Her Perfect Cowboy

by Trish Milburn

  Liam’s own heart leaped at her admission. He continued reading as she started at the beginning, telling him about her childhood, how she’d gradually built walls around her heart without even realizing it. Even though she had friends, she’d never truly let herself be free to experience the full range of emotions—until the night they’d made love. He read page after page, feeling as if he were watching a movie of India’s life, caring more deeply for her with each turn of a page. He knew how hard it must have been for her to bare her entire soul to him like this.

  He flipped over to the final page.

  Even if you’ve read this far, I know that it might not make a difference. I know you and Ginny have your life in Fort Worth, and part of the reason I let you go without a word was because I didn’t feel I had the right to ask you to give that up. I understand spending a lot of time and effort to build something you’re proud of. So if you don’t feel the same and don’t respond, I’ll understand. But I want you to know the full truth, that sometime during your stay in Blue Falls, I fell in love with you. Honestly, I think it started that first day when you scooped me up into your arms when I broke the heel off that stupid shoe.

  I’m going to send this now before I lose my nerve. If you feel the same, I’ll be happier than I’ve been in my entire life. If you don’t, don’t feel guilty. I will find a way to go on, just like I always have. And I’ll wish you and Ginny nothing but the best.

  Love,

  India

  To make sure he wasn’t dreaming, Liam read the entire letter over again, slower this time. When he got to her declaration of love, a smile stretched his lips. His mind raced with options for what to do next. Finally, he settled on what had to come first. He stood, carefully folded the letter and slipped it back into the envelope. Then he headed for the door. He glanced at his assistant as he stepped into the outer office.

  “Connie, I’m taking the rest of the afternoon off to spend with my daughter.”

  * * *

  INDIA WAITED FOR THE MAIL carrier to leave before she grabbed the stack of new mail and sifted through it, her heart beating fast. As she reached the last envelope and saw it was a bill from the electric company, her hope died—just as it had for the past two weeks. The same as it had every time the phone rang but it wasn’t Liam calling or the front door opened and he didn’t walk through it.

  It was time to accept the answer he’d given her by not responding. She’d given him that option, and she had to live with it. He’d either read the letter or thrown it away unopened because it hadn’t been returned to sender.

  She’d told him that she’d find a way to get on with her life, but right now that felt like an insurmountable task. Still, she had to try. So she turned to the only thing she could, her work. After giving the entire shop a good cleaning and changing out the display in the front window, her heart still wasn’t any lighter. If anything, it’d grown heavier. But she had to push on. If she didn’t keep going, she’d never get past this horrible, consuming ache.

  When she’d found out about the potential sale of the building, she’d stopped ordering stock. Still, her last order had come in the day before and needed unpacking. Hoping she’d get that high that normally came from opening up new shipments full of beautiful things, she headed for the stockroom.

  Halfway through unpacking the boxes of dresses, jackets and accompanying accessories, she heard the front door open. She tossed aside the packing material surrounding her and headed for the door of the stockroom. Before she could reach it, someone appeared there, filling the space.

  India gasped. A couple of seconds ticked by as she focused on the man in the doorway.

  “Liam?” She blinked, hoping he wasn’t a figment of her imagination, of her desperate yearning to see him again.

  “In the flesh.”

  “What—what are you doing here?” She reached out a hand and grasped the edge of a sturdy storage shelf to steady herself.

  “I’m in town on business.”

  “Oh.” Her heart sank so fast she doubted she was able to hide her feelings. “I hadn’t heard about another rodeo in the area.”

  “There’s not, yet. But that might change.”

  She simply stared at him, unable to think what to say next. He looked so good, and she ached to run into his arms.

  “I’ve been talking to some local officials about hosting three more rodeos here, maybe even moving my company headquarters to Blue Falls.”

  India’s legs shook as hope blazed to life within her.

  “It’ll lower my operation costs, and I like the scenery. There’s just one more thing that has to fall into place before I’ll pull the trigger on the move.”

  India swallowed then somehow found her voice. “What’s that?”

  He took several slow steps into the storage room, making it feel infinitely smaller. He didn’t stop until he was close enough she could touch him.

  “What you said in your letter, is it still true?”

  “Which part?”

  “That you love me.”

  She resisted touching his face, afraid her hand would find nothing but air, that he would disappear like a mirage. “Yes.”

  He smiled. “That’s good because I’m hopelessly in love with you, India Pike.”

  India sank down onto a box, her legs no longer able to support her.

  “Are you okay?”

  She looked up at Liam. “Say it again.”

  Liam lowered himself to one knee in front of her and framed her face with his hand. “I love you, India. Ginny loves you. And it’s time you love yourself as much as we love you.” He rubbed his thumb over her cheek. “We can go as slowly as you want, but I need to know I’ll be making the right decision if I move here.”

