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Navarro or Not
Tina Leonard
That Man's Only Interests Were Boots, Babes And Beds!A love-'em-and-leave-'em cowboy was not what Nina Cakes wanted when she asked for a muscular man to help move her heirloom bed. After all, it was a cowboy who had gotten her sister into trouble, and no handsome rancher–not even a notorious Jefferson brother named Navarro–would make Nina forget why she'd come to Lonely Hearts Station: to save her sister's good name.Staid, ordinary, respectable, Nina was a librarian on a mission, and it would take more than sweet talk, teasing grins and world-shaking kisses to tempt her onto the wild side…. She'd settle for nothing less than lassoing his untamed heart!
“And just when I had you where I wanted you…
“Come with me,” Navarro continued.
Nina laughed. “Be that irresponsible? You’re crazy! I can’t quit my job for a man. Not even a sexy-to-the-bone cowboy.”
The pull was strong, but she knew she had to resist. She had known it the instant she’d seen him. No matter what he said, she was just plain-Jane vanilla, a librarian by vocation and avocation.
He gently framed her face with his palms. “Nina,” he whispered against her lips, “if I were a sultan, I’d carry you away on my horse. If I were a wealthy playboy, I’d sweep you out to sea on my yacht. But,” he said, sliding his hands into her back pockets and tugging her against him, “I’m just a cowboy who wants to make love to you.”
It was madness, insanity. A librarian didn’t go trolling around in a truck through the dusty countryside with a man whose one stated goal was to love her senseless.
Or did she?
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Tina Leonard loves to laugh, which is one of the many reasons she loves writing Harlequin American Romance novels. In another lifetime, Tina thought she’d be single and an East Coast fashion buyer forever. The unexpected happened when Tina met Tim again after many years—she hadn’t seen him since they’d attended school together from first through eighth grade. They married, and now Tina keeps a close eye on her school-age children’s friends! Lisa and Dean keep their mother busy with soccer, gymnastics and horseback riding. They are proud of their mom’s “kissy books” and eagerly help her any way they can. Tina hopes that readers will enjoy the love of family she writes about in her stories. Recently a reviewer wrote, “Leonard has a wonderful sense of the ridiculous,” which Tina loved so much she wants it for her epitaph. Right now, however, she’s focusing on her wonderful life and writing a lot more romance!
Navarro or Not
Tina Leonard
www.millsandboon.co.uk (http://www.millsandboon.co.uk)
THE JEFFERSON BROTHERS OF MALFUNCTION JUNCTION
Mason (38)—Maverick and Mercy’s eldest son—He can’t run away from his own heartache or The Family Problem.
Frisco Joe (37)—Fell hard for Annabelle Turnberry and has sweet Emmie to show for it. They live in Texas wine country.
Fannin (36)—Life can’t be better than cozying up with Kelly Stone and his darling twins in Ireland.
Laredo (35), twin to Tex—Loves Katy Goodnight, North Carolina and being the only brother with a reputation for winning his woman without staying on a bull.
Tex (35), twin to Laredo—Grower of roses and other plants, Tex fell for Cissy Kisserton and decided her water-bound way of life was best.
Calhoun (34)—Doesn’t want the family mantle passing to him.
Ranger (33), twin to Archer—Fell for Hannah Hotchkiss and will never leave the open road without her.
Archer (33), twin to Ranger—Talking with a faraway woman in Australia by e-mail is better than having a real woman to bother him.
Crockett (31), twin to Navarro—Paints portraits of nudes, but never wants to see a woman fully clothed in a wedding gown saying, “I do” to him
Navarro (31), twin to Crockett—Fell for Nina Cakes when he was supposed to be watching her sister, Valentine, who is carrying Last’s child.
Bandera (27)—Spouts poetry and has moved from Whitman to Frost—anything to keep his mind off the ranch’s troubles.
Last (26)—The only brother who finds himself expecting a baby with no hope of marrying the mother. Will he ever find the happy ending he always wanted?
To Lisa and Dean, always. I love you.
To my gal pals, whose friendship means so much to me: Cryna Palmiere, Riza Majerreis, Donna Opalenik, Jerry Shriver, Latesha Ballard, Amina Rusk, Nicki Flockton, Jennifer, Sally Grabham and KraziKim55!
And to my editors, who are excellent. Many thanks to Paula Eykelhof and Stacy Boyd, who have great patience and who keep me doing what I love best.
Contents
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Chapter Seven
Chapter Eight
Chapter Nine
Chapter Ten
Chapter Eleven
Chapter Twelve
Chapter Thirteen
Chapter Fourteen
Chapter Fifteen
Epilogue
Chapter One
Actions speak louder than words. So think your actions over many times.
—Maverick Jefferson when his boys got caught stealing Shoeshine Johnson’s bus for a road trip because it was the only vehicle all twelve of them could fit into at once.
“What has to be done,” Navarro Jefferson told his twin, Crockett, as they sat in his truck, “is that one of us should go live in Lonely Hearts Station. As a sort-of mole. To keep an eye on Last’s pregnancy matter before it gets further out of hand.”
Recently, Last, the youngest Jefferson brother and the family philosophe, had managed to get himself into trouble with a gal of questionable reputation from the wrong side of the beautician tracks.
Ever since their elder brother Frisco Joe had courted and married a stylist from the Lonely Hearts Salon—and put the Jefferson brothers in the middle of a duel between the Lonely Hearts beauties and their salon rivals, the Never Lonely Cut-n-Gurls—life had not been going well for any of the boys from Union Junction.
