Cowboy Crushin' (Dalton Boys Book 3)

Five brides for five brothers…at least that’s the deal the Daltons have struck with their boys. Each son must marry in order to inherit a piece of the ranch they love so much.

Shelby has pulled up roots—again—and taken her funds from her latest divorce settlement to open a candy shop in Vixen, Texas. She wants better for her son than new men parading through his life because his mom can’t get herself together. The small town is the perfect place to avoid male interest—mainly because there aren’t many available.

When Witt spies the curvaceous new candy shop owner, he suddenly has a sweet tooth. Trouble is, so does every other man in the vicinity, including his brother Kade. Shelby seems to crave male attention, and they flock to her like bees to honey-flavored hardtack, though nothing she says or does seems genuine. Who is she really?

Burning to uncover her mysteries, Witt spends so much time in town that the ranch suffers. Afraid another man will snag her up, Witt sweeps her and her son away.

The Daltons feel like the family she’s never had and the gorgeous cowboy demands entry to her heart, but the fortress she’s built has deep foundations. Will she ever be ready to give her whole self?

Cowboy Crushin’

All Rights Reserved

Cowboy Crushin’

Copyright Em Petrova 2015

Kindle Edition

Cover design by Love, Lust and Lipstick Stains

Electronic book publication January 2015

Cowboy Crushin’

Witt Dalton was never going on a wife hunt again.

Since his parents had told him and his brothers they each needed a wife before they’d get a deed to their own piece of the ranch, he’d been schmoozing in Austin and dancing in Houston. He’d spent too much money trying to impress a sexy blonde in Waco. But this…this was the last time, dammit.

He got out of his truck, aware that he was wearing the same clothes as yesterday and he smelled like cheap booze and cheaper perfume.

What an idiot he’d been, letting a woman lead him around like he had a ring in his nose. Months ago he’d been the smart brother—saying they were spending too much time looking for women and not enough time ranching.

Then he’d watched Hank and Cash find beautiful wives and build homes. Now they each had a baby. Witt wasn’t signing up for the “baby on board” window sticker just yet—but he was lonely.

Which is how he’d ended up at a rodeo bar buying a certain little scamming female fruity drinks.

Then getting the shit kicked out of him when her husband walked in.

He ran his tongue over his split lower lip and concentrated on the throb in his eye socket. He hadn’t bothered to even look in the rearview mirror but he knew it was as black as his ribs after that kick from a cow.

“You’re up early.”

He threw a look over his shoulder to see his brother Kade coming out of the barn. Witt grunted in response and kept on walking.

“You didn’t come home last night.” Kade hurried to catch up with him.

“Sick and tired of everyone knowing my business,” he spat.

“Well it’s kinda hard, living on top of each other like we do.”

“That’s what I was trying to remedy.”

Kade caught his shoulder and whirled him around. His eyes widened in surprise then he burst out laughing. “Man, you look like shit. Bar fight?”

“You could say that.” Witt’s temper burned. He wasn’t angry at Kade for asking as much as he was at himself for not checking that woman’s marital status. But what was he supposed to do? She hadn’t been wearing a ring. Should he start asking to see wedding photos?

“I hope the other guy looks worse. Momma’s gonna shit when she sees you.”

Witt changed course. No way was he going to answer to his momma yet. He stalked to the corral and yanked open the gate. He snagged the looped rope dangling from Kade’s belt and whipped it.

The circle fell around a horse’s neck. As Witt pulled, it tossed its head. Usually he and his brothers had fun selecting their mount of the day, but he wasn’t in the mood to play.

He was still itching to fight. He hadn’t thrown a single punch, as he’d been in the wrong toying with that man’s wife.
Even if I didn’t know.
He’d taken his punches like a man and left.

Kade followed him out of the corral and closed the gate behind them. “Not gonna tell me what happened?”

“Nope.” He quickened his pace, leading the bronc to the barn where he could saddle it. When it resisted, Witt made a clicking noise. The animal perked up its ears and followed without a fight.

“Okay. I respect your silence, but if you wanna talk…”

“I don’t.” He met Kade’s gaze. This was his brother—one of his best buddies. As kids they’d raced horses and dug fishing worms. Until recently when Hank and Cash had moved out, they’d shared a room. He softened his tone. “Thanks.”

