Page 23 of Marrying a Cowboy

Shenodded.

He handed it over. “Sure.”

They spent the next few hours digging until all the holes were made for the new posts. After their conversation, Austin wasn’t sure how to react to anything that was said. Should he bring it up?Apologize?

Instead of opening his mouth and sticking his foot in it, he decided it was best to just keep quiet. Emma seemed to have the samefeelings.

As the sun began to set behind the trees, Austin sighed. Perhaps this whole fake marriage thing had been the wrong idea. But, he’d got this far with it, might as well see it to the end. After all, his grandmother was going to be here tomorrow. Or at least that’s what her message had saidearlier.

With Alayna Maverick, plans changed on the dime. For the first time, he was looking forward to meeting with his grandmother. Because once everything was settled with the lawyers, he’d be free to be alone. And that’s why he’d started all of this. He couldn’t lose focus. Notnow.

Chapter Nine

Emma

Emma tried hard notto wince as she shoved the tip of the shovel into the ground. The wood slid against her palms, sending stabs of pain up her arms. She gritted her teeth. One more hole and they’d be done for the day. No use in giving up now. Sweat dripped down her forehead. Focus on something else. Anything but the pain coming from herhands.

Who knew being a rancher came with so much sweat? Her shower this morning felt like a completewaste.

Her cheeks blazed as she thought back to this morning. Good, that would be an effective distraction. Blast Montana and its need to be two hours behind New York. What was five in the morning here, was seven back home. And no amount of tossing and turning helped her fall back asleep. So, she’d gotten up for the day. Little did she know that Austin would come bursting into the bathroom in a sleepydaze.

She let her gaze slip over to him as she thought about the way his whole face had turned red when he’d realized she was in there. The way he’d slapped his hand over his eyes and stumbled from the room. Or the way he’d come back to try and convince her that he really hadn’t seen anything. He was a good guy. And that was refreshing especially when it felt like there were no decent guysleft.

She scooped some dirt out of the hole and dumped it onto the pile that was growing next to her. Just as she tipped the shovel to let it fall to the ground, a searing pain shot up her hands. She winced and let the shovel’s tip fall to the ground. She didn’t want Austin to see her inpain.

“What’s wrong?” his deep voiceasked.

Crap. He’d seen. She plastered on a fake smile and looked over at him. “Nothing.”

His eyebrows were drawn together and he was studying her. “That didn’t look like nothing.” He brushed his hands on his jeans as he made his way over to her. He took the shovel from her hands and dropped it on the ground next to them. Then he reached out and gently pulled her hands up and turned them over. She heard him suck in his breath as he studied herpalms.

“Why didn’t you tell me you were getting blisters?” heasked.

Emma was trying to ignore the zaps of electricity rushing over her skin from the touch of his hand on hers. “I didn’t want you to think I wasweak.”

Austin ran his thumb across her raw skin. The softness of his touch caused her stomach to flip. Why was she having such a reaction from this? From him? This was not what they had planned. She wasn’t allowed to get feelings for her fake husband. They were married to fulfill a requirement and that wasit.

Emma twisted her hand free. Austin resisted for a moment but then let them drop to herside.

“We should get that cleaned up,” he said, nodding toward herhands.

Emma ran her thumb against her palms, trying to rub the feeling of Austin’s fingers against her skin away. This was not the plan. None of this was part of the plan. She needed his grandmother to come, see the fake marriage, and sign over the farm so Emma couldleave.

“Okay,” shesaid.

Austin grabbed the shovel and her camera and turned to make his way back to the house. The sun had begun to set which allowed the breeze to cool her skin. Wrapping her arms around her chest, she followed after Austin. Why had he touched her like that? Was it possible that he could be feeling things too? Or did he just feel bad that she got injured under hiswatch?

She closed her eyes for a moment and shook her head. She needed these thoughts to leave as soon as possible. Questioning everything he did was going to drive her crazy. Right now, the best thing she could do was to stop thinking that Austin cared for her. She was there to help him fulfill a requirement, that was all. To think she meant more to him wascrazy.

They walked across the field until the gravel road came into view. Crunching under their feet filled the silent air as they turned and made their way toward hishouse.

The sound of a vehicle coming up from behind them caused her to turn. Sean was half hanging out of the truck, waving his massive hand in theirdirection.

“Dude, there you are! I’ve been searching everywhere for you two.” He got a mysterious look on his face. “Doing newly, wedstuff?”

Heat flooded Emma’s body. Austin let out a groan and shot Sean an exasperatedexpression.

“We’re notmarried.”

---