Or would it make him happy to brand her his own? He picked out a gold-plated band with a fake emerald the color of her eyes. It’d do for now, until he could get her something real. Ten minutes later, he hauled Stormie’s red suitcase into the room he’d shared with Rance.
In the parking garage, he’d gone right to the red minivan before he realized the little red sports car next to it was beeping when he pressed the fob. He wished he knew more about psychology to interpret what it meant that Stormie drove such a slick car.
Rance came out of the bathroom. “Hey. My cousin does stock market stuff.”
“Good for you.” He grabbed his kit from the bathroom and stuffed it into his duffle.
“No, look.” He handed Jayden a small piece of paper with the hotel’s logo on it. In Rance’s handwriting, it said, Thompson Family Horse Breeders. 247m.
He recognized Stormie’s family business. “Two hundred forty seven what?” Horses? Employees?
“Million.” Rance’s eyes sparked and his smile split his face.
“Million…” No, couldn’t be.
“Dollars.” He practically danced with excitement. “And she’s their only heir. You, buddy, is rich.”
He looked at the paper again. That’s what the farm was worth? Oh man. Was she ever out of his league.
“Half that’s liquid.”
“Huh?” He looked at Rance who stripped off his shirt.
Tribal tattoos on his shoulders stood out in the bright ceiling light. “Liquid, you know, cash and stuff that can be cashed in easily.”
Folding the note, he stuffed it in his back pocket behind his wallet. He saw Stormie a little differently now. All the money in the world, but pinned down under her parents’ expectations of her.
Rance sat on one of the beds and pulled off his boots. “Community property. You own half that.”
“Isn’t community property just in California?” He shook his head. “Don’t answer that. I don’t want her money.” He pulled his bag off the bed.
“At least you could get something happening with her equine stock and the rodeo school.”
He nodded. That was something he and Boone and Dallas had already talked about, but he didn’t want to use his marital status to get anything that didn’t belong to him.
“You might have to change your last name to Thompson.” Rance laughed as he stripped off his jeans. Commando.
Jayden looked away quickly. “Fuck you, asshole.”
Rance laughed louder. “Hit a nerve, huh?”
“I’ll see you later at the arena.”
“Have fun with the new wifey.”
He left, somehow feeling dirtier about knowing what Stormie was worth than about Rance’s crude comments. “Oh hell.” His comments weren’t any dirtier than the things they usually said to one another, and to hundreds of other cowboys, but having Stormie mentioned, brought it all home to his heart.
And that damn near scared a year off his life.
****
Jayden opened his eyes as Stormie answered her phone. “Hello.”
Spooned behind her in the heart-shaped bed, he could have stayed under the covers for a couple more days. She’d woken when he’d come back into the room with their suitcases, and they’d spent three wild hours learning each other’s bodies, finding new positions to make love in, and creating more orgasms than he’d ever had with—or given to—any woman.
“Okay, sure.” She smiled at him. With her hair messy, and her eyes half-asleep, she was one sexy temptation. “We’ll be there in a half hour.”
Jayden shook his head and pointed at the tent his penis was making in the sheet.
She laughed. “Okay, I’ll call when we’re in the casino.” She hung up, set down her phone, and rolled on top of him.
He had to protect himself with his hands to keep the jewels safe. When he remembered that she knew very little about sharing a bed with a man, it put a smile on his face. It’d be his pleasure to teach her. Everything.
“Our check is ready.”
He pulled her close for a quick kiss. “What time is it?”
“Noon.” She grinned. “Happy St. Patrick’s Day, hubby.”
“Ah, and top o’ the…afternoon to ya too, me darlin’ wife.” His Irish accent was horrible, but he’d made her smile. “Better get going?”
“Aye, that we do.” Her accent was a sight better. When she snuck her hand under the sheet and softly stroked him, he forgot all about what day it was. “But we still have to shower.” She bit her lip.
