by Jenna Jacob
Brea wanted to nip this in the bud and send him on his way. She took a sip of coffee and lifted her chin. “Say whatever you need to, then leave.”
When that lazy smile stretched across his lips, she wanted to moan. “Oh, I intend to set the record straight, but I won’t be going anywhere without you when I’m done.”
Dream on, you delusional prick!
Instead of inciting a bigger argument, she kept the smart-assed retort to herself.
Sawyer pushed off the counter and extended his arm, inviting her to sit at the table. She sent him a scowl but flopped down on the chair. He joined her and cupped his hands around his own mug of coffee. A faraway look glazed his eyes as began to tell her about Sara. Brea wasn’t interested in the ancient history he was revealing. She simply wanted to know why Sawyer was sucking face with his ex-wife.
“So, when she came to me and told me she was having an affair, I did the only thing I could and filed for divorce.”
“So, you never got over her, right?”
“No. I did.” He lifted his head and locked eyes on hers. “Like every failed relationship, it leaves scars.”
Yes. Brea was an aficionado of those nasty mutilations.
“Sara stopped by this morning to apologize. She discovered yesterday that her husband, the plastic surgeon she left me for, is having an affair…numerous ones, actually.”
“Oh, I know how this story ends.” Brea smiled tightly. “Sara wants you back and you’re going to give it a second shot.”
He wrinkled his brows. “No. She just came to apologize. We’d been friends since second grade, and our marriage ended ugly. We’d been more like friends than husband and wife, even while we were married.”
“Okay, but that still doesn’t explain why you were hugging and kissing her.”
Brea hated how jealousy and insecurity oozed from her pores and clung to her skin.
“She kissed me. I didn’t instigate that. Yes, I hugged her. If any of my female friends came to me with that much guilt and remorse eating them alive, I’d hug them, and forgive them, too.” Sawyer issued a heavy sigh. “Since you came into my life, I realized that I’d allowed Sara’s betrayal to color my world long enough. Remember when I told you that, after my divorce, I made some vows of my own?”
Brea nodded.
“Waking up with a woman in my bed was one. The other was to never lose my heart and say I do again.”
His confession wasn’t a surprise; after all, Brea had sworn to give up men. Of course, she’d miserably failed. Sawyer had only slipped a little when he’d allowed her to spend the night.
“We do what we have to in order to protect ourselves. I get that, more than you know.” She shrugged.
“I’m sure you do. But do you get what I’m trying to say to you, Brea?”
“Of course I do. You told me the first time that you kissed me, no regrets. There are none. It’s cool. You can go. I’m not going to fall apart or stalk you. But could you do me one favor and bring Ozzie back home with you tonight? Just put him in the backyard. You don’t need to come to the door or—”
“No!” Sawyer barked. Clenching his jaw, he stood and rounded the table. Brea could feel the anger rolling off him in potent waves. “You’re not hearing what I’m saying…not at all.”
She craned her neck and looked up at him. With him towering over her, Brea was clearly at a disadvantage. Rising to her feet, she tried to keep his tormented green eyes from wreaking havoc with her dissolving mask of bravery.
Do not fall apart. Do not cry.
The mantra spooled through her brain as she clutched the mug of coffee in her hands. Nothing was making sense. The whole conversation, or rather his kiss-off, had a strange vibe to it. Maybe Sawyer wanted to part ways as friends, like with his ex. Though none of Brea’s past relationships had ended civilly, she was willing to give it a shot. She was only going to be in Haven a few more weeks. Co-existing might take some of the sting out of being dumped. Stranger things had happened.
But when Sawyer cupped her cheeks, Brea jolted in surprise.
“I not only want to wake up with you in my arms every morning, Brea, I want you to be the woman dressed in a lacy white gown, smiling with tears of happiness shimmering in your brown eyes as you walk down the aisle to meet me. Then I want to take your hand and say I do one more time…to you.”
The room began to spin. Her knees wobbled, and her heart was lodged so far up in her throat she wasn’t certain she’d never be able to swallow again.
Then, like a fountain, tears spilled down her cheeks.
“I want to raise a family. I want to have five…six little Graysons running around the backyard who learn how to make dreams come true for sick kids at the camp. I want to sit in the hot tub with you each night, stare at the stars, and make love to you until sunrise. I want to spend my life with you…and grow old together, forever.”
Brea wanted him to repeat every word he’d just said for fear she was stroking out.
But when Sawyer bent and pressed his lips to hers, kissing her with a passion so strong her spine turned to jelly, Brea knew she’d heard every word perfectly.
“That night Emmett blew out the window, you asked me if I loved you and I said no? I lied. When you wanted to know if I’d ask you to move in with me? I lied then, too.”
She issued a watery laugh.
“I love you, Brea. You’ve shown me what real love finally feels like. We’ll set a wedding date for whenever you’re ready. But stay with me. I want…no, I need you in my life.”
Say yes, cheered the voice in her head
No. This is insane! Brea mentally argued.
Insane is walking away from this amazing man who led you on a journey of self-discovery. A man you didn’t want loving you. A man you didn’t want to move in with. He’s the first one you were ever willing to walk away from—but he doesn’t want you to. He is the one who wants you to stay. He is the one who wants you to love him. Open your eyes. He is your Prince Charming.