  A tremendous happiness, bigger and fuller and brighter than anything she’d ever imagined, filled India. She smiled and nodded.

  “Well, that’s good. Because I just paid a substantial down payment on this building and the one next door.”

  “What? Why would you do that?” She knew the price tag Celene was asking.

  “Because I love you, and no one is going to threaten the dream of the woman I love.”

  India took his face in her hands and kissed him, filling the kiss with the depth of her love.

  When they finally stopped kissing, she didn’t want to let him go. “So will my rent go up?”

  It took him a moment to catch her meaning. She liked to think it was because he was so dazed by her kiss.

  “Well, you’ll be sharing the extra space with me since I’m going to put my office on the second level next door. But we’ll think of a way for you to pay me.”

  She swatted him. “I’m not that kind of girl.”

  He kissed her again. “Would it make any difference if I told you that I plan to make you my wife someday, whenever you’re ready?”

  Tears pooled in India’s eyes, but this time there was no sadness attached to them. “The way I feel right now, I’d marry you tomorrow.”

  “Be careful or I might take you up on that.”

  “Go ahead.”

  Liam leaned back and took her hand in his. “I don’t have a ring for you right now, but I’m going to ask you, anyway.” He swallowed visibly, making her smile. “India Pike, will you be my wife and a mother to my daughter?”

  “Yes, I will.”

  She had no idea how long they kissed after that, but she didn’t care. Eventually, the sound of voices in the shop dr
ifted back to them, and Liam helped her to her feet. Neither of them let go of the other’s hand as they walked out of the storage room and toward the front of the store.

  Elissa, Skyler and Verona caught sight of them as they approached.

  “We came to see how you were and ask you to lunch, but I’m guessing you’re just fine and have other lunch plans,” Elissa said.

  Liam pulled India close to his side. “As a matter of fact I’m starving,” he said. “I haven’t had a bite to eat all day.”

  “To the Primrose, then,” Verona said.

  “One thing first,” India said. “Skyler, when’s the next time your banquet room is free on a Saturday?”

  “I’ll have to check the schedule back at the inn. Why?”

  India looked up at Liam, who nodded, then back at her friends. “Because we’re going to need it for a wedding.”

  All three of the other women screamed at the same time, making India laugh. And then they were on her, pulling her away from Liam and smothering her with hugs. She hugged them all back but caught Liam’s gaze.

  “I love you,” she mouthed.

  “I love you more,” he said back.

  She doubted that was possible, but she let him think it.

  * * * * *

  Be sure to look for HAVING THE COWBOY’S BABY,

  the next book in Trish Milburn’s

  Blue Falls, Texas, series.

  Available in September 2013

  wherever Harlequin American Romance is sold.

  Keep reading for an excerpt from Cowboy for Keeps by Cathy McDavid!

  We hope you enjoyed this Harlequin American Romance story.

  You love small towns and cowboys! Harlequin American Romance stories are heartwarming contemporary tales of everyday women finding love, becoming part of a family or community—or maybe starting a family of her own.

  Enjoy four new stories from Harlequin American Romance every month!

  Visit Harlequin.com to find your next great read.

  We like you—why not like us on Facebook: Facebook.com/HarlequinBooks

  Follow us on Twitter: Twitter.com/HarlequinBooks

  Read our blog for all the latest news on our authors and books: HarlequinBlog.com

  Subscribe to our newsletter for special offers, new releases, and more!

  Harlequin.com/newsletters

  Chapter One

  The tie choked worse than a pair of hands around his neck.

  Conner Durham yanked at the knot, loosening the tie, and then ripped it off altogether. He flung the offensive garment onto the passenger seat beside him, where his rumpled suit jacket already lay. The interview, his third with this particular company, had been a complete and utter waste of time.

  He wasn’t getting the job; the hiring manager had said as much before dismissing him with the dreaded “Thanks, we’ll be in touch.”

  Turning his truck onto the long drive leading to Powell Ranch, Conner slowed his speed to the posted ten miles an hour. He’d have to find a different way to vent his frustration other than pressing his pedal to the metal.

  Maybe he’d take Dos Rojo out, work the young gelding in the arena. He and the mustang, named for his distinctive red coloring, were still ironing out the kinks in their relationship, deciding who was in charge. So far, they were even, with Dos Rojo coming out ahead some days, Conner on others.

  Driving past the main horse barn, he headed for his quarters, a four-hundred-square-foot efficiency apartment. Hard to believe a mere six months ago he’d owned a five-bedroom house and spent money as if it did indeed grow on trees.

  No more, and not again in the foreseeable future, unless his luck drastically changed.

