The Wedding Crasher and the Cowboy

by Robin Bielman

  “This is her first time on a horse,” he told Magnolia a few minutes later. “So we’ll take it nice and slow.”

  “Do you always talk to your horse?”

  Maverick startled at the sound of Kennedy’s sweet voice but kept his back to her while he finished getting Magnolia ready. “I do.”

  “Does she understand what you’re saying?”

  “Some. My tone of voice and body language help a lot with comprehension.”

  “We had a dog growing up, Coco, and she didn’t listen to anything I said, no matter how I said it. She was still a great pet, though.”

  He smiled to himself, then turned, ready to go, but when he laid eyes on Kennedy, he needed a moment. Standing where she was, with subdued rays of light filtering into the barn behind her, she practically glowed, and the sight of her had him swallowing. Hard.

  It’s Kennedy. The biggest pain in your butt. Trying to ignore her, however, proved futile. He couldn’t look away. She had on the same jeans, he’d guess, but the new white T-shirt was frayed around the collar and ends of her short sleeves and did little to hide the color of her bra. Pink. He immediately wondered if her underwear matched, then mentally slapped himself for caring.

  She’d collected her hair up into a neat bun on top of her head, leaving the column of her neck bare, and he noticed a few more freckles there. But what really got to him where it hurt—in a good way—was the footwear. She’d put on the pair of boots again. Girly, but boots nonetheless.

  He never in a million years would have thought he’d be face-to-face with Cowgirl Kennedy.

  He liked it as much as he hated it.

  “Is something wrong?” she asked, glancing down her body. “I thought jeans and boots would be best for riding.”

  “You look great.”

  Her head popped back up. Yeah, she was as shocked as he was by the compliment.

  He quickly changed the subject. “This is Magnolia. She and I are ready to go.” He led them out of the barn.

  “What about George?”

  “I thought we’d ride together so I don’t have to worry about you falling off. Plus, I never made it back out to the trees yesterday, so we can take another look this morning.”

  “I think there was an insult in there, but I’m going to ignore it.”

  “Good idea.” He grabbed his Stetson hanging on the wall and dropped it on his head as they exited into the soft sunshine spilling over the mountains. Mornings were great for rides. The temperature cooler, the air fresher. And today the fog had stayed away.

  “I’ll get on first, then have you hop on behind me.”

  “You make it sound so easy. Magnolia, did you hear that?” Kennedy cupped her hand around her mouth and leaned closer to his horse. “He thinks I can hop on like it’s no big deal.”

  She was talking to his horse. Like they were friends.

  Something stirred inside him.

  “All you have to do is place your left foot in the stirrup like this”—Maverick put his foot in—“then pull yourself up and swing your right leg over like this.” He moved in slow motion so she could see how simple it was to get seated on a horse.

  She looked up at him with appreciation he felt in the middle of his chest. “I never thought I’d ride a horse, let alone ride one with you.” Her friendly voice sounded new and open-ended, like she had no intention of going back to the way things were between them. He could relate. A switch had been flipped and while a part of him still wanted her far away from his ranch, another part wondered what else they might do together this week.

  “Right back at you.” That she stood here now was some kind of fantastic fluke.

  “What if I miss?”

  “Then you fall and try again.”

  “All right.” She took tentative steps closer. Her tongue darted out to sweep over her bottom lip. He left her plenty of room to sit in the saddle behind him. “Here I go, Magnolia.”

  “Left foot first,” he reminded her.

  She took a huge breath in, her chest rising but not falling, and put her foot in the stirrup. Once her boot fit snugly in place, she whooshed out a breath, took his offered hand, and pulled herself up and over.

  “Maverick!” She almost slid all the way over, but he caught her by snaking his right arm behind her and catching her around the waist. His shoulder grumbled at the strain on his muscles as he pushed her back into place.

  “Grab onto me,” he instructed.

  She latched on tight, her arms wrapping around his middle like she was trying to squeeze him to death. Maybe she was.

  “I think you’re okay, so you can relax your hold a little.”

  “Do not tell me how tight I can hold on.”

  He fought a smile. Well, if he was going to die, there were a lot worse ways to go than on his favorite horse with a pretty girl’s warm breath on his neck and her breasts crushed against his back. In fact, he could feel every press and release of her chest, every quick beat of her heart.

  “You okay if we start moving?” he asked after a few long beats of silence.

  “Can you give me another minute?”

  “Sure.” He held the reins in one hand by his hip and rubbed Magnolia’s neck with the other. Given Kennedy’s thirst for knowledge, he supposed talking her through this would be a good idea. “Balancing on a horse does take practice,” he said. “You have to get used to the motion and movements of the horse, but luckily you’ll be doing that while attached to me.”

  Her chin moved up and down against his back.

  “You don’t have to worry about doing anything but enjoying the scenery. I’ve got the reins, and that’s how Magnolia knows to turn or stop or trot or gallop. She and I have ridden together thousands of times and know each other’s body language with our eyes closed.”

  Kennedy eased up on her death hold, lifted her head. “Okay, I’m good to go now. Thanks for giving me a minute.”

