Page 24 of My Cowboy Boss
“Wait,” I say. “Before you do, I want to show you something.”
River comes around the side of the house and I pass the bag of sweets to him. “Save me one. And you need to approach Mom with care.”
“Why?” He opens the screen door.
“That injured racer you were taking care of escaped the enclosure and it’s somewhere in the house.”
“Racer?” Arizona asks.
“It’s a snake,” River says, and she shudders.
“I’ll find it.” He quickly dashes inside.
“Mom has a nothing-that-slithers rule in the house,” I explain as I guide her toward the barn.
“Can’t blame her for that.” She shudders again. “Why are we going to the barn?”
“We’re taking a ride. I already saddle up the horses.”
She pulls back against my hold on her arm. “But, Flint, I—”
“Just hang on. We’ll talk when we get there.” I can hardly wait for her to see what I’ve done.
We talk as we ride. Well, I do most of the talking. Arizona answers me and says things like hmm and uh huh. And roots of doubt and fear take hold in my chest.What if she’s not into me? What if what happened between us was making love in my mind but only sex in hers?
“Almost there,” I tell her.
“The picnic tree? Why are we here?”
I dismount and come around the horse to help her down. As I lower her slowly to the ground, she brushes against me and my body instantly reacts. I will never get enough of this woman.
I lower my head to kiss her, but she turns her face and my caress lands on her cheek instead. My heart drops.And shit…shit…those are tears gathering in her eyes.
I forge ahead. “Look over here…” I turn her so she can see the side of the tree. “It’s for you.”
“You built me a swing?”
“For our backyard. And we can put the house here and wait…what’s wrong?”
She cries harder, sobbing like her heart’s breaking. “Don’t say anything else. I have to tell you something.” She wraps her arms around her body, her shoulders hunching. “I’ve lied to you from the start. I’m a fake. I don’t have any experience working—”
I can’t stand to see her so torn up. “Shh…it’s okay. I know everything already. You never intended my family any harm. You took the job on your sister’s behalf.”
“But…I didn’t know what I was doing and I—”
“That doesn’t matter to me. You’re the only thing that does.”
“I am?”
“You are,” I assure her.
“I…I was so worried…I thought you’d hate me…”
“I could never hate you. Not in this lifetime or the next. Because I love you.” I pull a simple gold band from my pocket. “And I want to give you a new name. Mine. If you’ll have me.”
“You love me? I love you, too!” Arizona laughs and cries at the same time. “Yes!” She throws her arms around my neck. “My.” She kisses me. “Cowboy.” She kisses me. “Boss.” She kisses me and laughs.
I feel like I’ve lassoed the moon as I spin her around in the circle of my arms. “First things first. We should—”
