I slammed the truck door, and squinted. It was too damn sunny out here today. I probably wouldn’t have even noticed if I hadn’t drunk half a fifth of bourbon the night before.

I hadn’t slept well all damn week, and booze was the only thing that seemed to help. It was strange sleeping on land that wasn’t yours, or anybody else’s. The house, the ranch, the stables, none of it was mine even though I was running it.

The Rocking Horse Ranch was beautiful and I loved it. The horses, the cattle, the land itself was as familiar to me as the back of my own hand. I’d poured blood, sweat and even some tears into it over the last decade. But it belonged to Hank, the old man who’d taken me under his wing so long ago. The man whom I loved like a father, even though we weren’t blood.

And now he was gone.

I wondered briefly if I should take off my hat before I went into the lawyer’s office. It was in one of the fanciest buildings in town, and I wasn’t sure what the dress code was. Then I shrugged. I was a man who had worn whatever I damn well wanted to my entire life, Hank wouldn’t expect me to stop now.

Still, I wanted to do right by him. He’d been cantankerous at times, but the old man had a heart of gold. I’d discovered that the first time I caught him talking to the horses when he thought no one was looking.

I nearly smiled at the memory.

The man had cooed and fawned over those creatures like a mother with her baby cradled against her chest. I had cleared my throat and watched him turn beet red. That was the first year I’d been on the ranch, and I’d never let him live it down.

I exhaled and patted my hat. It was staying. I’d take it off in church and that was about it.

Hell, I’d worn the damn thing to bed a few times.

Speaking of bed… there was a real honey standing by the curb, fussing with a parking meter. I looked her over and grinned. She was a curvy little thing, all soft angles and glowing skin. Her profile was an attention grabber too. Pretty was an understatement, with her button nose, pouty lips and shiny light brown hair.

But it was the rest of her that had me wide awake for the first time in days.

Kapow, the woman was stacked.

Lady luck smiled on me as the woman dropped her coins and bent over to pick them up. I was by her side in a minute, using my most charming drawl.

“Let me help you with those, darlin’.”

She glanced over her shoulder at me and I froze, almost forgetting to breathe. I’d thought her pretty, but I was wrong. She was movie star beautiful. Her bright blue eyes knocked the wind right out of me. She glared, pressing her full pink lips into a line.

“No, thank you!”

I didn’t stop picking up the coins, or getting a good look at the cleavage exposed by her button down shirt. She smelled good too.

Kind of like… fresh baked muffins. That was it. The woman smelled sweet and satisfying, all at once.

I inhaled deeply and decided she deserved a ride on the merry-go-round, just for smelling so damn sweet.

She got the rest of the coins and stood. I took my time, taking in all the ‘sights’. Then I gave her a slow smile. The kind that made women melt.

Not that I’d melted anyone in a dog’s age.

“Here you go, sweetheart.”

Her eyes narrowed and her spine straightened. That only served to push her breasts out in a spectacular fashion. My smiled widened so far it felt like my face might crack.

“I didn’t ask for your help, and you can stop looking down my shirt!”

“Now, can I help it if the view is good from up here?”

I slid a coin into the slot as she pushed me out of the way.

“Don’t be disgusting.”

“Appreciating the finer things in life is important. And you are more than fine.”

“That cowboy charm might work on someone else, but I’m not interested.”

I shook my head, starting to wonder what had her all worked up. I was just expressing interest. I wasn’t pawing her or anything. She wasn’t married. I’d checked her ring finger first thing.

“Suit yourself, darlin’. I’ll see you around.”

“I doubt it.”

I just smiled, tipped my hat and walked away. Little did she know how small this town was. Even though I spent most of my time on the ranch, I might find time to swing into town more often if I knew I stood a chance of bumping into her.

If nothing else, I knew I’d see her in my dreams tonight.