Page 45 of Her Second Chance Cowboy

“And you’ll be happy?”

She nodded. “I will,” she said. “I truly think I will.” She released Evie, who patted her cheek and toddled off to Nick, who beamed at his bride with a face so full of love that it could make someone’s teeth ache.

The band’s lead singer announced that they were going into the last dance of the night, and Nancy felt a pang of sadness that the night was winding down. Normally, she would be ready for the end of a wedding, the conclusion to another job well done, but she could stay here with these people forever. The first few strains of an old country love song filtered through the air.

“Dance with me?”

She turned, and there was Colin, holding out a hand to her. She took it, and they swept onto the dance floor. He pulled her in close, and the two danced beneath the moonlight. The stars were above them; the air was warm and sweet. Nancy sighed. “I never want this night to end,” she said.

Colin was quiet just long enough to make her nervous, and then he said, “It doesn’t have to.”

She chuckled. “I’m pretty sure the band is packing up after this.”

“No,” he said, “I mean, yes, the band is leaving, but—” Colin glanced around; he suddenly looked nervous and just the tiniest bit guilty. “I was going to wait to ask you this tomorrow morning so as to not steal the bride and groom’s thunder, but I’m pretty sure they’re gone.” Nancy looked around, and sure enough, Nick and Evie had slipped away without the grand exit she had planned.Oh, well, she thought. With Colin looking at her the way he was, she just couldn’t be bothered to care about not getting to create a path with sparklers for the couple to walk down. Even if it would make for an amazing picture for the album. “I know that you’re still considering the offer that Reagan made,” Colin continued.

“Oh, Colin, no—”

“Let me finish,” he urged, and she nodded. “I have a counter-offer.”

She raised an eyebrow. “Oh?”

“Be my partner,” he said. “You’d handle the PR and event coordinating, and I’d handle the day-to-day operations, but we’d be full partners in this. No five-digit buy-in necessary.”

It was perfect; it was just what she wanted, and yet, it wasn’t quite enough. “…Is there anything else?”

Colin’s eyes grew heavy and warm. “Yeah,” he said. “You’d also be the love of my life, just like you always have been.” He leaned in so that his forehead rested against hers. “From that dance at the junior prom, you’ve had a hold on me, Nancy Sharp, and if you’ll have me, I’ll never let you go again.”

Nancy pushed up on her toes and caught his mouth with hers. It had been days since they’d last properly kissed, and they both sighed into it and melted into one another. When he pulled away an inch, she murmured, “I love you, Colin.”

“I love you too.”

They finished their dance with a dramatic dip that had a few of the remaining guests whistling in appreciation, and the night was officially declared a success. The band loaded their equipment back into their van; the people who brought food helped to pack everything away. When the final guest left, Colin twirled Nancy into his arms again, and her laughter echoed all around them. “Come to bed with me,” he said, the heat back in his eyes.

Nancy shivered, and it had nothing to do with the cool breeze coming off the pond. “Yes,” she said, and they kissed again, long and deep and toe-curling. They stumbled back toward the house, clumsy in their eagerness, and when they reach the stairs, they found Bex asleep at the foot of them.

Colin shook his head. “She was upset that I didn’t let her say goodnight to you,” he explained and bent to pick her up.

Bex stirred. “Nancy? Did she leave?”

“I’m right here, sweet girl,” Nancy said.

Bex looked at her and smiled. “I wanted to say goodbye before you left.”

Nancy looked at Colin, who nodded. “How about we wait a few hours and say ‘good morning’ instead?”

The girl perked up. “You’ll be here tomorrow?”

“And every day after that,” she promised. Bex squealed and launched herself at Nancy. She clung to the girl; her heart swollen to bursting.

They were able to carry Bex back to her bed, though it took a while to get her back to sleep. It didn’t bother Nancy, though: it felt wonderful tucking Bex into bed with Colin at her side, knowing that there would be more nights like this to come.

After Bex was finally asleep, Colin all but carried Nancy to his room. They were eager, but they took the time to undress each other, revealing skin with soft touches and tender kisses, until Colin finally laid a naked Nancy back on his bed. He looked down at her, hungry eyes taking all of her in, and she reached up for him, beckoning him down to her.

Instead, Colin dropped to his knees and fitted his shoulders between her thighs, opening her up to him. Nancy’s eyes went round. “Colin!”

He winked at her and then kissed her knee, then the soft skin of her inner thighs, climbing higher and higher until Nancy thought she might explode. Those soft, seeking lips finally found the part of her that ached for him the most. He licked at her, grunting at the wetness he found there, and she moaned when he found that sensitive bud at the very center of her with the tip of his tongue. He knew all of the ways to drive her crazy, but she didn’t think she could handle his teasing tonight. She wanted him too badly; she was practically shaking from the need for him to take her.

Colin seemed to be of a similar mind because before too long, he rose above her, and she caught sight of him, hard and ready, as he put on a condom before he climbed onto the bed with her. He kissed her, and she tasted her own musky flavor on his lips and tongue. It was a heady thing, and she thread her fingers up into his hair, holding him close. “Make love to me,” she breathed against him.

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