  “No problem. We’ll start nice and slow, but if you ever feel uncomfortable or scared, just let me know and we can take a breather.”

  “Sounds good.”

  They walked down the dirt path toward the trees, moving slower than molasses, but oddly, it didn’t bother him. Time had a way of getting away from him, so right now he chose to enjoy every minute.

  “You doing okay?” he asked over his shoulder.

  “Yes. It’s so peaceful out here.” Her grip on him remained steady, but her voice held less trepidation.

  “You picked a good time to barge your way into a ride.”

  “I didn’t barge,” she argued.

  “Whatever you say.” They continued off the beaten path toward the lake, across an overgrown pasture, and through wildflowers.

  “How many acres do you own?” she asked.

  “Just under a thousand.”

  She shifted, sliding closer if that was even possible, but loosening her arms so they draped around his middle instead of crushing it. “I bet you had the best time growing up here.”

  “Are you feeling okay back there? I think that was another compliment about the ranch.”

  “I’m just saying there was probably a lot to do outside, and boys like that kind of stuff.”

  “And girls don’t?”

  “I’m sure plenty do, but I didn’t. I liked shopping malls and movie theaters and the library.”

  “You never played outside?”

  “Not really, unless it was to lie out in the sun at someone’s swimming pool.”

  “No sports, either, I take it.”

  “I chose to work out my brain instead. I read a lot of books, studied things I found interesting. PE was always the worst. No one ever picked me for their team, and I always came in last on things like the mile run. When it came to debate and the academic decathlon, though, everyone wanted me on their team.”

&
nbsp; That’s pretty much how he would have pictured her. She was fit and moved with confidence, but her focus lay on mental challenges.

  “I do like long walks,” she added.

  He gently pulled back on the reins and pressed his leg against Magnolia’s body with subtle pressure.

  “What are you doing?” Kennedy asked in a panic, obviously sensing his slight movement and not liking it.

  “I’m just telling Magnolia to turn left. She takes her cues from me on which direction we should go.”

  “Oh. Okay.”

  “I promise you’re safe,” he said.

  “I know. I trust you. Most of the time, anyway. Oh, wow, look at that.”

  He let the trust thing slide and assumed she’d noticed the lake that had come into view. “That’s Boone Lake. It’s man-made and named after my great grandfather. It was originally open to the public, but about ten years ago my father closed it.”

  “How come?”

  “To save the fish and other wildlife that make their home there. Pollution from small boats and people’s trash was slowly killing off the ecosystem. Now it’s just for guests of the inn. And we allow only canoes or kayaks, nothing with an engine.”

  “Do people swim in it?”

  “They can, yes.”

  He gave Magnolia the signal to turn right, and this time Kennedy did just fine with the change in direction. Her body relaxed against his, the tension that had rolled off her like a heat wave earlier lessening considerably. They moseyed in amiable silence until the trees came into view.

  “The landscape here is truly breathtaking,” she said, leaning ever so slightly around him to get a better look at the valley covered in pine trees. “I’ve never seen anything like it.”

  “It is,” he agreed. “A lot different than the city.”

  “You can say that again.”

  “A lot different than the city,” he repeated.

  She swatted at his chest, releasing her grip on the front of his T-shirt for a second.

  “Haven’t you ever ventured to the country or mountains? For a vacation or something?”

  “No. We couldn’t really afford vacations when I was young, so my parents would plan staycations, and we’d go to an amusement park and museums and movies. By the time my parents could afford it, they were getting a divorce and things were different and very tense, since my mom and dad didn’t get along anymore. I actually lived with my dad while my two younger sisters stayed with our mom. My mom still hasn’t forgiven me for it, but I couldn’t handle all the bickering and meanness that came from my sister Victoria, especially after my surgery. Dad was easygoing and pretty much left me alone. Don’t get me wrong, I do love my family, but I didn’t know how to process everything that was happening, and I’ve always been fine on my own.”

  They meandered down the aisles of trees, Maverick doing a quick study of each. His childhood had been vastly different from Kennedy’s. He and his siblings had kept each other company constantly, laughing and teasing far more often than fighting. His parents argued on occasion, but they loved one another fiercely to this day. He, Cole, Hunter, and Nova had fished and climbed trees and played hide-and-seek for hours. The family vacationed at mountain resorts and fancy campgrounds, tropical islands, and the jungle of Costa Rica.

  “Then, when I was an adult, I didn’t have time to travel,” she continued. “Too busy with school and then my residency.”

  “Does travel appeal to you?” he asked, wishing he could take the question back as soon as the words left his mouth. Travel was his and Nicole’s thing.

  “Honestly, I’ve never given it much thought.”

  Good answer—she didn’t have any hint of wanderlust, not like he did, and a sense of relief filled him. In less than two weeks, he’d be on an airplane to fulfill not only Nicole’s wish, but his own desire to escape, leaving behind any preoccupation with a certain ER doctor.

