Read Cowboy Jackpot: St. Patrick's Day Online

Authors: Randi Alexander

Tags: #las vegas, #gambling, #holiday romance, #western romance, #cowboy erotic romance, #rodeo bull rider, #randi alexander, #cowboy jackpot, #rodeo bronc rider, #st patrick�s day romance

Cowboy Jackpot: St. Patrick's Day (5 page)

BOOK: Cowboy Jackpot: St. Patrick's Day
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She tugged on her panties and shorts,
fastened her bra, and pulled her shirt over her head. She looked in
the mirror. “Wow.” Her messy hair framed her glowing face. If that
was what an orgasm from Jayden Hancock did to her, she could live
with that forever…

“No!” Her word echoed around the tiled walls.
She couldn’t even let herself daydream about it. She had too much
to do before she settled down. Two more years of college, learning
the bookkeeping side of the family ranch. And she had too much
“fun” to have.

She touched her cheek. Could she see herself
in bed with anyone but Jayden? He’d stolen her heart on Valentine’s
Day, and today, ironically, she’d decided to let him keep it, and
sent her soul along with it. “Don’t be stupid,” she whispered.
Every woman thought their first love was the only man they could
ever love.

Marching out of the bathroom, she vowed to
ignore the tiny voice in her head telling her to call him, find
him, make it right. He needed time, and she’d give it to him. She
slipped her shoes on her bare feet and walked into the living
room.

“Hey.”

She jumped a foot and her heart thudded.

Jayden sat on the red leather couch holding a
longneck, his legs stretched out along the cushions, his ankles
crossed, keeping his boots off the leather. “You thought I’d
left?”

She gestured toward the door then dropped her
hand. “I guess I did.” The thudding of her heart turned into a
sweet, soft beat.
He’d stayed!

He swung around and set his feet on the
floor. “C’mere. Please.” Always the gentleman.

Stormie padded to the couch and took the spot
next to him, not too close, but far enough away to make sure he
knew she hadn’t forgiven him. Yet.

“I’m sorry I went caveman on you.” He ran a
hand through those sexy blond curls of his. “Whatever you decide to
do if we split up, that’s your business.”


If
we split up?”

 

Chapter Five

 

What was he thinking? Of course they’d split
up. Stormie sat next to Jayden on the red leather couch, trying to
read his expression. They barely knew one another, their lives were
too different, like they lived on different planets. He ran with
the rodeo, and she had deep roots in the red dirt of Oklahoma. How
could he even consider trying to make this bogus marriage last? And
why the heck did the thought of losing him make her want to
cry?

He set down his beer. “This has all been a
lot to take in, Storm.”

She pressed her lips together. She wasn’t
going to apologize again. She’d been honest with him, and his
response was his to own.

He took her hand and ran the rough pad of his
thumb over her knuckles. “I suppose the smart thing to do would be
to take a while and let it all settle in before we make any
decisions.”

“Sure.” Was he going to leave? Did he want
her
to leave?

“The family is downstairs at the bar. Let’s
go have a drink with them.”

“The family?” He considered her part of his
family?

“Boone and Gigi, Dallas and Kira, and Rance,
who most likely is with some buckle bunny.”

Relief washed through her when she remembered
Kira was
her
family. “Okay. I’d like that.”

“Aw hell, who am I kidding.” He stood and
tugged her up, pulling her close and wrapping her arms around his
neck. He slid his hands down her bare shoulders and along her sides
to her hips. “There was a reason we got married.”

He’d begged her to be his wife, she’d given
in too easily, but she hadn’t been considering her chastity vow
when she’d said, “I do.” She’d been thinking of a life with him.
Dreaming up ways to make it work between them. “There was. And it
felt like the right thing to do…at the time.”

He shifted his hips against hers. Behind his
fly, his shaft was hard. “We fit together real well.”

Pressed against his chest, her nipples
pebbled, sending delightful twinges to her belly, and down between
her legs. “Yeah.”

“There’s a connection.”

She’d been hot for him since the first moment
she’d touched him. Just a handshake, but the way he’d held her
hand, the intensity in his gaze, somehow made her all too willing
to do whatever he wanted. Now that he’d given her the best orgasm
of her life, she wanted more. “It’s hard to ignore.” She twitched
her hips and smiled at her pun.

He didn’t respond to her teasing, but pressed
a soft kiss to the tip of her nose. “Let’s not ignore it.” He
stepped back and took her face in his hands. “Let’s go with it.
Just for now.” His gaze bore into her eyes.

