keep the ranch running,” Harley said. “We can’t all go MIA at the same time.”

  “I’m not going,” Diesel said. “I don’t see any reason to take time away from here for some silly contest.”

  Zack pressed his lips together. There wasn’t any point in arguing with his brother. The co
mpetition was going to change his life. It wasn’t a “silly contest.” Nothing was going to keep him from achieving his dream. Nothing.

  As much as he loved living with his siblings, the main house was too crowded. As soon as he won the competition, he’d take the $100,000 cash prize and break ground on his dream home. He’d build it on the other side of the ranch, as far away from the main house as possible. Once the project was complete, he’d finally have the privacy he craved. And maybe once he had a place of his own, he could start looking for a woman to be his wife.

  Chapter 2

  Kim let out a sigh of relief as the sign for Bucking Bear Ranch came into view. She’d left the small town of Lost Hills, Texas almost thirty minutes ago and had been driving through the middle of nowhere. She hadn’t seen a single person since leaving Main Street behind.

  After discovering that every hotel in town was booked, a nice lady at one of the reception desks had called the ranch to see if they had space available in one of their cottages. She’d been ready to turn around and head home, but fortunately they’d had one available rental.

  As she drove down the long, gravel driveway, she admired the sprawling property. She rolled down the window and inhaled the earthy scent of hay. Alongside the road, native grasses billowed in the wind. Ancient oak trees dotted the hills. Several horses roamed around a paddock, while others lingered under the shade of a huge windmill. The roof of an enormous red barn peeked over one of the hills.

  In the distance, a large two-story ranch house sat against a backdrop of brilliant blue sky. A wraparound porch and a large bed of wildflowers flanked either side of the front entrance. Several chickens roamed free, pecking at the ground. The whole place exuded a homey, welcoming feel worthy of the front cover of a magazine. Better Homes and Gardens would love this place. Talk about a rancher’s dream home.

  The closer she drove toward the house, the larger it became. Wow, the family who owned the ranch must be huge to require such a big home. She hadn’t asked too many questions when she’d booked the place. She was just grateful to have a bed to sleep in at night.

  Several small cottages sat about a hundred yards back from the main house. Painted shades of green, tan, and brown, the tiny houses blended in to the surrounding landscape. Evenly cut grass filled the space between them. She couldn’t wait to find out which one would be hers.

  She parked alongside the house next to a couple of older model pickup trucks. As she gathered her bags, a quiver of excitement raced down her spine. So far, the trip had been successful. Maybe she did have a chance at winning the barbecue contest.

  As she made her way to the front door, she smiled. A small sign read:

  Welcome home! Come on in to register. There’s no need to knock.

  She pushed open the door and entered the foyer. The spicy scent of barbecue sauce filled the air. Garlic, brown sugar, and was that chili powder mixed in? Interesting. She’d have to find the cook and see if she could learn some new tricks.

  “Can I help you?”

  She jumped as she turned to face the man who’d spoken.

  “Sorry,” he said. “I didn’t mean to scare you.”

  The man’s deep voice rolled through her like whiskey. Rich. Smoky. Smooth, but with an aftertaste that made her tingle in all the right places. For the life of her, she couldn’t remember how to speak.

  “I’m Zack,” he said.

  Her gaze raked across his body. The man was a wet dream come to life. His black tank top revealed hints of intricate, colorful tattoos. Just enough to make her want to peel it off so she could see more. The shirt clung to his muscles and accentuated a wide chest and solid abs. Black jeans melted over him like butter. Good Lord, what did his ass look like in them? She wanted to spin him around and take a peek, but decided that it would be totally inappropriate to ogle him like an Angus steak.

  A smile crinkled the corners of his golden brown eyes. His gaze lingered on her in a way that made her feel completely exposed. Naked. Yes, very naked. This one was trouble—the kind of trouble she wanted to get into. And she wasn’t sure if that was a good thing or bad thing at the moment. He possessed the hungry gaze of a wild animal stalking his next meal. And dammed if she didn’t want to get eaten.

  “Are you okay?” He peered at her from under a brown Stetson.

  Bad boy cowboy. Sexy, bad boy cowboy. God, her brain was completely short-circuiting.

  “Um…yeah. My name is Kim. Paulson. Kim Paulson.” She stumbled across her words. “I’m here for one of the cottages.”

  “Right.”

  As he strolled across the room, she studied his tight butt. She wanted to kiss whoever had invented jeans. They could showcase a man’s backside better than any other article of clothing. And what a butt. The man could be one of those rugged, cowboy models she always saw in work-clothing magazines. Below the curve of his ass, firm, thick thighs tensed and contracted with every step.

