Page 5 of Riding Cowgirl

I shrug. “Thisisn’tyour wedding night.”

“Yes it is! I was supposed to be on my way to South Africa right now. Johnathan booked a resort overlooking Boulders Beach where—”

“You didn’t get married, so this isn’t your wedding night. You’re just all dressed up with nowhere to go.”

She rolls her eyes and stares toward me, folding her arms over her chest. “What am I doing here, Tex? If you’re not in love with me, then why go to all this trouble?” She glances around the room. “You can’t be loving this either, right?”

“Let’s get that dress off you. You said you’re uncomfortable.”

She shakes her head. “If you think I’m going to strip down, and I don’t know…whatever… you’re wrong. Tell me why I’m here!”

My gaze trails down her white dress. It’s fluffy and regal, like a Cinderella gown. And while it’s not her style, she still looks great. She’d look great in anything. I spent years longing for her, needing her, contemplating a way to get her back. I knew I’d made a mistake the second she walked away, but back then, leaving was the only thing that made sense. Then, she started dating my brother.

The asshole whodidn’tget cursed with dad’s name butwashanded all of his money. The asshole who treats women like fucking glory holes. The asshole who couldn’t handle calling to tell me he was marrying my ex.

I glance back at Sierra and every feeling I ever had for her is there, like an unlocked time capsule of truth that I could never deny. I didn’t plan to take her away from the wedding, but when I saw her in the window, I knew from two hundred feet away she was making a mistake. “That asshole took everything from me, and now he’s going to pay for some of it.”

She swallows down a lump in her throat and looks away. “So, this is about money?”

“No. It’s about revenge.”

“Revenge?Really, Tex?” She rolls her eyes and turns away as pipes clank in the walls and the air conditioning unit rattles. “You’re so full of shit. Help me unzip this dress.”

I am full of shit, and for the first time in my life, I do as I’m asked.

Chapter Three

Sierra

I blow out a heavy breath and stare at myself in the mirror. My dress has been stripped off. All that remains is a t-shirt Tex had in the side saddle of his bike. It even smells like he’s worn it, which should disgust me.This entire thing should disgust me.He picked me up, threw me over his shoulder, and forced me to ride out into the middle of nowhere before he so lovingly booked us the honeymoon suite.

Revulsion, hatred, and repugnance. These are words I should be using.

Instead, I’m confused and a little excited to be lying next to the man I’ve never really stopped thinking about. God, what’s wrong with me that I never stopped thinking about him? What’s wrong with me that lying next to him again brings back every good feeling I’ve ever had?

“What do you mean, you want revenge? Revenge for what?” I remark.

He huffs out a raspy groan. “You’re fucking kidding, right?”

“No!” I roll toward him, supporting my head on my hand. “You said you’renotin love with me, so it can’t be about that.”

He pauses and I wonder for a second if maybe the fact that he doesn’t want me is irritating. I mean, I don’t want him. I moved on with my life a long time ago. I had to after he disappeared, but I guess part of me wants him to miss me.

“Why were you with him, anyway? He’s a fucking idiot. All business suits and numbers. That’s not your thing.”

“You tell me. You seem to know so much about what my thing is. Maybe you forgot that my thing was also lasting relationships. You disappeared, Tex. You left me. What was I supposed to do, stay alone forever?”

He huffs. “There are plenty of people to choose that aren’t my fucking asshole brother.”

“You’re the one who left!” I’m yelling, unexpectedly.

He rolls onto his back and grunts in disapproval. “I disappeared because you deserved better than a guy mixed up with the fucking Death Rangers. The shit I was doing back then could’ve gotten you hurt.”

“You’re making excuses. You’re afraid of commitment. You’ve always been afraid of commitment. That’s why you left your family, your job at the rodeo, and that’s why you left me. Quit bullshitting!” I sit up and wrap my legs underneath his shirt, sucking in the scent of sandalwood. Lord, the man smells good.

“That’s real great coming from you. The girl who’s afraid of being herself. God forbid you told anyone what you wanted.”

I laugh, though it’s not because what he’s saying is funny. It’s because I have to release steam or I’m going to explode. “Like now? I told you I don’t want to go with you. I told you I wanted to marry your brother. Did you listen?”