Page 26 of Marrying a Cowboy

Another example of how she was a kind person. Worrying about him. She shouldn’t. Even though everyone who ever heard his story tried to insist that his mother’s death wasn’t his fault, he knew the truth. He let his mom down. And he couldn’t forget that. If he did it for his own mom, what was stopping him from letting the other people in his lifedown?

“Yeah, I’ll beokay.”

Emma’s soft smile caused his heart to pick up speed. “I’ll be here for you,” she said as she reached over and rested her hand onhis.

He dropped his gaze to their hands. Her feminine ones looked so small next to his. He suddenly realized how fragile she was. How much he wanted to wrap her up in his arms and take care ofher.

He swallowed. If he really cared about her, he’d keep her at arms distance. This fake marriage was rapidly turning into something more and he couldn’t have that. Especially since he’d promised himself that he’d keep her safe. A deep relationship with him was anything butsafe.

Mustering all the strength he could find, Austin pulled his hand from hers. He reached over and grabbed the door handle and pulled it open. Anything to make it look like the movement had a purpose other than to remove the connection he felt withher.

Thankfully, Emma didn't seem to notice and in a few moments, was standing next to him. Fighting the urge to touch her, Austin shoved his hands into his front pockets and then turned toward the front door of theTavern.

"Are you ready for this?" he asked. He wasn't sure what Emma was going to think about all of this. The country music. The line dancing. It could be hard to take insometimes.

Emma's eyes widened as she glanced over at him. "Should I be thatworried?"

Austin smiled as he followed after her. "I guess you’ll just have tosee.”

They walked in silence up to the front. Austin couldn't help but feel relaxed in Emma's presence. There was something so comforting about being around her and if he were honest with himself, he really liked that. Silently he cursed himself. It was those thoughts that were going to get him intotrouble.

Austin pulled open the door and motioned for Emma to go inside. The sound of Bernie's band filled the room. The smell of sweat and the sound of tapping boots surrounded them. Emma raised her eyebrows she passed byhim.

Austin couldn't help but laugh as he followed after her. He was excited to see what this city slicker was going to do at a good ole countryhoedown.

Just as they entered, a hollering noise came from over at the bar. Jasmine, with her shirt pulled down a tad farther than Austin was comfortable with, came barreling toward him. "Austin," she squealed, wrapping her sweaty arms around his body. "Mama didn't tell me that you wereback.”

"Jasmine," Austin said, pulling her arms off of his body and taking a step back. One thing that he never missed about coming into town was the unwanted attention it seemed to bring him. That was the trouble about living in a small area where there were very few options in men. He was rapidly becoming the only options for a lot of single women aroundtown.

"And who is this?" Jasmine asked as her gaze made its way towardEmma.

"Emma Maverick," she said, extending her hand toward Jasmine. "Hiswife."

Jasmine's lips parted as she stared at Emma and then over to Austin. "This is your wife? Last I heard Georgia left you stranded in LasVegas."

Austin stomach twisted at the memory he tried so hard to stuffdown.

"Didn't you hear?" Emma's voice pulled him from his reverie. "That girl went crazy. Got herself in trouble with the feds. Thank goodness. She made it possible for me to swoop in there and snatch this man up.” She leaned closer to Austin. “Georgia didn’t know what she was missing." Austin tried hard not to jump at the feeling of Emma snaking her arm around his waist and pulling herself close. "And now he's allmine."

From the corner of his eye he saw her lean over and press her lips against his cheek. Warmth spread through him from the feather light touch of her kiss. He swallowed as he turned to look at her. She was inches away fromhim.

"Well isn't that just the sweetest story," Jasmine said with sarcasm dripping from hertone.

Austin shrugged. "What can I say, when it's meant to be, it's meant to be." And in that moment Austin wanted nothing more than to dip down and kiss Emma on her lips. It would've been so easy. From the look in her eye, Austin couldn't help but wonder if she wanted him to. But he didn't allow himself to find out. He gave her a quick squeeze and then stepped away. If he were listening to his head, he would've walked far away. But his heart begged for him to stayclose.

Jasmine forced a smile and then pretended as if someone had just spoken to her. She gave them a quick wave and made her way over to thebar.

"Thanks for that," Austin said, nodding in Jasmine'sdirection.

Emma gave him a smile, one that intrigued and confused him. There was meaning behind it, but he wasn't surewhat.

“Of course. Anything for a fellow singlefriend."

He studied her. Why did the word friend sound so terrible at this moment? Of course, they were friends. That was all. If anything, he should be relieved that she felt that way. If at the end of all of this he was the one to get his heart broken he could handle that. But what he couldn't handle was breaking Emma’s heart in theprocess.

He couldn't drag her along when he knew in the end he could never do what Judge Matthews had instructed them to do. How could he when he had given up onlove?

Emma deserved somebody who believed in marriage. To be with somebody who could take care of her. Austin learned that moment when Georgia disappeared that he wasn't truly meant to love or be loved. The solitude life was what he was meant for and he needed to acceptthat.

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