Page 62 of Roaring Fork Wrangler

Her eyes lit up. “I have. I started with the oldest I could find. The first entries are before Cena and Manley married.”

“You’re kidding! That’s fantastic.”

“I know. She was so happy. The way she writes about him reminds me of how I feel about Beau.”

It was horrible of me to think, let alone say, but I didn’t want to read it. Not now, anyway. It would only make me long for the type of relationship I’d probably never have. I turned my head when my eyes filled with tears.

“Juni? What’s wrong?” She put her hand on mine.

I could tell her I was emotional over Miss Cena, but I didn’t want to lie to Sam. “You know.” My voice cracked.

“Cord?”

I nodded. “It’s silly, right?”

She shook her head. “Not even a little. He seems like a really good guy. And, actually, Decker Ashford confirmed he was. Plus, he’s my cousin.” She beamed more than smiled, and it was infectious.

“It’s sad that you didn’t get to meet Miss Cena, but she’d be so happy you’re here and that you and Beau plan to stay. I mean, you do plan to stay, right?”

“I think we fell in love with this place at the same time we fell in lovewith each other.”

I put my hand on my heart. “That’s like a greeting card line.”

She laughed. “I know. I’m sappy now, I guess.”

Her cat, Wanda, jumped up on her lap. “The only downside is that, now, she likes Beau more than me.”

“Not true,” he said, walking into the kitchen. I was stunned to see Cord right behind him. “She doesn’t like me more; I’m just easier to talk into cat treats.” He came over, kissed Sam, and scratched the cat’s ears.

“Hi, Cord,” said Sam.

“Hey, uh, mind if I talk to Juni for a minute?”

Sam winked. “You’ll have to ask her.”

I’d already pushed my chair back and stood.

He motioned with his head for me to follow him. “Is there somewhere more private we can talk?” he asked once we reached the living room.

“There’s a library down the hall.” I led him there and closed the door behind us. “What’s up?” I asked, switching on the lights. When I turned to face him, he was right behind me.

“I don’t want to talk. At least not yet,” he said, reaching over to flip the door’s lock.

“But—”

Cord stopped my words with his demanding mouth, pressing his tongue against my lips until I opened to him. He angled his head and deepened the kiss at the same time he put one hand on my bottom, holding me still as he rested against me. I wrapped my arms around his neck and added to the intensity of the kiss until I was dizzy with desire.

When he pushed me up against the wall and lifted me until my legs had nowhere to go but around his waist, his hardness pressed against the ache between my legs. I arched but couldn’t get close enough to him. Nothing would satisfy me short of Cord being deep inside me.

The clothes that separated our bodies felt paper thin when he thrust against me. I whimpered and tightened my arms, holding him as close to me as I could.

He released my mouth but kissed along my jaw and down my neck.

“Cord.”

“Tell me what you want, Juniper.”

“Don’t stop.”

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