Charlie nodded, not trusting her voice. She returned his handkerchief. “Thanks.”
“If you’re living in Colorado, being Caitlin’s maid of honor is going to be tough and expensive.”
Impossible. She nodded again. Caitlin was the first person Charlie had befriended when she moved to Marietta. She couldn’t let her down. She had to figure out a way to make being a bridesmaid work.
Think, think, think.
Moving to Colorado didn’t seem like the best option now, but staying at Bar V5 with the status quo? Continuing to crush on and compare every guy she met to Zack didn’t hold much appeal. She needed to do something, but what?
Find you a man.
Zack’s words echoed through her mind.
A man. Another man.
Charlie couldn’t, could she? She swallowed around the engagement ring sized lump in her throat. If she found someone else to focus her energies on, someone else to push out thoughts of and her attraction for Zack, then maybe… maybe staying wouldn’t be so bad. She could move on with her life and be a dutiful maid of honor and friend, helping Caitlin with her wedding.
Sounded good in theory.
All Charlie had to do was swallow her pride, and ask for help. Something she never did, but this was an unusual situation.
She had no one else to ask. Not really.
Caitlin would be caught up being newly engaged, thinking about her wedding and buying bridal magazines. Charlie would be the same way if she were wearing a diamond ring on her finger. She wasn’t about to get in the way of her friend’s special time.
Rachel’s bakery would be crowded with customers this weekend. She’d mentioned hiring extra staff to handle the demand and hours. Charlie wasn’t about to interfere with Rachel’s business.
Ellie was too sweet and naïve to track down a man for Charlie. The housekeeper wasn’t that much younger, but seemed more like a teenager with her wide-eyed innocence and friendliness. Plus, Ellie would have her hands full cleaning this weekend with the back-and-forth of guests between town and the ranch.
Zack was Charlie’s only choice.
Again.
Shoulders squared and chin up, she took a deep breath. “I’ve changed my mind.”
“About?”
“You finding me a date.” She swallowed. “I, um, could use your help. I’m thinking we could start tonight.”
*
Hot damn. Zack stood on Main Street wondering what had made Charlie change her mind in the last fifteen minutes and want his help. Sure, Caitlin and Noah had gotten engaged, but what did that have to do with Charlie’s dating status?
She didn’t seem the jealous type. But she sounded almost desperate. Ty’s words from two day ago sprang to mind.
One thing I learned raising Rachel is a female’s thought process is different from ours.
Forget the why, and concentrate on the how—how to find the right guy for Charlie. With her input, the matchmaking process just got easier. And they were in the perfect place to start the search. Main Street was hopping.
“Come on.” Charlie wove her way through the crowd, chin up and her gaze scanning the faces they passed.
Zack had no idea where she was going. He caught up with her, touched her bare arm. Her skin was soft beneath his calloused hand. “Hold up, partner. Let me in on the plan.”
She stopped, glanced at his hand, then met his gaze. “No plan. Just trying to find him.”
Heat emanated from the spot where his palm rested on her arm. Not quite tingling, but close. He liked the feeling. And if he wasn’t careful, he could be easily distracted, but a few more seconds couldn’t hurt anything. “Him?”
“A guy for me to date.”
She hadn’t been kidding about getting started right away. Zack realized he was still touching Charlie. Doing so felt good, natural. He remembered touching her before…
Uh oh. He raised his hand and pressed his arms at his side, reminding himself of the mission—keep Charlie at the Bar V5. Might be a good idea not to touch her. Physical contact could lead to more kisses and complicate things between them.
“Might help if I knew what you’re looking for in a man,” he said.
“Let’s see.” A serious expression crossed her face.
She didn’t seem to be taking this endeavor lightly. He didn’t know why that made his gut clench.
“Under forty, in shape, employed, likes animals and kids,” she said in a serious tone. “Oh, and not in jail.”
Hmmm. Jail. Better cross Trey Sheehan off the list, but his brother Dillon qualified. Many other men in Marietta did, too, including Zack. Oops. Not going there. “That’s a broad list. Might be better to narrow down your criteria.”