Not for Last, nor for the rest of his brothers.
Navarro had sort of expected more trouble, but lacking condom sense was not supposed to be in the cards.
“How would we do that?” Crockett asked. “I think the Never Lonely Cut-n-Gurls would know we were watching their every move.”
“The only one we need to watch is Valentine,” Navarro told his twin. “You and I could swap out, take turns, and they’d never know the difference. Tag-team girl-watching.”
Crockett blinked. “Why do I find that appealing in a warped kind of way?” He considered the notion, peering out the truck window toward the Never Lonely Cut-n-Gurls salon. “Or possibly, I find it depressing. It’s been a long time since I’ve had a woman.”
“Whoa,” Navarro said. “Too much info.”
“Last says he doesn’t remember anything about that night except that he was drinking some exceptional firewater.”
“Man, I remember every good night I’ve had with a lady,” Navarro bragged. “Even in my dreams.”
“More there than not.”
Navarro pulled his hat low over his eyes without comment.
“So how do we invade the landscape without raising suspicions? We need to get on the inside of that salon,” Crockett said.
“Yeah. But bed maneuvers are out. I think there’s enough trouble in the family tree when it comes to the ladies.”
“Mmm.” Crockett studied the goings-on of an attractive band of giggling Never Lonely girls as they left the salon. They were all dressed provocatively, which he appreciated. He wouldn’t date any of the girls—not his type—but he certainly appreciated the goodness they were lending to the view. “You could dress in drag and become a hairdresser alongside them.”
“I think not.”
“You could become a client.”
“I think they’d suspect my motives.” Everyone in town knew that the Jefferson brothers were more likely to be seen at the Lonely Hearts Salon across the street when they needed a trim.
Crockett was silent for a moment. “You could hit on Valentine.”
“I’d rather gnaw off my leg. Anyway, that would totally raise suspicions.”
“Well, then you’d have to prove that your intentions were honest, in order to get the most info out of her. You’d have to get engaged.”
Navarro laughed. “Right.”
“We could get engaged. If we tag-team spy, we might as well tag-team engage. No one would notice that we were switching out. And then we’d be on the inside.”
“What a novel idea. Why don’t we just do something so stupid?”
“I’m serious.” Crockett sat up straight. “It’s not very heroic, and it’s deceitful, but it would get us in a primo position to find out the info we need to save our bro from Valentine’s catch-a-cowboy plot.”
“We’ve done a lot worse, but I don’t think Fannin would approve, even in the name of family. And when Mason comes home, he’d roast us for sure.”
“I say it’s easier to ask forgiveness than to get permission.”
“I say…you’ve got a point.” Navarro drummed the steering wheel. “How are we going to figure out which of those lovelies we want to sucker?”
“I don’t know. How about the little plus-size gal over there with the pretty smile?”
“I think you may be looking at her chest when you talk ‘plus size.’ We could toss her between us like a doll. She’s a little bitty thing—isn’t she?—all curves and swerves.”
“I like blondes,” Crockett mused. “And she’s not dressed fakey. She’s kind of cute. Personality-wise, of course. Is there any chance we could reconsider sleeping with our girlfriend?”
“Absolutely not!” Navarro exclaimed.
“Rats. I do tend to fall easily to temptation. I really like a nice ripe bottom on a woman. She looks like she’s all peach and no pit.”
“She’s definitely ripe. Hey, she’s coming over! Turn your head and act like you’re lost!”
“Hey, guys,” the blonde said. “Lost?”
“Yes,” Crockett said, because Navarro had pulled his hat over his face. “But we want to figure it out ourselves, if you know what I mean.”
“Oh. You’re adventurous types,” she said.
“You could say that,” Crockett agreed.
Nina Cakes smiled at the cowboy, realizing at once that here was the answer to her prayers.
“I need a man,” she said.
“We’ve heard that before, sister,” the cowboy told her. “And we’re always ready to heed the call.”
Nina took a step back from his leer. “Uh, cool your jets, cowboy. I said I need a man, not a mistake.”
The man under the hat snickered. Nina went around to the driver’s side to talk through the window. “Look, it’s actually quite simple. I just need help lifting some boards up the stairs.”
She frowned when he didn’t answer.
“Navarro’s resting. My brother tires out easily. By the way, I’m Crockett.”
He stretched a hand across his brother for her to shake, which Nina did, reluctantly, trying to overlook the coughing fit that seemed to have possessed Hat Man. “He doesn’t look like he’s resting,” she said. “Maybe when he gets up from his nap, I could offer him a job.”
Crockett stretched his muscles for her. “’Course, I’m alive and kicking and ready to do your bidding. I can move a few pieces of wood—for free. I’d be happy to do it for such a pretty girl.”
Nina tried not to roll her eyes. What a come-on! Did she look like the kind of girl who fell for an easy line? Librarians were far smarter than that, and she prided herself on being one of the most qualified, sharpest librarians in Dannon, Delaware.
Of course, today she was in a place called Lonely Hearts Station, Texas, with an heirloom bed her sister Valentine claimed had been broken accidentally. Nina pursed her lips and considered Crockett. He didn’t exactly seem wholesome. What were the odds she could trust him to help her without trying to paw her? Far too sure of himself, he was quite different from the bookish, studious types who came into her library: some students, some older supporters of the library, an occasional mom or dad—but nothing like this man or his mysterious brother.
