by Sofia Tate
“Nah. Someone just didn’t put it on tight enough. I’ll talk to Mack when I get back to the stables.”
With the horse now properly saddled, Ronan turned back to Blakely “Give me your hand. I’ll get you back on.”
She placed her hand in his and threw herself over, settling back onto Lightning.
Before she rode away, Ronan was pleasantly surprised when Blakely finally looked into Ronan’s eyes. “Thank you, Ronan.”
He gave her a half-smile and nodded. “You’re welcome, Blakely.”
Blakely gently pressed her stirrups to Lightning’s body, clicked her teeth, and trotted away to catch up with the trail ride.
Ronan settled onto Aran again and kept a distance but within view of Blakely to make sure she reached the others safely.
Keep putting me off all you want, baby.
I’m not going anywhere.
CHAPTER THREE
The cabin door slammed violently behind Blakely. She pressed herself up against the door, her fists tightly clenched in frustration.
She tore her sweatshirt off and threw it down onto the floor. Walking over to the living room, she dropped onto the couch and began to pull off her boots. One came off easily, while the other one took some effort.
“Come on, damn it!”
Finally, the boot came off, but the force of it knocked her welcome basket off the coffee table, sending bottles of water and bath oils rolling everywhere on the floor. Blakely fell back onto the soft cushions, finally letting the tears flow freely from her eyes.
That’s what he meant in the café when he said ‘See you soon.’ He already knew.
Blakely started recalling every minute of the last two hours. The scenes that kept repeating in her head were the ones of Ronan holding her in his arms. The arms that held her at first felt like steel girders, solid, strong, unflinching. But then she saw the sweat on his forehead, and she could feel the rapid pace of his heartbeat through his shirt.
She could tell he wouldn’t have been able to hold her for much longer, so she put him out of his misery.
Why did it have to be him of all people? It was bad enough he had to see me fall off that damn horse, and then having to actually rescue me like some damsel in distress?
He had smelled of sweat and fresh hay. It was pure male. No man she ever encountered had ever smelled like that, only of aftershave or cologne.
But the one thought that kept interrupting all the others was the sensation of her sliding down his hard body when he released her to the ground, brushing against the bulge in his jeans.
No way. No way in hell could I have had that kind of effect on him.
Enough blubbering. Blakely wiped her eyes and took a deep breath as she pushed herself off the couch. She had a conference call in an hour.
Ronan’s boots echoed throughout the lobby of the main building as he headed for the ranch office. The evening front desk staff had just started their shift. He could see his father inside the larger office. Malachy’s stout form was sitting in his chair, staring at the papers that sat on his desk, elbows bent, his head sank down into his hands. All Ronan could see was his father’s mane of white hair.
He stepped inside. “Dad?”
Malachy looked up. “Oh, Ronan.” Up close, Ronan could see his father’s blue eyes were red-rimmed.
“What’s wrong?”
His father exhaled. “The bank turned us down. We’re not getting the extension.”
“What?” Ronan exploded. “But I just talked to them yesterday! How could they make this decision so quickly?”
“They did. And we’re probably going to have to sell the ranch.”
Ronan fell into the chair across from his father’s desk. “No way, Dad. We can’t. You and Ma built this place from nothing. This is home.”
Malachy regarded his son with sad eyes. “Ronan, we have to be realistic. Couples and families don’t go to dude ranches for vacation anymore. Now it’s Vegas or Florida.”
Ronan shook his head. “No, I refuse to give in. We can make a go of this place. I know it.”
“With what money, son? Your ma and I are too old to fight this. We just want to retire already.”
“Then give me full ownership. I know I can turn the ranch around.”
“And what about your two brothers?”
“They’re not interested in the ranch. Declan wants to be sheriff someday, and Liam is still figuring out what the hell he wants to do with his life. This is my home, and nobody’s going to take it away from me.”
“You know I’ll do whatever I can to help you, son, but we might not have a choice.”
