The Cowboy’s Mail Order Bride (BBW Romance - Billionaire Brothers 5)

by Jenn Roseton

  He shrugged. “I just don’t.” He flipped through them again. “They’re nice.” When she didn’t say anything, he added, “They’re good. But I don’t think they’re me.”

  “I made provisions for the birds, butterflies and bees, just like you asked. You can have any plants you like. In fact, I need to ask you what kinds of flowers and bushes you want.” She took her laptop out of its bag and placed it on the table with a sigh. “As soon as you approve a design.”

  He slapped the sketches on the table. “We should just forget this whole idea. I don’t need a new garden design.” He crossed his arms over his chest.

  Sophie closed her eyes. Janet had warned her this might happen and had told her their instructions from his brother were that she wasn’t to take no for an answer.

  “Your brother’s already paid for my services. In fact,” she swallowed, deciding to be honest with him, “he said failure is not an option. He really wants you to have a new garden.”

  Mitch grunted something that sounded like “Hmpf!” After studying her for a long moment, he muttered, “Fine. But I don’t like any of these.”

  Sophie drew in a deep breath. At least he hadn’t kicked her off the property. Remembering the advice her boss had given her before she left San Diego, she said, “Are there any elements of the designs you do like?”

  He picked up the designs and looked through them again. “I like this.” His tanned forefinger pointed at part of her second sketch, the one she’d been sure he’d love. “And this bit here.” His finger stabbed the corner of her first sketch.

  Mitch flipped through the sketches again. “And this corner of the garden.” He tapped the last sketch.

  “Okay.” She whipped out a pencil from her purse and circled the parts of her designs that Mitch had pointed to. “I’ll work up a new design based on those elements.”

  “All right.”

  There was a pause. Sophie thought if she didn’t break the silence, it would quickly become an uncomfortable pause.

  “I’ll go out to the garden for another walk through, see what I can come up with.”

  “Sounds good,” he said gruffly, then hesitated. “How long will it take?”

  She thought of the hours she’d spent last night coming up with the five sketches he disliked. “A while,” she said cautiously.

  “So you’ll go back to Elk View once you’ve had a look at the garden and come back tomorrow?”

  She couldn’t tell from his tone whether he wanted her to say yes or no. “I guess so,” she replied.

  “Great.” He rose from the table. “See you tomorrow.”

  Sophie gathered up her things, wishing she could dismiss people so summarily. At least she’d have time on her own walking around the garden and gathering her thoughts. She was determined to give him a design that he approved of!

  Trudging along the rough path to the front garden, she told herself not to be downhearted. Her boss Janet had told her a few stories about nightmare clients she’d had in the past, and compared to them, Mitch was something of a pussycat. Well, not exactly a pussycat. He was definitely a man. A delightful shiver ran through her as she thought of his big, strong frame, and the muscles she was sure were waiting to be revealed beneath his T-shirts and long-sleeved cotton shirts.

  And his eyes. The molten brown depths of his eyes seriously affected her pulse.

  But there was no point thinking about him like that. It was obvious he only saw her as an annoying landscape designer who was interrupting his peace and quiet. He was probably attracted to tall supermodels, anyway.

  She put her laptop in the car, then stepped into the garden. Drawing a deep breath, she allowed the peace of the countryside to soothe her. An orange and white butterfly fluttered past and Sophie smiled. She totally understood why Mitch was wary of letting someone redesign the garden. Although it was overgrown and consisted mostly of tall grass, there was a rough, wild beauty to it that obviously appealed to the native fauna.

  Sophie looked down at the three sketches she’d marked up. She walked over to the circled part of the first sketch and viewed the rest of the garden from that point. Repeating her actions for the remaining two sketches, she started to get a glimmer of an idea. Her pencil flashed over her sketch pad, her design coming to life. This drawing would have all the elements Mitch had liked from her previous efforts, as well as something extra.

