Tina Leonard - Navarro or Not

“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?

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!

www.millsandboon.co.uk

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.

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

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.”