Excerpt from "A Cowboy Christmas" by Janette Kenny

Mr. Barclay expected her to cook a fine feast for his wedding. Her pa wanted her long gone. And all she wanted was the chance to spend what could be her last holiday with her ornery pa.

Men! Ellie Jo broke off a piece of burned crust and stuck a finger into the warm filling, scooping up a bit to taste. She would not think of Reid Barclay beyond the role of her employer. In fact she didn’t want to think at all right now.

She scooped a bit of filling in her mouth like a lad who’d just filched a pie off a windowsill. As soon as the pungent tastes exploded in her mouth she moaned her pleasure.

Past the telltale charring, it was a cross between mincemeat and raisin. Far better than she’d hoped to achieve. Why, if she’d been able to add a meringue to it-and if it hadn’t scorched-this pie would rival one of Grandma Kincaid’s molasses pies.

“You all right?” Reid asked, startling a gasp from her.

How could this man sneak up on her unawares? Not that it mattered. Now that she knew he was an arm's length away her entire body began that unwanted tingling again.

There was no dignified way she could get to her feet, so she remained seated. “Other than smoking out your kitchen and burning dessert, I’m just dandy.”

She poked two fingers into the pie again and stuffed the sticky filling into her mouth. Hopefully her uncouth manners would prompt Reid Barclay to leave her in peace. Or in this case, leave her to wallow in her personal misery.


You’re doing that all wrong,” he said. “Let me show how to make short work of that pie.”

Reid plopped down beside her on the small bench, his boot heels scraping the floor as he extended his long jean-clad legs the same direction as hers. She’d expected his black boots to have fancy stitching, but they were plain and the leather looked supple, thanks to the shine evident of frequent polishing.

Like an exuberant kid, he poked his long fingers into the sticky filling and scooped a large finger-full to his mouth.

Though she was typically quick to instruct others on proper etiquette, she couldn’t seem to get her mind and mouth to work together. Reid Barclay was to blame, for each time he stole another bite his broad shoulder brushed hers and sent energy jolting through her.

Energy of the most titillating kind.

Heavenly days, the fact he was her boss and affianced didn’t penetrate her mind. Neither did the fact that her pa had recently rustled his prize stallion and was holed up right under Reid’s nose, or that Reid would sooner see the old man hang.

Right now as he sat beside her helping himself to another taste of her charred molasses pie, he looked for all the world like a cowpoke. A very tempting cowboy.