Page 12 of Protected By the Cowboy

She’s wearing a long pink gown with sequence across the breast, thin straps and a tight fit showing off every curve the girl has. Her hair is tied up and curled, and the closer she gets, the more I know I won’t be able to control myself in her presence.

“What are you doing here?” Her tone is low, but there’s a smile on her face she can’t hide.

I lean in and kiss her cheek softly, taking in the soft scent of flowers on her skin. “I’m pretty sure you knew I’d come.”

Her eyes widen. “I didn’t know you’d come. I figured I mess things up really good last night.” She tilts her head to the side. “Thank you. My mother has been riding me all morning. I decided I was going to tell her that you had a car crash on the way to the wedding.”

I laugh. “Well, that’s a dramatic end to my life.”

She smiles. “I didn’t have a choice. It was that or say I was a single loser who coerced a stranger to like me for the weekend. God knows that wasn’t happening.”

“Then you’re right. A car crash is much more on point.” I feel a smile warm my face. “You look gorgeous by the way.”

Her cheeks turn a pretty shade of pink. “Thanks, so do you.”

“Really? I was gettin’ all self-conscious lookin’ at all these rich people dressed to the nines.”

“You… self-conscious? I didn’t think that was a thing.”

“Turns out… it is. I was really fucked up when you left last night.”

Her shoulders rise as she drags in a deep breath. “I know. I’m sorry. I really am. I need to settle things with my mom and get out of this for good. It’s overwhelming me. And for the record, you’re the hottest guy here. I love your look today.”

“Dolly, is this your date?” A woman wearing a light pink dress approaches her from behind. The woman’s hair is cut short, and her face has been reconstructed. I’d guess she’s about my age but it’s hard to tell with all the work she’s had done.

I don’t understand why people do that to their faces. We all get old. It’s a fact of life, and there’s beauty in that.

“Oh,” I hold out my hand, “you must be the bride to be.”

Her mother bats her lashes and stares up at me as though she’s enamored. I’ve seen this look before. Usually, it’s on young women who haven’t learned how to properly control themselves yet. To see it on a woman her age is… new.

“I am,” she replies, “and you can’t be my daughter’s date. Has anyone ever told you that you look old for your age? People probably think you’re closer to my age.”

I laugh. “If you’re forty-six, but you look much younger than that.”

She fans herself and looks toward Dolly. “You got yourself a good one… but that age. What could you two possibly have in common?”

“Mom, you’re marrying a man thirty years older than you.”

My eyes widen. That’s a detail I hadn’t caught yet. That would make this guy somewhere near eighty.

“Oh, I guess you’re right, honey. It’s just that at my age it all blurs together. At yours, well, you’re still so young.”

I pull Dolly in and hold her close. “Ms. Dolly is the best thing that ever happened to me, ma’am. I reckon you’ll be coming to our weddin’ next. Though, it won’t be the classy shindig that this is.”

Dolly laughs. “I agree. This is way too fancy for me.”

I glance toward her. “What would you pick?”

She shrugs and smiles. “I don’t know. A little something by the river, maybe. Oh, maybe in the rodeo ring surrounded by flower petals! I can ride out on a horse, we can have a popcorn stand, and—”

“Sounds dusty,” her mom quips. “I didn’t realize you two were that close already. You said you’ve only been dating what… a month?”

“Feels like forever,” I say, my gaze still on Dolly’s dark eyes. Truthfully, I could lay her down right here and now in front of all these people and finish what we started last night, but I suppose that’s frowned upon at an event like this.

“Dear,” her mother says leaning into her ear, “did you see that coverall I put back by the bar for you? It matches your dress perfectly. It’ll cover up those arms and those cute little rolls you’re baking back there.” The comment comes out as though it’s supposed to be helpful, but when I see Dolly’s cheeks turn red, I know there’s nothing helpful about it. I’m surprised the mask dropped so quickly with her mother, though I guess large events bring out the worst in some people.

“She won’t be needin’ that.”

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