Most Eligible Texan Read online

  “Bid on me...

  I want to give you what you need.”

  Matt Galloway, Texas’s most eligible tycoon, is the star Rachel Kincaid needs for the charity bachelor auction. But her scheme to recruit him sets their own passions blazing—even though he’s her friend and totally off-limits! And why is he back now when he was gone for so long? The truth may have her winning Matt for herself...or ending their romance for good.

  Matt closed the distance between them.

  “Afraid of what you’re feeling?”

  “I’m not afraid of anything. Now back off and stop trying to seduce me.”

  He reached out and smoothed her hair from her face before dropping his hand. “I’m not trying to seduce you. When I seduce you, you’ll know it.” He stepped back and spread his arms wide. “Now, where do you want me?”

  Why did he keep phrasing it like that?

  Rachel nodded toward the hallway. “Let’s start in your office. We’ll do some professional shots.”

  “What about the waterfall?”

  A photo of this rich, gorgeous oil tycoon posing in front of a waterfall...yup, that would certainly have all the ladies drooling. Not her, of course, but the others who were bidding.

  “You may just decide to bid on me yet,” he drawled.

  “And I prefer to leave our friendship intact, so keep those lips to yourself.”

  “Whatever you want,” he murmured as she passed by. But his low, seductive tone indicated she wanted something else entirely and, damn it, he was right.

  * * *

  Most Eligible Texan is part of the Texas Cattleman’s Club: Bachelor Auction series.

  Dear Reader,

  Who doesn’t love the Texas Cattleman’s Club series? I mean, come on. This ongoing story line is absolutely amazing as a reader. And as an author? I admit I get a little giddy when I’m asked to do another.

  Matt and Rachel have a special history—and by special, I mean Matt has the hots for his late best friend’s wife. When Rachel asks him to be part of the bachelor auction, he agrees...secretly hoping she’ll be his highest bidder.

  Single mom Rachel is trying to get her life back together since the death of her husband. What she doesn’t have time for is unwanted passion toward her best friend. He’s just been named one of the most eligible bachelors in Texas, so why would he ever be interested in someone who doesn’t have a steady job and is raising a baby?

  Friends to lovers is one of my absolute favorite tropes. Throw in the late husband/best friend story and I’m skipping my way from chapter one to the end!

  I hope you all enjoy Matt and Rachel as much as I do!

  Jules

  Jules Bennett

  Most Eligible Texan

  USA TODAY bestselling author Jules Bennett has published over sixty books and never tires of writing happy endings. Writing strong heroines and alpha heroes is Jules’s favorite way to spend her workdays. Jules hosts weekly contests on her Facebook fan page and loves chatting with readers on Twitter, Facebook and via email through her website. Stay up-to-date by signing up for her newsletter at julesbennett.com.

  Books by Jules Bennett

  Harlequin Desire

  What the Prince Wants

  A Royal Amnesia Scandal

  Maid for a Magnate

  His Secret Baby Bombshell

  Best Man Under the Mistletoe

  Mafia Moguls

  Trapped with the Tycoon

  From Friend to Fake Fiancé

  Holiday Baby Scandal

  The Heir’s Unexpected Baby

  The Rancher’s Heirs

  Twin Secrets

  Claimed by the Rancher

  Taming the Texan

  Texas Cattleman’s Club: Bachelor Auction

  Most Eligible Texan

  Visit her Author Profile page at Harlequin.com, or julesbennett.com, for more titles.

  Join Harlequin My Rewards today and earn a FREE ebook!

  Click here to Join Harlequin My Rewards

  http://www.harlequin.com/myrewards.html?mt=loyalty&cmpid=EBOOBPBPA201602010002

  To single parents trying to push through

  from one day to the next.

  You are somebody’s hero and you’ve got this!

  * * *

  Don’t miss a single book in the

  Texas Cattleman’s Club: Bachelor Auction

  series!

  Runaway Temptation

  by USA TODAY bestselling author

  Maureen Child

  Most Eligible Texan

  by USA TODAY bestselling author

  Jules Bennett

  Million Dollar Baby

  by USA TODAY bestselling author

  Janice Maynard

  (available November 2018)

  His Until Midnight

  by Reese Ryan

  (available December 2018)

  The Rancher’s Bargain

  by Joanne Rock

  (available January 2019)

  Lone Star Reunion

  by Joss Wood

  (available February 2019)

  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

  Chapter Sixteen

  Chapter Seventeen

  Chapter Eighteen

  Excerpt from The Billionaire's Legacy by Reese Ryan

  One

  An entire morning of pleasure reading plus an extra-large pumpkin-spice latte with a healthy dose of whip? Hell yes, sign her up.

  Rachel Kincaid spotted The Daily Grind across the street and nearly skipped to the door. She had two weeks before she had to dive back into her textbooks and this was her first time out alone since giving birth eleven months ago.