He smacked her bare behind. “Get the water running, I’ll find a condom.”
An hour later, Stormie had her check, they’d grabbed a quick sandwich on their way out of the casino, and were seated at the desk of a bank vice-president.
The woman typed in Stormie’s account information. “You want to deposit three hundred sixty two thousand, nine hundred and eighty one dollars.”
“Correct.” Stormie looked at him, her eyes gleaming with excitement.
“And you want a certified check for one hundred eighty one thousand, four hundred ninety dollars…”
“And fifty cents.” She held back a smile.
The bank VP smiled at her. “And fifty cents. Made out to Jayden Hancock.”
“Yes, please.” She wiggled in her chair.
“Now, I see this is a casino check.” The VP looked at both of them. “Have you discussed the tax implications?”
Jayden felt odd letting Stormie handle the taxes, but she promised that by her taking all the money, she’d get her family tax accountant to get them the least burden possible. Then she’d let Jayden know the amount, and he’d pay her for his half of the taxes.
“We have.” She nodded, no longer the giddy girl, but a confident businesswoman. “We’ve worked it out.”
“All right, that’s good.” The VP typed at her computer again. “Normally we ask for twenty-four hours to release funds, but I see you have enough in your account to cover the amount, so…” She stood. “I’ll be right back with a check.”
Oh man, she had almost two hundred thousand in the bank?
Chapter Nine
Stormie fidgeted on the bank VP’s guest chair and looked at Jayden with an embarrassed smirk on her face. “My parents insist on paying me a salary.” She shrugged. “I live with them, they pay for my school and my expenses.” She looked away.
“That’s great, cutie.” He took her hand. He didn’t want her to feel bad about being rich. Or potentially mega-rich in the future. “Your parents sound like great people.”
Her gaze shot to his. Her eyes looked wet. “And I’ve lied to them and done things…”
He leaned close. “You did what you needed to do to start your life.” He kissed her knuckles. “You’ll make it right…no, we’ll make it right.” He nodded once. “I promise.”
She seemed to deflate. “You’re making everything too easy for me.” She sniffed and blinked. “Too perfect.”
“I have to.” He made his tone gruff. “’Cause we’re married.”
She burst out in giggles and covered her mouth with her hand.
He chuckled and pulled her close and planted a kiss on her temple. “We’re in this together. We’re gonna give it one hundred percent, right?”
Stormie looked at him as if he’d grown a halo. “Right.”
“What about your car?”
“Huh?” She looked confused by the change of subject.
“You mentioned your parents paid for your school and your expenses.” He rattled her keys in his hand. She’d let him drive her sexy red car. Talk about trust.
Her smile was naughty. “I took out a loan for it when I got my two-year degree.” She shook her head. “They were not happy.”
He lifted his brows. “You have your degree? Didn’t you say you’re still in school?”
“I decided to keep going, finish the bachelor’s program.” She sat back and stared off into space. “I’ve got a lot of practical experience from working th
e ranch, but I wanted more in-depth training in a few areas.” She leaned toward him. “Plus, it gets me out of the house a couple days a week.”
He nodded and leaned in for a kiss. “I hear ya. But how did you pick that wild car?”
“I was tired of driving a ranch truck into school. I asked Kira what the exact opposite of a four-wheel-drive, extended cab, heavy duty pickup truck with dual tires in the back was.”
He laughed. “You and Kira are quite a team.”
“We don’t see much of each other anymore. I miss her.” She sighed.
He opened his mouth to make a comment about seeing Kira when Stormie visited him at the rodeo school, but snapped his jaw shut. It was a silent agreement between him and Stormie to focus on one minute at a time, and not make plans for the future. He was okay with that. For now.
The VP came back and sat, had Stormie sign a few things, then shook their hands and wished them luck as she handed over the check.
They exited the bank to a sunny, warm day. “To your bank?” She visored her hand over her eyes to look at him.