  Chapter Eleven

  Four days until the wedding

  The second Kennedy’s feet were planted firmly back on the ground at the barn, she wrapped her arms around Maverick’s shoulders in thanks. “That was wonderful. Thank you!” If anyone had asked her a week ago if she saw herself riding a horse, she would have said, “Not in a million years.” Yet, here she stood, staring up into the face of a handsome cowboy after doing just that. Funny how life had a way of throwing curve balls. Thankfully, this one had turned out well.

  “You’re welcome,” Maverick said, his hands on her waist, keeping them connected for longer than necessary.

  Her stomach dipped. His fingers practically burned through her clothes. And his eyes held something new. Something different. She couldn’t put a name to it, only that his usual annoyance seemed to have slipped into something less indignant…and much more tender.

  Was he feeling this new energy between them, too?

  On a scale of one to lethal, riding a horse with her front pressed against his back, his confident, controlled stature keeping her safe, had been much more dangerous than she’d imagined. The reasons were numerous: He had muscle everywhere. He was patient. He talked to her like an equal, even though she’d never been on a horse before. He was a good listener. He wore a cowboy hat way sexier than she had known cowboy hats could be. He talked to his horse like Magnolia was his best friend. He smelled incredible.

  Kennedy stopped the inner monologue there and lifted onto her tiptoes. To do what, she didn’t know, but some magnetic pull tugged her mouth closer to his.

  He blinked, dropped his arms, and took a step back, breaking the spell.

  “I’m glad you enjoyed the ride,” he said, turning away to lead Magnolia back into a stall.

  Disappointment filled her. She’d wanted to kiss him. She’d wanted him to kiss her.

  She banished the ridiculous thought from her mind. It had been a silly moment, a blip she’d already forgotten.

  “Did you?” she asked, not quite ready to say goodbye.

  “Yes.”

  “Well good, because…” She couldn’t admit she liked the ride so much that she’d consider doing it again. “I’m having a good time here.”

  “It’s only Tuesday,” he countered, effectively ruining whatever vibe she thought they had going on a minute ago. She got the message: he had things to do now that didn’t include her.

  “Lucky me!” She turned on her boot heels to take her leave. “I guess that means I’ll see you around, cowboy.” The reminder that they could bump into each other around the next corner ought to keep him on his toes.

  She inwardly smiled all the way back to her room.

  She found Andrew exactly where she’d left him earlier, sprawled on his stomach on top of the bedcovers in his boxers and a T-shirt. “Time to rise and shine,” she said, opening the shutters before lifting a yummy glazed doughnut out of the white paper bag she’d left on the counter of the kitchenette. She jumped onto the bed next to her best friend, earning a grumble. He’d sleep until noon if she let him.

  “I have a problem,” she said.

  That got his attention, and he opened his eyes to look at her. “Where’d you get the doughnut?”

  “Since you’re shirking your doughnut duty this morning, I got it for myself.” Via a cowboy.

  “Sorry. After you texted you were staying the night at Maverick’s, I hit up a wine bar in town with Liam and a few other people and crashed late.”

  “It’s okay. Have fun?” she asked.

  “Yeah. Be right back.” He rolled off the bed to use the bathroom. On the return, he noticed she’d brewed the in-room coffee and he made a beeline for a cup. “Bless you.” He brought two cups back to the bed with him, handing her one before he situated himself beside her, pushing his pillow upright and leaning against the headboard. “How was the dog thing?”

  “Amazing. She had six puppies.”

  �
�That’s cool.” He took a sip of his coffee. “So, what’s the problem this morning?” He glanced down her body. “I like that the boots are becoming a regular thing.”

  She wiggled her feet. “Right? They’re way more comfortable than I would’ve guessed. So, back to my problem. Maverick is being weird and I don’t like it.”

  “Define weird.”

  “Open, then closed off. Sweet and not so sweet. Sexy and charming.”

  Andrew raised his eyebrows in interest. “Tell me about the sexy and charming. That’s all I care about.”

  She pushed him in the thigh.

  “Kidding! Kind of. That man is one fine specimen, no matter what.”

  “He was never like this in college. I don’t know how to beat this Maverick.”

  “What are you trying to beat him at?”

  “Everything.”

  “Why? You aren’t in competition with him anymore. You’re a doctor about to start working at one of the country’s best ERs. You’ve accomplished everything you set out to do.”

  Almost. She still hoped to hear from Dr. Weaver with the news they wanted her in Boston for a final interview. “You’re right. I don’t know why I’m carrying this silly rivalry with me.”

  “My guess is it’s because you want to be around him.”

  “No, I don’t.”

  “You like him.”

  “Not even a little.”

  “You are a terrible liar, Kennedy Martin, and you know it.”

  She put her coffee down on the bedside table and crossed her arms. “Okay, fine. I don’t want to like him.”

  “Because…”

  “Because he’s…” She huffed under the heavy load of emotions she hadn’t prepared for. She’d always planned, studied, mapped out her future so she could remain in control as much as possible. She didn’t need sticky notes or phone reminders or any other prompts. Everything was in her head, right where she liked it.

  Maverick had been locked away in her past.

  He wasn’t supposed to collide with her present without a heads-up.

  Looking back, he was the only person who had ever truly challenged her. Who had made her work harder. Who had sparked a strong desire to succeed inside her.