  Part of her felt guilty for leaving her precious Ellie, but on the other hand, she knew her baby was in the best hands back at the Lone Wolf Ranch under the care of her friend, Alexis Slade, and the host of staff members they had. The chef had taken quite a liking to Ellie and was always fussing over her.

  Alexis had graciously invited Rachel and Ellie to stay in her Royal, Texas, home and Rachel desperately needed the gal-pal time. Alexis and her grandfather Gus had gone out of their way to make the two of them feel like part of the family.

  Rachel stepped up onto the curb and pulled her cell from her boho-style bag. She’d just shoot off one quick text to make sure everything was okay. Although she was most definitely looking forward to this break, she was still a fairly new mom and a bit of a worrier when it came to her baby girl.

  Just as she pulled up the text messages, Rachel plowed into the door.

  No, not a door. A man. A broad, strong, chiseled man.

  Large hands gripped her biceps, preventing her from stumbling backward. Rachel jerked her gaze up at the stranger she’d slammed into.

  Familiar dark blue eyes stared back at her, no doubt mirroring her own shock.

  “Matt?”

  “Rachel?”

  The last time she’d been in Matt Galloway’s arms had been at Billy’s funeral, and that had been just over a year ago. Other than a handful of texts immediately following, she hadn’t heard a word from her late husband’s
best friend.

  The pain from the void thudded in her chest. Matt had been her friend, too, and she’d wondered where he’d disappeared to. Why he’d dodged her for so long.

  “What are you doing in Royal?” she asked, pushing aside the heartbreaking thoughts.

  Last she knew he was still in Dallas making millions and flashing that high-voltage smile to charm the ladies.

  Matt released her and stepped back.

  “Hiding out,” he stated with a laugh. “I’m taking a break from the city for a bit and staying out of the limelight.”

  Rachel couldn’t help but smile. “Ah, yes. I recall you being dubbed Most Eligible Bachelor in Texas. What’s wrong, Matt? Don’t want all the ladies chasing you anymore?”

  Matt never minded the attention he received from beautiful women. In fact, Rachel had been interested in him at one time, but then Billy had asked her out, whisked her off her feet and, well...that was all in the past. She was moving forward now.

  “Come in,” he said, gesturing toward the door. “I’ll buy you a cup of coffee.”

  “Just like that? As if the past year of silence hadn’t happened?”

  The words escaped her before she could stop herself. But damn it, she’d needed him and he’d vanished. Didn’t she deserve to know why?

  Honestly, such a heavy topic was just too much to handle this early in the morning running on little sleep and no caffeine.

  “You know, never mind,” she amended, waving her hand through the air as if she could just erase the words. “It’s good to see you again, Matt.”

  She wasn’t sure what to feel or what memory from their past to cling to, as there were a great many. From meeting him and Billy for the first time at a college party, to the fun times they all had together, to the tragic death that had forever changed the dynamics between them.

  Rachel pasted a smile on her face, though. She needed a day out, and running into Matt might just be what the doctor ordered. Even though he’d hurt her, she’d missed him, and she knew Matt well enough to know he had a reason for staying away. She just couldn’t fathom what could keep him at such a distance for so long.

  “I don’t do coffee,” she stated as she passed him to enter The Daily Grind. “But you can buy my glorified milkshake.”

  Matt placed a hand on the small of her back, a simple gesture, but one that had her inwardly cringing. Not because she didn’t want Matt to touch her, but because the electric tingle that spread through her was so unexpected. No other man had touched her in so long...

  She wasn’t affected by him, she told herself. He was her friend, for pity’s sake. No, the reaction only came from seeing him again and the lack of human contact...the lack of male contact.

  Ugh. This was so silly. Why was she letting such a simple gesture from Matt occupy so much of her mind?

  “You’re going to get something pumpkin-spice with whip, aren’t you?”

  Rachel smacked his chest as she made her way toward the counter. “Listen, I won’t judge you and you won’t judge me. Got it, Mr. Eligible Bachelor?”

  Matt shook his head as he placed his order for a boring black coffee. Once Rachel placed her own order, the two of them found one of the cozy leather sofas in front of the floor-to-ceiling glass window.

  The shop wasn’t too busy this morning. A few people sat on stools along the back brick wall, and the bar top that stretched along the brick had power stations, so those working had taken up real estate there.

  Even though they were seated in the front of the coffee shop, Rachel and Matt had just enough privacy for their surprising reunion. She still couldn’t believe he was here in Royal. Couldn’t believe how handsome and fit he still looked. Okay, fine. He was damn sexy and she’d have to be completely insane to think he’d ever be anything but. The past year had been nothing but kind to Matt, while she figured she looked exactly how she felt: haggard and homely.

  Rachel eased back into the corner of her seat and smoothed her hands down her maxiskirt. She wasn’t sure what to say now, how to close the time gap that had separated them for so long.

  More importantly, she wasn’t sure how to compartmentalize her emotions. Matt had been her friend for years, but seeing him now had her wondering why she felt...hell, she couldn’t put her finger on the exact emotion.

