Who Wants to Marry a Cowboy? (14 page)

“She’d be better for someone else,” Cookie shifted his weight from foot to foot, his eyes darting toward the door as if he was a mouse and Riley an owl looking for dinner.

“Should I send her home tomorrow, then?” Riley asked.

“No.” The slightly raised voice was as good as a shout for the man. “I mean, she’s been enjoying her time here so much. It would be a shame if she had to leave so early.”

Riley studied his friend and picked his words carefully. “Meagan would probably make someone else a better wife, but I like her company. She can stay.”

The foreman’s lips lifted slightly at the corners; for him, that was a big smile. “Thank you,” he said. He nodded goodnight then left. Riley waited until the mudroom door closed before allowing himself to laugh. At least something good would come out of this singles rodeo. Meagan didn’t seem the type to string a man along for the sake of playing with his emotions. He climbed the stairs to his room, treading lightly so he wouldn’t wake anyone.

Molly’s bedroom lights flickered on when his weight landed on the creaky floor in front of Seth’s room. Damn. He had hoped she’d fallen asleep waiting for his stupid list of women.

“Is that you, Ry?” her voice came through her door.

“No.”

She snorted and opened her door. “Come on. Let’s get this over with.” They went into the study and sat, Molly at the large wooden desk and Riley in the opposite chair. She took out her notebook and got out a pen. “First one?”

“I’ve got them all decided already,” he said. A slight tremor of fear ran through him. He hadn’t known that until he said it out loud. It hadn’t crossed his mind, but now he knew. This wasn’t good. He calmed himself by picturing Ainsley naked, her long, lean limbs maybe wrapped around his waist. His hands feeling the weight of her round breasts, her nipples pressed against his palms. The tremor changed to a completely comfortable streak of lust.

“Great. We can do this quickly and then I can go back to bed. Who are they?”

“Ainsley, Ainsley, Ainsley, and Meagan.”

Molly had started writing after the first name but stopped and slumped back in her chair. “Come on, Riley.”

“Okay. You can add Daisy, too.”

“The one who left? Great. This isn’t a joke, Riley.”

It had been a joke since it started. He cleared his throat and rose from the hard chair. “Ainsley and Meagan are my choices. The rest can be up to you.”

Elimination Day. And if Ainsley heard one more flirty giggle, she was going to pull someone’s hair really, really hard. Ditto for the innocent touches and made-up needs for help.
Have some respect for yourselves
, she wanted to shout at the other women.
No man is worth demeaning yourself like this. Not even one as beautiful as this cowboy.
Stress lines formed around Riley’s eyes at the constant attention the women plied upon him. Maybe she should pretend to find another lamb just to give him a break.

The tension that had filled the air all day continued at dinner. It was so much like that first breakfast with women stalking Riley around the common room and like then, Ainsley stayed on the sidelines. Either she would find a flower in her cabin or she’d leave in the morning. Nothing about her behavior would change that now.

She and Meagan approached their cabin after dinner, stopping in front of the wooden door and clutching each other’s hands in the nighttime darkness. A small breeze surrounded them, bringing with it a chill, but they didn’t move, the only sound some chirping and flitting insects. Meagan inhaled a deep, bracing breath. “We have to go in there eventually.”

Ainsley nodded. Neither woman moved. Her mind raced the metronome of her rapidly beating heart. If she went home tomorrow, her mother would never know about this trip. Her shop would be safe, but nothing would have changed. She could look forward to more threats and more confrontations until she wed the man of her mother’s dreams. If she stayed, the uncharted territory of her life might become disastrous.

She realized she didn’t care. Finally, finally, she chose for herself. Not for her mother, not to avoid unpleasant situations, not because agreeing was easier. If she stayed, her mother might make good on her threat and take her shop away. But being at the ranch had loosened the grip of being the good girl. A fresh sense of determination filled her. She could face whatever was waiting for her inside. But she still didn’t want to find out. “One of us should open the door.”

Meagan nodded. Neither woman moved.

Her roommate broke the silence. “The outcome will be the same regardless of how long we stand here.” She placed her hand on the knob and squared her shoulders, then pushed the door open. Ainsley turned on the lights. Two small bouquets sat on the coffee table. The vibrant yellow daffodils bore her name, while the purple hyacinths had Meagan’s.

