Just looking at him brought out a wild side of her that had only appeared briefly in her life. One of those brief times had led her here, and she was realizing that maybe she should have followed that rebel heart of hers a little sooner because she was delightfully happy as Beau cradled the back of her neck with his hand and pulled her toward him. When their lips met, a wonderful burning in her stomach started and moved out until her whole body was on fire.
When they broke apart and Scarlett beheld his freshly kissed lips, she wondered how she’d gone so long without kissing them, and if it was possible that she could have gone her whole life without knowing how wonderful it felt. When Beau smiled at her with those same intoxication-inducing lips, her knees felt weak. Please don’t let this be too good to be true.
* * *
The walk from the altar to the front doors of the chapel was hazardous. Drew and Josh weren’t tossing rice gently, but pelting Beau and Scarlett as hard as they could with it. Their walk quickly turned into a run, and when they pushed open the doors to where Beau was told his vehicle would be waiting, they finally found relief from their attackers.
He was surprised to see that his truck had “Just Married” scrawled across the back window, and cans tied to his bumper. He immediately blamed the two hooligans they had just left behind. Scarlett was laughing as they stopped by the passenger door to his truck, and she smiled at him as he opened it and held out his hand to help her climb up into the cab. After making sure all of the fabric from her dress was safely inside, he closed the door and walked around to the driver’s side.
“This is my first time riding in a pickup truck,” Scarlett admitted.
He put the truck in drive. “You’re joking, right?” Although from her use of the term “pickup truck,” he had a feeling she wasn’t.
“Not at all.” She laughed and shifted in her seat. She was clearly still a little nervous.
“Well, you’re about to see what you’ve been missing,” he said, pulling up toward the exit that would put them on Las Vegas Boulevard. “Which way am I headed? I assume you want to go to your hotel and change.”
“Yes, I would love that. Turn right, please,” Scarlett said. She was wringing her hands in her lap as she looked out the window.
“What is it?” Beau asked as softly as he could. He didn’t want to scare the girl even more, but he also wanted to solve whatever was bothering her, and he was starting to realize that unless it was a big deal, Scarlett wouldn’t bring it up. He could tell she had a lot of practice choosing her battles, but he didn’t want to be on the opposing side when she decided she wanted to fight about something. That fire in her eyes couldn’t be covered up by her nerves.
“This is kind of awkward, but do we just make our own plans from here on out? Lachele didn’t say what would be happening after the wedding, and I’m—I’m just wondering what to expect. I know we’re married, but we’re still practically strangers. Am I to stay with you tonight?” Scarlett’s voice got higher and higher as she spoke, and Beau had to laugh.
They stopped at a red light, and Beau turned to her. She was still looking out her window, and it made him smile. Who knew she would be so shy? The curiosity that had been sparked in him earlier started to blaze. She wasn’t really what he’d expected, but he liked it. He reached across the middle console and put his hand under her chin, gently turning her face toward him.
“Scarlett,” he said, looking into her fiery brown eyes as he caressed her cheek, “there isn’t a roadmap for us from here on out, but we’ll do our best to figure it out—together.” His hand was still on her cheek when he finished speaking, and she reached up and placed hers on top of it, the warmth of her touch a feeling that Beau didn’t know he’d been longing for.
“Okay, so what do you think? Where should I stay tonight?” Scarlett asked him, not looking away.
Beau swallowed hard. He didn’t think she would ask his opinion on this, and he wasn’t quite sure how to word what he wanted to say next without sounding like a tool. The light changed, and he had to take his hand from her cheek and look away from her beautiful face—he hoped she knew how much he didn’t want to.
“Well, if I’m being honest, I’d love for you to stay with me tonight. Not because I want anything from you like that, but just because I want to be with you as much as possible. I mean, you are my wife, but we only just met, and I want to get to know you better. My room has two beds…” Scarlett bit her lip. He didn’t want to make her decision more difficult—she was obviously conflicted—but he selfishly needed more time with her that night. She wasn’t aware of it yet, but he wouldn’t be super available for the rest of the weekend because he’d be getting ready to ride.