  Gazing at her rough sketch, she smiled. Once she got back to the inn, she’d transfer it over to the CAD program and present it to Mitch tomorrow. She knew this was even better than the first sketch she’d showed him this morning.

  Sophie walked back to her car, still looking down at her sketch. Maybe a little something here, she mused, her pencil circling a corner of the garden, and perhaps--

  “Ow!” She sprawled on the ground, the breath knocked out of her. Blinking, she realized she’d put her hands out to save herself. Her sketches and purse were strewn over the long grass.

  “Are you okay?” Mitch asked roughly, appearing out of nowhere.

  “I … I think so.” She pushed herself up to a sitting position, a tad shaken and looked down at her hands, slowly flexing them. They seemed to be okay, thank goodness. How else would she be able to complete the design if she didn’t have full use of her hands?

  “I’ll help you up.” He put out a large, tanned palm.

  Sophie put her smaller hand in his. He pulled her up, the task not seeming to tax his strength at all. But her heart skipped a beat at the sensation of her hand engulfed in his.

  “Thanks,” she murmured once she was upright.

  He let go of her hand.

  She brushed herself down, wondering if he’d been a shade reluctant to loosen his clasp? Don’t be ridiculous.

  “I can’t believe I did that.” Heat tinged her cheeks.

  “That’s what happens when you’re not looking where you’re going. There are some boggy spots here, especially when it’s rained.” His mouth twisted. “Should have mentioned that before.”

  She looked up at him, his words registering. How had he known she hadn’t been watching where she’d been walking? Had he been … spying on her?

  When she didn’t say anything, he muttered. “Saw you fall.”

  Sophie wondered just how long he’d been watching her from the house. Her pulse skittered at the thought. Perhaps he wasn’t so indifferent to her presence as he seemed?

  “Thanks for helping me,” she said breathlessly. She knew she had to gather up her sketches and purse, but right this very second she couldn’t do anything else except look into his eyes.

  Silence filled the garden. She felt pinned to the spot by his intense gaze, his dark brown eyes backlit by a smoldering warmth. A faint scent of clean hay tantalized her senses.

  His head lowered, his mouth descending. Her heartbeat quickened, but she was rooted to the spot. All she could do was watch helplessly as his lips came closer and closer …

  His mouth moved over hers. Warmth was the first sensation she registered. His lips tasted and teased, until she was ready to throw her arms around his neck and urge him even closer.

  Before she could make a move, it was over. He’d stepped back and straightened up, his mouth nowhere near hers, her lips suddenly bereft.

  Mitch gathered up her things lying on the grass and handed them to her, his hands not touching hers - at all. “Are you okay to drive back?” He had a shuttered expression on his face.

  “I’ll be fine,” she assured him, although at that very moment she didn’t feel anything but.

  “See you tomorrow.” He strode toward the house, as if he couldn’t wait to get away.

  She stared after him, wondering what had just happened.

  ***

  Damn. Damn, damn, damn. He’d given into temptation and kissed her. And now he wanted more. He could still feel the sensation of her soft lips under his. His groin tightened uncomfortably and he slammed the back door, stomping into the kitchen.

  He shouldn’
t have watched her from the window. Then he wouldn’t have rushed out to help her and be lured into kissing her. Yeah, lured.

  He’d tried to resist observing her as he sat at the computer, but he hadn’t been able to help himself. As soon as she’d left the house to work in the garden, he hadn’t been able to keep his mind on his writing. So he thought he might as well give himself a break and see exactly what she was doing out there.

  But once he’d started watching her, he hadn’t been able to look away. And when he’d seen her fall, he had to find out right away if she was okay.

  He remembered the relief that coursed through him when he’d helped her up and she’d assured him she was all right. He should have walked away then, but oh no, he’d had to have a taste of her lips. Just one, he’d told himself. And now he was cursing himself for having done that.

  Because he wanted more. Much more.

