Once Hitched Twice Shy

by Kimberly Krey

  On his way to the truck, he tore off the button-up shirt he wore, leaving the simple black tee underneath. Stupid donkeys. They always read too much into things.

  He chuckled, amazed that Mia had actually agreed to being filmed in SpongeBob pajamas. He couldn’t imagine Vanessa doing such a thing. Not when the camera was rolling.

  Vanessa. If any one word could kill a buzz, it was that one. It was odd that he’d thought of her while filming with Mia. The chances of his famous ex seeing him on the Try My Life vlog show were no doubt slim, but for whatever reason, Hunter liked knowing there was a chance she might. Not that he wanted Vanessa back; he didn’t. But what he did want was for the self-absorbed woman to regret what she’d done.

  He rolled down the window and inhaled a deep breath, recalling Mia’s face as she pulled his hat onto her head. Dang, she was sexy in a whole lot of ways. Physically beautiful. Smart. She was witty, too—a girl he could laugh with. He admired the way she’d stuck around all day to take care of Wayne— even giving up filming. Another thing Vanessa would not have done.

  Thinking back on the warning signs he’d neglected caused a level of concern. How had he become such a horrible judge of character? Better yet, how had he become smitten with Mia in such a short time? He wasn’t smitten. Attracted, yes, but it ended there.

  Wayne’s house was less than a mile away from the ranch hands’ place, being on the same property and all. The old man’s collection of ancient machinery stood stark against the sunrise. Some men collected fine art. Others couldn’t part with their shot glasses or rare coins. This graveyard of rusty equipment was Wayne’s pride and joy. Next to his grandkids, that is.

  A knot of nerves built up in Hunter’s belly as he climbed out of his truck. He’d normally walk in through the back, but Hunter shouldn’t take such liberties while Wayne had guests. The front screen door looked foreign to him as he approached it. Knocked. And waited for someone to answer.

  Moments later, Mia swung the door open.

  His heart jumped like it’d been poked by the sharp tines of the antique pitchfork mounted in Wayne’s barn.

  Mia’s lips pulled into a grin. “Good morning, Dusty.”

  He eyed the cutoff shorts she wore. “Good morning to you too, Daisy.” Now he was the one wearing a smile.

  “Daisy, huh?” she said with a laugh. She stepped back to clear the doorway. “Come on in.”

  He knew the smell of Wayne’s home. A mix of leather, Old Spice, and hickory bacon. Hunter couldn’t smell any of that today. It smelled more like a sweet, tropical drink. Coconut, pineapple, and just … feminine in the best way.

  He glanced back at her, noting the drastic difference between today’s and yesterday’s looks. “Changed out of your jammies already, huh?”

  She laughed. “Hey, I’ll have you know I got up early, took Cherry for a ride, and even showered afterward. I’m totally on my game today, so you better watch out.”

  “You took Cherry out?”

  “Yeah, don’t sound so surprised. I’ve known how to ride for years. I mean, I don’t do it often, but …” She shrugged. “I’m the one who named her, you know? Gramps got her while I was here one summer. Think I was about twelve.”

  “Huh. Just thought you were more of a city girl, that’s all.”

  Her shoulders dropped slightly. “I am. I mean, my brother and I put up a big fight when my parents talked about moving out here. Had they asked when I was twelve, I’d have been all over it. But I was older then, and way too into my friends and all that.”

  If Hunter didn’t know better, he might say she looked like she regretted it. “How’s Wayne doing?” he asked, resisting the urge to take off his hat and fiddle with the rim. Something he hadn’t done in ages.

  She stepped over to the sink and began rinsing a bowl. “He’s got a fever. I already got him some breakfast and some medicine, and he insists he’s as comfortable as he’s going to get.”

  Hunter nodded, telling himself that he wasn’t such a bad judge of character after all. This woman obviously possessed some great traits.

  “He insisted that I go out and record today, which I didn’t really want to do, but …” She shook her head and worried her plump lower lip with her teeth. “I think he should be pretty comfortable.”

  He nodded again. “Yeah. Sounds like you’re taking good care of him.”

  “Did you already eat breakfast?” she asked.

