But no Boone in sight. He was no longer in the same direction that he’d headed to get them a table. While looking for him, Sofia ran into Erica Abernathy Dalton and her husband, Morgan.
“I see my brother is here,” Morgan told her after they’d exchanged greetings.
“Oh, he is? Tell him I said hi.”
Morgan gave her a weird look. “Um, he’s your date?”
Chapter Seven
Sofia couldn’t believe this. Boone was one of those Daltons? The Daltons who owned Dalton’s Grange in Bronco Heights? It was rumored to be nearly as big as the Taylor Ranch. This didn’t make any sense. Why would Boone have misled her? He’d lied to her! Had her feeling sorry for him.
What kind of game had he played with her heart? Oh, she was going to kill him!
“Excuse me, please.”
Sofia left Morgan and Erica and found Boone, deep in a heated conversation with, of all people, Cornelius Taylor.
“Of course you don’t find any objection to this disaster,” Cornelius was saying to Boone, “but my daughter is a Taylor, and she didn’t have to get married in a barn.”
“Now, sweetheart,” Jessica Taylor said as she laid a hand on her husband’s arm. “Let’s not make a scene. Please. This is what Daphne wanted.”
“Did you see the food? It’s an outrage! Tofu, fish and vegetables everywhere I look. Bean curd, for the love of Pete!”
“The doctor told my mother that a plant-based diet is good for her heart,” Boone said, his voice laced with contempt.
Nice that he was defending Daphne, when he barely knew her, but then maybe he’d argue with anything Cornelius said. Like his sons, Jordan and Brandon, Boone hadn’t learned that sometimes it was best to simply walk away from the old coot rather than pick a fight over everything.
“Think what you want to, kid,” Cornelius said. “With an attitude like that, I can see for certain that your family will never be successful cattle ranchers. Take it from me, you have a lot to learn.”
“Don’t tell me what I—”
“Boone,” Sofia interrupted, gripping his arm. “I was looking for you. Did you find us a table?”
He turned to her, his jaw sharp enough to cut granite. “I did, but maybe we should reconsider.”
Sofia realized he’d chosen the same table where Cornelius and Jessica were about to sit.
“This is fine.” She took a seat and reached for his hand to pull him down to the chair next to hers.
She’d deal with him later. Right now, she didn’t want to create a scene in front of Cornelius, Camilla’s father-in-law. But when she got Boone alone, she was going to rip into him. No holds barred.
“I’ll get our plates, darling,” Jessica said, rubbing her husband’s back.
“Don’t bother. I don’t eat rabbit food,” Cornelius said, shaking his head and scowling.
Dinner was tense, and not just because of the seating arrangement. Sofia picked at the meal, even though it was delicious. She had zero appetite. Boone kept trying to take her hand and she kept pretending she needed it for the important business of eating. There were toasts to the couple, a speech by Jordan, then Brandon and then one by Camilla. Evan stood and thanked everyone for coming, then praised his new bride with such sweetness and heart that Sofia bit back tears.
Brittany announced everyone could now move back to the side of the barn where the ceremony had been held. All the folding chairs had been removed to create a large space for dancing. But Sofia couldn’t stay to dance. Dancing made her feel joy, and right now she was too upset. She needed to find out why Boone had lied to her. Now.
She tugged Boone out of the barn toward an open area where horses grazed in the distance. Lambs, goats and chickens roamed freely. A cow lowed softly.
“Do you have something you want to tell me?” Sofia faced Boone. “I ran into your brother Morgan before dinner.”
“I tried to tell you earlier, but—”
She held up her palm. “Save it. You lied to me. You’re filthy rich!”
He pinched the bridge of his nose. “Listen. I didn’t lie to you, it’s just that I—”
“You let me believe something that isn’t true at all. That’s the same thing. I don’t understand! I made a fool out of myself, bringing you to my tiny apartment so you wouldn’t feel so bad about your own circumstances. Worried about you spending your hard-earned money buying me dinners. You drove a broken-down truck just to mess with me, didn’t you?”
“Hey, that is my truck.” He wouldn’t meet her eyes. “One of them.”
“Are you even a horse wrangler?”
“Yes! I work on my family’s ranch and train other horses, too. I didn’t lie to you about anything else, Sofia. Just my money. The rest is all true. We Daltons might be wealthy, but we’re not accepted by the Taylors and the Abernathys of Bronco Heights. People like Cornelius.”
“Cornelius doesn’t like anyone, so get in line!”
“You don’t understand. It isn’t just Cornelius. We haven’t been allowed to join The Association. We’re treated like dirt in Bronco because we’re new money.”
“First-world problems, Boone! What does that even mean? Old money and new money? All money is green to me.”
“It means that my father gambled and got lucky in Las Vegas. That’s the only reason we’re filthy rich. Pure luck. It means we’re a little rough for some people’s tastes. We curse and we don’t walk away from a fistfight. And we don’t have a legacy of wealth, passed down from one generation to another. Not like the Abernathys and Taylors. Because of that, all the big ranching families here think we have no idea what we’re doing. They’re wrong about that, and someday we’ll show them how wrong. Maybe we’re a little too raw for the corporate boardroom, but I’m a cowboy. That’s why I dress the way I do. It’s who I am.”
