He was mere inches from her and she planted a hand in the middle of his chest to keep him from wrapping those strong arms of his around her. "Stop," she commanded, having already learned that she didn't think well when he did that. "This moved too fast, Cliff."
"Love moves at its own pace, darlin', and that is just the way it is."
She narrowed her eyes, as if narrowing them would narrow the gap trying to pull open in her heart. Her stinkin' heart lurched despite the battle she was putting up. "Don't sweet-talk me. You move too fast. How am I supposed to believe you haven't dipped into Mule Hollow like a whirlwind before spinning off to new places? Because I know your personality is too strong to settle for the quiet life we all live here."
His grin slashed cocky and crooked. "See there, already you know me like it's been forever. Believe me, darlin', there's going to be excitement in our lives. Don't you doubt it, and I'm not talkin' about the wild bulls we're going to raise. God didn't say when a man and woman got married that life lost its luster."
Her insides rolled over like a puppy begging for a belly rub at the look in his eyes. She knew life being married to Cliff wouldn't be dull or lackluster. It would be passionate and fun and there would be plenty of head butting too. If the matchmakers liked sparks, well Maddie had no doubt that she and Cliff could start a forest fire with the ones they'd raise. It was him she worried about. Would she be woman enough to hold him if she was strong enough to allow her heart to let him in?
"We need to slow down," she snapped, self-preservation kicking in when she felt the chink in her armor crack a little wider.
Cliff stepped up and took her in his arms. She knew if he kissed her—she'd melt like butter again.
He kissed the tip of her nose and her breath caught in her throat and her knees felt weak.
"I love you, Maddie Rose. I've told you before I'm a man who knows what he wants and I'm planning on spending the rest of my life proving to you that I'm a man of my word."
Maddie's world started spinning. "I'm afraid, Cliff. There, I've admitted it."
He lifted her chin to gaze into her eyes. "Then we'll slow down, take it slow—it'll be hard for me but I'll do it because you need time. I understand that." He kissed her forehead.
She could feel his heartbeat against her hand, so strong. She wanted to believe him so badly it hurt. She'd longed her whole life to be loved.
"Maddie, you changed my world from the moment I saw you. And the moment I first kissed you I knew you were the woman for me. You knew it too. We'll take all the time you need. Just know I'm the man who is going to give you the family you've always wanted. I've been waiting my whole life to find you. And I'll wait my whole life to have you if that's what it takes."
He had looked into her soul and read exactly what she'd been thinking. Knew exactly what her hopes and dreams were. Did it really matter if he'd known her a week or fifty-two?
"You would do that? But your sponsors? Your contracts?"
His gaze gentled and shined with love. "This event fulfilled my contract and they offered me another one, but I told them thanks, but no thanks. I've got new dreams now, Maddie. And I'll do whatever it takes for you to know that I'm the man who loves you and who'll love you always with every breath I breathe. Whatever it takes to prove that I'll do."
Maddie stared into his beautiful eyes and believed him. He'd actually chosen to come back to her. She loved this man. Suddenly, spontaneously she shocked herself, springing to her tiptoes she planted her lips on his.
If she'd wanted to hold off and be cautious, this was not the way to do it. But Maddie had been cautious all her life and it hit her as he'd said he'd wait that for the first time in her life she didn't want to wait. Her lips melted to Cliff's and molded to his like they'd been made for each other and she was convinced they had been. God was one smart cookie.
Her arms wound themselves around Cliff's neck and she tugged him closer. He didn't hesitate to join in, kissing her with power and tenderness and promise of things to come.
"Maddie," he growled, pulling back finally, his heart thundering against her own. "What are you telling me with this kiss? Because I'm telling you, that this is powerful and I don't want to misunderstand."
"I'm saying that I've been waiting for love my entire life. Is this irresponsible? Some might say so, but I know that many happily-ever-after, true-life love stories have been love at first sight—"
"Or first fight," he chuckled.
"That is for certain." She grinned, her heart swelling with hope and love and dreams...new dreams of a ranch they'd build together and a family they'd raise.
Cupping her face between his hands, he stared with such loving intensity into hers. "Darlin', will you marry me? Now, or later, I simply want to know you're going to be mine."
She loved the sound of that. "Yes, I love you, Cliff with all my heart."
"Yes!" The smile that spread over his face filled every dark corner of her soul. "Maddie I promise to guard your precious heart with my love for the rest of my life."
With that, he lowered his lips to hers and, Maddie knew she was home at last...
Epilogue
A human sized, fluffy, pink-tailed bunny on the side of the road was the last thing Rafe Masterson expected to see on his way to his brother’s engagement party.
He squinted through the sun’s rays, “Surely not—,” he said, driving closer. But, yup, that was definitely the furry, white rump of a bunny bent over the backend of the trunk of the broke down sports car…the critter had a flat tire.