  The concern on her face told Hunter maybe she could take good care of him one day, too. “Yep. I already ate.” He rocked back on his heels, thinking of the way the men razzed him about his spiffed-up appearance, as Connor had said. Hopefully, Mia wouldn’t make that same observation.

  She rubbed a dry dishtowel over the bowl she’d just washed. “Karen’s about ready. She’s just catching up with Eddie—her fiancé.”

  Their eyes locked, and a whole lot of warmth stirred low in his belly. Her blue eyes were clear and inviting, like an endless ocean. It’s been said that scientists have only discovered five percent of the ocean’s depths. Hunter figured he knew even less about Mia. But still, she pulled him in like a riptide, and Hunter knew he could easily get in over his head.

  Mia cleared her throat and set her gaze back on the bowl. “So remind me what we’re doing today.”

  “Wayne caught word that we’ve got a broken irrigation pipe alongside one of the hay fields. I figured we could head out on a couple ATVs and take a look.”

  “So is this outfit going to hold up?” Mia reached on her tiptoes to replace the bowl in the cupboard.

  He felt his face heat as he glanced over her. He’d already noticed the cutoffs. Beyond that, she wore a light T-shirt and a pair of tennis shoes. He wasn’t one to go ogling women like a heathen, but it was impossible not to notice the curves of her long, lean legs. He rested a hand against the kitchen bar as he met her gaze once more. “You’ll most likely get mud on you. Might want to change your top to something darker.”

  Mia shrugged. “I’m not attached to this thing. Besides, it will be more entertaining if I look a little unprepared, you know? Viewers love it when things get messy.” She slid a finger beneath her lashes, blinked a few times, and scowled at the inky flecks on her skin. “I swear my mascara is never going to dry this morning,” she mumbled.

  The warmth in Hunter’s stomach turned cold. The moment reminded him of Vanessa and her obsession over selfies and lighting and angles. Let’s take the picture here so we don’t get the horses in it. No, no, do a serious face now. Here, kiss me on the cheek while I look at the camera.

  Each place he took her was an opportunity for new selfies, which meant new follows and likes. She never did anything for herself or the people she loved. It was all for her potential admirers. The Fake Life of Vanessa McKlainy.

  And here he was, about to fall for the same type of girl.

  Not if he could help it.

  Hunter stewed on that as he led Karen and Mia to the truck, then to the shed where he loaded supplies onto the ATVs. He made himself scarce as Karen filmed an introductory scene with Mia next to the four-wheelers. He’d rather do just about anything than spend the day with a woman like his ex.

  And that’s when that thought snuck in yet again. She’s beautiful like Vanessa, too—beautiful enough to make the Hollywood star jealous. That was motivation enough.

  “You ready, Hunter?” Mia hollered from the other side of the shed.

  “Yep.” He stepped out of the shadows, puffing his chest when Karen panned the camera over to him. “Ready when you are.” The focus moved back to Mia, and Hunter exhaled a sigh of relief; was he really ready for this? And how was it that Mia always looked so comfortable in front of the camera? She didn’t have to puff up or pose or pucker. All she did was talk to her viewers like they were a group of friends.

  “See the big ol’ cargo case attached to this thing?” Mia asked the camera, circling the four-wheeler. “It holds all the tools you carry from place to place, right?” She shifted her
gaze to Hunter as she rounded the ATV.

  “Right,” he mumbled, noticing a trace of black specks along her lid. Karen might not be able to spot them through the lens at a distance, but when they shot the close-up she would.

  Mia flashed him a questioning look and tilted her head.

  “You’ve, uh, got some makeup on your eyelid. Spots, I mean.”

  “Wait,” she said, motioning for Karen to come in closer. “Can you repeat that for the viewers at home?”

  He glanced at the camera before looking back to Mia. Why in the world would they want to catch this? “I just told Mia she had some spots under her eyebrow there. It’s sort of on both sides, I guess, but it’s more noticeable on the left.”

  “Oh,” Mia said. “I know what it is.” She turned to face the camera. “The mascara I’m wearing was sent to me by a potential sponsor. I haven’t agreed to sponsor the product yet because I wanted to try it out for myself. Sadly, this stuff takes way too long to dry, so I can’t get behind it. But let this assure you that I won’t endorse a product unless I really love it.” She spun back to Hunter. “Now, if you’d be so kind as to help me out.”