  Luck, the lack of it, had to be the reason he couldn’t find a decent job. It certainly wasn’t his qualifications. According to the one-in-twenty prospective employers who’d bothered to contact him after receiving his résumé, he had qualifications coming out his ears. Usually more than the job required.

  Little did they know Conner was already downplaying his education and experience in order to make himself more hirable.

  Inside the apartment, he swapped the rest of his dress clothes for a well-worn work shirt and jeans. Threading his belt through the loops, he fastened the gold buckle. It was one of his most cherished possessions and proclaimed him Arizona State Champion in steer wrestling. He’d won the buckle in college, before abandoning his cowboy ways in order to earn double MBAs and make his mark in corporate America.

  Which he did, for six years, only to fall victim to a massive layoff and departmental downsizing. In the five minutes it took Human Resources to inform Conner that his good pal and fellow manager would take over his position and absorb the few remaining members left on Conner’s team, his entire life had changed.

  A knock sounding on the door provided a welcome distraction. Another minute and Conner might have started feeling sorry for himself.

  Yeah, right. Who was he kidding?

  “Door’s open,” he called, pulling on his boots and standing.

  “You decent?” Gavin Powell, Conner’s lifelong friend and current boss, barged inside. His glance went straight to the sleeping area, where Conner stood in front of the haphazardly made bed. “Good, you’re ready.”

  “You need something done?”

  Instead of answering, Gavin sniffed around the kitchen counter.

  “Hungry?”

  “I missed lunch. How’d the interview g—”

  “Don’t ask.” Conner strolled into the kitchen, adjusting his Stetson till it fit snugly on his head. “You live in a house full of people. Didn’t one of them fix you some food?”

  “Sage and the baby are taking a nap, since someone kept us up last night, crying. Dad’s down with the flu. Between laundry and helping the girls with their homework, the afternoon got away from me. Do you have any idea how many papers parents are expected to read and sign? Three, just for Isa to go on a field trip.”

  Last spring, Gavin and Sage had married, joining them and their two daughters, each from a previous relationship, into one big happy family. Now they had a two-month-old son, making their family even bigger and happier.

  “Never mind,” he complained. “I’ll grab some crackers in the office. Which, by the way, is where I need you to be in an hour.”

  “What’s up?”

  “I finally hired a photographer. She’s meeting with us at four-thirty.”

  “Us?” Conner quirked a brow.

  “You heard right. I need someone to act as a guide. Who knows the story of Prince and is familiar enough with these mountains to lead a day ride. You’re the only one I can spare fitting that description.”

  Conner didn’t argue. He owed Gavin for the roof over his head and the food on his table. Literally. If Gavin hadn’t rescued him a few months ago, when his severance pay ran out, he might now be living in his truck.

  “What about Dos Rojo?” Conner asked. “I want to work him in the arena before the equestrian drill team arrives for their practice.”

  “Then I guess you’d better get started.”

  They parted ways on the porch. As Conner crossed the open area and headed toward the horse barn, the many changes occurring at the ranch during the last two years struck him anew. His own apartment was once a bunkhouse, back in the days when the Powells had owned and operated a thriving cattle business. The smaller of the two horse barns had been expanded to include stud quarters for Prince, the Powells’ pride and joy. And the cattle barn,
now a mare motel, housed the many horses brought to the ranch to breed with Prince.

  Like Conner, Thunder Ranch and the Powells had suffered a grave financial setback, a combination of the economic downturn, loss of their range and encroaching housing developments.

  Unlike Conner, the Powells had bounced back, thanks in large part to Prince, a stallion Gavin had discovered roaming free in the nearby McDowell Mountain Preserve. More significant perhaps, the Powells had adapted, turning what remained of their cattle ranch into Scottsdale’s most successful public riding stable.

  “Hey, boy.”

  Dos Rojo eyed Conner warily as he approached the stall. The mustang needed an attitude adjustment if he expected to continue living the cushy life of a working ranch horse. Otherwise, he might end up back where he’d come from at the Bureau of Land Management’s facility in Show Low, his fate uncertain and, though Conner didn’t like thinking about it, possibly doomed.

  Not entirely unlike his own fate.

  He was determined that the horse remain at Powell Ranch, just as he was determined to find another job.

  “Let’s go, boy.”

  They spent forty minutes in the arena, Conner putting Dos Rojo through his paces on a lunge line. When they’d finished, he walked out the horse and gave his coat a good brushing before returning him to his stall. To his delight, Dos Rojo sniffed Conner’s hat and nudged his arm as he latched the stall door.

  “I agree.” He patted the horse’s neck. “Good workout. Maybe next time we’ll try getting a saddle blanket on you.”

  There were many things Conner had liked about his former job. The challenges he regularly faced and overcame, the sense of accomplishment, the respect and admiration of his peers and superiors, greeting every new day with purpose.