The Cowgirl’s Chosen Love: The Colemans of Heart Falls: Book 3

by Vivian Arend

  Even with a headache from hell, he laughed.

  When he caught himself under control enough to be able to glance across the bed at her, Julia snorted.

  That was it. They were both gone for another five minutes.

  They ended up flat on their backs on the king-size bed. Julia had wrapped herself up toga-like in the bedsheet. Somehow in the midst of their giggle-fest, Zach had found a pair of sweatpants, so at least his junk wasn’t hanging out in all its glory.

  They glanced at each other another few times before it seemed safe enough to speak. “I’m so sorry.” Zach said it as sincerely as possible.

  “For what?” Julia asked.

  He hesitated then decided what the hell. “I have no idea. I was hoping you would tell me.”

  She shook her head then instantly squeezed her eyes shut and slammed a hand up to her forehead. “Ouch. Okay, note to Julia. Do not make any sudden moves.”

  He snickered.

  Her face contorted. “Dear God, please let’s not start that again.”

  “Agreed.” He cautiously curled upright, waiting on the edge of the bed until the room stopped spinning. “Drinking was obviously involved.”

  Behind him, she moved slowly, the mattress adjusting as she sat up. “I have no clothes on.”

  She stated the fact as if it were a weather report.

  “I noticed.” Dammit, there still had to be alcohol in his system. “I mean, I noticed because I also had no clothes on, not because I currently have the ability to do anything whatsoever regarding said nakedness.”

  The bed creaked just the slightest bit. Zach twisted to watch Julia pace toward the window.

  It was a nice enough hotel room. Spacious, luxurious. All the things he’d really like when he actually got a chance to take Julia somewhere. The hangover pounding at his temples? Not so much.

  She had her nose pressed against the window, the sheet draped around her dipping low in the back. The long line of skin becoming visible tempted him to follow after her and check out exactly how soft it was.

  Which meant at least some of the alcohol had evaporated out of his system.

  “It’s pretty.” She turned toward him, her eyes squeezed shut. “It’s very bright. You know what time it is?”

  Zach checked his watch. “Ten a.m.”

  She lifted a hand in the air and swung it as if cheering. “Yay. I slept in.”

  Their eyes met, and he stared into her face as the reality of what might have happened struck. “I really do have no idea what happened. But I’m sorry. I promise to take care of you, no matter what.”

  Because while he very much wanted to be involved with Julia, being naked with not much memory of what had happened the previous evening was not a good way to begin.

  Add in the fact that a quick glance around the room showed two closed suitcases still stacked against the wall, which meant if they had done something that they didn’t remember, dear God he hoped not, they would’ve done it without protection.

  Julia blinked a few more times, gaze fixed on his. Her nose wrinkled as she considered his words.

  Her lips curled into a perfect circle as understanding fluttered in. “Oh. Oh.”

  She glanced to the side for a moment, her body tightening from top to bottom. Unexpectedly, she relaxed, releasing a breath hard enough it made her long hair wave.

  A very decisive headshake followed. “It’s okay. Whatever we did get up to last night, we didn’t have sex.”

  Oh, really? “And you know this how?”

  Her lips twitched. “Wait. I suppose we might’ve had sex, but it’s very unlikely. Tell me, Zach. How big is your penis?”

  The unexpected question floored him. “Uh…”

  Her smile widened. “And on that note, I’m taking a shower. And finding some clothes. Then I want bacon. Lots and lots and lots of bacon.”

  He was still reeling from the penis question.

  Room service was a thing he could handle even while discombobulated. “The shower’s yours. Want me to bring your bag into the bathroom or put it on the bed?”

  She considered for a second. One arm shot out to grab the wall for balance as she involuntarily swayed.

  When she refocused on him, an endearing hiccup escaped her lips. “Excuse me. The bed would be fine. You can have the shower when I’m done.”

  “Okay.”

  Julia bent to scoop up the mass of material gathered at her feet, the swath of fabric barely draped over her body as she regally marched past him into the bathroom.