  His pulse sped as she moved her face close to his, closing her eyes expectantly. Dang, she was pretty. Hesitantly, Hunter reached out and rubbed a thumb over the smudges on the left. A frown pulled at his brow as the spots stayed in place. “It won’t come off,” he mumbled.

  “Now it dries?” Mia frowned. “You don’t happen to have any makeup remover in that toolbox of yours, do you?”

  Hunter laughed. “Afraid not.”

  “Well, we’re just going to have to use the next best thing.” Mia faced the camera before continuing. “We need a wet cloth, folks. And though it pains me to do this, I’m going to have to suggest that Hunter remove his shirt, dip a tiny part into the water bottle I brought, and remove the smudges.” She turned to him once more. “I’m just thinking since your shirt is black, it might not hurt. What do you say?”

  Take his shirt off? He hadn’t seen that coming. But the dare in Mia’s expression was something he could not turn away from. Without further pause Hunter tossed his hat onto the ATV, grabbed hold of the back neckline of his shirt, and pulled it over his head. Sure, he was standing bare-chested with the camera running and feeling somewhat like a piece of meat, but he forced out a grin. “As you wish,” he murmured to her.

  Mia looked him up and down, her face unreadable for a breath or two. At last she turned back to the camera and began fanning her face with one hand. “Maybe I should sponsor this product after all,” she said slyly. “Oh, and here’s the water bottle.”

  Hunter took the bottle from her, wadded up the hem of his black T-shirt, and placed it over the spout. He tipped the bottle upside down until he felt the cool water seep into the fabric.

  Mia closed her eyes again, and a breeze picked up, strong enough to lift the blonde strands of her hair off her shoulders. The belly heat was back full force, but Hunter tried to focus on the task.

  With a gentle hand, he held one side of her face, steadying her as he lifted the dampened corner to the marks. He rubbed it a few times, careful not to disrupt her dark lashes, and smiled when he saw it had worked. “You’ve got a little over here too,” he mumbled, moving to the next lid. The marks were lighter on that side. A few more dabs, the tilt of his head, and Mia was smudge-free. He studied her face for a moment, his hand cradling her smooth cheek as if he were about to lean in for a kiss.

  Mia’s lids fluttered open, unveiling those sparkly blues once more. Of course makeup brands wanted to sponsor her; those eyes could make a man do just about anything. Like tear his shirt off to remove smudges from her face.

  That thought came to life as Mia held his gaze. No smile, no snarky comment. Just something warm and wonderful and new. “Thanks, Hunter.” It came out in a whisper.

  “Any time.”

  She bit at that pouty bottom lip. Mia was probably oblivious to the effect it had on him. Thoughts of sampling her pretty mouth rushed to his mind, causing Hunter to drop his arm in a flash. They were on camera, after all. He shook his shirt out, hoping to shake off the visions as well, and shrugged into it once more. He didn’t mind that he’d broken the spell between them. It was time to get to work. Not to mention Wayne would watch this one day. And the guys. He groaned inwardly at the thought, but then reminded himself that Vanessa might see it one day, too. The thought didn’t excite him the way it did an hour ago. Not with ideas of Mia and her kiss working their way back to his mind.

  “Oh,” Mia said in a startled voice. She did more face-fanning as she turned to the camera. “You guys are still there?” She batted her lashes in front of the lens and grinned. “Am I all clear?”

  “You’re all clear,” Karen said. “You’re also a little flushed. Maybe you need to take a drink of your water.”

  “Good idea,” Mia said.

  Hunter handed over the water bottle, then sank onto the SUV and replaced his hat. He couldn’t help but smile as Mia tipped her head back and guzzled half the bottle.

  She patted her lips when she was through. “I get emails all the time, telling me how lucky I am to have this job,” she said. “Usually viewers are referring to the fact that I get to try new things. Step out of the mundane day-to-day. However …” She shot Hunter a wry smile. “After this segment, I’m sure I’ll get a whole lot of emails telling me that I’m lucky for an entirely different reason.”

  “Definitely,” Karen said behind the lens.