“I tried so hard not to, but I-I love you, too.”
“I won’t break your heart like the others, Brea. I swear. You’ll get pissed off at me from time to time, and we’ll fight—that’s what couples do—but I’ll never break your heart. I swear.”
Brea wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him…kissed him with all the love, hope, and happiness exploding inside her.
Epilogue
Two weeks later
* * *
Outside on the monster-sized deck at Sawyer’s family ranch, the white wooden folding chairs were being tossed around like tumbleweeds as a torrential rain blew sideways.
Brea was holed up in the guest room on the second floor with her mom, Jade, Barbara—who’d returned from France with a first place trophy—and his mother, Nola.
Sawyer stood at the sliding glass door, peering up at the black clouds rolling across the sky. He wondered why he and his yet-to-be-seen—because it was supposedly bad luck—beautiful bride-to-be had thought an outdoor wedding would be perfect.
It was perfect, all right—a perfect disaster.
Tugging the tie at his throat, Sawyer flashed a grim expression to his best man, Colton.
“Don’t give up. The storm’s bound to blow over soon,” his friend assured. “Your brothers and I will set things right outside once it stops. Everything’s gonna go off without a hitch.”
Sawyer issued a noncommittal grunt.
“They say rain’s good luck on your wedding day. It was pouring cats and dogs the day Jade and I tied the knot, last week. Remember?”
“Yeah, but your wedding was inside a church. Your guests didn’t need a raft and oars to make it to the service.”
Sawyer glanced over his shoulder at the throng of guests crammed inside his parents’ house waiting for the deluge to stop.
“Look around us, man,” Colton continued. “Nearly everyone in Haven is here.”
“Yeah, sweating like roofers in August. Thankfully the wall-to-wa
ll flowers are masking the sour smell of body odor. Especially mine,” Sawyer muttered under his breath.
Colton leaned in close. “I hate to tell you this, man…nobody’s sweating but you. If you’re having second thoughts, you can—”
“Kiss my ass,” Sawyer hissed. “The only thing I’m worried about is Megan getting too close to the knife drawer in the kitchen and gutting Nash.”
Colton chuckled. “If looks could kill, your little brother would already be dead. And not just Megan. Her daddy looks none too happy, as well.”
“I know. The last thing I want for Brea’s special day is a knock-down-drag-out between Nash and Megan’s old man. Rain might be good luck on your wedding day, but a bloody brawl is sure to be a bad omen.”
Colton laughed. “Probably.”
Sawyer exhaled a heavy sigh and tried to will the storm away. He was grateful, aside from Megan and her seething daddy, that everyone was still wearing smiles and taking the rain delay in stride. Even his dad and Brea’s dad, Ralph, were off in the corner swapping stories and laughing.
Lightning splintered the sky, followed by a crack of thunder that shook the house.
“Come on, God. Give us a break. If not for me…for Brea,” Sawyer groaned.
Ten minutes later, the sun appeared, and his spirits lifted.
As promised, Colton and his brothers were righting the chairs and drying them off as the guests mingled from the house onto the deck. Sawyer watched as Brea’s father climbed the stairs to fetch his daughter. And the reality of what he was about to do landed in his gut like an anvil. Suddenly, he felt the familiar grip of his father’s hand on his shoulder, and Sawyer instantly calmed.
“You have that same look on your face again.” Norman grinned.
“What look?”
“The one you had the day we lost Norris at that amusement park in Dallas when he was six.” His father sent him a hard stare. “If you’re not sure about doing this again, son, you don’t have—”
“No, Dad. I’m sure. I’m a million times surer this time than the last. I just got hit with a wave of—”
“What the fuck am I doing?” Norman laughed.
“Yeah.”
“I’d be worried if you didn’t. She’s a fine girl. Perfect for you. Hell, the first day you brought her to the ranch, your mom told me then that you’d found your soul mate.”
“She did… I mean, yes. Brea definitely is, but…”
“Let go of your worries and focus on a long, happy life with Brea, Neville.”
“Sawyer.”
“Hardheaded little…”
“I love you, Dad.” Sawyer’s voice grew thick.
His father’s eyes misted. Wrapping him in a manly hug, Norman clapped his back. “I love you, too, son.”
His mom came down the stairs wearing a smile from ear to ear. “Brea is gorgeous…just gorgeous. I can’t wait to see the look on your face when she walks through the door.”
“Well, let’s get you seated then, Momma. We don’t want to keep our boy waiting, now do we?”
“Oh, just a minute,” Nola scolded. “I haven’t even told Neville—”
“Sawyer,” he and his father corrected in unison.
“Our son…how handsome he looks in his tuxedo.”
“I’ll wait for you by the door, precious.” Norman smiled.
Tears filled his mother’s eyes as she stared up at Sawyer. She certainly hadn’t been this happy the first time he’d gotten married. A fact that solidified what he knew in his heart…Brea was his life.
“I know you’ll make her happy, sweet boy. And I know in my heart she’ll do the very same for you. I love you…love you with all my heart.”
