Million Dollar Cowboy

by Lori Wilde

  “Casey might be the bride,” he said, admiration combed through his voice, “but to me, you’re the most beautiful woman in the room.”

  “That’s out of context,” she said, struggling not to be charmed.

  “I’ve been thinking it all night.”

  “I’m sure Archer doesn’t agree.”

  “We’re not talking about Archer.”

  “What are we talking about?”

  “How you are unequivocally, remarkably gorgeous, and that happens to be the least interesting thing about you.”

  She was flattered, but she didn’t want him to know. “How many woman have you used that line on?”

  “It’s not a line.” He paused for a long beat. “Not with you.”

  Her heart flipped. How she wanted to believe him. Instead, she changed the subject. “Is it weird?”

  “Is what weird?”

  “You and Vivi.”

  “Why should it be weird?”

  “Um … I dunno. Maybe because she dumped you for your dad.”

  “Ten years ago.”

  “Vivi and your dad—”

  “Let’s not talk about them. We have such a short time together. Let’s enjoy ourselves.”

  “You’re right,” she said, wrapping her arms around his neck and dancing closer. It was her only brother’s wedding day. Be in the moment. Celebrate!

  He tightened his arms around her, and she rested her head on his shoulders, let the music sweep her away. Enjoyed the magic. Savored the experience. Tried not to have any expectations beyond the sights, sound, smells, touch.

  She inhaled him. He smelled so good.

  His head was bowed, her chin tilted up. Looking into his eyes, her heart pounded. He held on to her hand, his grip both tender and firm. His other arm was resting at her waist, just above her hip.

  Their bodies were close, not scandalously close for the crowd they were in, but still, Kaia was certain someone would say something about how close she was dancing with Ridge.

  Let ’em talk. Tonight, she didn’t give a damn.

  They swayed to the music, gliding as if they’d been born to dance together. He interlaced his fingers with hers.

  His bow tie was in the direct line of her vision. It looked so whimsical, that satiny black bow against his tanned skin.

  The tip of her shoe caught on a crack in the cement floor. Her knee bobbled and she stumbled.

  “Gotcha,” he said, his arms going around her completely, hugging her tight.

  “Why look.” She laughed. “This time you saved me.”

  Her blood was churning and her brain was humming and she just knew she was going to do something very stupid tonight, but she didn’t care.

  His breath smelled of cinnamon mints, and heated her cheek. His intoxicating bay rum and cardamom scent filled every space in her head.

  He was hope and adventure and pure sex on two legs. She raised her eyes to his as if he was the answer to every prayer she’d ever prayed.

  The music stopped. The band taking a break. People drifted away. Heading for the bar or more wedding cake during the lull.

  Kaia and Ridge stood welded to the dance floor, anchored by each other’s gaze. He was staring at her as enrapt as she was.

  It was heady. Knowing she’d tacked down his attention. He looked slightly breathless, as if he’d run to catch a bus, and his hair was tousled, and yet, he was handsomer than ever.

  Transfixed, Kaia gulped.

  What was happening to her? Why these feelings? Why now? Why Ridge?

  She knew why Cinderella fled when the clock struck midnight. It wasn’t just because her coach was turning into a pumpkin. There was much more to it than that. Old Cindy had been downright terrified by the promise of possibilities of what might happen if she did not run away.

  Kaia’s heart thundered and a panic bloomed in her chest. She had to leave him before she did something irreversible. “Thanks for the dance,” she croaked. “It was … fun, but um … I gotta go.”

  “You’re leaving?” Disappointment tinged his eyes.

  “Um, yeah.” She started backing up. “I gotta get up early.”

  “Tomorrow is Sunday.”

  So it was. “I have lots of animals to feed. It takes time.” Okay, lame excuse—she acknowledged the lameness. She’d already paid a neighbor to take care of the critters while she was away.

  He moved toward her.

  “Bye,” she chirped, waved a hand, spun around, and took off, her airway constricted and shots of bright white lights whirling before her eyes.