When Scarlett didn’t immediately respond, Beau continued. “I’m just saying it’s a possibility, and time with you that I would cherish. I don’t want to be away from you on our wedding night. Even if ours isn’t going to be a traditional honeymoon, my desire is still to spend as much time with you as possible.”
Scarlett was silent for a moment, and Beau could tell she was considering her options. “If I stay, you promise I can have my own bed?”
“Of course!” He was adamant about starting this marriage off on the right foot, and sex only complicated a new relationship. He wanted to build their love on more than a physical attraction, which was clearly already strong—for him, at least.
“I’ve rushed into things with guys in the past. Sometimes, even when you both have good intentions, things can happen. Promise me that you’ll be in control, even if I’m not.” She blushed, and Beau had to chuckle.
Apparently, the physical attraction isn’t one-sided. The thought stirred up warmth in his belly and his palms tingled at the thought of one day being with Scarlett as a husband and wife should, but he pushed it from his mind. He’d be in control around her, always. He’d make sure they were both ready before they took that step. “I promise,” he said. And he meant it.
“Why’d you laugh?” she asked.
“Well, just before you said that, I was thinking about how attracted I was to you, but then thought it might just be me. From the pink tint in your cheeks when you said, ‘even if I’m not,’ it was obvious that it isn’t one-sided,” Beau explained, laughing again.
Scarlett smiled, her shoulders relaxed, and Beau could almost see the tension leave her body. “Yeah. Well, it’s not hard to be attracted to a guy like you.”
“And what does that mean exactly?” he asked.
“Oh, like you don’t know.”
Beau looked at her with the most innocent eyes he could muster, willing her to continue.
After a few moments of silence, Scarlett gave in. “You’re strong, and not just physically. You have a certain air about you that radiates charisma, or tenacity. Whatever it is, it’s almost tangible in your presence, and I’ve never been around anyone like you. You’re rugged and wild, and you have kind eyes and an easy smile. You have to know how attractive you are. I’m sure you’ve always had girls falling all over you.”
Beau felt a smile creep across his lips. “Well, a few girls have been interested in me,” he admitted, “but never you. I wanted to hear your thoughts. I wanted to know what I was up against. I’ll have to fight you off if you get out of hand, right?”
Scarlett gasped and swatted his arm playfully. “You!” she exclaimed, a righteous red blush taking over her face.
Now he’d really embarrassed her, and it made him shake with laughter. It felt good. It’d been way too long since he’d let loose with a woman this way, and he hadn’t realized just how much he’d missed it. He wondered if making Scarlett blush would still be that fun years from now, and he tried to memorize the way she looked, but she made it hard as she tried to hide her face from him.
Seven
Scarlett’s heart was pounding in her chest. The last time her adrenaline had been running this high was when she’d decided to do one of her own stunts in the second season of Thrones of the Kingdom. In the sce
ne, she had to jump off a rocky cliff into icy-cold water, and although the stunt crew had taken every precaution to make sure nothing could possibly go awry, she’d still been terrified. That was almost four years ago, and even though she’d been nervous for the wedding yesterday, it had been nothing like this.
Not only was she in a completely foreign environment, but the one person she knew here was in what looked like a giant metal box with no top, along with a giant cow. Actually, a bull, as Beau had informed her many times the night before when they had been talking about what he did for a living. From the look and sound of it, the bull was angry, which made her even more nervous. She kept seeing Beau’s helmet pop up above the top of the gate as the bull lunged forward and rocked back. Then there was the loud clanging noise every time the bull hit part of the gate with its enormous body.
She’d really had no idea how dangerous riding bulls was—even after Beau had explained it—until she’d seen five or six, or maybe ten, cowboys ride before Beau was up. She really couldn’t be sure how many people had gone already—each ride had been pretty clouded by her increasing worry.