Sawyer bit back the lump of emotion lodged in his throat. “I love you, too. You’re the best mom a guy could ever have.”
Nola swiped away her tears, kissed his cheek, and then hugged him tight. “Be happy,” she whispered in his ear, then let him go. Wiping her eyes once more, she draped her hand over his father’s arm and walked outside.
Sawyer followed, taking his assigned position beside Colton and Reverend Thompson. Sitting at the preacher’s feet was Ozzie…wearing a black bow tie. Sucking in a deep breath as Jade—Brea’s bridesmaid—stepped through the door, Sawyer darted a glance at Colton. The goofy, lovestruck grin spread across his friend’s mouth filled him with hope…hope that he’d be wearing the same stupid smile in a few short seconds, and it would remain locked on his lips for the rest of his life.
Brea’s father stepped into view and extended his elbow. As she cleared the portal and raised her head, Sawyer nearly swallowed his tongue.
A glow of sheer joy lit up her face and sparkled in her eye.
Brea stole his breath.
She looked like a princess from a fairy tale.
His mouth stretched in a wide grin as he branded the sight of Brea’s plump, glossy lips, the swells of her breasts plumped from beneath the white lace of the strapless gown, hugging her hips, to memory.
“Wow,” he murmured as Brea sent him a quivering smile.
Sawyer’s grin widened.
Knowing she was nervous only furthered his resolve to give her…everything.
To calm her with reassurance when insecurities threatened to drag her under, like now.
To be by her side and bolster her courage as they faced the bumps life tossed their way…together, as one.
To shower her and the family they would soon be creating with all the love in his heart, until his life on earth was through.
Reverend Thompson’s words were nothing but a buzz in his ears. All Sawyer could focus on was Brea…his beautiful, headstrong, sassy, thrilling, erotically sensual…Brea.
He took her hand and quaked as an electric current of rightness spread up his arm and slid through his body. A little voice in the back of his head told him to get used to it, because she was always going to charge his system the same way, every day.
“Do you, Neville Sawyer Grayson, take Brea Rosalind Gates to be your lawfully wedded wife? To have and to hold from this day forward, for better, for worse, for richer or poorer, in sickness and in health, forsaking all others until death do you part?”
Sawyer gazed into Brea’s twinkling dark eyes. Then in a voice loud enough to shake the heavens, he answered, “You bet your ass, I do!”
Brea’s eyes grew wide, and laughter rippled around him. But Sawyer didn’t care. If he thought for one second that his mom wouldn’t take a switch to his ass and embarrass him on his wedding day, he’d climb onto the roof and shout to world the depth of love he felt for Brea.
It still boggled his mind that what had started out as a thirty-day fling had turned into a happily ever after found in storybooks. Sawyer didn’t know what he’d done to deserve Brea, but he couldn’t wait to see what the next chapters of their life would bring.
* * *
Thank you so much for reading The Cowboy’s Thirty-Day Fling.
I hope you enjoyed Sawyer and Brea opening up their hearts enough to love again. Be sure to sign up for my newsletter so you can stay up to date on new releases and exclusive excerpts. And please feel free to join my Facebook group, Jenna Jacob’s Jezebels for even more juicy info, tons of fun, and goodies.
* * *
Do you want to know a little secret? Nate Grayson isn’t the sweet, innocent virgin everyone thinks he is. Not only that, but he’s also got a big thing for older women.
Don’t believe me?
Scroll down and peek at…
The Cowboy’s Cougar
Cowboys of Haven, Book Three
(A Steamy Age-Gap, Small Town Romance)
They say age is just a number…but is that true with love?
* * *
Gina Scott dishes out drinks, crude one-liners, and advice to the rowdy regulars at her bar in zany, small-town Haven, Texas. After she escaped a nightmare, she vowed never to risk her heart again. But a long, lonely decade later, she’s tempted by a sexy cowboy a dozen years younger who
makes her ache for things she can’t have, especially love. No matter how she resists—because her dangerous secret could get her killed—the tenacious stud keeps wearing her down…
* * *
Nate Grayson has spent four years fantasizing about Gina Scott. When he discovers their connection isn’t one-sided, he’s ready to prove she’s not too old for him and demonstrate that he can give her all the pleasure she craves. When he learns there’s more to Gina’s reluctance, he’s hell-bent on tearing down her protective walls so he can spend forever with her. But he’s keeping secrets of his own…
* * *
When danger finds Gina, determined to destroy their future, Nate stops at nothing to bare Gina’s past, save her, and persuade her to say, “I do.”
Turn the page and take a peek!
The Cowboy’s Cougar Excerpt
Cowboys of Haven, Book Three
Gina was having more fun looking at stars in the night sky with Nate, than she’d had in years. Maybe it wasn’t the stars at all but the special man beside her. The one who’d unwittingly wrapped her in a blanket of safety.
For years, Gina had tried to dismiss her attraction to Nate. Tried to convince herself the draw was purely physical because he was so body tingling gorgeous. But each time she saw or talked to Nate, the pull grew deeper than simple carnal craving. Something more powerful than lust was stripping years off her psyche and sending her heart and mind skipping back to a time when she was alluring, vibrant and free.