Read Online The Rancher and His Unexpected Daughter by Sherryl Woods - Free Book Online

risk-taker. Maybe she wasn’t. But she was definitely someone who liked to win.
    She was also protective as a mother bear with a cub, where Jenny was concerned. And she had an absolutely fascinating, wild flirtatious streak. Just wondering how far she’d take it made his pulse scramble in a way that was downright disconcerting.
    â€œI really think you ought to ante up,” he told her as Jenny shuffled the cards for the third hand. He glanced at her daughter. “Deal your mother in this round.”
    Janet’s expression turned faintly uneasy. “Really, I don’t think…”
    â€œHumor me,” he taunted. “I’ll spot you the fifty cents for the pot.” He tossed two quarters into the middle of the table.
    Jenny paused, waiting for her mother’s decision before dealing out the hand.
    â€œOkay,” Janet said eventually. “But I haven’t had as much practice as Jenny.”
    Jenny’s mouth gaped. “Mom!”
    â€œQuiet, dear. Deal the cards.”
    Harlan chuckled at the exchange. He had the distinct impression now that everything Jenny knew about poker, she had learned from her mother. It was just one more facet to Janet Runningbear to intrigue him. Apparently she was a bit of a gambler, after all.
    She scanned her cards with a practiced eye, tossed two back onto the table and waited for Jenny to replace them. Harlan drew three and wound up with two pairs, but most of his attention was on the woman seated next to him. Her face was an absolutely expressionless mask, a genuine poker face.
    Mule bet fifty cents. Harlan met his bet. He wouldn’t have dropped out of this hand if they’d been playing for a hundred times that amount.
    â€œThat’s fifty cents to you, darlin’.”
    She nodded, not even glancing his way. “Your fifty and fifty more.”
    Jenny looked from her mother to Harlan and back again. “I’ll fold,” she said.
    â€œI’m out,” Mule concurred, tossing his cards onto the table in apparent disgust.
    Janet turned an expectant look on Harlan that had his breath catching in his throat.
    â€œAre you in?” she inquired in a lazy, seductive tone that had him conjuring up images that could have melted concrete.
    â€œYou’d better believe it, darlin’. Your fifty and I’ll raise you a buck.”
    â€œMy, my, you are confident,” she said, turning to wink at Jenny. “Shall I stay, do you think?”
    Jenny grinned. “You can’t quit now, Mom. He’ll think you’re chicken.”
    â€œTrue. We can’t have that, can we?” She reached over and plucked five dollars from Jenny’s pile of winnings. “I’ll repay you in a minute.”
    Harlan studied her expression before matching the bet. He couldn’t tell a thing about whether or not she was bluffing. He dropped his money on the table. “Call.”
    She placed her first card on the table, an ace of clubs. Her second card was a seven of clubs. Her third, a five of clubs. The fourth was a two of clubs. “Now what do you suppose I have here?” she inquired, lifting her gaze to clash with his.
    â€œEither another club or more audacity than anyone else in Texas,” Harlan quipped.
    She winked. “Want to go double or nothing on this last card?”
    â€œThat ain’t the rules,” Mule complained.
    â€œSome rules are made to be broken,” Harlan said, his gaze never leaving Janet’s. “Not double or nothing. How about loser cooks dinner for the winner?”
    The flash of uncertainty in her eyes told him she’d just realized that she’d overplayed her hand. Still, she didn’t back down.
    â€œYou sure that’s what you want? You could just quit now,” she said, clearly determined to brazen it out.
    â€œNot on your life. Get that card on the table.”
    She sighed, an expression of resignation on her face as she dropped an ace