Rafe pressed the brake as the cotton tail wiggled then the bunny popped to a standing position—no bunny head attached. Instead, sun-kissed red hair splayed down the furry back almost touching the cotton tail. Rafe stomped harder on the brake just as bunny-woman propped one oversized rabbit’s foot on the bumper of the car and yanked hard on the spare tire—instantly it popped free sending bunny-woman and the tire she was clutching stumbling backwards like a drunk on Saturday night.
She tripped over her feet and fell forward on top of the tire, her bunny tail flopping in the breeze just as Rafe barreled from his truck and raced to help. All the while thinking his brother Cliff and his ranch partner’s weren’t going to believe his reason for being late to Cliff’s engagement party dinner.
He skidded to a halt just as the redhead rolled off the tire onto her back, bunny feet pointing to the sky by a good eighteen inches. They were huge.
“Are you okay?” He gaped at the massive feet and then the gigantic white belly that sloped to the prettiest—maddest bunny he’d ever seen.
“Oh sure,” she grunted, magnificent green eyes flashing brilliant as a neon sign. “I’m just peachy wonderful.” She struggled to sit up, a scowling.
Rafe dropped to one knee and grabbed hold of her fuzzy arm assisting her in her effort. “I hate to break it to you, but you don’t look too peachy wonderful to me. You look, hotter than a firecracker and a good bit uncomfortable.” “I’ll fix your tire-”
“Thanks, but no thanks,” she snapped. “Contrary to what it looks like I can fix my own tire. I thank you for stopping but I don’t need a man to fix my flat,” she said and added under her breath, “or anything else.”
“Shew, you are miffed about something.” He tugged her to her feet without asking if she needed his help.
“Thanks,” she said then stalked away.
He watched her walk away, her feet—thick and long made splatting sounds on the pavement as she clomped toward her car. “Hey, hold up,” he called, striding to catch her.
She didn’t answer instead she started digging around inside the trunk, that pink bunny tail flopping sassily with every movement.
Whew, she was mad at someone and he’d put money on that someone being a man. “I really don’t mind.” He gave her his best grin and placed one hand on rim of the trunk. “It would be a pity for you to get your fur all messed up,” he drawled and shot her a smile. “And I hate to mention it, but those feet are probably
going to get in your way.”
A funny expression on her face, she looked down at her feet—almost as if she’d forgotten about them. Which was understandable since her belly was so big she couldn’t actually see her feet. How had she driven the car this far?
She bent forward to see more than her toes. “They roll up—”
“Hand it over, Flossy. In Texas when we see a lady or a bunny in distress we stop and help.” Rafe reached for the tire tool and her eyes flashed as his hand wrapped around it. She tugged and held on. He gave her a stern look. “I’m not gonna stand here and watch you pass out changing that tire-or attempting to change it. From the looks of your cheeks you won’t last long.”
“I don’t need you,” she said.
“Yes, you do.” Rafe was known for getting a job done, and he was in serious fault of getting lost in her green eyes and forgetting about everything. “If it helps calm your nerves or anything I’m Rafe Masterson. I’m part owner of New Horizon Ranch and I’m well known in Mule Hollow and the surrounding county. You can trust me.”
“O-kay,” she sighed, looking weary with her pink cheeks and damp skin. “I concede to the cowboy.” She let go of the jack. “And thank you.”
He grinned. He couldn’t help it as he tipped his hat. “A very smart move. And may I ask your name?”
“Sadie. Sadie Archer”
“Nice to meet you, Sadie.” He turned and set to work not wanting her to grab hold of the jack again. His mind was racing with questions about Sadie the bunny but he focused on getting the car jacked up. She moved over to the tire and rolled it his direction. The fact that she was a large white bunny was still making him want to chuckle but his curiosity had blown all out of proportion about why in the world she was in the funny getup.
“Are you sure you have time to do this?” she asked, rolling it to a stop. “You look like you’re all dressed up for a date or something?”
Wondering about her he’d completely forgotten about Maggie and Cliffs’ engagement party. “I’m heading to my brother’s engagement party. But it’ll be fine. I’ll call him and let him know I’m running a little late.”
She bit her lip and pushed her crimson bangs off her moist forehead.
The sun sizzled here in the middle of Texas at four even on a mid-September afternoon and he didn’t know how long she’d been out in it before he arrived.
“That suit has to be smothering you. Can’t you take it off?”
“Um, no. I can’t.” She plucked at a piece of lifeless white belly fur. “Believe me, if I could I would. But I’m fine.”
“You don’t look fine. You look like you’re going to fall over any moment from overheating.” He was already damp and he was only wearing a starched western dress shirt and jeans, no fur. Her cheeks were rapidly turning hot pink.
“I said I was fine.”
“Yeah, right.” He could look at her and tell that wasn’t so. Working fast he had the flat tire off and the spare in place within a few minutes. The last thing he needed was for her to pass out on him from heat exhaustion. “Done.” He let the jack down. “Now, jump inside the car and get some air going, cool those pretty cheeks off.”