  When he stopped, she whipped her gaze up. He stood next to a polished counter which separated the living room from the kitchen. A leather-bound guest book lay open. He flipped through the ledger before turning it around.

  “Fill this out, and I’ll be happy to show you to your cottage.”

  He stretched his muscular arm across the counter to where keys dangled from a rack on the wall. What would it feel like to be wrapped up in all that power? She wasn’t a small girl by any means, but standing next to him she felt positively delicate.

  “Thanks,” she said.

  As she reached for a pen, he moved to set the keys on the counter. The moment her fingers brushed against his, sparks of awareness sizzled throughout her entire body. They traveled the path of least resistance straight to her quivering sex. She shivered and inhaled his intoxicating scent. When she opened her eyes, he was staring at her.

  “Are you barbecuing?” Kim asked in an attempt to cover up her reaction.

  “Yep, I’m fixing ribs for dinner,” he said. “You’re welcome to eat with us, but I recommend getting down here early before my brothers devour it all. Fair warning: they eat like animals.”

  “When will it be served?” she asked.

  “In about thirty minutes.”

  “It smells amazing. You used garlic and chili powder for sure,” Kim said. “But what else is in there? Maybe a hint of brown sugar?”

  “Damn, you’re good.”

  Kim blushed. She’d spent the last few days memorizing the scent of every herb in her collection. She already knew them well, but reviewing the basics was just one of the many techniques she’d used to mentally prepare herself. If she wanted to beat the best, she had to train like a champion. Going up against some of the best cooks in Texas was one hell of a long shot, but her mom was right—she had to try. Hopefully she’d been right when she’d guessed the ingredients.

  “You got all that from one whiff?” he asked.

  “I have a well-trained nose.”

  “Not many people can do that. Are you a chef?” he asked.

  “I’m actually a caterer, but I love experimenting with new recipes when I’m not at work.”

  As he leaned closer, an exotic, spicy scent charged the air between them. The cowboy smelled good enough to eat. If she ever had the chance to lick any part of him, she’d take it. Although, a man as hot as this guy had to be married. She glanced at his ring finger. Nope. Well then…

  “Maybe we can whip up a new dish together sometime.” He flashed a naughty smile.

  She had a feeling this wasn’t the first time he’d used his rugged good looks to melt a woman’s panties. The man knew what he was doing. He probably had a string of women lined up, ready to pounce.

  She grabbed the keys off of the counter. What was wrong with her? She’d never lost her mind over a man’s flirtatious smile and bedroom eyes before, but this one… this one was getting to her.

  “Ready to check out the cottage?” he asked.

  “Yes.”

  “Follow me.”

  He picked up
her bags and headed toward the back of the house. As she followed, she shook her head. The competition would be stressful enough without an added layer of sexual tension. If she managed to win the first-place prize, she’d be able to pay off all of her mom’s medical bills and she’d get her own show on the Chef’s Network. She needed to put her game face on and focus. Messing around with a hot cowboy wouldn’t help her win. If anything, it would be a huge distraction. But that wouldn’t stop her from stealing a few glances at his butt from time to time. Even now, his jeans clung to him in all the right places.

  As they walked through the open space behind the home, the vastness of the ranch struck her. It stretched all the way back to a thick grove of cypress trees. A river snaked along the edge of the property before disappearing into a bayou. Southeast Texas butted up against Louisiana, land of a thousand swamps.

  “We don’t have much in way of activities for guests,” he said. “There’s a lazy river up ahead that makes for good swimming, but keep your eyes out for gators. We don’t usually see any in these parts, but once in a while one sneaks onto the property. If our horses are in a decent mood, you could take one out for a ride as long as someone supervises. Any of my siblings would be happy to serve as your guide.”

  “Do you ever lead horse rides?” she asked. If he’d serve as her trail guide, she’d gladly go horseback riding.

  “Sometimes…” As he glanced over his shoulder, his voice dropped to a sultry tone. “…when I find a guest worthy of my time.”

  His teasing, pompous comment should have raised her hackles, but it didn’t. Instead, she couldn’t help but wonder what it would take to get him to take her for a ride…on a horse. Not him—that would be too distracting.

  “What brings you to Bucking Bear Ranch?” he asked.

  “I’m here for the barbecue competition.”

  “Well you’re in for quite a show. The best cooks in Texas will be competing. It’s going to be fun,” he said.