Page 71 of Pretend To Be My Cowboy
“You’re a cowgirl,” he said.
Her cheeks turned bright red as she looked down at the pale blue fabric and the bright red boots. “Is it too much?” She glanced up at him with a wince. “Seriously, I need you to tell me if it’s too much. I normally count on Lizzy to be brutally honest but she’s not here and—”
He touched her and she went silent. His fingers curled around her upper arms, toned and slim. His biceps clenched to fight that urge to tug her forward, to hold her close.
“Emma, I promise you,” he said softly. “It’s perfect.”
You’re perfect.
He swallowed the words.
“Yeah?” She sounded so hesitant. So vulnerable. Which seemed rare for this sweet, confident lady. It made his heart ache with tenderness.
“Yeah,” he muttered gruffly.
She let out a soft sigh and wet her lips, pulling out of his grip as she looked down at herself. “Casey and Ellie picked it out. They assured me it’s suitable, but I don’t know.” Her nose crinkled up and her eyes lit with laughter. “There’s one part of me that feels like a kid playing dress up.”
He laughed. “And the other part of you?”
Her head jolted back like the question surprised her. And then those pink cheeks got even pinker as she bit her lip and blurted, “I guess the other part of me feels...pretty.”
He was melting. Right then and there, his heart became a mass of liquid at his feet. She sounded so uncertain, but so sincere.
“You look beautiful, Emma.”
She glanced down at the floor, and before he knew what he was doing, he reached a hand out to touch her cheek, to draw her gaze back to his so she could see the truth that was burning in his veins. “You are so beautiful.” He drew in a deep breath and dropped his hand. “You should know that.”
She stared at him for a long moment, startled and wide-eyed. “Thank you.”
He looked away first this time, his throat feeling too tight and his pulse impossibly fast. “You ready to head into town?”
She nodded, hesitating to look behind them toward the back door. “Are we waiting on JJ or Cody or—”
“No.” He interrupted a little too quickly. But he’d realized today just how little time he had left with this woman. Sure, it might be crazy to let himself indulge in this attraction, but she’d be gone soon enough and he could pay the piper then. For now…
Well, for now he meant to enjoy every last second of his time with Emma.
Even if it was a bad idea.
Even if everything in him warned him that this would only ever be a mistake.
She arched a brow in question and he added in a rough voice, “They’ll be driving into town later,” he said. “No need to wait.”
She nodded. “Okay then.”
He held out an arm, trying to ignore the way his heart rate accelerated the closer he got to her. “Shall we?”
She grinned, taking his arm. “We shall.”
He chuckled at her obvious excitement when he led her to the truck and answered all her many questions about the festival and its history.
He knew all the answers...and well he ought to. His grandmother and grandfather had been organizing this event for the last two decades. It was time they retired, and judging by the way his Aunt Lisa and Casey had stepped in to take charge of logistics this year, he suspected they’d be leading the event in full someday soon.
Her questions and his stories about antics that occurred at festivals in the past kept them busy for the drive into town, and the moment they pulled into Aspire, Emma was gasping with delight.
“Look at these decorations,” she said, in obvious awe of the lanterns stretching high across Main Street and the colorful flowers and banners decorating store fronts and spilling onto the sidewalk. Like always, a huge section of the road had been closed off for the evening with pop-up stalls and delicious smelling food carts lining the street and heading down to a temporary dance floor and stage area.
When Nash steered toward the designated parking lot, Emma pressed her face to the window, looking like a kid, which made Nash laugh. “It’s so beautiful.”