“We’ll see about that.”
A short woman with cascading black curls accentuated by a touch of grey in her widow’s peak popped her head in the door. “Come on, boys, it’s time for the barbecue. We’ve got it all set up.”
Ronan and Malachy looked at Rosaleen, the matriarch of the family, decked out in a long purple cotton dress with embroidered black roses, tan Birkenstocks on her feet, and a cream lace shawl covering her shoulders.
Ronan watched as Malachy’s mouth widened in a huge smile. “Ah, there’s my wild Irish rose.”
She smiled in return. “Oh hush! Enough with that! Let’s go, my loves.”
“Right behind you, Ma.”
Ronan looked on as his father grabbed his mother by her waist, who in return swatted her hands at him. He could hear their affectionate giggles as they headed out of the building.
He sat back in the chair and stared out the window that looked onto the parking lot. His parents had been married for fifty years, and yet they still behaved like newlyweds. He hoped that someday, a woman could inspire him to act like that when he was his father’s age.
White fairy lights and paper lanterns illuminated the area where the Byrnes were having the barbecue for Gigi and Sean around an open fire pit. Blakely could see it from the top of the hill as she descended from her cabin. A cool breeze carried the smell of grilled food up to her, making her mouth water. She didn’t realize how hungry she was until her stomach growled.
Music was blasting from an iPod dock. People were already dancing. Blakely wore what she considered to be casualwear-a crisp white shirt with French cuffs, black boot-cut jeans, her black suede stiletto boots, and a black cashmere cardigan sweater. She looked at what everyone else was wearing, t-shirts, jeans and cowboy boots, and suddenly she felt out of place.
However, the warmth and friendliness of the group made her feel at home. She wasn’t used to such displays of smiles and laughter. It was difficult for her to keep her guard up when everyone was being so nice to her. Gigi’s parents and brothers made sure she was comfortable, sitting with them at their table, and introducing her to their relatives.
As she was finishing up her grilled chicken and vegetables, Gigi ran up to them. She was wearing a shirt that read, “The Future Mrs. Flynn.”
Gigi embraced Blakely’s shoulders and looked out at her family. “Hey! I hope you’re taking good care of my maid of honor.”
“Not to worry, sis,” Andy said. “We’ve got her back.”
Gigi grabbed her friend by the arm. “Good. Now she has to come with me. She needs to meet the rest of the wedding party.”
“Can I finish my beer first?” Blakely protested.
“I’ll get you another one. Come on!”
Blakely rolled her eyes and stood up. “All right! See you all later.”
Everyone at the table bid Blakely goodbye as Gigi took her hand and led her over to the bar on the other side. “Okay, now you know Fiona, Sean’s sister, and my cousin, Lexie. Andy and Josh are Sean’s groomsmen, but the one person you haven’t met is the best man, who just happens to be this guy right here.”
Gigi poked a tall, black-haired man in the back with her finger. “Hey, you. Meet your wedding partner.”
The man turned, and Blakely’s jaw dropped. “You!”
Ronan’s blue eyes lit up as Gigi formally introduced them. “Blake
ly, this is Ronan Byrne. Ronan, this is Blakely Pierce, my best friend and maid of honor who came here all the way from New York City.”
Ronan smiled like a Cheshire cat at Blakely. “Figures.”
“What is that supposed to mean?”
“Only someone from New York City, Manhattan by the looks of you—”
Trying to get a word in as Ronan continued, Blakely’s eyes seethed with anger.
“—would rent a Range Rover and wear black to a barbecue.”
Gigi looked back and forth between Blakely and Ronan. “Hold on! Do you two know each other?”
Blakely shouted, “No!”
Ronan held his hands over his heart. “Sweetheart, I’m hurt. How could you say that when just today I was holding you in my arms?”
Gigi’s eyes popped out of her head. “You what? I want details now!”
“Just to show that I’m not offended, may I have the pleasure of this dance, Blakely?”
