The Rancher's Hand-Picked Bride. Elizabeth August

sky. “I’ll find my own wife.”

      “You’re too busy running this ranch for your mother and overseeing the family’s oil interests. And,” Morning Hawk added sharply, “I didn’t care at all for that last floozy you were seeing. She made me question your taste or, at least, the places where you meet women.”

      “Floozy?” Jess questioned pointedly. “Are you talking about Jeanette Harrison, our neighbor’s daughter? She speaks four languages. She’s traveled all over the world and she has a personal fortune of her own. I don’t believe floozy is a fair description.”

      “Well, she’d never be happy living here. That socialite mother of hers has made certain that no Texas dust settled on her daughter. You need a woman who will love this land and this kind of life as much as you do.”

      Jess’s gaze leveled on his great-grandmother. “I will choose the kind of woman I want to marry.”

      Morning Hawk stared back at him. “I can be just as hardheaded as you.”

      “More,” he muttered under his breath.

      “This is important to me. I rarely ask you to do something for me, but I’m asking now. Let Gwen find three women who fit both your criteria and mine. Take them out. Get to know them. If none of them appeals to you, I will feel that I have, at least, done my best.”

      For a long moment Jess made no response. Then in an easy drawl, he said, “I want your word that if I do this, you will never interfere in my private life again.”

      “You have my word.”

      Gwen had watched from the sidelines with dry amusement. She knew Morning Hawk’s reputation for getting what she wanted, but she also knew how stubborn Jess could be and had no doubt he would win out. Suddenly realizing that he was conceding to his great-grandmother’s wishes, her amusement vanished. “Now, wait. Wait just one minute,” she blurted. “Finding a wife is a lot more difficult than investigating someone. I really don’t think I’m the person for this job.”

      Morning Hawk smiled at her. “Of course you are. I trust you. You’re a good, decent person and I know you will do an excellent job.”

      Jess smiled cynically. “What Gwen means is that she doesn’t think she can find a woman who’d put up with me.”

      Morning Hawk’s gaze swung back to him. “Considering the way you behave sometimes, I can’t blame her. But I know you better than she does. You’ll make a fine husband…provided she finds a woman who knows how to handle you.”

      “I really can’t take this job,” Gwen insisted, rising from her chair.

      Morning Hawk rose, too, and laid a hand on Gwen’s arm. “But you must. You’re the only one I would trust with such a quest. Even though you and my great-grandson obviously have a strong personality clash that has prevented you from being friends, you’re an honest person who would do her best, no matter what the circumstances.”

      “I’m not a matchmaker.”

      “Let me talk to Gwen alone,” Jess interjected.

      “It won’t do any good.” Gwen edged toward the door. She was uncomfortable being in the same room with Jess Logan. The last thing she wanted was to be alone in one with him.

      Challenge showed in Jess’s eyes. “Don’t tell me you’re afraid…not the leather-tough lady who can handle every problem on her own.”

      Gwen’s shoulders straightened with defiance. “Don’t be ridiculous. Of course I’m not afraid of you.”

      “Behave yourselves,” Morning Hawk ordered, heading to the door.

      Gwen barely heard, her gaze locked with Jess’s, blocking out nearly everything else. When Jess was angry or determined, his dark brown eyes turned nearly black, intimidating his opponents into submission, but she was equally determined that no man, not even Jess Logan, was going to intimidate her. “You can talk until you’re blue in the face,” she said the moment the door closed behind Morning Hawk, “but I’m not taking this job.”

      Breaking his gaze from hers, Jess drew a terse breath. “Look, I don’t like this any better than you do, but when my great-grandmother sets her mind to something, she can make a person’s life miserable until she gets her way. I’ll pay you ten thousand dollars to find three reasonably pleasant women for me to take out on a couple of dates each. That way, I’ll have lived up to my end of the bargain and Morning Hawk will have to live up to hers.”

      “I’m not interested in taking your money.”

      Jess scowled. “Next to my great-grandmother, you are the most stubborn, bullheaded woman I’ve ever known. No, I take that back. You’re even more stubborn and bullheaded than she is.”

      “I’ll take that as a compliment. Now if you’ll excuse me, I’ve business elsewhere.” Gwen started to the door, inwardly relieved that she’d delivered her exit line and could be on her way.

      But before she had gone two paces, Jess’s hand closed around her arm, bringing her to a halt. His calluses were rough against her skin but instead of feeling abrasive, they caused an intense sensual stirring deep within. She rebelled against this sensation. I am not my mother, she seethed at herself. Aloud she snapped, “Let go of me,” and attempted to twist free.

      Jess released her and held up his hand in a sign of peace. “Okay, okay. I didn’t want to turn this into another of our skirmishes. All I want is to pacify Morning Hawk.” A dry smile curled one corner of his mouth. “And save you some trouble. She’s got her mind set on you doing this for her and she’ll pester you until you do. Believe me, I know.”

      Gwen held her arms stiffly at her sides, fighting the urge to rub off the lingering effect of his touch while she considered his words. She guessed he was right. It was common knowledge that when Morning Hawk set her mind to something, it remained set. Besides, she did owe the woman for talking her out of doing something that could have proved to be very foolish. This would clear up that debt, then she would never have to have anything to do with any of the Logans or their kin again. “Okay,” she agreed grudgingly. “But I won’t take your money. I’ll bill your grandmother for my time like I would any other client. And,” she added firmly, “I’ll do my best to find suitable candidates. I hope you’ll treat them with respect.”

      “I always treat women with respect.”

      Gwen gave him a dry look, then strode out of the room. A curl of guilt wove through her. The skeptical glance she’d tossed at him had been unfair. The truth was she had no reason to doubt his statement. In fact, she had every reason to accept it as fact. She’d never known him to treat anyone with disrespect unless they deserved it.

      Morning Hawk was waiting on the porch. “Well, will you accept my quest?”

      “I’ll find three candidates.”

      Morning Hawk grinned widely. “I’m sure you’ll seek out the perfect wife for my great-grandson.” Her manner became businesslike. “Do you want to move in tonight or wait until tomorrow?”

      Gwen stared. “Move in?” she finally managed to choke out.

      “Well, of course. You have to get to know Jess before you can find a match for him.”

      “I don’t think getting to know him will prove useful. You can both just give me a list of criteria and I’ll go from there.”

      “Don’t be ridiculous. To do the job right will require much more knowledge than what we can put on paper.”

      “Really, Great-Grandma.” Jess stepped out onto the porch. Obviously he’d been listening from the hall and decided that his intervention was necessary. “There’s no reason for Gwen to move in.”

      “This is your life. She must understand it and you to find the right woman for you.”

      It was clear to Gwen from the expression on Jess’s face