“I want to be open-minded about this. Not box myself in.”
“Sounds good.” The less qualities she had, the easier the job, except… “I’m assuming chemistry is important.”
She nodded. “Very.”
The way she’d kissed him had been explosive. His lips twitched as if remembering the attraction between them. Boy howdy, that had taken him by surprise.
“But you never know ahead of time if they’ll be sparks or not,” she added.
He hadn’t expected the chemistry they’d shared, and given his reaction to touching her, still shared. Something was there. Something more than sexual attraction. Something he needed to ignore.
“Hey guys.” RJ McCreadie barely slowed. “See you at Grey’s, Zack?”
“Maybe later,” Zack said. “Have fun.”
“Planning on it.” RJ waved and kept walking.
Hmmm. The MacCreadie family was well established in the area. RJ was a good guy, someone Zack considered a friend and met Charlie’s criteria. Too easy? Not if Zack approached this using KISS—Keep it simple, stupid. He smiled smugly. “I’ve got this figured out.”
“What?”
“Who you should date.”
She stopped. “Who?”
“RJ.”
Charlie kept walking. “No.”
“I thought you were going to be open-minded about this.”
“I am. I am openly-minded closing that door.”
“Why?”
“Think about what RJ said,” she explained. “He greeted us as ‘guys’ and asked if you were going to Grey’s, not me.”
“He’s used to seeing you as a wrangler. One of us.”
She shook her head.
“Then what?”
“No sparks. Not on my end. And his actions tonight confirm none on his. Otherwise, he would have taken the extra second or two to make sure I was included.”
A million and one questions ran through Zack’s head about how Charlie knew this without a hint of uncertainty in her voice. None of his business, but maybe he could get RJ to tell him one of these days. “Fair enough. On to the next candidate.”
“Candidate?”
“Unless you want to call them potential boyfriends or lovers.”
“Candidate works.”
Three cowboys sauntered past. Not from around here. One, a straw-haired cowboy who looked like he could be a model in a glossy magazine, gave Charlie the once over, grinned and then nudged his friends.
“I wonder if the chocolate shop will be crowded,” she said, her gaze focused on the people around them, not noticing the three men.
Interesting. Charlie didn’t realize the guy and his friends were leering at her chest. He knew their look. They were interested in one thing and not her pretty smile. “Too hard to tell with all these people in the way, but Sage’s confections are worth the wait.”
She quickened her pace. “For sure.”
Good, Zack thought. The sooner they got away from these clowns, the better.
“I hope the line’s not too long,” she said. “I doubt I’ll find any… candidates at the chocolate shop.”
He wouldn’t mind her being seen as eye candy if guys appreciated the whole sweet package, not only her sexy lady parts. “Maybe not, but the sugar will fort
ify us for our search.”
She looked up at him with her big, baby blues.
The ends of her copper hair swayed. Pretty, yes, but sexy, too. He liked how she wasn’t wearing a ponytail or braids as usual. The long, loose strands flattered her high cheekbones, made him think of the hair spread over his chest. He swallowed.
A wide grin spread across her face. “I like how you think.”
A good thing she couldn’t read his mind or she might not be so happy. But he did like her. As a friend. Make that a coworker.
He forced himself to remember what could go wrong with a workplace romance. No war this time, but an unpredictable horse or bull, coupled with distractions, could cause injury. He wasn’t going to take any chances with the people he cared about and called family. Maybe if he tried to think of Charlie as a little sister…
He noticed the three cowboys behind them. The group had changed directions. Coincidence or Charlie? Zack assumed the later. He had no idea if they were from Montana or a different state. Didn’t matter. Having her fall for someone far away defeated the purpose of finding her a man to keep her at the Bar V5. Better rethink how to pick a candidate. Once these three went away.
Up ahead, a woman pushed a baby stroller. She maneuvered in and around people with the ease of a NASCAR driver. This was his opportunity to send the cowboys following Charlie away and also help out the stroller mom.