Looking less perky than she had when he first arrived she didn’t bother to protest. Instead, she trudged over and sank into her seat, that hairy suit had to be getting heavier by the minute in this heat. In a moment he heard the AC blowing full blast. He should have had her sitting in there the whole time he realized or in his truck. But then as stubborn as she seemed he knew she probably wouldn’t have gotten out of the heat while a complete stranger did work for her.
He dusted off his hands, his job was done and he had a party to get to but he didn’t feel comfortable leaving her yet. He rested an arm on the top of the door and stared down at her. “Do you need help?”
“You already helped enou-”
“No, I mean are you in trouble?” he asked, gently. “Something doesn’t seem right about this situation.” And he wasn’t one to beat around the bush. He’d been through a lot in his life and …something about her reminded him of the way his mother used to look. Back when he was a kid and home life was hell. Literally. With a no-count father she’d protected over and over again, he and his twin brother, Cliff, had been forced to endure a home-life that still haunted him in many ways.
He did not take a woman in trouble lightly.
Sadie rubbed her hand on her furry thigh then raised hesitant eyes to his. “I’m fine. Do you know if anyone is hiring in Mule Hollow? I could use a job.”
Rafe’s stomach dipped—his palms dampened looking into those eyes. “Me. I mean our ranch is looking for help.”
She studied him, sparks flashing in her eyes. “Seriously, or are you just saying that?”
“No, I’m not,” he said too quickly, suddenly for some unexplainable reason wanting her to accept his help. “To be honest we don’t have any need for a five-foot-four-inch bunny, but we could sure use a…a cook. Can you cook?”
Her gaze turned probing-or was that skeptical. “It’s not my strong point but I can manage.”
Rafe figured she could have told him she burned toast and scorched eggs and he’d have been fine with that. The fact that she was being honest about her ability was a plus.
“Then you’re hired.”
Sadie couldn’t believe what she was considering. Where had the needing a job bit come from in the first place? Probably because the bunny suit was frying her from the inside out and the sun was baking her brain.
That and the fact that she still hadn’t gotten over the fact that she’d found her fiancé kissing one of her best friends four hours ago.
She closed her eyes and tried to settle the turmoil crashing around inside of her. This had been the worst day of her life and she’d just complicated it more by mentioning she needed a job. But that was the weird part-she didn’t need a job…did she? She just needed time. Time to figure out how she’d made such a mess of her life.
She was a strong, independent woman…so how could she have let her relationship with Andrew go this far in the first place?
Because you were tired of waiting while everyone around you got married and had babies.
She sighed, knowing the voice in her heart spoke the truth.
Her stomach churned looking up at Rafe Masterson. Why had she mentioned this to him, a total stranger? She should just drive on. “Does, being the cook on a ranch come with room and board?” Being a cook on this cowboy’s ranch would give her the time she needed to get her thoughts together and figure out what her next move should be.
No one would look for her on a ranch, would they?
She was a city girl, born and bred. And everyone who knew her understood this.
No, they'd look for her anywhere but on a cattle ranch.
“Sure it does." The amazingly handsome cowboy stared down at her, his smoldering gaze dug into her like the tabs on a lie detector machine-and oddly enough Sadie was tempted to spill her very bad and personal day to the man on the spot.
“Then I’ll take the job.” She held out her hand to shake on the deal and he took hers in his larger one, his calloused palm sent a jolt of awareness through her. But in its shocking wake there was also a sense of reassuring strength in his touch. It resonated from his amazing eyes.
"Good,” he said, continuing to hold her hand for a moment. “If you want to follow me to the ranch I'll show you where you'll be working and I’ll introduce you to my other four partners and my brother."
"Sure, that sounds good." What was she doing? The man was chivalrous, good-looking and thoughtful but still, was she really about to accept a job from a total stranger because her life was in the dumps?
—The End—
Dear Reader,
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Don't miss the next books in the New Horizon Ranch: Mule Hollow series!
RAFE
New Horizon Ranch: Mule Hollow Book 2
When runaway bride, Sadie Archer’s car breaks down on the outskirts of Mule Hollow, Texas, she’s not exactly dressed to fix the blown tire. Then again, she hadn’t planned on this road trip or her life falling apart a week before her wedding. But now that she’s hit the road, destination unknown, Sadie’s decided it’s time to disappear for a while and find out exactly what it is she wants out of life. But first she needs to change her flat tire and that is easier said than done when one is wearing…
A bunny suit!
Ex-cowboy star Rafe Masterson thinks he’s seeing things at first but yes—that is definitely a female head sticking out of the furry white bunny suit, tangling with a spare tire. A cowboy who guards his heart carefully, he’s still always willing to help someone in need…even one wearing white fur from top to bottom. Completely captivated by the unusual woman, Rafe senses she’s in trouble in more ways than the flat tire. He’s part owner of the New Horizon Ranch and offers her a job as cook—even though they don’t need a cook.
MULE HOLLOW MATCHMAKERS 21: NEW HORIZON RANCH 01: Her Mule Hollow Cowboy Page 9