Kade gave a sharp nod and they got down to business. By the time their youngest brother Beck stumbled bleary-eyed from the house with his hat crooked, the two of them were saddled up. Hank and Cash were riding through the field, angling toward the main ranch.

When the five brothers met, all focus seemed to be on Witt’s bruised eye and swollen lip. Good thing they couldn’t see the heel-shaped mark high on his thigh, too close to his man-parts for comfort. Man, that woman’s husband had been
pissed off.
By Witt’s guess, it hadn’t been the first time he’d caught his wife trying to pick up men.

Cash opened his mouth to speak and Kade cleared his throat, tossing a look at each brother. Witt ducked his head and snapped the reins, grateful for his brother’s intervention.

While they checked the herd for injured animals and searched for any cows wandering from the others, he thought about the woman he’d taken a beating over. She hadn’t even been worth it. Pretty, yes. Sexy, absolutely. But did she make him feel warm and eager to see her again? Not really.

“If I had my guess, I’d say you met with an angry boyfriend,” Cash drawled.

Witt looked up, surprised to see his brother alongside him. “Husband.”

Cash’s brows disappeared under his hat brim.

“It’s not what it sounds like. I didn’t know. The woman wasn’t wearing a ring. And…oh hell, why am I explaining? It’s over. I got my ass kicked and learned my lesson.”

Cash nodded. “Find out if she’s married first.”

“No—I’m through with women. I don’t care if I get a chunk of this.” He waved a hand over the green fields that stretched for miles. “I’ll buy my own land.”

Cash pressed his lips into a line but didn’t speak. They finished their morning chores and headed back to the house for what they called second breakfast. Witt hadn’t even gotten a first breakfast. But he wouldn’t be able to enjoy his eggs and pancakes while facing his parents’ inquisition.

He sighed. No choice if he wanted to silence his growling stomach.

The minute he walked into the kitchen, Momma sucked in a breath through her teeth. The sound alerted Witt’s sisters-in-law, who turned to inspect him, babies in their arms.

He stomped to the sink and scrubbed his hands. Then he hooked a boot around the chair leg and yanked it out. He plunked down at the long table, ignoring the women’s questioning looks in favor of fresh biscuits with strawberry jam.

He’d eaten two before his father finally raised the topic. Seated at the head of the table, straight-backed and as crusty as they came, Ted eyed him. “You have a run-in with a cow this morning, Witt?”

“No.” He could lie, but he’d learned his lesson as a kid when he’d hogtied his baby brother Beck and left him sitting behind the barn. He’d gotten a good paddling for that, but his momma’s worry had really taught him not to lie. He had a soft spot for women and animals.

And kids.

He reached for the little boy Charlotte bounced on her shoulder. He took the cotton-clad baby and smiled at his shock of curly brown hair, just like his mother’s. Charlotte smiled too and started eating fast.

“Thanks for taking him, Witt,” she said between bites of buttery scrambled eggs. “It’s nice to eat without him grabbing the fork.”

The baby kicked, soft little thumps against Witt’s chest. He smelled fresh and felt nice to hold.

“After breakfast I’ll find a steak for that eye,” his mother said.

“Nah, it’s fine.” He bounced the baby once more and passed him off to his father before pushing back his chair. “I’ll be in the top field fixing the fence.”

On his way out of the kitchen, his father’s voice boomed. “Son.”

He pivoted, waiting for the inevitable.

“Best stay out of the bars if you want a good woman.”

He stuck his hat on his head, tugging the brim low over his eyes. “Figured that out, thanks.”

Laughter followed him to the front door.

“I won’t be lookin’ again,” he muttered and stomped outside, eager to find refuge in the land that would never belong to him.

At the bell on the shop door, Shelby automatically glanced up with a smile for the new customer despite the bruised feeling in the soles of her feet. No matter how much she loved her old cowgirl boots, they weren’t good for standing ten-hour days.

The older lady standing across the counter smiled at her. “I’d like a small box for my husband.”

When Shelby had taken her divorce settlement and moved to Vixen, Texas, everyone in her old life had called her crazy. Vixen was a ghost town. Nothing there but a school and a coffee shop.

But she’d gone with her gut instinct and opened The Sweet Tooth on the main street corner, right across from that coffee shop. Since grand opening, she’d been booming. She sold sweets to an almost constant rush of patrons. For a ghost town, there certainly were a lot of hungry people. When she wasn’t filling little blue boxes with cakes, cookies and candies, she was in the back making more.