  CHAPTER 4

  Sophie tried not to yawn as she turned into Mitch’s driveway the following morning. She’d stayed up late again, wanting to make the new design as perfect as she knew how. It had taken her longer than she’d thought to transfer it over to the CAD program, and then she hadn’t been able to stop herself making little tweaks along the way. Finally, at nearly midnight, she’d saved the design and shut down her laptop, too tired to print it out.

  Her stomach knotted up as she parked the car in front of the house and turned off the ignition. Would Mitch like this new design? She certainly hoped so, because if he didn’t, she didn’t know what to do.

  Marching to the front door, she squared her shoulders. She would not think about that amazing kiss yesterday. Her stumble in the garden had shaken her a little, and she hadn’t been able to resist when Mitch had kissed her, that was all. At least, that’s what she told herself.

  Biting her lip, she admitted to herself the real reason she’d let Mitch kiss her. Because she’d wanted him to.

  Trying to shove that disquieting thought to the back of her mind, she raised her hand to knock. She was determined to be totally professional this morning.

  When the door opened, the words of her businesslike greeting faded to mush. Mitch stood in front of her, dressed much the same as yesterday, except she noted that today’s shirt had gray and white checks.

  “Hi.” She hoped her voice wasn’t squeaky.

  “Hi.”

  They stared at each for a long second, then he ushered her inside. “Come in.”

  Once again, she followed him through to the kitchen and placed her laptop bag on the table. She fleetingly wondered what the rest of the house looked like, but told herself she didn’t need to know.

  “Here’s a new design.” Sophie pulled out her laptop and switched it on. She brought up the design and turned the laptop around so he could view the screen.

  Seconds ticked past. She watched his face as he peered at the monitor. Tension coiled in her tummy as she waited for his verdict.

  “I like it,” he finally pronounced.

  Relief swept through her. All her hard work last night had paid off! She almost ran around the table to hug him before stopping herself. Bad idea.

  “Great.” She beamed at him, then sat down at the table. Although he’d approved the design, her knees still felt a little wobbly.

  He pushed the laptop back to her. “So what happens now?”

  “I need to ask you about what kind of plants you want.”

  He shrugged. “I like what I’ve got now.”

  Overgrown grass and wildflowers. O-kay.

  “We can keep the grass and flowers you already have,” she agreed, her fingers poised on the keyboard, “but I need some specific plants to make the design come alive.” When he didn’t say anything, she turned the laptop around. “See the corner of the garden on the right side? I’ve drawn in a medium sized bush. And I’ve included a matching bush on the opposite side as well.”

  He studied the screen. “What do you suggest?” His eyes flickered with curiosity.

  “If you want to attract native wildlife, then it would be best if we used plants endemic to this part of Wyoming.”

  “Sounds good.” He nodded.

  “I’ll have to do some research, see which kinds of plants would do best in your garden’s microclimate, then show you what I’ve found.”

  “All right.”

  She eyed him thoughtfully. No objections? She continued, “Of course, they’d have to be plants that are readily available. There’s no point in me recommending a rare species that’s impossible to get a hold of.”

  “Of course,” he replied.

  Sophie paused. Was there a hint of laughter in his voice? She tried to make her voice sound even more professional. “And then--” Unable to stop the yawn, she covered her mouth with her hand. “Sorry,” she murmured, hoping a telltale pink blush hadn’t stained her cheeks, but feeling the heat of it on her face.

  His gaze narrowed in on her face. “Late night?”

  “A little.” She tried to make light of it. “I was working on the design.”

  “You shouldn’t have stayed up so late,” he said abruptly. “Your eyes look tired.”

  He’d noticed the purple shadows under her eyes? Although she didn’t usually wear much makeup, she’d been careful to apply some concealer that morning, not wanting the effects of working late to show. But thanks to her jaw-numbing yawn, it was too late.

  “I wanted to have the design ready for you this morning. And,” she hesitated, then decided to tell him the truth, “I’m not used to a ninety minute commute.”

  He frowned. “How long does it usually take you to get to work?”