  She pushed her way through the throng, and all she could see were strangers, even though she knew almost all of them. Faces blurred, dropped out of focus. Voices grew louder, amplified inside her head, filled with mindless, numbing chatter. She stumbled again, regained her balance, felt her heart chug.

  Antsy to get away from Ridge, from her subterranean feelings, Kaia ran.

  But she couldn’t outrun herself.

  She raced into the shadows, headed for where she’d left her Tundra parked outside the chapel. Stopped when she got there, saw numerous vehicles surrounding it. She wasn’t getting out of here without making half a dozen people move their cars. That meant tracking them down.

  Shoot.

  She heard footsteps behind her, hoped it wasn’t Ridge, and ducked deeper into the shadows around the side of the barn. Stood with her back and arms plastered against the wooden wall, trying to catch her breath and make sense of the emotions whirling around inside of her.

  “Snap out of it,” she scolded. “You’re overreacting. Letting your imagination go wild.”

  She stood panting, and after a while, when she could finally draw in a deep breath, she slipped into the darkened chapel and climbed the steps to the overhead loft. She would hole up in here until people started leaving and she could get her truck out. She couldn’t go back to the party.

  Couldn’t let anyone see just how much dancing with Ridge Lockhart had unraveled her.

  Chapter 14

  Puzzled, Ridge waited a minute before following Kaia into the chapel. If she needed space, he would give it to her. On the other hand, if she was upset, he wanted to ease her troubled mind.

  Thing is, he wasn’t sure what he’d done to upset her. One minute they’d been dancing and having a good time; the next, she’d looked completely panic-stricken and couldn’t get away from him fast enough.

  Was it the fact he’d gotten an erection? He’d tried not to press right up against her when they’d been dancing, but the dance floor had been packed, necessitating close contact.

  And how did a guy go about apologizing for that. Sorry you’re so hot I got a boner? No, definitely do not say that.

  It was a lot to take in. The fact that he wanted to bed his best friend’s kid sister more than he’d ever wanted to bed anyone. It felt disloyal, taboo, and incredibly hot.

  The chapel was dark save for the party lights shining in the windows. The band started up a rendition of “You Are the Best Thing.”

  Ridge pulled the door closed behind him and sauntered inside. Heard his boots scraping against the floor, inhaled the dry smell of wood and hymnals, felt the boards creak under his weight.

  He walked the aisle, looking down each row to see if Kaia was skulking in a pew. She wasn’t on the first floor, but he’d seen her come in here. She had to be in the loft.

  Should he leave her be or go to her?

  His brain told him to split, but his body, his bones, his blood, pushed him up the ladder to the loft.

  His pulse quickened with each step and he realized it had been quite some time since he’d been this excited. She was not playing hide-and-seek. He’d scared her. He should go away and leave her in peace.

  Smart thought. He would do that.

  He didn’t.

  The loft platform was so close to the roof that he had to duck his head as he stepped off the ladder. He could see her sitting in the open window surrounded by wedding gifts, knees drawn t
o her chest, bridesmaid dress hugged around her legs, gazing out at the party below, the moon glow casting her in silhouette.

  “Kaia?” he murmured. “Is it okay if I sit with you?”

  “It’s your family’s chapel,” she said. “I can’t stop you.”

  He paused. “Do you want me to go?”

  She didn’t say anything for so long he was already backing down the ladder when she spoke. “I don’t mind if you stay.”

  Not a rousing “yes, sit down, take a load off,” but he would take what he could get.

  He eased over, careful not to rise up and whack his head on the beams. He sat next to her, not touching her, stretched out his legs to dangle them out the wide-open hayloft-style window.

  “Hey,” he said, trying not to sound breathless. Why was he breathless? Had to be the heat. He wasn’t used to it anymore.

  “Hey, yourself.”

  “Will you get irritated with me if I ask how you’re doing?”