One of the most shocking things to Scarlett about the entire experience was how everyone else in attendance was behaving. From the attitudes of the rest of the crowd, one would assume that they were at a giant party. There was music, and people were drinking beer and dancing around in front of their seats as the announcer made jokes. Meanwhile, Scarlett was clutching her purse to her chest, trembling with anxious anticipation. What if Beau gets trampled, or stuck with one of the huge horns I saw on some of those bulls? What if he dies?
Scarlett’s thoughts felt as if they were running away with her, and she couldn’t believe just how much she’d come to care for Beau over the past twenty-four hours. They had stayed up late the night before talking. She’d shared her hopes and dreams of a simple life in a small town with a brood of children running about, and Beau had shared his passion for this certifiably insane sport that he loved so much. Her nerves calmed for a second as she thought about the warm feelings she had felt in her chest as she’d fallen asleep last night, and she couldn’t help but smile a little. She was going to fall in love with this crazy cowboy, and nothing excited her more, except maybe the fear of watching this bull bust out of the shoot with Beau on its back.
Scarlett was just trying to figure out how they decided when to open the gate—as it seemed that it was taking forever—when a sassy-looking woman with long strawberry blonde hair plopped down in the empty seat next to her. She put her feet, clad in red boots, up on the back of the empty chair in front of her and draped her arms over the backs of the chairs to either side. The stadium they were in was absolutely packed to the max—there were even people standing in the aisles—but Scarlett was sitting in a private section reserved for the immediate family of riders, and there was plenty of room here, thank goodness.
“Hey there. I haven’t seen you around at any rodeos. Who are you here for?” The girl—who was obviously Southern—seemed totally at ease talking to Scarlett, even though she didn’t know her at all.
Why would she have seen me before? Scarlett thought before answering, relishing in her new anonymity amongst this country crowd.
“I mean, how could I miss someone with such beautiful red hair?”
Scarlett smiled. She had always been fond of her red hair. “Oh, this is the first rodeo I’ve ever been to, so, yeah, you really wouldn’t have seen me around anywhere.”
“Get out of town. Your first rodeo ever? And you’re sitting in the family section? How is that possible? I don’t know if I believe you. I’m Katie, by the way,” the woman said, holding out her hand. “Katie Douglas.”
Scarlett reached out and shook Katie’s hand. “I’m Scarlett He—er—Lawrence.” Scarlett hoped the girl didn’t catch her hesitation when she said her name. She’d remembered at the last second to use Beau’s last name. That was one of the biggest perks of getting married—changing her last name. Most people would doubt themselves if they recognized her, even if they had seen her show, but especially with a different last name.
“Nice to meet you, Scarlett. So, you weren’t joking, then? This really is your first rodeo ever?” Katie asked again, disbelief dripping from her voice.
“Yes, first ever. And I haven’t been to any before because I only married Beau Lawrence, there in shoot number five,” Scarlett said, pointing toward the gate her eyes had been locked on for the past few minutes, “last night.”
“Last night? Congratulations! Oh, this just keeps getting better and better! Didn’t you watch him ride while y’all were dating?”
Scarlett could feel the blood rushing to her cheeks, and she was wondering how she would explain the situation when gate number five burst open. The bull Beau had drawn was called Thunder Road, but they should have named it Pegasus with how high it was jumping and kicking. She was sure if the bull didn’t take off flying, Beau would if he let go of that rope he had a death grip on.
The announcer was giving the audience a play-by-play as if they all weren’t on the edge of their seats, and Scarlett couldn’t take her eyes off the cowboy she’d married. He was moving with the bull so well—as if he could read every move it was making—and it was oddly beautiful. She found herself cheering for him, and all the fear she’d had before he came out of the gate began to dissipate as she watched how obviously skilled her new husband was at what he did. Scarlett didn’t know anything about bull riding, not really, but just by comparing him to the cowboys who had gone before, she could tell.