Her mouth dropped in shock at his boldness. “Absolutely not.”
But Ronan grabbed Blakely’s hand anyway. She tried to release herself from Ronan with no success. He shouted back to Gigi, “She’ll tell you everything later, Georgina. Right now, she’s going to dance with me.”
Ronan gripped Blakely’s hand tightly in his own as he led her to the dance floor. Shane MacGowan’s voice launched into “Misty Morning Albert Bridge” as Ronan pressed Blakely to his body. She refused to look at him, averting her eyes.
Ronan smiled wickedly at her. “Darlin’, you’ve got to loosen up or you’re going to spontaneously combust.”
“Don’t talk to me like that. You don’t even know me.”
“Would it be so wrong of me to ask if I could get to know you?”
Blakely left his question unanswered as he skillfully guided her around the floor. The stronger he held onto her, the more she could feel every muscle in his body. That familiar smell of his intoxicated her. She actually did begin to loosen up, much to her chagrin. And that bulge in his jeans made its second appearance, which caused Blakely’s eyebrows to furrow.
Ronan looked down at her. “What’s wrong? You look confused.”
Blakely shook her head. “Nothing. I’m…just surprised about how good a dancer you are. You haven’t stepped on my toes once.”
“That’s thanks to my ma. She taught my brothers and me how to dance. What about you? You’re not so bad yourself.”
“I was a deb.”
“A ‘deb’?”
“Debutante. Floor-length white ballgown, military and civil escort, the whole nine yards. My coming out into society.”
“Don’t bite my head off for saying this, but that sounds really boring.”
Blakely laughed out loud. “Yeah. Actually, it really was. I think I would’ve rather taken lessons with your ma.”
“You probably would’ve been a better partner than my brother.”
Blakely laughed again, but caught herself.
This is getting too comfortable.
She made herself look into Ronan’s eyes. He stared right back at her. Her insides began to soften. His arms tightened around her, his hot breath intoxicating her.
Thankfully, the song began to wind down. Blakely released herself from Ronan.
“Thank you for the dance.” She walked away, leaving him behind on the dance floor.
A few hours later, with the dessert table practically stripped bare and the bar’s contents near empty, the barbecue began to wind down. Ronan watched as his parents took to the dance floor. To the side, he spotted Blakely sitting by herself in a corner, also watching his parents.
His eyes roamed over her, from her flaxen blonde hair all the way down to her long legs encased in black denim. She was a real woman. He loved feeling her curves under his arm when it encircled her. Her sumptuous breasts pinned against him made him instantly hard, and he yearned to taste them for himself.
Why is she so afraid of me?
Ronan slowly approached her. “Hi.”
She looked up at him, then back at the dance floor. “Hey.”
“Mind if I sit?”
She shrugged her shoulders, which he took as a non-verbal yes.
He sat down and looked out at his parents holding each other close. “This is their song. They always request it.”
Ronan glimpsed back at Blakely. She was mouthing the words along with Van Morrison, her head shaking to the beat as the horns came alive during “Into the Mystic.”
They sat silently next to each other. Once the song ended, Blakely stood up when Ronan suddenly reached for her arm.
“Look, I’m sorry. I think we got off on the wrong foot. And since we’re the de facto heads of the wedding party, we should at least try to be to be civil with each other.”
Blakely smiled and quietly laughed.
“What’s so funny?”
“‘De facto heads of the wedding party.’ I like that.”
Ronan dropped his hand from her arm and grinned in return.
I made her smile. Keep going…
“So, I was thinking…”
“What?” she asked nervously.
“Could I take you on a picnic tomorrow? Totally casual. I can give you a tour of the property. Are you doing anything?”
Please say yes.
“Umm…I think that Gigi scheduled a hay ride to the lake.”
Shit.
Ronan nodded his head. “Yeah, I forgot about that. Maybe some other time then?”
“Maybe.”
I’ll take a ‘Maybe.’
She rose to her feet. “I’m going to turn in. Good night, Ronan.”