  The lock clicked shut.

  Zach was left standing with a rising semi, a full-on violent hangover, and a wicked level of respect for the woman who teased and tempted him to his core.

  After a scorching hot shower that left the mirrors so steamy, teeny rivulets streaked down the surface, Julia was only a half step toward feeling better.

  She had zero idea how long she’d spent soaking herself, alternating between hot enough to turn her skin lobster red and ice-cold in the hopes the combination would drive the remaining alcohol out of her body.

  It hadn’t worked.

  Or, it hadn’t worked completely. She was now sober enough to be able to look around the massive bathroom and appreciate the layout and conveniences. The shampoo smelled heavenly, the soap as well, and when she cracked open the body lotion, that’s when she knew for certain they were staying somewhere very expensive.

  Even the body lotion smelled good.

  With the fluffiest towel she’d ever used in her life wrapped around her body, and another twisted around her hair, Julia sat on the padded bench in front of the vanity and stared at the steamy surface in front of her.

  Way to go, Blushing. One night in Vegas, and you’ve already gotten naked in bed with the man.

  She squeezed her internal muscles again, ninety-nine point nine percent positive she was right. They hadn’t had sex. If they had, she would’ve felt it. Her muscles, unused for a long time, would have been sore.

  Sex had been off the table for Julia for a while. Vaginal intercourse, to be precise, because she knew sex was so much more than just penis in vagina action.

  Actually… Any kind of sex other than masturbation had been missing for a long stretch of time. Solo fun times? She was a champion.

  She leaned forward and smeared a hand across the fog, wiping a section of the mirror clean. Her haunted eyes were visible for only a second. Being able to reassure Zach was a good thing, but as her brain started to clear, the other realization slid in.

  He wouldn’t let her declare her truth without more explanation. He would be the type to dig for more.

  She liked that about him, except now when it would lead to a very blunt and embarrassing conversation.

  The fan was doing its best to clear the steam from the air, and her face came into sharper focus. Her eyes seemed far too wide and innocent considering the way she’d boldly pretended waking up naked with him hadn’t thrown her for a loop.

  The bits and pieces she did remember needed to be seamed together with his.

  Before she left the bathroom, she gave herself a stern warning, finger pointed at the mirror. “He’s a friend first. We shouldn’t try anything more, especially considering our luck doesn’t seem to be very strong at the moment. It’s too bad, but the fates have spoken. Zach will be a fantastic friend.”

  She dipped her chin decisively, wincing at the move. “Owww.”

  Her time in the bathroom had been long enough for Zach to work magic. Her suitcase rested on the bed, but more importantly, the entire room was filled with the scent of bacon.

  “You are a god among men,” she told him as she made her way to the table in front of the window.

  Zach pretended to tip his imaginary hat then pulled out a chair for her in front of the feast. “It was a bit of a rush order, but there’s plenty of protein and fat. And orange juice,” he added. “Help yourself. I need the shower.”

  Julia barely noticed him leave, the crisp bacon break
ing off in her mouth and sending a mini food orgasm through her system. At the last second, she remembered her manners and called after him. “Thank you.”

  He lifted a hand, strolling through the bathroom door, his amazing butt vanishing from sight.

  She glared at the piece of bacon in front of her and told herself sternly, “Noticing his butt is not a thing that friends do.”

  A quick snap of her teeth, and the bacon shattered into deliciousness on her tongue.

  Zach wasn’t gone for long, but by the time the bathroom door opened, Julia had enough food and juice and coffee into her system that the room was no longer spinning.

  She’d also taken breaks from her feast to dig into her suitcase and pull on underwear and clothing. Nothing fancy, but tidy enough they could leave the room without looking as if they’d spent the night in drunken debauchery.

  Her phone was absolutely dead. She plugged it into the wall and went back to the bacon as quickly as possible.

