Page 28 of The Cowboy Contract
And that was pretty fucking amazing.
Evelyn helped Paige wiggle out of the button-up shirt and leggings she’d worn over. It took both Janie and Evelyn to get her into the dress without messing up her hair or smudging her makeup onto the pale cream fabric, but they finally managed to zip her into place without any mishaps. Once her shoes and jewelry were on, she was done and ready.
Beyond ready. Maybe Leland wasn’t the only one who was feeling a little impatient.
Evelyn stepped back, resting both hands on her cheeks. “Leland is going to shit when he sees you.”
Janie snorted. “Leland shits every time he sees her.” She smirked. “The man has been in love with her his whole freaking life. We’re all gonna be lucky if his head doesn’t explode the minute she says ‘I do’.”
Paige grabbed her phone from the counter, checking the time. “That didn’t take as long as I expected.” She chewed her lower lip.
Janie flicked her on the shoulder. “Stop that.”
“Shit.” She peered into the small mirror, making sure she hadn’t ruined her lipstick. “I’m not good at wearing anything on my lips.”
Janie’s smile turned devilish. “I bet you’re going to have plenty on your lips tonight, so you should get used to it.”
“Eww.” Evelyn’s nose wrinkled. “I feel like I need to explain things to you if it’s ending up all over your lips.”
“While you guys do that”—Paige picked up her skirt and turned for the door—“I’m going to go find Leland.”
She didn’t really think the wholenot seeing each otherbefore the ceremonything would be a big deal. Plus he’d been her person for years. The one she told everything to. Not talking to him at one of the most important moments in her life—their lives—just felt wrong.
“What?” Evelyn’s shocked voice called after her. “You guys aren’t supposed to see each other before?—”
Paige ignored her friend, instead continuing on her path. Flinging open the door, she stepped out into the hall.
And right in front of Leland.
All the air rushed from her lungs as her eyes dragged down the hard lines of his body and the sharp angles of the suit encasing it. “You look…” There weren’t words to describe him.
“I look like your husband.”
So maybe there were words after all.
Paige lifted her eyes to his. “You definitely do.”
Leland
“I THINK WE’RE going to confuse people.” Paige grinned at him as they stopped at the top of the stairs.
“Apparently we’ve confused them for a long time.” He offered her his arm. “Why stop now?”
He’d been planning to find Paige—get his eyes on her to make sure she was okay and everything was going smoothly—when she found him.
It was a perfect example of how nothing had really changed. They were still the first person the other called when something good happened. Still the one they went to when something not so good happened.
And they still leaned on each other through everything life threw at them. When they were nervous or excited. Or both.
Like right now.
Paige slid her hand into the crook of his arm, giving it a little squeeze. “Good point.” She pushed up on her toes, pressing a kiss to his lips.
“Hey,” Maryann Pace barked up at them from where she stood at the bottom of the stairs. She wagged a finger. “None of that until you’re married.”
Married.A word he worried might never apply to him. A status he thought he might never get to claim.
Thankfully—as the Bridge Bitches would say—he finally popped his head out of his ass. Now here he was, making Paige his. Officially. In front of his family and their friends.