He nodded. He sure as hell didn’t want her to see his bank balance, though. There wasn’t even a comma in the number. “We’re drive-through kind of people.” In minutes, they pulled up to the window outside his bank’s Las Vegas branch, and he put nearly two hundred thousand dollars into his account. He was warned that it might take twenty-four hours for the funds to become available. He thanked the teller and folded the receipt into a small rectangle and stored it in a hidden pocket in his wallet.
“What now?” He pulled out of the drive-through and stopped.
She pointed to the casino tower that dominated the landscape. “Up?”
He looked through the sunroof. “Up it is.”
After seeing the town from a cloud’s eye view, they drove downtown and found green beer, corned beef and cabbage, and a goofy headband for her with two shamrocks on springs.
They picked up a brochure about Red Rock Canyon, and jumped in the car, heading west and uphill until they came to the park. They drove half the loop and found an overlook where they could see for miles. They sat on the hood of her car and watched birds soar overhead. Two wild burrows trotted across a corner of the landscape. The scenery and rock formations were a relief from the noise and lights of the city.
Stormie jumped when a roadrunner raced up to her, stopped, and turned around. “He didn’t say, ‘meep-meep’, but he scared the tar out of me.”
He laughed and pulled her tight against him. “I’ll protect you, wife.”
She was still breathing fast from being startled. “I trust you with my life, husband.”
His heart flooded with a combination of warmth and nervousness, and his breath caught as he looked at her. She was one of a kind. Amazing. His.
He stood and pulled out the ring box, keeping it hidden in his palm.
“Jayden?” Her brows lowered over her eyes.
“This reminded me of your beautiful eyes.” He swallowed his pride. “It’s all I can afford right now, but once things settle…I mean, the money and...” Damn, he was making a mess of this. He got down on one knee.
She squeaked and her eyes popped wide.
“Thank you for becoming my wife.” Now he had to swallow his emotions, too. “Thank you for agreeing to remain as my wife.” He opened the ring box.
She took a fast breath, her eyes misted, and her lips quivered.
In the bright sun, the ring shone gold, the stone looked surprisingly bright, and he prayed that he’d gotten the size right. “Will you wear my ring?”
A tear escaped her eye as she nodded. “I’d be proud to.”
He removed the ring from the box and took her left hand. “We seem to be doing things backward, but after this, it’s all going straight ahead for us.”
“You and your way with words, cowboy.” Her voice shook and she sniffled a couple times.
He slid the ring on her finger. It was a little too big, but better than being too small.
She held up her hand and looked at it. Her eyes sparkled a green that no jewel could match.
He stood and held out his hand to her.
“I love it. Thank you.” She leapt into his arms and they held each other for a long time, then talked for hours that seemed like minutes flying by.
****
Back in their suite, Stormie watched Jayden strip out of his clothes and toss them on the chair. He’d already pulled his lucky green shirt, jeans, clean underwear and socks out of his bag and laid them on the bed.
“I will have a strong grip on the rigging.” He walked into the bathroom, repeating the guided visualization meditation they’d come up with for him.
Stormie smiled and her whole body tingled. This was love. Joyful, happily ever after. How had she found the perfect man for her?
He continued talking as he stepped into the shower. His voice gargled as he washed his face.
“So cute.” Her cowboy was the sexiest, funniest—she looked at her ring—most romantic man on earth.
At Red Rock, they’d talked about everything. His rodeo school, her business, his career, her school. Everything but the future, and that was a good thing. It was too scary to think of what would happen tomorrow.
She picked up his shirt and folded it, setting it on the dresser. She felt so…domestic. Watching her ring, she waved her hand around. It wasn’t expensive, but the thought and care he’d put into choosing it was worth millions.
“I will stay on the nag for eight seconds.” Jayden spoke the words loud and strong.