“Whew.” Ainsley released a breath she didn’t know she’d held and her limbs turned rubbery. So he must like her at least a little. She picked up her flowers and inhaled, the petals of the trumpet tickling her nose. They were the most beautiful flowers she had ever seen. Meagan stared at her bulbous plant, her eyes wistful and filling with tears. “What’s wrong?”

“I don’t know. Nothing.” She managed a small smile. “I really hope he knows what he’s getting into.”

Even though her roommate hadn’t been very forthcoming about her nighttime ventures, Ainsley had a pretty good guess the
he
in question wasn’t the man with flecked hazel eyes and a bad attitude. She took Meagan’s hands in her own. “I’m sure he knows exactly what he’s getting into.”

Meagan let out a quick breath and squeezed Ainsley’s hands. “You don’t think it’s weird? I mean, he’s so…” she shrugged and let go, picking up her bouquet. “He’s not what you’d expect.”

“Who cares?”

“You’re right.” Meagan smiled. “I’m glad you’re staying, too.”

Ainsley took both bouquets and brought them into the small kitchen to put them in some water, giving her roommate time to settle herself. She yawned when she returned to the common room. “I wonder who else Riley picked. And who gets to go on the first date tomorrow.”

“I suppose we’ll find out when we go to the main house for breakfast.” Meagan glanced at the clock and chewed her lower lip. “I don’t know if I can stand the anticipation.”

“The night will go by faster after we fall asleep. I’m for bed.”

“You don’t have to hide, you know.”

Ainsley paused with her hand on the doorjamb. “Good night.”

She really wasn’t tired, but retreated into her bedroom to savor the thrill of being wanted by someone just by being herself. Not the daughter of a wealthy family or for any connections she may have. Just Ainsley Fairfax from South Carolina, finder of lost sheep and master of ordering pizza.

She had to call Tess in the morning and warn her about the possible backlash for staying in Wyoming, though she was sure her mother wouldn’t do anything without Ainsley there to witness it. Sophia preferred a much more dramatic style. Ainsley snorted and took out her night clothes. Perhaps the way to save Blooms was to stay in Wyoming forever. The idea did have some appeal. Mostly hazel eyes and hard body appeal, but also a sense of family and genuine respect and the ability to be herself. Something she didn’t get much of at home.

She pulled on her green tank top and boxers before hopping into bed and snuggling under the warm covers. She heard the cabin door open and heavy footsteps tread inside. Not Riley’s. She held her breath and stiffened, but relaxed when Meagan’s bedroom door closed with a firm click.

Edward gripped the beige phone in the ship’s business center, bracing for the anticipated verbal onslaught. Sophia Fairfax never yelled, but she had the uncanny ability to voice her thoughts with extreme disappointment.

“How could my daughter be in Wyoming instead of on the cruise with you, Edward? And why didn’t you call me about this sooner?”

Because I wanted to spend time with your other child, even though she threw my phone into the Atlantic
. “I misplaced my cell. And technically, your daughter is on a cruise with me. Just the wrong one.”

“This is not the time for humor, Edward. Bennett and I had plans for your return. An engagement party and photos, an appointment with a wedding planner. I went over all of this with you and Ainsley before you left town.”

He sighed and ran a hand over his head to calm the anxiety. He didn’t need anyone else outlining his life; he knew what he had to do now. “I’m trying to rectify the situation but I don’t know where Ainsley is. She and Cecelia switched vacations and Ainsley went to a ranch in Wyoming. Do you know which one?”

“I’ll find out. Even when Cecelia is avoiding me, she always sends me an email to know how to get in touch with her.”

Edward clicked his pen in a rapid staccato while Sophia checked her email. Last night he’d ordered flowers to send to Ainsley, but hadn’t known where to send them. He hadn’t wanted to tell Sophia what was going on with the cruise, but he finally broke down and called her for Ainsley’s location. It would probably cost him a ton of money, but rekindling his relationship with her was worth any amount that ended up on his credit card. Staying away from Cecelia was worth preventing the inevitable pain. His parents had loved each other, once, until things turned sour. Edward never knew what happened. His dad dealt with the cold relationship by having affairs, leaving that impression of marriage with Edward as well. He thought he could get over it with the woman he loved, but the near-panic attack in the dining room and his close call with his lost control with her in the bikini had changed his mind.

