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I watch in awe as he stops in front of us, tipping his cowboy hat in greeting. His bright blue eyes meet mine, and my mouth goes dry as hay.
Holy crap.
Those intense eyes…that dark beard…the way his clothes stretch across his broad shoulders…Jackson Ryder is like a book character come to life. He looks insanely sexy in his blue Wranglers and brown winter jacket. I can’t take my eyes off him. Something in his gaze is making the world turn fuzzy—there’s nothing left but those sky-blue eyes, fixing on me with an intensity that takes my breath away. I can hear my brother talking, but it sounds like he’s a million miles away, and I have to force myself back to reality, shaking off my temporary craziness.
“Sorry, what did you say?” I ask.
“I said this is Jackson,” Cade repeats, raising an eyebrow at me. “Jackson, this is my sister, Maeve.”
“Nice to meet you, Maeve,” the handsome cowboy says, reaching out to shake my hand. His grip is firm, his voice deep and growly, and for a moment, I can’t speak. Instead, I just make a strange noise in the back of my throat which I hope will pass for a “nice to meet you too”. His hand lingers a beat too long, his large palm enveloping mine, making my skin tingle at the contact. Eventually, he lets go, and I resist the urge to grab his hand again and hold that calloused palm against my skin.
God, what’s wrong with me?
I’ve never reacted this way to a guy before. All the boys at college acted like drunken idiots most of the time, and I avoided them as much as possible. But Jackson Ryder is no boy. He looks like he’s in his late thirties at least, and there’s something so raw and masculine about him. Something intensely sexy.
And it doesn’t help that he’s a literal cowboy.
I shouldn’t be thinking like this. He’s my brother’s best friend. Off-limits in every way. Heck, I don’t even know the guy; I only just met him. But there’s something tugging deep in my belly that I’ve never felt before. A longing. A desperate need.
Crap. This isn’t good.
3
Jackson
Cade is saying something. I can hear the rumble of his voice, but I can’t make out the words. I’m too focused on the woman standing beside him.
Holy fuck.
When Jackson mentioned his sister, I always pictured some little teenager. I know logically that she must be at least twenty by now, but my mental image of her was always as Cade’s kid sister. I couldn’t have been more wrong. The girl in front of me is the most gorgeous woman I’ve ever seen in my life. Even in her oversized knitted sweater, I can see that she’s curvy as hell, and I struggle to tear my gaze away from her figure. She looks so fucking adorable with her hair pulled back in a messy bun and a pair of glasses perched on her pretty nose. Her wide green eyes blink at me from behind the lenses, and she bites nervously at her plump bottom lip, making something stir in my pants.
Shit. How the hell can this perfect woman be Cade’s kid sister?
Maeve is no kid, that’s for sure, but she’s still way too young for me. She looks so innocent with her wide eyes and smooth skin. So sweet. I shouldn’t be thinking these things about a pretty young thing like her, especially since her age is the least of my fucking problems. The main problem is that she’s my best friend’s sister. My best friend’s much younger sister. I need to snap out of this crazy thinking. I haven’t taken my eyes off Maeve since we shook hands, and my thoughts must be written all over my face.
“…and she’s hoping to save up some money to open a bookstore,” Cade says as I finally wrench my attention back to him. I missed everything he just said, but I try to arrange my expression into something less confused.
“A bookstore?” I repeat, hoping Cade will clarify.
“Yeah,” he says. “That’s what Maeve’s hoping to do.”
“Not yet,” Maeve cuts in, smiling shyly. “One day, once I’ve saved up the money. I know it will probably take a while.”
Her sweet voice makes my heart clench, and suddenly, I get a crazy desire to buy her any bookstore she wants. Hell, anything she wants. Anything to put a smile on her beautiful face.
Fuck, I’m definitely losing my mind. Is this what my brothers had to deal with?
“Oh,” I grit out, forcing myself to speak. “Well, good luck with it. Winterdale could really use a bookstore.”
“Thanks,” she says, unable to meet my eye. “I think so too.”
She looks nervous, and I’m not surprised. There’s a strange cowboy who can’t keep his eyes off her. I’m probably freaking her out.
Time to stop acting like a creepy asshole, I think, pissed at myself for making her feel uncomfortable.
“Well, I hope you enjoy Crave County,” I say, forcing myself to turn away from her. “It was great to meet you, Maeve. I’ll let you two get back home—it’ll be dark soon.”
It takes all my willpower to say it. The last thing I want is for Maeve to leave. But my heartbeat is getting out of control, and if she doesn’t leave now, Cade is definitely going to notice the way I’m looking at his sister.