  “Just a second. Forgot my stuff.” Zach strolled across the room to his suitcase. The towel wrapped around his waist hung precariously low. The ends were tucked in to hold it in position as he used both hands to pull things out of his suitcase.

  He stood close enough his iliac crest was visible, the long lines leading down to his groin standing out in firm relief. Abdominal muscles flexed as he picked up a T-shirt and jeans, pivoting to head back into the bathroom.

  Dear God.

  Julia wiped at her lips, not certain if it was bacon grease or drool at the sides of her mouth. She filled her cup of coffee again and tried not to think about it too hard.

  A moment later Zach marched out and joined her at the table. His hands moved decisively, piling bacon, a fried egg, and at least three slices of ham onto a piece of toast. He slathered the entire thing with ketchup and lifted it to his mouth and took a giant bite.

  “I’m really glad I’m not nauseous,” Julia said.

  “It’s always like this after I drink,” Zach informed her. “I’m starving.”

  She gestured magnanimously to her leftovers. “Have at ‘er.”

  He was too busy eating to answer, but his eyes flashed with amusement.

  She sipped her coffee and waited until he finished his ravening beast imitation.

  The pause gave her time to look around the room. The view from the window had been spectacular. They were directly across from the fountain she’d seen so many times on television and in movies. Inside the room, it was decadent and relaxing, and obviously not a standard double room.

  From the king-size bed to the sitting area, this was nowhere she would’ve expected in her wildest dreams.

  “We’re not in Kansas anymore, Toto,” she whispered.

  Zach gave a snort of amusement. “In other news, now that my head seems to have decided to remain attached to my shoulders, maybe we should talk.”

  “Talking would be good. I remember Karen’s wedding.”

  “Dinner at the Paris. I had a massive steak.” Zach frowned. “You had pasta, Karen and Lisa had some kind of seafood, and Finn had ribs.”

  “Josiah had the vegetarian lasagna.”

  Zach grinned. “Lisa told him he was committing veggie-cide, eating all of those poor earthborn creatures.”

  So they both remembered dinner. They remembered going out dancing afterward with Josiah and Lisa. Only when her sister and her beau had started making goo-goo eyes at each other far too often…

  “We went drinking,” she told Zach. “Josiah and Lisa wanted to go off on their own, but they also didn’t want to leave us alone, so you and I said we wanted to explore.”

  He nodded, waving a hand excitedly. “That’s right. We found that private club on the twenty-seventh floor.”

  “Really? You can’t remember what we did, but you can remember what floor it was on?”

  Zach looked shocked. “Of course I remember what floor it was on. How else am I going to go back if I don’t know where it is?”

  A snicker escaped, and she curled her arms around her stomach. “Don’t make me laugh. My stomach hurts.”

  Zach’s lips twisted in a wry smile. “We did tequila shooters, didn’t we?”

  A second later, the memory was back. “You said they were your favourites.”

  He cursed. “When I’m already drunk, they’re my favourites. You know that song ‘Tequila Makes Her Clothes Fall Off’?”

  Julia was finding this far too entertaining considering she was still partly hungover herself. “That’s you?”

  “Obviously.”

  “Way to warn me, baby.”

  He offered her a mock glare. “I don’t know where you found that high horse to ride in on.”

  “Guilty as charged,” she said, raising a hand in the air. “Tequila and I get along real good.”

  Zach frowned. “Where’s my phone? I bet we probably have pictures of our drunken revelry.”

  “Mine was dead. I put it over there to charge.” Julia glanced around. “I haven’t seen yours.”

  What followed was a very time-consuming game of hide-and-go-seek, which involved picking things up and putting them back down.

  In a fancy hotel room like this, there were an awful lot of things to pick up and examine, from magazines on the long rosewood bureau to a fancy box filled with tea on the side counter. Julia moved cautiously to not reawaken the hangover that threatened to leap back at any moment.

  “Found it,” Zach announced from his position half buried under the bed.

  Watching him wiggle out meant she was once again staring at his Very Fine Ass.