Her heart raced, her breaths coming short and shallow. Sofia really wanted to get out of here. She had to burn off her anger somewhere safe. She wanted to hit something. Hard. He’d lied to her. What did that say about what he thought of her?
She turned to go. “I’m going home.”
“Didn’t you come with your sister?”
Damn, yes, she had, with every intention of leaving here with Boone. Now she needed to get away from him so she could calm down and not smack his handsome face like she wanted to. Filthy rich! He was rich! The man that she’d been so attracted to, that she’d wanted to get to know on a much deeper level. How dare he be rich!
“I’ll get a ride with someone.” She crossed her arms, giving Boone her back.
“Let me take you home. Please.” He stepped into her space, crowding her even now.
“No. I can’t even look at you right now I’m so mad.”
Sofia glanced toward the barn where the festivities were going on. The music, a ballad by Tim McGraw and Faith Hill, drifted outside. Daphne and Evan were dancing in the center, their foreheads pressed together. Slowly, everyone else joined in. Camilla and Jordan, Brandon and Cassidy, Morgan and Erica, Cornelius and Jessica. Clearly, there was no one to take her home unless she wanted to ruin someone else’s night, too.
“Okay, fine. Just take me home. But don’t expect me to talk to you!”
* * *
Boone walked to his Land Rover with an impending sense of doom. He had hoped to tell Sofia the truth before someone else did. If only he hadn’t been sidetracked into that ridiculous argument with Cornelius where he’d likely wasted valuable time. But as an equine expert, he related far more to Happy Hearts than he did to any cattle ranch, including his own. He appreciated horses in pastures, grazing happily and free. And yet he was a part of both worlds. The horses on their cattle ranch had to work. But someday, he wanted them to retire like these horses at the animal sanctuary.
“Really?” she said, as he clicked his key fob to unlock his truck. “Um, nice ride.”
The drive from Happy Hearts to Sofia’s apartment would take them a while. He would use this opportunity to talk, even if she didn’t want to. She’d said her piece; now it was his turn.
They drove in uncomfortable silence for several minutes until he finally broke it. “I’m sorry. I just wanted you to get to know me first.”
“And to make sure I’m not some gold digger after your money, you mean?” She crossed her arms and shifted her entire body to face the passenger-side door.
Ouch. Well, okay, at least she was talking to him.
“No.”
“I’ve dated rich guys before. Not one of them felt they had to lie to me about it.”
“Are you seriously mad that I’m not some poor cowboy down on his luck? Is it because you like a charity case, and now you’re pissed that I don’t need your pity?” His palms were sweaty now, and a jolt of adrenaline coursed through his body.
“Hey, I like helping people. Is there anything wrong with that?”
“That’s fine as long as you’re not going to judge someone who doesn’t need your help. Whether you realize it or not, money complicates everything. And I’m guessing that you know, since Camilla is your sister. I wanted you to get to know me first. Doesn’t that make any sense to you?” He hoped she heard the pleading tone in his voice.
“I feel so stupid. I should have known.” She held a palm to her forehead and for the first time he heard hurt in her voice instead of anger. “You talked about your family and four brothers. Your last name. I know that Morgan has four brothers. I’ve obviously heard about the Daltons.”
“You’re not stupid. It makes sense that you didn’t put it together.” He gripped the steering wheel so tight his knuckles were white.
“You should have told me.”
“And when would I have done that?” This reaction of hers, and her extreme anger, was a little unjustified in his opinion. “When I walked into the store and met you? Hey there, I’m Boone Dalton, and I’m filthy rich. Want to go out with me?”
She turned to face him, her face flushed and pink. “You could have said something the night I invited you to my apartment. We were kissing, and getting hot, and...you just should have!”
“Why do you think I walked away that night? Maybe that would have been the right time to tell you, and I almost did. I’m sorry I didn’t, but damn, Sofia. You liked me enough when you thought I didn’t have anything. Are you now going to shut me down because I have money? How’s that fair?”
“Of course not. Whether you have money or you don’t, that doesn’t mean squat to me.” She pointed her finger.
He pulled into the post office parking lot, and he’d barely stopped the truck when Sofia practically jumped out.
“Sofia!” She could have hurt herself. “What are you doing?”
“Getting away from you!” She stomped up the steps to her apartment.
“Wait.” He climbed out the driver’s side and followed behind, sprinting to catch up. “We need to talk.”
“You talk.” She unlocked the front door and left it open, so he strode inside.
She was angry, all right, and he half wondered if he’d soon start ducking from flying objects. But she was worth it, even if he got knocked out cold. Maybe he’d wake up on the floor, Sofia looming over him, remorseful. Hey, a guy could dream.
“You could have hurt yourself, jumping out of my truck like that.”
“I’m fine!”