  Her mouth curled into a half smile. She sat looking sexy in a fancy dress and bare feet. He wondered if she had any idea the effect she had on him. “I’m not irritated.”

  He sat with her, saying nothing, a cocoon of darkness and silence surrounding them. It was as if they were on a completely different planet than the people at the party in the barn across the way. Just the two of them, snug and warm.

  Intimate.

  Crazy how intimate.

  In a little more than thirty-six hours, Kaia Alzate had turned his world upside down. Kaia of the sexy laugh, sweet smile, and rocking hot bod.

  “I made a mistake,” he said.

  “What mistake?”

  “Waiting so long to come back home. I didn’t realize …”

  She inhaled audibly, her chest lifting, those gorgeous breasts rising high and pert. “What?”

  “Never mind.” How could he begin to tell her he regretted not being here to watch her grow into womanhood? Regretted all those moments they could have had together that they could never get back. Regretted he hadn’t realized how much she truly meant to him until now.

  “You’re worried about your dad?” she guessed wrongly.

  He took her comment as an excuse, because he was worried about Duke’s health. No matter how big a jackass his father might be, Ridge cared about him. “He’s drinking too much, and he needs to drop about thirty pounds. Archer told me he’s got high blood pressure …”

  Kaia squeezed his hand, offered up a reassuring smile. “You’re here for him now. That’s all that matters.”

  “Not for long.”

  “But you’ll be back. You won’t let another ten years pass before you come home.”

  “I’m headed for China after this,” he said. “I’ll be there for at least six months. Once the contract negotiations are over, I’ll be staying in Beijing to train them in my drilling technique.”

  “Oh,” she said, sounding disappointed. “I see.”

  “I have to go. We’re about to sign a huge contract. That’s what the phone messages were all about. I’ve been working my entire life for this. I even taught myself Mandarin.”

  “Really?” She giggled. “That’s impressive. Say something in Mandarin for me.”

  “Nǐ hěn piào liang.”

  “What does it mean?”

  It meant, you are very beautiful, but he wasn’t going to tell her that. “It’s just a greeting.”

  “Nǐ hěn piào liang,” she parroted. “This is so cool. When did you find time to learn Mandarin?”

  “Audio recordings when I commute.”

  “You don’t waste a second, do you?”

  “Not if I can help it.”

  “I’m happy for you.” Her kind eyes cradled his. “It’s everything you’ve ever wanted.”

  “Yes,” he said, but he couldn’t help thinking his victory felt empty.

  How could that be? Making a success of his life was all he’d ever wanted. Making more money than Duke. Showing his father he didn’t need a lick of his help to make it on his own.

  He couldn’t hold on to her gaze any longer. Looking at her stirred impossible feelings he didn’t even know how to describe. Wasn’t sure he even wanted to feel them. Feelings complicated things.

  “It wasn’t such a bad idea,” he said.

  Kaia frowned. “What wasn’t?”

  Ridge knocked on the low ceiling above their heads. “A wedding chapel for cowboy weddings. Gotta give Vivi props for that.”

  “It was a pretty wedding.”

  “I’m not keen on the idea that they built it so close to my house and parcel of land. But I’m pretty sure that was just Duke getting his dig in.”

  “Maybe your father figured that since you were never going to claim the house, why not build the chapel here?” she said, playing devil’s advocate. “And it’s not like you’re home for good. Even if you manage to smooth things over and return to Cupid occasionally, as much as you work, I imagine it won’t be that often. So the chapel isn’t really going to be a problem.”

  “Probably not.” He studied her, wondering how she felt about that.

  She shifted, glanced away. “I’m thirsty. Are you thirsty?”

  “I could go get us something from the bar.”

  “Or we could go make coffee at your house. I saw a brand-new coffeemaker when we were over there yesterday.”

  His body tightened in the most masculine way.

  She was suggesting they go to his house. Was she sending him a signal? And she was suggesting coffee. As if she wanted to stay up late. Or was it just wishful thinking on his part?

  He nodded. “Or we could do that.”