  In self-defense, she turned back to the desk and spotted a bottle of champagne with the silver ribbon around its neck. Seriously, this was one fancy-schmancy room. A closer glance and she noticed it said Wedding Congratulations on a tag hanging from the ribbon.

  “Hey, Zach. We must’ve bought a present for Karen and Finn.” She picked up the bottle and twisted toward the table, pausing when the writing on the folder on the desk under the bottle finally sank in.

  Your Wedding.

  That part wasn’t the bit that got her heart pounding and her stomach churning far too hard considering her current delicate post-hangover condition.

  It was the large words at the top of the folder that were the troublesome bit. The uber-fancy, written in silver with glittering sparkles, two-inch-high letters that read:

  Jules & Zach 4ever

  6

  “Damn, my battery is dead as well.” Zach got to his feet and headed to his suitcase for a charging cable. He glanced at Julia. “You have enough juice to be able to text Lisa?”

  Julia didn’t move. She just kept staring at the bottle of champagne as if it were a snake about to strike.

  “Sorry. You said something about a wedding gift?” He moved toward her at about half his regular speed. He was no longer about to fall over but far from recovered.

  “Oh, shit. Shit, shit, shit.” Julia picked a shiny black file folder off the desk, flipping it open.

  Curious what could produce that kind of a reaction after she’d faced the rest of their weird morning so calmly, he slid in behind her, reading over her shoulder.

  Congratulations as you begin the rest of your life together. Here at Mile-High Memories, we believe that moment that you said “I do” is one to be treasured forever. With that in mind, remember you can access your entire ceremony online by using the case-sensitive code YeHaWeDIDit!!! on our website.

  “How come we brought home Karen and Finn’s wedding mementos?” Zach asked in confusion. The name of the wedding chapel seemed wrong, but at that moment, who knew?

  Julia let out a stuttering breath. She firmly closed the brochure and turned to face him. “Because it’s not Karen and Finn’s. Not according to this.”

  She violently shook the file from side to side.

  He still had to be intoxicated because two and two were currently adding up to something way different than four. “How come that’s got our names on it?”<
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  She pressed the file against his chest, shoving past him and heading to her phone. He twisted and followed hard on her heels, glancing into the file folder again for further clues.

  Behind the page with the access code was a picture.

  “Oh, shit,” he echoed her sentiment.

  It wasn’t a bad picture as far as that went. Actually, it was kind of cute, but it didn’t look as if they were hanging out at a high-class bar doing shooters. He had his arm around her, huge smiles on their faces. Julia wore a sparkly tiara with a massive wad of white fluffy stuff sticking out the back. He supposed that was the equivalent of a wedding veil.

  For his concession to formalwear, a lopsided bowtie had been placed around his neck. It looked extra ridiculous considering he wore a plain black T-shirt with the word GROOM across the chest.

  It matched her white one that said RIDE.

  RIDE? The hell?

  “What’s that access code again?” Julia demanded before cursing softly. “My phone is charging at the speed of a drunken gnat.”

  He passed her the piece of paper without taking his eyes off the picture. “It seems we had a hell of a good time.”

  “I’m still hoping this is some sort of elaborate hoax Lisa concocted,” Julia confessed. “Here. I got it lined up.”

  They huddled together on the bed in order to keep the charging cable plugged in. Julia held out the phone, and Zach placed his hand under hers to tilt the screen so he could see the images beginning to roll.

  A bright-red loveseat held centre stage, small end tables on either side filled with massive bouquets of white roses.

  “This way, mademoiselle, monsieur.” The man’s far too cheesy and very fake French accent sounded against the delicate background of piano music.

  The next moment, it was them, Julia and Zach, sliding into view.

  Video Zach sat, and the couch made a distinctly rude noise.

  Julia snickered, seating herself beside him and crossing her ankles demurely. “Excuse you.”

  He scooped her up—him, Zach on the screen—ignoring Julia’s giggles as he settled her in his lap. “Be nice,” he warned.