“Watch out. Baby stroller headed our way.” He slipped his arm around Charlie’s waist and pulled her close.
Her muscles tensed beneath his hand. “The stroller’s not going that fast.”
“Not taking any chances.” Zack grinned. His tactics were working—the guys veered off—except… heat and tingles shot up his hand and arm. Touching Charlie felt so good. Her body fit nicely against him. Soft and curvy in all the right places. If he weren’t trying to make a statement to the three cowboys, Zack would have lowered his hand. A self-preservation move, but continuing to touch her might keep a territorial pissing match at bay. He hoped so. Zack hadn’t gotten into a fight since leaving the service. He had no doubt he could flatten the guys in less than seven seconds, but he didn’t want Charlie jumping into the fight, if there was one. He wanted to protect her not let her get hurt.
Zack glanced over his shoulder. The three cowboys were headed in the opposite direction. He balled his hand, then pumped his fist. “Yes.”
“What?” she asked.
“Just thinking aloud.” The line at the chocolate shop was out the door. He stood at the end. “Sage must be thrilled.”
“She’s worked hard and earned the success. And that means more chocolates for us in the future.”
Up ahead in line was Beau Bennett, a local. They’d shared stories about being deployed in Iraq over beers one night. “You might have been premature to say you wouldn’t meet a guy at the chocolate shop.”
Her brows furrowed. “What are you talking about?”
“Up ahead. Leaning against the doorway to the shop.”
“Don’t know him.”
“Beau Bennett. Owns Copper Mountain Security. He’s been trying to get the business off the ground for a couple years. Works nonstop.”
She raised her hands. “Good choice, I mean candidate. He’s attractive, but I’m not interested in dating a workaholic.”
“Does this mean you have more criteria to add to your list?”
Her mouth slanted. “Sorry. This is all new to me.”
“No worries.” But seeing Beau gave Zack an idea. “Would you date a military veteran?”
“Yes.” No hesitation, no wishy-washiness. “In a heartbeat.”
He knew the guy for her, a former Marine and double-amputee. “What about Lane Scott?”
She moved forward in the line. “Lane is a great guy. Truly amazing. Hot, too. The martial arts place he’s started with his brother is cool.”
“Sounds like a ‘but’ is coming.”
“But… a friend liked him. She’s moved on, but I would feel weird going out with him.”
“You live in a small town. The dating pool isn’t large.” They moved to the doorway of the chocolate shop. “There’s going to be overlap.”
“True, but she was crazy about him, have his babies crazy. I wouldn’t feel comfortable.”
Zack would never understand women. Time to stop trying as Ty recommended?
“Besides,” Charlie continued. “I doubt I’m his type or he would have asked me out before.”
Point taken. Still… “People change. Especially guys. They get tired of playing the field and decide to settle down. Maybe Lane—”
“No.” She lowered her voice. “I don’t want to be with a guy because he’s finished sowing his wild oats and I’m what happened along at the right time. I deserve more. I want—”
The passion in her voice was a real turn-on. He leaned toward her, catching a whiff of her shampoo, fruity, like berries, tasty enough to eat. His gaze dropped to her mouth. “What?”
“This is going to sound silly.”
Her lips were perfectly shaped. Just right for kissing. “Maybe to you. Let me decide for myself.”
She started to speak, then stopped. Her lips pressed together so hard, they nearly disappeared.
Good thing. Another second and he would have indulged in something he had no business tasting.
“I won’t say a word.” He crossed his heart like a guest’s kid kept doing during a late August stay. “Promise.”
“I want a guy who wants to be with me because he can’t imagine being with anyone else but me. That’s how I want to feel about him, too.” She looked at the display of candies, a worried expression on her face. “Silly, right?”
“Not silly.” But he didn’t want her disappointed. “Finding someone who feels the same might take a while. Longer than this weekend. That kind of love isn’t automatic, okay?
“I’ll be more patient. It’s my future after all.”