“I’ll take one of these vanilla creams.” She pointed into the glass case at the fat hand-dipped confection drizzled with white chocolate.

“Good choice. My son loves these.” Shelby reached into the case with a tissue paper and plucked the chocolate from the tray.

The lady’s blue eyes lit behind her wire glasses. “I bet he loves just about everything here. Is he in school?”

“Not yet.” Shelby felt heat infuse her face. She hadn’t gotten around to enrolling Alex in school yet. After the divorce then the move…well, he hadn’t been the happiest five-year-old and she couldn’t bring herself to rock his life more by putting him in kindergarten. But it was on her must-do list.

That and about 300 other things. She sighed and smiled at the older woman. “Any others you’d like to add to your box?”

She selected the rest and winked at Shelby. “I’d better stop there. I’ll come back tomorrow for a few for myself.”

Shelby blinked. “Well that’s hardly fair. I can’t let you walk out without a treat of your own. How about this?” She snagged one from the tray and popped it into the box. “A pretty pink cake just for you. On the house.”

“You won’t make any money giving away treats!” The woman fumbled for a few dollars in her wallet.

“I insist.”

“Thank you. It’s good customer service. I should know. I ran this shop back in the day, except we sold ice creams and sweet teas. Everything a Texan needs on a hot afternoon.” She placed the bills on the counter then reached across and grabbed Shelby’s hand. “I’m Nell.”

“I’m Shelby. Thank you for your business. I hope to see you back.”

“Oh yes. I have a link to these tile floors and four walls. Love the new paint job, by the way. The perfect shade of pink.”

“Thank you. Enjoy, Nell.” She smiled at her then glanced to the next customer.

“Mom, your phone keeps buzzing.”

She looked around at her son Alex. His big brown eyes were a little bleary and he blinked like an owl from staring at the screen for an hour. “I think you’ve been playing that game too long. Why don’t you set my phone down and I’ll see why it’s buzzing in a minute.”

She knew why. Her ex was texting. Not her ex-husband. No, they’d been over for two years, but the paperwork had taken quite a while to come through. As soon as she’d gotten the decree in the mail, she’d picked up her phone and finally accepted a date with Vonny.

Another customer came in and she spent ten minutes walking the woman through her candy selection. She also learned that church services were every Sunday at nine.

“Mom, can I play a game on your phone now?” Alex asked.

“Not yet.” She picked up the phone and flipped through the screens. Vonny had a tendency to text things that made her blush five shades.

Tall, blond and saddle-sore from a long stint on the rodeo circuit, he’d been pestering Shelby for a date almost daily since the moment he’d seen her working in the diner. When she’d finally given in…well, fireworks didn’t begin to describe the chemistry between them.

After several weeks of dates, he’d insisted he was meeting Alex. At that point, she’d drawn the line in the dirt and given him a harsh shove out of her life, but he wouldn’t stop trying.

Alex plopped down on the floor, reminding her just how dead on her feet she was. Since closing the lease on the shop, she’d hit the ground sprinting. The paint job, setting up the seating, creating inventory. Even folding boxes took precious time. Determined she’d give her son as much attention as possible, she’d given up sleeping instead.

She waited on two more chatty customers, but she didn’t mind making friends in this small town. When the bell tinkled their exits, she breathed a sigh and crouched before Alex.

“Can I have licorice?” he asked.

“You ate too much already helping me test it, remember?” She poked his stomach, which probably needed real food. “Why don’t you grab your lunch we brought from home and I’ll sit with you while you eat.”

“Aren’t you going to eat?”

“I need coffee.”

Her phone buzzed again and she and Alex looked at it resting on the counter. She bit off a groan. At least Alex couldn’t read yet. Vonny could be texting her anything—last time he’d made her face burn by recounting a few things he’d done to her in the bedroom.

“Grab your lunch, buddy.”

Alex went into the back room and Shelby scooped up her phone. Without looking, she stuffed it in her back pocket and poured a tall black coffee.

Her phone rang.

Whipping it out, she held it to her ear. “Dammit, Vonny—”

“It’s not Vonny.” The deep, rich voice rumbled awareness through Shelby.

Crap.
“Jeff, what are you doing calling me?”

“I just found out you left town. I was calling to see where I’ll have to drive to meet you on my next week off.”