Total pages in book: 47
Estimated words: 44134 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 221(@200wpm)___ 177(@250wpm)___ 147(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 44134 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 221(@200wpm)___ 177(@250wpm)___ 147(@300wpm)
He gives the phone a nod, tips his hat, and mutters howdy.
They eat it up. Comments are flying in even faster as dozens of hearts and likes fill my phone screen.
“Just to be clear, he’s my cowboy,” I chuckle to keep it light. I shouldn’t have said that, but I already hate the comments. He isn’t up for auction. He’s mine, and the whole world should know that. Or at least, all these girls in their low-cut shirts with their boobs spilling out the top.
“Damn straight,” he says.
Then he does the unthinkable.
Right there on camera, he pulls off his Stetson, drops his head, and kisses me. If I thought the chaste peck in my little kitchenette was hot, this kiss is scorching. His tongue invades my mouth, plundering and claiming every part of me.
I lose all sense of reality, grabbing fistfuls of his shirt and plastering myself against his big, warm body. His hands roam, one finding the back of my neck and cupping me so gently while his other goes to my hip, kneading my flesh in a possessive hold that has me nearly melting into a puddle.
When he lifts his head and stares down at me, I could almost swear that the kiss meant something. I could almost swear that everything I’ve felt for him all this time wasn’t one-sided at all.
Then Menace makes a soft noise. Suddenly, I’m back down to earth and realizing that I’m still live on camera. I manage to stammer out a closing with heated cheeks and a body that’s buzzing, all thanks to the handsome cowboy next to me.
The moment the camera clicks off, and I’m certain we’re not live anymore, he opens his mouth. I wait for him to speak, my heart pounding so loudly that surely every cowboy on this ranch can hear it.
He doesn’t say anything.
My heart sinks.
“What was…that?” The words are a hoarse whisper torn from my throat.
He shrugs. “That was theater…for your audience.”
And my pounding heart shatters right there on the porch.
I manage a nod I don’t feel, smile robotically, fake a yawn. “Awesome. I’m gonna hit the bed.”
“Lauren…” He calls my name softly.
But it’s too late. I’m already in the house, screen door slamming behind me as I hurry toward the guest bedroom.
After a sleepless night spent tossing and turning in the guest bed with sheets that smell of Bronco, I’m up with the sun. I take a quick shower and walk through the house, but he’s already gone to work on his chores. He was probably up when it was still dark.
I don’t mind his absence so much right now. My heart is bruised from last night, and I’m not sure it’s ever going to heal. A kiss that melted my bones and he called it theater. Guess he’s a much better actor than I am because I could never fake that kind of passion.
I settle on his couch with my phone and answer endless comments about the auction before I open my laptop. There are emails to answer, mainly questions from the bidders and even more media requests. The whole thing is surreal and right up until last night, I was crazy excited about it.
But then the wind got taken out of my sails. I’m mad at Bronco for not feeling the same things for me that I do for him. But I’m more mad at myself for getting the wrong idea about what all of this meant. Bronco is only doing this because he’s loyal to my brother.
My shattered heart will just have to accept this fact and move on. I’m not entirely sure there will be any moving on, but I have to try. If Aunt Elaine can be strong enough to overcome betrayal, then I can get over a silly crush on my brother’s best friend.
I’m still telling myself that an hour later when I walk down to the barn. The cowboys going up for auction agreed to meet me here for photographs. After Bronco interrupted the first photo shoot, I only had pictures of Cord and Flint. Now, I plan to get shots of the rest of them. The problem is the lighting outside isn’t great today. The weather is too overcast, the cloud coverage promising thunderstorms within a few hours.
That’s when I realize the barn doors are already thrown open wide, bright lights shining inside.
“Lauren,” Flint calls my name and gestures me over. “We’ve been waiting. Sorry about the lights. I couldn’t get photography lights out to the farm on short notice. So, we mounted some high bay lights. It’s the best I could do. Hope that’s okay.”
I wasn’t expecting him to help with the lighting. “That’s perfect. I was planning to use natural lighting but…” I gesture toward the sky behind me.
“I figured and look…” He holds up his phone and swipes the screen. A loud, rowdy country song starts to play. “Cord figured out the playlist. Seems like the right music might loosen everyone up.”