  She got up and eased past him, headed for the steps.

  It was all Ridge could do not to ogle her ass. It was a losing battle considering it was a world-class ass and she filled out that dress so well. Okay, cards on the table, he didn’t even try not to stare.

  The way her rump moved stole the breath right out of his lungs. He took off after her. Caught up with her at the chapel porch. Took her arm, guided her around the parked vehicles and across the patch of ground between the chapel and his house. The lights were out, but the door was not locked.

  He put a hand to the small of her back and guided her inside, switched on the lamps, but drew the curtains to block the lights from the outside. He didn’t want anyone wandering over.

  And locked the door behind them.

  Kaia’s eyes were wide when he turned back to her, but she didn’t protest the locked door.

  He led the way into the kitchen. “I’ll put the coffee on.”

  “I can do it.”

  “I know that,” he said. “But I’m gonna do it. Have a seat.”

  He searched in the pantry, trying to figure out where Vivi put the coffee when she’d stocked his house. Finally found it in the refrigerator. He loaded up the coffeemaker with a dark roast.

  He bustled around making the coffee, poured them into identical mugs, brought it to the kitchen table. Sat beside her.

  They did not speak. He could hear the steady ticking of the clock on the wall, marking off the seconds. Tried to think of something neutral to say as she stared into her coffee cup.

  Ridge cleared his throat. “When do you graduate from vet school?”

  “Next summer, if all goes according to plan.”

  “What could hamstring it?”

  “Money.” She shrugged, a casual gesture but he sensed something more behind it. “But if it takes longer, it takes longer. There’s no rush.”

  Ridge sipped his coffee. She blew across the top of hers to cool it. He thought about offering her money. But she was so proud and independent he didn’t want to offend her.

  “You want to make this an Irish coffee?” he asked. “I saw some Baileys in the fridge.”

  She lowered her lashes, dished up a sly grin. “Are you trying to get me liquored up?”

  “I’m trying to get me liquored up.”

  “Why?”

  “Do you ha
ve any idea how much you throw me off balance?”

  “Not any more than you throw me.”

  Their eyes met.

  “I should go.” Kaia jumped up suddenly, accidentally kicked the leg of the table, and sent hot coffee sloshing from the mug. It splashed her lap. “Ooh, ooh, hot, hot!”

  He set down his cup, leaped up, took hold of her arm and propelled her toward the bathroom. “Get out of those clothes before you get burned. Strip. Get in the shower. Rinse off. Now! I’ll see if I can find something for you to wear.”

  “Okay.”

  He closed the door after her. Heard her rustling around. His pulse pounded. “You okay?”

  “I’m fine. Getting in the shower now. Find me some clothes.”

  “On it,” he said, even though he had no idea what, if any, clothes were in the house.

  He went to the master bedroom and was surprised to see the queen-sized bed he’d caught Vivi and his father having sex in a decade ago had been replaced with a new king-sized bed.

  More props for Vivi. He was certain she was behind the bed change. Remorse? Her attempt at seeking his forgiveness? She need not have worried. He’d forgiven her years ago. It was his father he couldn’t quite forgive.

  He stepped to the closet, found a brand-new white terry cloth bathrobe. It would be huge on Kaia, but it was something to cover up with.

  Ridge rapped on the bathroom door, but the shower was running, so he didn’t know if she’d heard him or not. He tried the knob.

  It was unlocked.

  He opened the door, intended on resting the robe over the towel rack, but he caught sight of her naked body through the clear glass shower door.

  Mesmerized, he couldn’t move.

  Her eyes were closed and she had her face stuck under the spray of water. His jaw dropped. The fantasies he’d been having about her paled in comparison to the sizzling woman standing there. Instantly, he got hard.

  Leave!

  He left the robe and scooped up her coffee-stained bridesmaid dress from the floor and ran out of there. He paused in the hallway to take a few deep breaths before heading into the laundry room, but then realized the dress should be dry-cleaned.

  What now?