The Taming of Delaney Fortune. Michelle Major
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As “military brats” of Latino heritage, the Mendoza kids had definitely made an impression wherever they went. He’d felt as if it were his job to make sure the impression was a good one. He’d had a natural gift for influencing people that had served him well both as a boy and later as he started his career. Plus, he always liked a challenge, which was part of the reason he’d taken the job at Cowboy Country. His reputation in Miami was solid. It was time he made a name for himself in other areas.
“You and Mom set the bar high,” he told his father, standing and taking their trash to a nearby garbage can. “I’ll get there, Papi, don’t worry. But right now I’m focused on business.” Still, an image of Delaney and her cornflower-blue eyes popped into his mind. He shook off the mental picture.
“I know you will, son.” Orlando gave him a knowing smile. “You’re a Mendoza. We’re built for true love.”
Cisco wasn’t sure he agreed, but he didn’t argue. Right now all he wanted was to make this deal with the Cowboy Condos a success and move on to even larger projects. Texas was a big state, and he intended to conquer every inch of it.
“Stop fidgeting.” Jeanne Marie took a pan of freshly baked blueberry muffins out of the oven. She turned to Delaney as she took the pot holders off her hands. “You look beautiful.”
Delaney huffed out a breath, annoyed as her stomach took another tumble. “I’m not trying to look beautiful.” She smoothed her palms down the faded denim of her shirt. “I’ll be working today and Cisco Mendoza is going to help.”
“He’s quite handsome.”
“Right,” Delaney said with a laugh. “Mom, saying Cisco is handsome is like saying Texas is hot in the summer.”
“Kind of an understatement?”
“Exactly.” She snagged a muffin from the cooling rack and bounced it in her hand until it cooled enough to take a bite. “I can’t image a woman not being attracted to Cisco. It doesn’t matter. I want a man with substance over style.”
“Who says you can’t have both? Your father was—and still is—the most handsome man I’ve ever seen.”
Delaney shook her head. “I’m not looking for anything from Cisco but some good old-fashioned hard labor. Like you said, I get into trouble when I’m bored. He’s a diversion. Nothing more.”
“You can at least enjoy getting to know him. He comes from a wonderful family. You know how much we all love Gabriella, and Orlando is a good man. In fact, your aunt Josephine seems quite taken with him.”
“Aunt Josephine and Orlando Mendoza?” Delaney didn’t know her British aunt well but already felt a connection to her. “That’s kind of sweet.”
Jeanne Marie smiled. “Keep this between us. If there is something happening between the two of them, they should have the time to figure it out for themselves.”
“Of course.” It was strange for Delaney to imagine her sophisticated aunt being with a salt-of-the-earth man like Orlando. She had a picture in her mind of who people should fit with and for her it was always someone from a similar background. A man who’d been raised for the cowboy lifestyle—working hard and loving the land—just as she had. She wondered now if that was narrow-minded, something Delaney had never thought about herself.
It wasn’t a help for her already jumbled nerves, but she didn’t have much time to examine those feelings as she heard a truck rumble down the driveway.
“Have fun,” Jeanne Marie told her, wrapping up two more muffins in a napkin. “And take these to your new man. He’s going to need the energy for what I imagine you have planned.”
Delaney grabbed the napkin and gave her mother a quick kiss. She did, indeed, have plans for Cisco. The thought of the fun she was going to have with him turned her nerves into excitement.
The roller coaster in her tummy went dipping and twisting again as Cisco climbed out of his truck. She was pleasantly surprised to see he’d shed his sophisticated Miami clothes and this morning looked like a true Texas cowboy in his plaid shirt, crisp jeans and sturdy leather cowboy boots. Even his hat looked custom-fit, the sort of hat any of her brothers would be proud to wear.
“You cowboy up pretty nicely, Mr. Mendoza.”
“Thank you, Ms. Fortune Jones. I’m honored to be here.” He reached into his truck and pulled out a pair of leather work gloves and a small gift bag. “These are for me,” he said, slapping the gloves against his thigh. “This is for you.” He held out the gift bag.
Delaney looked over her shoulder toward the house. For a moment she wondered if her mother or one of her siblings had told Cisco about her weakness for presents. As the youngest of seven, Delaney had been the recipient of countless hand-me-downs. Clothes from her sister, Stacey, and saddles from her brothers. Her parents had always made her birthday special, but that came around only once a year and it wasn’t nearly enough to satisfy her.
“You didn’t have to—” she began, then stopped when she noticed Cisco grinning at her. “But I’m glad you did.”
She pulled a piece of folded tissue paper out of the bag and unwrapped it. Inside was a delicate gold chain with a small charm in the shape of the state of Texas hanging from the end.
“I hope you don’t have one like it,” Cisco said. “I saw it in a store in Vicker’s Corners and it reminded me of you.”
“It’s adorable.” Delaney cleared her throat when the words came out in a whisper. “I love it.” She did, too. The necklace was perfect for her. She wasn’t sure whether that meant she should trust Cisco’s taste or be wary of how smooth of a charmer he could be.
“May I put it on you?” The deep rumble of his voice brought her out of her musings.
She nodded but didn’t release the necklace. “Why did you get this for me?”
A look of surprise flashed across his face. “You’re doing me a big favor, Delaney. I wanted to thank you.”
“I haven’t done anything yet,” she countered.
“A thank-you in advance?” His smile was genuine.
She uncurled her fingers from the chain and dropped it into his palm. “Are you sure you’re not trying to get me to go easy on you?” She turned and lifted her braid out of the way as he reached his hands in front of her.
“Would it work?” His breath was warm on her neck.
As he spoke, he used one finger to push a stray strand of hair out of the way. A ripple of awareness shot down her spine in response. She shook her head a tiny bit, not trusting her voice.
“Then put me through the paces, Delaney.” He clasped the necklace together and turned her to face him. “I’m all yours.”
Delaney tried to ignore the satisfying warmth that traveled through her at his words. A man like Cisco wasn’t for her, she reminded herself. This wasn’t his real life. He didn’t belong in Horseback Hollow even if he’d shown up this morning looking the part. His boots might be sturdy, but they were brand-new.
* * *
By midday his boots were already broken in, along with the rest of him. When Cisco had told Delaney to put him through the paces, he hadn’t realized what he was asking. As he loaded a final bale of hay onto a truck in one of the far pastures at the ranch, every part of his body ached. This was definitely different from a five-mile run around South Beach and an hour at the gym. The sun shone high in the western sky, spreading patterns of golden light through the clouds.
They’d been working steadily since the morning. Delaney had saddled up a couple of horses first thing, and they’d started their day checking the fencing on the