  “What are you doing in Royal?” Matt asked, resting his elbow on the back of the couch and shifting to face her. “You’re not hiding from some newly appointed title by the media, too, are you?”

  Leave it to Matt to fall back into their camaraderie as if nothing had changed between them over the last year. She’d circle back to his desertion later, but for now she just wanted a nice relaxing chat with her old friend.

  “Afraid I’m not near as exciting as you,” she stated with a smile. “I’m visiting Alexis Slade, my friend from college.”

  “I’m familiar with the Slade family. Are you alone?”

  “If you’re asking if I have a man in my life, no. I’m here with my daughter.”

  Matt opened his mouth, but before he could say anything, the barista delivered their orders and set them on the raw-edged table before them. Once they were alone again, Rachel reached for her favorite fall drink.

  “I didn’t mean to pry,” Matt muttered around his coffee mug. “I don’t have any right to know about your personal life anymore. How are you, though? Really.”

  “I’m doing well. But you’re not prying. We’ve missed a good bit of each other’s lives.” She slid her lips over the straw, forcing her gaze away when his dark blue eyes landed on her mouth. “Ew, what is this?”

  Rachel set her frosted cup back on the table. “That’s not a pumpkin-spice latte.”

  Matt laughed. “Because that’s not what you told them you wanted.”

  “Of course it is,” she declared, swiping at her lips. “I always get the same thing at any coffee shop, especially in the fall. I’m a creature of habit and I’m pumpkin-spice everything.”

  “That I definitely recall.” The corners of his eyes crinkled as he laughed. “But at the counter you ordered a large iced nutmeg with extra whip and an extra shot.”

  What the hell? Bumping into Matt had totally messed up her thought process. Maybe it was the strength with which he prevented her from falling on the sidewalk, or the firm hand on her back as he’d guided her in. Or maybe she could chalk this up to good old-fashioned lust because she couldn’t deny that he was both sexy and charming.

  And her late husband’s best friend. There could be no lust. Not now. Not ever.

  “I’ll go get you another.” He came to his feet. “Tell me exactly what you want.”

  “Oh, don’t worry about it. I’m just not used to leaving the house alone—I guess it threw off my game.”

  Yeah, she’d go with the excuse that she was used to carrying a child and a heavy diaper bag. No way would she admit that Matt’s touch, Matt’s intense stare, had short-circuited her brain.

  He pulled out his wallet. “Better tell me your order or I’ll make something up. Do you really want to risk another bad drink?”

  Rachel laughed. “Fine.”

  She rattled off her order and watched as he walked away.

  Nerves curled in Rachel’s belly. She shouldn’t feel this nervous, but she did. At one time, Matt had meant so much to her—he still did. Yet she had no clue what to talk about and she certainly didn’t want the awkward silence to settle between them.

  One thing was certain, though. Matt hadn’t changed one bit. He was still just as sexy, just as charismatic as ever. And he was the Most Eligible Bachelor in Texas. Interesting he came back into her life at this exact time.

  * * *

  Matt took his time getting Rachel’s drink. He opted to wait at the counter instead of having the barista deliver it. He needed to get control of himself, of his thoughts. Because Rachel Kinca
id, widow of Billy Kincaid, was the one person he’d thought of a hell of a lot over the years...and even more so this past year. Yes, he’d deserted her, but he’d had no other choice.

  And now she’d want answers. Answers she deserved, but he wasn’t ready to give.

  He’d thought for sure the absence would get his emotions under control. He’d been hell-bent on throwing himself into his work, into a new partnership with his firm, and forging more takeovers in the hopes that he’d get over the honey-haired beauty that had starred in his every fantasy since they’d met.

  Unfortunately, that hadn’t been the case. Perhaps that’s because he’d kept track of her. That sounded a bit stalkerish, but he’d needed to know she was alright. Needed to know if she was struggling so he could step in and help. From what Matt could tell, Billy’s parents, plus his brother and his wife, had made sure Rachel had all she’d needed. Insurance money only went so far, but Billy came from a wealthy family.

  Rachel had sold her Dallas home, though. She’d moved out and now she was here. So what was her next move? Did she have a plan? Was she going to return to Dallas?

  Insurance money would run out at some point and so would her savings. Matt couldn’t just let this go, not when she might need him. She’d be too proud to ever ask for help...all the more reason for him to keep an eye on her.

  So many questions and he’d severed all rights to ask when he pushed her from his life. But for his damn sanity and out of respect for Rachel, he’d had no other choice.

  Matt had known she’d had a little girl. She was a few months pregnant at the funeral and had already started showing. He recalled that slight swell against him as he’d held her by the graveside.

  He’d honestly had no idea she’d be here in Royal, but like the selfish prick he was, he wasn’t a bit sorry he’d run into her. Now was the time to pay his penance and admit he’d dodged her, admit that he needed space. But one thing he could never admit was his attraction. That was the last thing Rachel needed to be told.

  “Here you go,” the barista said with a smile as she placed the new frothy drink on the counter.

  Matt nodded. “Thanks.”