Stealing The Cowboy's Heart. Debbi Rawlins

blinked to make sure he was real. She almost demanded to see the stupid, heart-shaped tattoo he’d gotten the night he and Gary had both scored low at the Laredo rodeo and blew their shot at the national finals. Drunk and reckless, they’d crossed into Mexico, looking for trouble. Hadn’t taken them long to find it.

      Kylie remembered well because she’d driven five hundred miles to bail them out. “What are you doing here?”

      Landon gave his Stetson another twirl, then set it on his head and straightened away from the truck. “Is that it? Not even a hello?”

      “There must be a rodeo in the area,” she said, her brain scrambling to make sense of this—of Landon. Standing in front of her. How could he have gotten better looking in a year? And, whoa, that kind of thinking had to stop right now.

      “No rodeo.”

      Of course not. She would’ve known. Even though she’d shied away from any talk related to the sport, anything new coming to the area had people buzzing for weeks. She didn’t care how Gary was doing, whether good or bad. The knife of betrayal had cut too deep.

      A horrifying thought occurred to her. She tried hard to peer through the tinted windows. “Is Gary with you?”

      “Nope,” Landon said, studying her closely. “Just me.”

      “I don’t understand.”

      “I came to see you.”

      “Me? Why?”

      “Look, Kylie,” he said, sighing. “We...didn’t exactly part on a good note, and that’s bothered me. But I did as you asked and left you alone, even though it’s not what I wanted.”

      Oh, God. The things she’d said to him her last night in Iowa. Any problems she’d had with Gary had nothing to do with Landon. At least not directly. If anything, her own guilt over having a thing for Landon had pushed her to blame him. The fuse had been lit the first day they’d met, and continued to spark, no matter how hard she fought it.

      Landon had just returned to rodeo after taking a year off due to a family emergency. If she hadn’t already been drawn to the way he smiled and those deep blue eyes, finding out he was a man who had his priorities straight would’ve sealed the deal for her.

      She’d never acted on the attraction, even though it had gotten too close for comfort. Despite everything, she’d been certain it was going to be her and Gary forever. Even during those last two rough years when Gary had changed.

      She’d done her best to treat Landon like everyone else. Even though he was nothing like the rest of Gary’s friends. He’d always complimented her cooking, never once forgot to thank her, and always insisted on helping her clean the kitchen.

      That small rented house had been open to Gary’s friends. A lot of the guys had come and gone as they pleased. But Landon Kincaid had been the only one who’d kept her up at night with guilt.

      “Kylie?”

      She blinked. “What?”

      Landon smiled. “We’re still friends, aren’t we?”

      “I don’t know.” She felt a little dizzy. “Are we?”

      “I wouldn’t be standing here if I thought otherwise.”

      “How did you know I was here?”

      “Your mom.”

      “My mom. Figures. Does Gary know?” she asked, holding her breath. All she needed was him showing up and causing a scene.

      Landon’s expression tightened. “If you’re still hung up on him, Kylie, you need to tell me right now.”

      “Are you serious? Do I look like a doormat?” She bristled, then gave in to curiosity. “Why would you even care?”

      His eyes narrowed, then flickered with amusement. “Oh, I don’t know,” he said quietly. “Maybe because we’re friends.”

      She knew—they both did—that it was more than that. But a year had come and gone, and he still thought about her? She’d never stopped thinking about him, either, but that was different. Wasn’t it?

      She couldn’t do a thing about the heat of embarrassment crawling up her neck and into her face. But she could stand her ground. “Friends or not,” she said, “you didn’t even give me the courtesy of a heads-up.”

      “True. I guess I was worried you’d—” Lifting a shoulder, he glanced away and dragged a hand down his unshaven jaw as he watched a truck cruise by. “Is that motel with the red roof the only one in town?”

      “There’s a small inn at the other end of Main Street.” Kylie’s heart fluttered. “How long are you staying?”

      “A week, maybe two.” He stared back, watching her closely enough it made her edgy. “If that’s all right with you.”

      Jeez, it was hard to keep her expression neutral. To shove aside the curiosity, excitement and fear churning in her stomach. Normally she wasn’t one to compare people, but the difference between her ex and Landon was glaringly obvious.

      Gary had been strictly a rodeo junkie, but Landon was the real thing. The epitome of the strong silent cowboy depicted by Hollywood. Not only was he a born rancher, he was unfailingly polite and he always managed to hold on to his temper no matter how angry or disappointed he was. In fact, Landon seldom gave away his thoughts. He could be so stoic at times, unless he was trying to make a point.

      But he also didn’t make promises to women that he had no intention of keeping. Or at least that’s what she wanted to believe.

      She shouldn’t have been angry with him. He hadn’t encouraged Gary to start drinking and cheating. But he hadn’t told Kylie about Gary two-timing her, either. And that hurt. Everyone following the tour must’ve known. Sure, he’d toed the line when she’d joined him at the nearby rodeos, but when she hadn’t been in the stands, he’d indulged to his heart’s content. All while she was back in Iowa being the good girl, keeping the home fires burning and waiting for her man.

      Her useless, lying, cheating man.

      Well, to hell with being the good girl. She wouldn’t touch her neckline. It could plunge to her navel for all she cared.

      “Last I spoke with Gary, he didn’t know where you were,” Landon said, breaking into her thoughts. “Is he still calling?”

      Surprised that he wouldn’t know what was going on with his best buddy, Kylie wasn’t quick to reply. “He slowed down six months ago. I still get the occasional call but I haven’t spoken to him. The times he left messages he sounded drunk.”

      Landon gave a slow, troubled nod. His gaze wandered down the front of her dress to her high heels—only three inches, but high for her. He lingered on her red-painted toenails, a ghost of a smile tugging at his mouth. “Did I tell you how nice you look?”

      “Yes,” she said. Great. Here her blush had just begun to settle. “Thank you.”

      “I don’t recall ever seeing you in anything but T-shirts and jeans.”

      “They’re comfortable and practical.” She gestured to the bakery. “No point in dressing fancy. I’m always spilling something.”

      Landon chuckled. “I remember,” he said, and looked into the bakery window and then at the sign. “You always said you’d open a bakery someday. And you did it. Good for you, Kylie. I’m proud of you.”

      Sincerity darkened his eyes and stirred something in her chest. “Save the sentiment until I start making a profit. I’m in debt up to my eyeballs.”

      “You can’t have been open long. Wait till word spreads. You’ll have people coming from miles away for your apple turnovers and chocolate dream cake.”

      “Oh, word is going to spread all right,”