Page 43 of Pretend To Be My Cowboy
“That sounds nice,” she murmured. “To know your purpose in a place.” She shrugged. “To be so certain you belong.”
“It is nice,” he said quickly. He squinted one eye. “I sound like an entitled brat, don’t I?”
She laughed. “Not at all. I’m guessing that there’s a flip side to all that belonging.”
“Exactly.” He leapt on her understanding and his gaze grew intense. Almost eager, like he needed her to understand. “If I ask a local girl to the wedding, it’s like making a vow before we even order appetizers on a first date.”
She giggled softly at the metaphor, but nodded when she saw how serious he was. “Yeah, I can see that,” she said.
“And as for my family,” he continued. “They only want the best for me. But they don’t seem to understand that I’m not looking for romance.” He gave a little helpless shrug. “I’m no good at it. And I’m happy with my life as it is. I’m not looking for more. Not right now, at least.” His brows drew together as his gaze turned pleading. “Does that make sense?”
She swallowed down a thick wave of disappointment as she nodded. “Yes, it does.”
And if she’d wanted it spelled out for her, there it was. Written out phonetically so anyone could understand.
Nope. There was no way her heart could be confused if she went into this. Her eyes were open, and there was no doubt in anyone’s mind that there was no future here. Not with Nash.
“So?” he asked.
Ugh. Her heart twisted. That glimpse of a boyish, sweet Nash was going to kill her one of these days. It was even harder to resist than his good looks and his sexy voice.
She’d do it. She knew she would. Heck, she’d known at some level what her answer would be before he’d finished asking the question. But…
You belong here.
His words were still ringing in her ears, echoing in her chest.
She wanted to feel that way. Just once. Not forever, but for right now. While she was here. She wanted to actually feel what it was like to belong in this world of magical sunsets and sweeping, awe-inspiring landscapes.
This was God’s country, they said. And she wanted to know what it was like to truly live under this big sky.
She straightened, an idea coming to her so hard and fast it made her heart race. “I’ll do it.”
His brows arched. “Yeah?”
“On one condition.” A smile spread across her face as she thought about what she wanted—what she truly wanted. “You have to teach me how to ride.”
He blinked. “A horse?”
She giggled. “Yes, a horse.”
His answering grin made her heart soar before she gave it a stern warning.
No more of that. This was a friend helping a friend. Nothing more.
And in return…
“I want to learn what it’s like to actually live on a ranch.”
He studied her like she’d just fallen from the sky. “That I can definitely do.”
She stuck her hand out, ignoring a warning voice that told her she was diving headfirst into stupidity. She didn’t care. Her eyes were open. She knew the risks and wouldn’t let her heart get hurt. And in exchange, she’d get a taste of the life that was calling to her. Maybe it would be enough.
It would be. It had to be.
She’d go back to Chicago with a world of memories, the closure she’d been seeking...and a totally uninjured and intact heart.
Nash took her hand in his, and all thoughts stopped at once. All she knew was the feel of his warm, large, calloused hand engulfing hers. She swallowed hard. She did know what she was doing...right?