Was he changing his mind about drinks with
the family? Did he want to make love instead? “I want that, too.”
Her belly jittered with a sweet throbbing.

He took her hand and lifted it to his lips.
“You won’t regret it. I promise.”

The sincerity in his eyes shook her, sending
blood rushing fast through her veins.

“I trust you.” She did trust him. With her
head and her heart. Would he pick her up and carry her into the
bedroom now? Make her a woman?

Tugging her with him, he headed toward the
hallway door.

After all that, he still wanted a drink?

“We’ll make this fast.” Grabbing the
keycards, he tucked one in her back pocket and one in his, opened
the door, and gestured into the hallway. “After you, wife.” His
eyes sparkled with trouble.

She grabbed her purse on the way out.
“Cowboys,” she whispered. So unpredictable.

The Roundup Bar was packed with rodeo cowboys
and cowgirls, both participants and fans. A couple of friends
greeted Jayden, and when Stormie spotted Rance’s dark hair and tan
skin, she pointed him out to Jayden.

The bull rider saw them, said something to
the sexy…okay, trampy…lady he was standing next to, then walked
over to meet them. “Hey, you two. Didn’t expect to see you
tonight.” He winked at Stormie and gestured toward the back of the
bar. “They’re over here.” Rance led the way to the big, round booth
Stormie had sat in with everyone last month, on the day she’d met
Jayden.

Gigi and Kira sat next to each other in the
back with Boone and Dallas on either side of them. Stormie slid in
next to Dallas, who tipped his hat in greeting, his dark eyes and
hair nearly disappearing beneath the shadow of his hat. Jayden sat
next to her, his arm resting across the back of the booth behind
her. Rance took the spot opposite them, next to Boone.

“Where have you been?” Kira leaned forward,
her long, red hair sliding over her shoulder as she pinned Stormie
with a green-eyed glare.

“Playing poker.” Stormie’s voice came out
snippy, but she didn’t care for the way her cousin played
chaperone. Heck, Kira was only two years older than Stormie.

All gazes slid to Jayden.

“It’s true.” He shrugged. “Got lucky,
too.”

Kira’s lips tightened. “Jayden, if you did
anything with my cousin that—”

“Everything’s okay, Kira.” Stormie made her
voice low and quiet, but her look told her cousin to shut the heck
up.

“How’d you guys do in the short go?” Jayden
looked at the cowboys.

Stormie glanced at him, thanking him with her
eyes for changing the subject.

“Hell.” Boone tipped his cowboy hat back,
revealing his shaggy, blond hair and blue eyes a few tones lighter
than Jayden’s. He gestured to Rance. “The kid beat me by eighteen
points.”

Rance shrugged, but his green eyes sparkled.
“Day one of a two day rodeo. I know the pro will kick my ass
tomorrow and take the buckle.” He looked at Boone, who shook his
head.

“The pro is gettin’ old, boys. Might be time
to retire.”

His wife, Gigi, smiled up at him. “You’re
only twenty-three. You’ve got a lot of good years left.” Her long,
black hair lay in two braids that ended below her breasts. It was
cute that Gigi and Kira, both New York City girls, had dressed in
cowgirl gear for the rodeo.

Kira snuggled in close to Dallas. “My
cowboy’s twenty-eight, and he took first place today.”

Dallas, in his quiet style, tipped his head
down.

Jayden leaned around Stormie. “All right,
buddy! Who’d you ride in the short go?”

Dallas and Jayden talked horses and rigging
and timers while Stormie thought about heart-shaped beds and
bubble-filled bathtubs.

Jayden ordered a margarita for Stormie, a
beer for himself, and another round of drinks for the table.

Rance and Boone discussed bulls for a while,
then Rance asked him, “What’s new with your rodeo school in
Reno?”

“Gigi’s got all the press releases and
marketing stuff ready to go, and she found someone to do our
website.”

Gigi grinned and wiggled in her seat. “I’ve
got sponsors lined up. Casinos, equipment dealers…” She gestured
toward Stormie. “Stock handlers.”

Stormie’s parents had jumped right into the
opportunity to sponsor the rodeo school.

“Thanks to Dallas and Kira’s lawyer friend,”
Boone said. “Permits and incorporation papers are in the works.” He
looked at Rance. “The barn’s done, ready for inspection. We’ve got
bunkhouses going up right now.”

“And an addition on the house,” Gigi
said.

She and Boone lived in the big old farmhouse
on the ranch Boone had inherited from his grandfather.

