Page 4 of The Roper & the Author

He couldn’t. Not if he was flying out in the morning.

All his hopes and dreams from earlier crashed at his feet. It felt a lot like roping the steer, leaping off his horse and getting his foot caught in the stirrup, crashing head first into the dirt, and being dragged painfully for good measure.

Chapter

Two

Marci Anne Richardshadn’t stopped flipping out about her Abuelita’s safety since yesterday evening when she’d returned home from the NINC conference, gone to check on Abuelita, and seen the horrifying note. She’d lost her parents and younger brother in a car rollover ten years ago. She couldn’t lose Abuelita.

The only time her stomach had stopped churning and her nerves prickling with anxiety about Abuelita being kidnapped, possibly tortured and murdered, was when she’d met the life-altering gaze of the insanely handsome cowboy Walker Coleville.

In that epic moment, everything had stilled around them and disappeared, even the breathtaking autumn colors and sky-high mountains. Her heart was the only thing moving, and it had sprinted. Walker was meant to be the hero who would rescue her heart and soul. The good Lord knew it and He’d shared that joy with her. She and Walker were meant to be; she knew it as deep as any book inspiration she’d ever had, and she’d had some brilliant inspiration from heaven over the years.

She hadn’t thought she’d get any writing done with her brain on stress overload at the danger Abuelita was in. Now she waseven more grateful her laptop bag had been on her shoulder when she’d stumbled from Abuelita’s house, calling Aiden Porter as she tripped over bushes and looked over her shoulder for pursuers.

She’d written all manner of heroes over the years, including cowboys and many heroes similar to the charming and famous Aiden. But she’d never seen the likes of Walker’s slow, enticing grin directed her way, or the depth of expression in his clear blue eyes. He’d studied her as if she were the most important person in his world and every word that came out of her mouth was exactly what he’d been longing to hear.

She’d written about warm and tingly touches but had never felt one herself until Walker Coleville took her hand in his. Electrocuted, in the very best and most pleasant way. She wondered if her hair would frizz from that one touch, even in this dry air.

From his cowboy hat to his well-built body encased in jeans and a T-shirt to the gun strapped on his hip to his boots, he was an incredibly enticing hero. She’d call himvaquero guapoor handsome cowboy. But Walker was more than his good looks. His brother had been handsome too, very similar to Walker’s appearance actually. But Easton didn’t inspire her or make her tingle. Only her Walker could do that. She hated Abuelita being in danger, but the good Lord always had His purposes and Marci had been brought here, at this glorious moment, to meet Walker Coleville.

“Oy,” she squealed as she slid into jeans and a sweatshirt in the spacious bathroom attached to the beautiful bedroom ‘Mama Millie’ had directed her into.

“You all right in there, love?” Mama called through the door.

“Si. Gracias.” Marci was always far too transparent and verbose around ‘real people’. She had enough restraint to stop herself from declaring to this lovely woman that she had a hugecrush on her son. No, crush wasn’t strong enough. Walker was her future. She wanted to fall into the cowboy’s strong arms and never leave.

She brushed out her dark hair, then pulled some lip gloss from her huge purse and applied it. Studying herself in the mirror, she prayed she was the type of heroine a hero the likes of Walker Coleville would be interested in. His blue eyes had shouted interest.

If only she had time right now to type a plethora of words. She wanted to write all the details of the way Walker had looked at her, his words ‘a real pleasure to meet you’ and ‘anything for you, ma’am’, and the way his touch had made her feel. In her imaginary world, a fabulous place to reside, that perfect cowboy would protect her, light her up with his intense kisses, and make her feel loved.

Could that ever be her real world? She’d never experienced such a place, and his mama was waiting. She hurried out of the bathroom and set her large purse with the most important item she owned, her laptop, on a cozy armchair complete with ottoman. She also had her favorite ‘coconut sun’ perfume in her bag. She prayed Walker liked the scent.

“This bedroom is ideal,” she told Mama, thinking the lady’s son was more ideal. She loved the log bed frame, the rustic touches like the plaid bedspread, and the view of the mountains. “I’ve seen mountains on vacation but wow, to look at that picture every day.” She clapped her hands together. Being around such scenic views, and mostly the cowboy Walker, would be worth freezing and her skin drying up without the humidity of her island. “Thank you a million times over for letting me stay.”

“We’re thrilled to have you, dear. Now I need to rush down and get dinner on. Do you want to rest up?”

“Oh, no please. Let me help. I’ll go insane left alone right now.”

Truthfully, ninety-five percent of the time she preferred being alone and creating beloved characters and epic storylines. Right now, she crazily enough didn’t want to write, even though Walker had given her plenty of fodder. She certainly didn’t want to be alone and stew about what might be happening to her Abuelita. With no way to solve that heartache, it just made her sick.

She yearned to find Walker Coleville and interact with him some more. But it wasn’t simply book ideas and romance inspiration she was after. The ultra-appealing cowboy could push even the worry over Abuelita and the ever-present need to tap out words and create stories from her mind. That was miraculous.

Abuelita would be ecstatic if she knew her thoughts. She was always nagging Marci to date more, or at all. The single men on Key Largo were mostly old fisherman or tourists coming through. She hadn’t been on more than a date or two since college. The tourists didn’t stay long and she hadn’t felt a connection worth long distance. One look and touch from Walker Coleville and she would definitely commit to long distance.

“Ah, sweetie. I’m so sorry about your Abuelita. Aiden and his people will find her and keep her safe.” Mama Millie crossed the distance and gave her a lingering hug.

Marci clung to her. Abuelita hugged her every time Marci went to visit her in the main house. She really needed this mama hug right now. “Thank you. I’m terrified for my Abuelita and that they’ll hurt that sweet Autumn who volunteered to go to the meeting in my place.”

Mama smiled and shook her head. “The only thing sweet about Autumn is her face. She’s a feisty, tough fighter. She’ll be just fine.” Mama turned away, started for the door, andmuttered, “If she keeps flirting with my boy, I’ll show her who’s feisty.”

Marci followed after her, wondering which ‘boy’ Autumn had flirted with. She’d seen family photos in the entryway with six handsome boys. What would that be like? A big loving family, two involved parents, raised on this ranch surrounded by protective mountains and thick pine trees.

Was Mama referring to Easton or Walker or one of her other ‘boys’? All grown men from the looks of the photos. She prayed it was Easton but could only imagine it was Walker. Easton was too flirtatious. An impressive lady like Autumn would want a challenge. Shoot. How many women chased after Walker? Probably a long string of them. Had he stayed here on this charming ranch safe from adoring females and waiting for Marci to arrive, or did he have a career that took him close to adoring and available women?

She followed Mama down the wide hall and the staircase. They walked through the front entry and through a large living room into a homey kitchen and dining area. It was spacious but felt intimate, warm, and comfortable. The light fixtures had antlers on them. How unique and fun. The views out every window featured trees with orange, yellow, and red leaves or the true green of the pine. She had loads of trees back home, but not the pine or aspen. The mountain range to the east towered over everything. She felt a sting of jealousy at more family photos, boys growing into men that appeared loved by their parents.

She wanted to stay in this rural splendor, be part of this family. Especially as one Walker Coleville walked out of a doorway that must’ve led to a laundry area and the garage and those blue eyes zeroed in on her, heating up the crisp fall day.

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