Page 55 of Soldier Cowboy
He moved to her bedroom to find her bent over the suitcase on her bed. The sight of her bent, her generously shaped behind poised in the air, was the kind of temptation he didn’t need at the moment.
“I’m afraid this is all I have.” She held up a pair of red and white Chuck Taylors.
He smiled. “No boots?”
“I’m fromLos Angeles, Colton.”
“I’ll have to buy you a pair of shit kickers.”
“A…what now?” She cocked her head, studying him.
“That’s what I call substantially made boots with thick soles.”
“Ugh, they sound ugly.”
“Well, I won’t get you the type with steel reinforced toes, then.” He motioned to the chucks. “Slip those on, no one is going to care.”
“You’re right. Everyone is going to be looking at Bonnie Lee.” She laced the high-top shoes.
Damn if he didn’t get turned on watching her hike up the dress.
They got to the tent just as more people were arriving.
“Hello, who are you?” A small woman came up to him and Jennifer. “Oh my gawd. Did you know you look just like Sean?”
“I’m taller,” Colton said, feeling like a jackass for pointing that out. As if it mattered.
“I’m Lori, the award-winning director ofMr. Cowboy. And this is Elton, he’s with me.”
“How you doing?” A beefy man holding a camera the size of a suitcase held out his hand.
Colton shook the man’s hand. “This is my fiancée, Jennifer.”
“Hi there,” Jennifer said, still holding on to his arm.
“Welcome to our ranch. I’m Colton, Sean’s brother.”
“I should have figured that,” Lori said. “Seeing as you could pass for his double.”
Colton wanted to protest but what was the point? These were people from Hollywood, and they only focused on a person’s looks. He looked like his brother. Somebody stop the presses.
“Thank you for your service,” Elton said.
The remark always made Colton tense and it was the first time he’d heard it since he’d come home. Next to him, he felt Jennifer squeeze his hand.
“Oh, yeah!” Lori said. “Thank you so much for your service.”
Again. What was he supposed to say?You’re welcome, it was my pleasure?
It had most definitely not been hispleasure.
“Yeah,” Colton said, and Jennifer squeezed his hand again.
It struck him that sheknew. He had begun to realize that she somehow always understood when something had become tough for him emotionally.
A couple of days ago, he’d zoned out watching the horses and remembering some of the dead carcasses he’d seen in the desert. She’d pulled him out of that memory with a touch of her hand.
“Lori!” a throng of women squealed, coming fast in their direction. “Omigod, omigod!”