Stormie hadn’t seen the place yet, but Kira
had stayed there when she’d traveled from New York to visit Dallas.
She said the house was huge. Why would they need more room… “Gigi.”
Stormie smiled. “Are you expecting?”

Both Gigi and Boone held up their hands and
cried, “No!” Boone took his wife’s hand. “Not that it can’t happen
soon enough, but we’ve got too much going on right now.”

Gigi blinked a couple times, the sweet look
on her face as she stared at her husband sent a twinge of longing
to Stormie’s heart. Gigi turned to Stormie. “We’re expanding the
kitchen and adding a dining hall for the students.” She sipped her
drink. “See? Drinking a margarita. No bun in this oven.”

They laughed, but Kira tipped her head down.
What was that about?

Dallas caressed her shoulder. Was her cousin
pregnant?

Kira caught Stormie’s eye and shook her head.
“Not in this oven, either.”

Dallas picked up his beer and drank half of
it.

Gigi and Boone got quiet.

“Kira, is everything okay?” Stormie’s gut
instinct told her something was wrong.

Jayden laid his arm across her shoulders. Was
that a warning?

“Sorry.” Stormie felt her cheeks heat. “None
of my business.” Damn. If Kira had wanted to tell her what was
going on, she would have said something while they were sitting in
the arena watching the rodeo.

“No, it’s okay.” Kira glanced at Dallas, then
back at Stormie. “I’ve been spending more time in Reno. Dallas
found a kitschy old double-wide trailer that he put on his property
while the house is being built.”

Stormie nodded. Kira was an accountant, and
was setting up everything the school would need to function; from
payroll to purchase orders to taxes.

Kira looked at Dallas. “I’m splitting my
weeks between Reno and New York.”

“You’re still working for your folks?”
Rance’s question surprised Stormie. He must be spending a lot of
time with this group to know so much about them.

A prickle of jealousy hit her. She wanted
that, too. These were the best people she knew, besides her
parents. And Jayden was like the icing on the cake.
Irresistible.

“I am.” Kira didn’t take her gaze from
Dallas. “I made a commitment to them. I promised to stay until they
found someone to replace me.”

“Oh.” Stormie looked at Dallas’s unreadable
expression.

“I want her to move in and stay.” His voice,
more like a growl, drew everyone’s attention. “As long as you’re
there in New York, they won’t find anyone to take your job.”

Kira sighed. “Now’s not the time to rehash
this, honey.”

Kira’s parents, Stormie’s aunt and uncle,
were as family-oriented as her own parents were. They’d keep Kira
there as long as they possibly could. Through any means they had
to. Didn’t Kira see that? Stormie had to voice her opinion. “He’s
right, Kira.” When her cousin’s gaze pierced her, she held up one
hand. “Sorry, not my business, I know.” Stormie lifted her brows at
Kira, then looked at Dallas and back quickly, telling Kira with her
eyes, “Don’t let this great guy get away.”

Kira’s brow wrinkled and she looked at
Dallas.

He leaned close and whispered something to
her, and Kira’s eyes filled with tears. But she smiled and
nodded.

Oh gosh, Stormie had never seen her cousin
cry. This must be some serious stuff going on.

“Anyway,” Gigi said brightly, obviously in an
attempt to give the couple some privacy. “What craziness are you
two kids up to?” She sipped her margarita and looked at
Stormie.

They hadn’t even shared their jackpot news.
Stormie smiled at Jayden. “We have something to tell you.”

Jayden’s eyes filled with an emotion she
couldn’t decipher. “You’re okay with them knowing?” His hand glided
up and down her arm.

“I knew it!” Boone pointed at his brother.
“You are married, aren’t you.” His voice didn’t sound happy.

Stormie jerked her gaze to Boone as the
breath froze in her lungs. A month ago, Kira had said Jayden
blurted something to Dallas about marriage, but their cell phone
connection got cut off. Today, Kira told Stormie that Dallas had
been trying to get the story out of Jayden, but he’d been
evasive.

“Yeah.” Jayden tightened his arm around
Stormie’s shoulder and kissed her temple. “We are.”

Her heart stopped for a second. She looked at
him as disbelief whirled within her brain.

Jayden smiled at his brother like this was
the best news in the world.

“Ah shit.” Kira stared at Stormie while
wiping a tear off her cheek.

BOOK: Cowboy Jackpot: St. Patrick's Day
5.18Mb size Format: txt, pdf, ePub
ads

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