“Good night, Blakely. Sleep well.”
He watched Blakely’s ass sway back and forth as she walked away, the last lyric of “Into the Mystic” echoing in his head.
You’re right on the money, brother. We’re past the point of no return.
This is only the beginning.
CHAPTER FOUR
After breakfast the next day, Blakely walked out of the dining hall and came face to face with a scene straight out of “Little House on the Prairie”—two large uncovered wagons piled to the hilt with hay. She could see some of Gigi’s and Sean’s relatives already settling into the wagons.
Lexie waved to Blakely. “Hey, Blakely, come ride with us!”
Blakely saw her sitting next to Fiona, with Ronan nowhere in sight.
Perfect.
She walked over to the wagon, and Fiona held out her hand to help her on. Andy and Josh were already there along with their parents and assorted relations.
“Got any room for me?” a deep male voice asked.
A shiver ran up Blakely’s spine as goosebumps covered her arms.
Someone say no. Please.
“Sure, man. Right here next to Blakely,” Josh shouted.
Great. Thanks a lot, Josh.
Blakely began to protest. “No…no…there really isn’t any room.”
“That’ll do just fine,” Ronan countered. “I’ll just ease in here if you don’t mind.”
His hulking form slid in next to Blakely, filling out the far corner.
That smell assaulted her senses again. Sweat mixed with a hint of soap. His left thigh lodged itself firmly next to her right leg. Her pussy immediately clenched as she felt herself go wet. Blakely sensed the strength of his thigh, the heat of it, seeing herself sitting on top of it, straddling Ronan…
Another shiver ran through her.
“Are you cold?”
Her body shook as she glanced up at Ronan, straight into his sapphire eyes. “I’m wearing a sweatshirt and shorts. How could I possibly be cold?”
“Well, it’s hard not to notice when you’re outside in Nevada in late June and the person you’re sitting next to in such close proximity starts shaking like she’s stuck on a sled in the Iditarod.”
Blakely’s eyes shifted from his. “I’m fine.”
“Okay. Good to know,” Ronan whispered back.
She turned away
from him, joining Lexie and Fiona’s conversation about Gigi’s bachelorette party, doing her best to forget about the man sitting on her right.
When the wagons came to a stop by the lake, the group stood up and began descending to the ground. Someone from behind grabbed Blakely by her left elbow.
Ronan’s voice came over her like a silk whisper. “I’ve got you.”
She turned her head slightly over her left shoulder. “It’s okay, thanks.”
Thankfully, Andy shouted out at that moment, “Come on down, maid of honor.” He stood at the edge of the wagon, ready to help her descend.
Blakely smiled widely at him. “My hero.”
Andy held out his hand as she climbed down, with him catching her in his arms and swinging her around. She laughed at the top of her lungs. “Put me down, you idiot!”
“Not a chance.”
“I’m going to throw up.”
He set her back down within a second.
Taking Andy’s arm, Blakely walked away, leaving Ronan behind once again.
Bastard.
Ronan’s jaw clenched in anger.
Why is she doing this? She’s friendly to everyone, but with me, she turns Arctic.
He knew he should probably give up on her, but he couldn’t help himself. She drew him in. He just couldn’t shake her.
Ronan spotted Sean grabbing a cooler from the other wagon. He quickly jumped down and walked over to him. “Hey, man.”
Sean slapped him on the back. “How’s my best man doing?”
Ronan ran his right hand through his hair. “I want to ask you about something.”
“What is it?”
“What’s the deal with Blakely?”
Without saying a word, Sean put the cooler down and turned to his best friend, staring at him dead on. “Leave her alone, Ronan.”
Ronan reared back in surprise. “Whoa! What the hell is that supposed to mean?”
“Look,” Sean exhaled, “she’s a good person with a huge heart. And she doesn’t deserve her head to be messed with. She’s been through a lot.”
“Jesus, Sean, you know me better than that. I don’t play mind games with women.”