  Hunter smiled. Their insinuation didn’t escape him, and he let it soothe over his wounded, I’ve-been-brutally-dumped pride.

  “Now,” Mia continued, “I’ve never ridden one of these things, but I’m going to hop on with my hunky instructor, and we’re going to go for one heck of a ride!”

  Hunter glanced over his shoulder, ready for her to climb on back, but Mia surprised him by aiming for a spot in front of him. “Whoa, whoa. I thought you said you’d never been on one of these. Shouldn’t I be the one driving?”

  “Sorry, Hunt,” she said, hunkering down exactly between his legs, “but that’s not the name of the show.”

  He backed up, distracted by the warmth of her body and the intoxicating coconut scent that—in his mind—now belonged only to her.

  Mia turned back to the camera. “Well, viewers, I’ve got one question for you before we move on. How hard can driving an ATV and repairing a …”

  “A broken irrigation pipe,” he prompted.

  “Repairing a broken irrigation pipe be?”

  “Guess we’ll find out!” she and Karen chimed.

  Karen, who hadn’t set up the tripod for the small clip, left her camera dangling around her neck and climbed onto the ATV.

  “Do you know how to ride these things?” Hunter asked.

  Karen nodded and started it up. “I’ll follow you.”

  Before he could even point the way, Mia gunned it.

  As they sped over the dirt-covered land, one question stood out in Hunter’s mind: Just what had he gotten himself into?

  Mia was well practiced in the art of hamming things up for the camera. Heck, she’d been doing it since she was a little girl. But when Hunter removed his shirt and stood before her in all his muscular glory, she’d nearly lost all composure. She’d never known what real swooning was until that moment.

  She’d recovered quickly enough. At least, she hoped she had. Amidst the mock fanning and playful grinning, Mia discovered a dose of jealousy creeping in. While Hunter’s appearance would be good for her vlog show (no doubt increasing views and followers alike), she didn’t like thinking of all the women who’d come flocking to Walkersville for a chance at the gorgeous cowboy. Another good reason to keep their exact location private.

  Tall blades of green grass slapped Mia’s bare legs as the trail between the field and the ditch narrowed. Not only did it start to hurt after the hundredth slap, the repeated action would leave welts on her leg.

  Hoping to get some rel
ief, she veered slightly closer to the ditch. A ditch that looked about four feet deep. Mia eyed the front corner tire to ensure it stayed on solid ground. She was watching intently when Hunter’s chin grazed her shoulder.

  “Be careful,” he warned.

  The sensation of Hunter’s heated breath on her skin sent a thrill through Mia’s chest. She might have kept control of the ATV despite the distraction, but a fast-approaching bucket on the edge of the grassy field caught her eye. Mia swerved hard to the left, hoping to dodge the object while staying on the trail, but it was just too close.

  “Brake, brake, brake,” Hunter urged.

  The panicked word barely sank in as the left-side tires slid off the edge. For the slightest second, the four-wheeler teetered and began to tip. There was no saving it. Mia only needed to stop herself from going down with the ship and hope Hunter could do the same.

  She let go of the handlebars, turned to her side, and set her focus on the ledge as the dirt ditch wall became her view. With a pained grunt, she hoisted her elbows onto the edge, using her legs to climb as the ATV rolled out from under her with a grinding thump and clank.

  Crap, I hope Hunter’s okay, was all Mia could think as she climbed back onto level ground.

  Once on the dirt path, Mia spun to see a furious-looking Hunter wrestling with the four-wheeler. The look on his face said he might not be too forgiving, but thank heavens he was okay. They’d still need to get the ATV out of the ditch somehow, but relief flooded her just the same. They were safe. And the four-wheeler didn’t look bad either.

  It wasn’t exactly funny, but that didn’t mean Mia couldn’t find humor in the moment. In fact, like a long list of prior mishaps in her life, Mia couldn’t escape the comical nature of it. She’d been so focused on not driving into that ditch, and yet at the first sign of trouble, that’s just what she’d done.

  A laugh crept up her throat. And when Hunter stopped what he was doing to scowl up at her, she laughed even harder.

  “Sorry, sorry,” she mumbled. “I’ll stop laughing right now.”