“Are you ready? She’s at the Crescent Ridge Ranch in Little Falls, Wyoming.” Sophia gave him the address. “And Edward?” Her emotionless tone caused a chill to creep over his shoulders. “Fix this.”

She was too refined to slam down the receiver, but somehow still managed to hang up with a decisive click. Edward turned back to the computer and finished his flower order, then spent another ten minutes in misery, working on the perfect note to include with the bouquet. It expressed the depth of his feelings and his desires in one neat, concise paragraph. Unfortunately, those feelings were for the wrong sister.

He held his breath before he entered his cabin, praying Cecelia wouldn’t be in the common room. Spending all his time in a small bedroom wasn’t his idea of a fun cruise, but the alternative would be to give in to the woman he loved and ruin the rest of his life. He needed the stability, the predictability, of Ainsley.

Cecelia’s door stood wide open and she was nowhere in sight. Avoiding her got easier when she’d started avoiding him, too. Right now she was probably swimming or having a drink. Or studying. He couldn’t believe she had brought a textbook along on a vacation, but she had said she wanted to start the summer semester armed with knowledge. And besides, she pointed out, he had brought financial reports. He paused at her doorway, her fresh and clean scent filling him, even though he stayed out of her room. Her sarong lay on her bed and Edward turned away before he reminded himself of how she looked in it, how the knot begged to be untied. Back to his stale, lonely room, to do nothing but wait until the ship returned home.

It was a good plan except for the naked woman on his bed.

He drank in the sight of her, the cool stream of love and desire that he gathered in his mind. Her hair spread out like a halo on the pillows, her firm breasts and pale pink nipples made his hands shake with the effort to keep from rushing to the bed and touching them. He spun on his heel to banish temptation from his sight. “Good Lord, Cecelia! Put some clothes on!” This reality was better than any fantasy he had concocted. “What are you doing?”

There was a rustle behind him and soft footsteps padded on the floor. Her fingers grazed his back through his cotton dress shirt, making his skin come alive everywhere she touched. He managed to stay still, only jolting a little when her warm breath sent a tingle into his ear. “What do you think I’m doing, you big dummy?”

She kissed his neck while her hands caressed his shoulders. He wanted to stay, wanted to turn around and thread his fingers through her thick hair, feel the weight of her breasts in his hands and press her smooth skin against his. She made it difficult to remember why he had abandoned her in the first place.

She would not fit into his future, he reminded himself. The tidy box of expectations that he’d known since birth that he would follow. He might be in love with her, but his family shouldn’t marry for love.

“You have to stop.” His voice was ragged, dammit. She’d know he couldn’t control the longing he felt.

She blew a soft puff of laughter, her bare breasts pressing into his back. “Make me.”

“Cecelia.” It was almost a plea.

“No.” Her voice became challenging. “You know what you want, Edward. And you can tell yourself that I’m the wrong girl, that you’ll screw up your life if you admit you’ve fallen for me, but we both know you’d be lying. So if you want me to stop, you have to make me. Otherwise, I’m taking you to bed right now and showing you how happy you could be with me.”

He turned then, forcing his gaze to stay on her face, even when her tongue flicked out and moistened the corner of her mouth. She stood on tiptoe and brushed her full lips against his cheek, then grazed his earlobe with her sharp teeth.

A groan escaped his throat and he grasped her trim waist, spinning her so his back was toward the bed. Every muscle in his body shook with the effort to control the rush of euphoria that came from being with her. She wrapped her arms around his neck and he gave in to the desire to inhale her scent before he gently shoved her out of the room and locked his door.

The yelling and knocking on the cabin door woke Ainsley the next morning. It wasn’t that low, rich voice that called her name, but a young, feminine one.

“Coming!” She fumbled into her robe and padded to the door. Jeanne stood outside, holding an ornate vase filled with a beautiful display of blue forget-me-nots, lilacs, and red roses surrounded by lush greens. Her stomach free-fell to her toes. If they were from Riley, he would have brought them himself. So this couldn’t be good.