She peeled off her coat, but took her time hanging it up carefully. So she wasn’t pissed enough to throw it down. Or maybe she was just cautious with the expensive coat she could barely afford. For the first time, he saw this ruse from her side. It might look like he expected her to be after his money, but that wasn’t the case at all. He had to find a way to convince her.
He pulled off his hat and ran a hand through his hair, a sense of desperation building. He might lose her if he couldn’t find a way to fix this. She might be angry for a short time and get over it. But a woman like Sofia, strong and independent as she was, could just move on and leave him in her rearview mirror. He’d made a mistake and wanted to fix this, more so than he’d wanted anything in his life.
“Sofia, come here.” He walked behind her, careful not to scare her off with any hint of aggression. “Please.”
“What?” She turned on him, her brown eyes flashing in anger.
He reached for her elbows and gently tugged her close. “You have to understand. For me it isn’t about the money. It’s about my family. Okay, so I’m protective about them. Sometimes I do feel like we don’t belong here, and you’re the first person who made me feel welcome. Like this is where I should be after all.”
In her eyes, he saw a hint of warmth replace some of the anger, and more to the point, she didn’t shove him away.
“Okay?” He brought her full into his arms then and palmed the back of her head. “Forgive me for being an idiot.”
“Boone...”
“I know we have something special, something rare, and I can’t lose you over this.”
She lowered her eyes to his lips even as her hands fisted his shirt. “I’m still mad at you. You shouldn’t have lied to me. I just—”
His mouth came crashing down on hers, a very efficient way of ending this argument. But he was pleasantly surprised when the same fiery passion that had fueled her anger tonight was now channeled into kissing him back. It felt like she was giving him everything, every deep and sultry part of herself, and things quickly got hot and wild. He wove one hand through her long, thick hair and lowered the other to her behind.
In a move reminiscent of the way they’d spent every night since they met, but in reverse, she began removing his clothes. First the jacket, which she slipped off his shoulders in the middle of ravishing his mouth with her wicked tongue. Next she pulled the shirt out of his pants. When her fingers glided up and down his back, he thought he’d lose his mind with lust. Instead of losing his mind, he lost the tie, which had been choking him all night. Then she went after the button of his slacks. His pants were something she’d stayed away from altogether while styling him, acting a little shy. There was no shyness in her now.
Okay, this was happening. In the back of his mind, he thought maybe they should slow down, but surely, he couldn’t be the one expected to suggest that! She was sexy, her lips soft and warm. While she was busy undressing him, he slid the zipper down her dress, a skintight blue thing that had probably been designed to torture men. It slid off her into a pool at her feet and he nearly swallowed his tongue when he saw her underwear.
She wore a plunging black bra and a matching thong that barely covered her. He took a moment to drink that in, the milky softness of her curves. Her long and luscious legs.
“You’re beautiful,” he managed to say.
“Aw, thank you.” She smiled, then took his hand and led him toward the bed.
Boone had to admit it. This was hands down the best wedding he’d ever been to.
* * *
Sofia stopped thinking the minute Boone kissed her with such passion and authority that heat curled through her, leaving her damp. When she’d pulled his shirt out to feel the muscles she’d been lusting for, her knees went absolutely liquid. His touch traveled from her butt down her thighs where a quivering heat pulsed and ached. Under his shirt, she found those muscles were every bit the sinewy strength she’d expected. He was all hard angles and planes, and so utterly...male. So perfect.
He touched her with such intention that his hands branded her. Everything else faded to the background, and she made a decision totally out of character. She stopped thinking whether or not she’d known him long enough. She simply wanted him. Here and now. And everything else, every single doubt, flew right o
ut of her head.
She let her Valentino gown fall to the floor, also out of character, but she carefully stepped around it when she led Boone to her bed. He gave her the slow, wicked, dimpled smile she found so irresistible and sat beside her. She’d brought him to her bed, but after that Boone took over. He kissed her shoulder, the hard bristle on his jaw rough against her sensitive skin. He eased the strap of her bra low and took her nipple into his mouth. She moaned as his warm mouth and tongue did delicious things to her self-control.
The rest of their clothes came off quickly, both of them in a frenzy. But once they were both naked, Boone slowed down. His fingers threaded in her hair; he licked the shell of her ear, then teased her earlobe with his teeth. Heat swept through her, wild and deep. She’d never wanted anyone like this. Not with this intensity. He found her mouth again and kissed her, leaving a trail of kisses down the column of her neck.
“Woman, you taste so good. I could eat you all night long.”
He licked and kissed down her body, stopping at each breast to suck hard on the nipple, continuing down to her belly button, nipping at her hips. His rough and calloused hands skimmed down the outside of her thighs just before he spread them apart. She throbbed, pulsed, ached and went out of her mind. It wasn’t long before her body bucked, and she chanted his name over and over like a prayer.
Sofia wasn’t a virgin, but she could count her lovers on one hand, and didn’t need the whole hand. She’d never had a first love, no one who burned bright and fiery, because she’d always been so focused on school. Then on her career. But an unexpected thought twisted through her mind that maybe this was what a first love should have been. What she’d missed. She felt inexplicably connected to Boone in a way she couldn’t explain or understand fully.
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