When the buzzer went off, Scarlett jumped to her feet and cheered her heart out along with the rest of the crowd. It was a little nerve-racking, watching Beau try to get away from the bull after he let go of his rope, but before she could get too worked up, he’d climbed the fence and was safe on the other side.
“Wow! What a ride!” Katie said loudly over the applause of the crowd.
When people started to settle down again, Scarlett sat and let out a huge breath. “Yeah, that was amazing! He’s…incredible.” She had a hard time thinking of a word to describe what she’d just seen, but even the one she’d chosen didn’t seem to do the performance justice.
“What do you think his score will be?” Katie asked.
Scarlett looked at her feet, embarrassed at the question she was about to ask. “How do they determine a score? I know some ride for eight seconds, and some don’t, but beyond that, what else matters?”
“You really are new to all of this.” Katie laughed. “First of all, anyone who doesn’t ride for eight seconds doesn’t get a score at all. After that, they base the scores on two things. The maximum score is one hundred—although no one has ever gotten one. Fifty points are for the bull, and fifty are for the rider. It’s a lot more complicated than it looks, but basically, the tougher the bull—lots of spins, changes in direction, and whatnot—the better the score. As far as the cowboy is concerned, the judges are really looking for control. Is he flopping around, scooting all over the bull’s back, or does he hold himself in place, stay up on his rope—you get the idea.”
“Oh, okay. Thanks. That helps a lot,” Scarlett said, now wondering herself what kind of score the judges would give Beau.
“Don’t worry—he did great. He’s one of the best riders I’ve ever watched. I’m surprised he’s never won the finals, honestly. There isn’t a cowboy in here who can outride Beau Lawrence. He’s just had bad luck with bulls.”
“So, you know him?” Scarlett asked, a bit surprised.
“No, not really. I’ve seen him ride, but nobody really knows Beau Lawrence, except maybe his friend Josh. I’ve talked to Josh at a few events over the years, but Beau doesn’t really talk to anyone. He used to—I remember when my late husband joined the PBR about five years ago, Beau was really outgoing and would talk to anyone. He always had a smile on his face too. He’d jump off a bull after a good ride and his grin would be bigger than the buckle they’d give him for winning. He hasn’t been
like that for a few years, though.” Katie’s face looked sad, and Scarlett wondered what happened to her husband, but didn’t feel she knew her well enough to ask for details.
“I’m sorry for your loss,” Scarlett said. Then her thoughts turned to Beau. Apparently, she wasn’t the only one with secrets. It had been hard to keep her past as an actress from Beau as they got to know each other the night before. She’d had to leave out a lot of details when answering his questions to make sure she didn’t give it away. With how much her life had revolved around show business, it was difficult, but she was confident he didn’t suspect anything.
He’d obviously kept a lot from her too. Something must have happened to change him as much as Katie had described. Scarlett had noticed Beau’s attitude change when they’d entered the arena, but she’d attributed it to nerves or concentration—maybe there was more to his somber face than that.
“Ladies and gentlemen, we have a score from the judges for our last cowboy, Mr. Beau Lawrence. Give him another hand for that incredible ride on one of the PBR’s toughest bulls!” The announcer’s request was quickly met by the crowd. The cheering was so loud that Scarlett could barely hear herself think. She’d thought she’d been trading her fame in for the quiet life, but she was starting to wonder if she’d married another celebrity, just in a different sphere. She smiled and shook her head. At least she wouldn’t be the one in the spotlight anymore.
When the crowd quieted, the announcer spoke again. “It’s a ninety-one point five! I don’t think you’re going to see much better than that tonight, folks. I really don’t. That’s a solid score, and Beau should feel confident that he’ll go through to the next round. Give it up for your new leader on the scoreboard!”
Nuptials in Nevada: An At the Altar Story Page 7