He would need his touchstone at the rodeo. She picked up his jeans and felt in his front pocket for the die she’d bought him. She pulled out the cube and set it on the bed next to his jeans. Shrugging, she felt in his other pockets. May as well set everything out for him. She pulled his phone from one back pocket, then his wallet from the other pocket.
A slip of paper fell to the floor.
She picked it up and turned to set it by his jeans. Thompson Fam. Something about her?
The water still ran in the shower and Jayden mumbled his affirmation.
Unfolding the paper, she read, “Thompson Family Horse Breeders. Two hundred forty-seven M.” What did that mean? Her knees jittered and she sat on the point of the heart-shaped bed. That was close to what her family’s business was worth. Why would Jayden have this information?
The water stopped and the shower door opened.
Her money. Oklahoma wasn’t a community property state. But Nevada was. A sharp pain hit her square in the chest. Was that what this marriage was about? Did he want half of her inheritance? She stuffed the paper in her pocket as he walked out of the bathroom, a towel wrapped low on his hips, the curly hair peeking above the towel shining golden in the light.
Golden. Was that all she was to him? Gold?
“You okay, Storm?” He dropped the towel and pulled on his underwear, made special with padding to protect his jewels.
She looked at her ring. He’d been so sincere when he’d given it to her. “Yeah, I’m fine.” Numb. She should be crying like a baby right now, but everything inside her went dead. “Just tired.”
He stood next to her, his hand slid over her hair and he kissed the top of her head. “I have to get down to the arena, but why don’t you stay and sleep a while. Set your alarm and come down later.”
She nodded and stood, needing to be away from him. “Good idea. I will.”
“Cutie, I need you there tonight. I’m going to look up into the seats and see you, and know I can do this.”
She stood staring at the wall. Stunned.
“Stormie?”
She faced him as he pulled on his jeans.
“You sure you’re okay?” He slid his phone and wallet into his pockets, never noticing the missing paper.
She nodded. “Have you ever thought about…?” What the hell was she doing? Testing him? “You know, our businesses would be perfect to merge.”
“I guess.” He held up
the die, smiled, and slipped it into his front pocket. “But right now, I gotta concentrate on winning this rodeo.”
“You do.” Her stomach clenched as she turned to ice inside. “You will.”
He strode up to her and took her shoulders in his hands. “What’s wrong, Stormie? I know it’s something. I’ve got time to talk.”
She dropped her head as tears choked up the back of her throat.
He hooked a finger under her chin and tipped up her head. “Everything else can wait. You’re my priority right now.”
Because she was worth a quarter billion? She pasted on the brightest smile she could create. “You’re going to win tonight, and I’m going to be there to see it.” She turned him around and gave him a little shove. Hard to do with all that muscle. “You get going, and we’ll talk about my girly emotions later.”
As he slid his arms into his shirt, he looked unconvinced. “We will talk, Storm. There can’t be anything hanging between us, or we don’t have a chance.” He buttoned his shirt and slid into his boots. As he buckled his belt, he walked over to her. “I want to make this work.” He kissed her on the forehead, grabbed his hat, and was gone in seconds.
“You want to make this work so you can have everything you’ve ever wanted in life.” Her eyes watered. “And to have that, you’re stuck with me.” She felt the pain coming, rising up out of her soul. Tears clouded her vision but she held them back for another minute.
She pulled the paper from her pocket, slowly unfolded it, and spread it flat next to Jayden’s clothes on the dresser.
As she slid off her wedding ring, the ache nearly doubled her over. Her heart skipped, her breath chugged in and out, and her throat closed.
She set the beautiful gift on top of the damning paper, backed up, and sat on the bed. She wanted to run, but she had to be there for him. He deserved her support. He needed to win today, because that was most important to him. Rodeo first, money second. Which meant she came in dead last.
The first tear fell. Okay, she’d have a good cry, pack her bag and bring it to the car, and sit in her seat until he won the first round then the short go. She flopped back onto the bed.
Cowboy Jackpot: St. Patrick's Day Page 7