Her smile suggested relief. She didn’t act upset at him. A surprising elation over Charlie seeming to want to stay at the ranch combined with a sense of nausea over her being here to chase down a man. His stomach churned. The people in front of them paid for their candy.
“Looks like our turn,” she said. “What do you want? It’s my treat for you helping me.”
“I haven’t done anything.”
“Saying yes was huge. Staying with me now is nice. The rest will come.”
Charlie was so sweet, caring, and kind. If he could date her… stop. Now. “I’d like a salted caramel and a dark chocolate almond cluster.”
“Your wish is my command.”
Too bad that wasn’t the case. He knew what he’d wish for… a kiss. Not a chocolate kiss. A Charlie kiss.
Bad idea. Bad, bad, bad.
Zack had better find her a man soon before he did something that would ruin… everything.
Chapter Five
‡
Soldier, wrangler, matchmaker, perfect guy. Charlie covered her face with her pillow, then groaned. The mantra about Zack wouldn’t stop. All night the words circled Charlie’s mind, making her chase sleep like Mistletoe trying to catch her tail.
Sunlight peeked around the edges of the bunkhouse’s window shades and red gingham valance. She lay in bed, not ready to start the long day ahead.
Pancake breakfast. Opening ceremony. Preliminary rodeo events. Community steak dinner.
Saturday at the Copper Mountain Rodeo was one of her favorite days of the year, but not this morning. She’d rather hang out with Zack, the two of them, like last night when he’d touched her. Twice. If she closed her eyes, she could almost feel the heat of his skin against hers.
She wiggled her toes.
Talk about sparks. Highly combustible.
After he pulled her out of the way of the oncoming stroller, she’d sidled up to him like a vertical saddle blanket. She hadn’t wanted to move.
Ever.
But standing there any longer would have been awkward. Not t
o mention damaging to her psyche and unhealthy. She’d forced herself away, using Sage’s treats as a reward for not melting into a pile of goo at Zack’s boots. Yeah, Charlie could justify anything for a salted caramel, but this time she’d earned a piece of candy. Well, three. That was how many she’d eaten by the night’s end.
But she wasn’t delusional. A few minutes spent together on Main Street in a crowd meant nothing.
So what if conversation flowed? They’d been discussing what kind of guy she wanted to date. So what if she had to bite her tongue and not answer “you” to many of Zack’s questions? He wasn’t into her. So what if she’d shot down the candidates he’d brought up? None had measured up, and honesty was one of her virtues. At least that was how she saw it. She couldn’t answer for Zack.
Stop thinking about him.
Or about what might happen if she couldn’t find a guy and turn this crush thing around. Waiting until Monday to talk to Ty about staying still seemed like the best choice.
Charlie climbed out of bed. Her bare feet padded across a colorful wool braided rug.
She was trying to be open-minded. Her reasons for not wanting to pursue his suggestions weren’t pulled from the air. They were real. Honest. Non-negotiable.
She slid on a pair of lacy, lavender panties and a matching bra. No shower was necessary when she’d be spending the day at the rodeo and would need one before the dinner and dance tonight.
But she couldn’t deny her perception was slanted. The one man who appealed to her, the one man who fit her criteria and then some, was the one trying to find her a date. Zack didn’t want her.
She rubbed her tired eyes.
Get over him.
That should be the mantra. She needed to let go of her infatuation. Forget about him. Find someone else.
This wasn’t only about her now. This was for Caitlin, too.
Sure, friends would help with the wedding planning, including experienced brides like Jen Patterson, Rachel Vaughn, and Jenny Wright, whose wedding plans had fallen apart, but she’d found love with bull-riding champ, Colton Thorpe. Everyone loved weddings and Marietta was the kind of place where neighbors and friends pitched in.
But Charlie didn’t want to push off her responsibilities. She wanted to be with Caitlin every step of the way—looking for a dress, making plans, throwing a bridal shower, having fun at a bachelorette party.
Kiss Me, Cowboy (Montana Born Rodeo Book 3) Page 6