  “Ten minutes.” And that included stopping for a gingerbread latte.

  “What was Alex thinking?” Although he growled the words, it sounded as if he was talking to himself.

  “I’ll be fine,” she said quickly, determined to have an early night tonight. Now that the design was out of the way, hopefully she wouldn’t have to work overtime on everything else.

  “No.”

  She stared at him. No? Her pulse beat erratically. She couldn’t lose this job. Wouldn’t lose this job.

  “But--”

  “It’s too far for you to travel from Elk View every morning, and then back again in the afternoon.” He frowned. “You’ll have to stay here.”

  “What?” Her eyes widened.

  “You can stay in the guest cottage.”

  “I couldn’t do that,” she protested. Three weeks here … with Mitch?

  “Why not?”

  “Because …” her voice trailed off when she couldn’t think up a good reason. Apart from it being too dangerous. If she reacted this way to Mitch when she saw him once per day, how would she manage if she were living with him 24/7? Well, not living with him exactly, but she’d be in close proximity to him. All the time. She didn’t know if her racing heart could cope.

  “It’s settled. You can move into the cottage today.” The expression on his face dared her to object again.

  “But my stuff’s at the inn.” She gripped the edge of the table. “And your brother’s covered the cost of the hotel.”

  Mitch shrugged. “He can afford it. Anyway, if you explain the situation to the manager, I’m sure he’ll refund the rest of your stay.”

  She automatically covered her mouth as another jaw-cracking yawn hit her.

  “You’re definitely staying here.” He narrowed his eyes. “We can pick up your stuff tomorrow.”

  We? A warm shiver ran down her spine at the pronoun.

  “I can go myself. That is, if I am staying here,” she added, not willing to give in too easily. The last thing she wanted him to think was that she’d been angling for an invitation to stay here. With him. Nothing could be further from the truth.

  First, she didn’t know how she felt about her attraction to him. And second, there was the matter of his coffee. She didn’t consider herself to be a caffeine addict, but she did enjoy a nice cup of coffee in the morning. And Mitch’s b
rew - she couldn’t suppress a shudder. If she stayed here, she’d definitely have to forego her daily fix.

  “Believe it.” He rose from the table. “We can go to Elk View in the morning and get your stuff. And some groceries.”

  Sophie nibbled her lip. She guessed she could have objected more strongly, but Mitch looked like his mind was made up. And besides … she tried to stifle another yawn. Not driving for three hours per day would be great, as long as she could handle being around him all day … and all night.

  But you won’t be near him during the night, she scolded herself. You’ll be in the cute guest cottage, and he’ll be here, next door. Right next door.

  Tamping down the memory of yesterday’s kiss, she got to her feet. Yesterday had been an aberration, that was all. Mitch had probably been curious about what it was like to kiss a curvy girl, and he’d given in to that curiosity. He probably wouldn’t touch her again. Not that she wanted him to. Yeah, right.

  And the only reason he wanted her to stay in the cottage was so she wouldn’t be too tired to give him an amazing garden. That was all.

  “I better check the cabin’s got everything you need,” he muttered, heading for the back door.

  She followed him, unsure of what else to do. Trailing after him into the guest cottage, she placed her laptop and purse on the bed.

  “The bed linen is clean,” he informed her, opening the closet. “I’ll bring you some pajamas.”

  “Thanks,” she murmured, the memory of wearing his comfy flannel PJs tingling through her. Would they be the same pair she wore three nights ago?

  “You can do your research in the kitchen.” He poked his head into the bathroom, seemingly satisfied with his cursory inspection. “Wi-Fi doesn’t extend to this cottage.”

  “Thanks.” She eyed the bed longingly. A little nap would refresh her, but so would a decent coffee. Since she didn’t think she’d ever be desperate enough to brave Mitch’s thick brew again, she’d have to settle for a nap. Perhaps when--

  “Want some lunch?” he asked abruptly, turning to look at her.