Page 63 of Country Music Cowboy
His hand cradled her face, the caress of his thumb along her jawline sending a tremor down her spine. “Now, I’m lying here, puzzling over the best way to show you how bad I want you, because it seems to me, you need some convincing.”
And just like that, she was back to aching for him. She didn’t want to think—she only wanted to feel. Whatever happened tomorrow, she’d deal with it then. But, right now, this was what she needed.
Travis made good on his word. He loved her—face-to-face—until they were both out of their mind and breathless. She was gasping, clinging, but he wouldn’t go easy on her. She was the focus of his strength and power and endurance, and she welcomed him with open arms. He only let go after she’d exploded into a million tiny pieces of pure pleasure.
“Sleep,” he murmured against her neck, pulling her into the circle of his arms.
She didn’t. She couldn’t. This was between her and Travis. And since this timewasthe last time, she’d prefer the rest of the household not discover her sneaking from his room. Especially not today—the day of his sister’s wedding.
But she’d just stepped outside of Travis’s door when Sawyer said, “Morning.”
She jumped, dropped her shoes, and came close to hyperventilating.
“Sorry.” He didn’t look sorry. He looked like he was trying not to smile. “He awake?”
They both knew exactly who he was talking about so she answered truthfully. “No. Will I make it to my room undetected?”
He nodded.
She picked up her shoes and tiptoed, as quickly as she could, down the other hallway to her room. A quick shower later and she fell face-first into the bed. If she was going to Emmy Lou’s wedding, she’d need a nap.
Loretta woke up three hours later. Emmy Lou had given her a rundown of the day’s events so she knew it was going to be a three-ring circus. And it was, but Emmy Lou’s wedding planner seemed to have everything under control.
It wasn’t surprising that Emmy Lou’s wedding had a fairy-tale theme. The wedding was in one of the historic Painted Churches in the Texas Hill Country. Until today, Loretta had never heard of them. But once she’d stepped foot inside, she was struck by the beauty and intricacy of the walls, arches, and ceiling of the building.
If the architecture and artwork weren’t enough, there was the abundance of flowers. The church smelled like a flower shop. Gardenias and peonies and sweet peas an explosion of color and scent—plus hundreds of candles placed throughout.
Just like a fairy tale.Loretta couldn’t help but smile.
The whole day was like a fairy tale.
Emmy Lou arrived on the arm of a very proud father. From her tulle and lace and crystal-encrusted dress to the mile-long train and gossamer veil, the whimsical fantasy element was complete. But the whole spectacle didn’t outshine Emmy Lou’s joy. She was so happy it was impossible not to be happy for her. And when her mountain of a professional football player fiancé got a little teary-eyed while she recited her vows, Loretta did too.
That was about the time Travis saw her. But his smile wasn’t teasing—it was heartfelt. After all, this was his little sister getting married. He’d want the man marrying his sister to get choked up, wouldn’t he? Travis would want to know that the man marrying his sister understood how blessed and lucky he was to have Emmy Lou as his wife.
Brock did.
And while the string quartet and unity candle and butterfly release were lovely, Loretta couldn’t stop her attention from wandering back to Travis. Him, in his tuxedo, should be illegal. Didn’t he know that a wedding was all about the happy couple? Especially the bride. While no one could outshine Emmy Lou, Loretta was pretty confident Brock came in second in the Most Handsome Man in the room category.
Or I’m biased because… Because, why? Because she’d seen him naked? Because she’d been sucked in by his charm? Or because she was developing a huge soft spot for the man she’d sworn to keep at arm’s distance.I need to work on my self-discipline.When it came to Travis, she had none.
The ceremony was traditional and quick. While the bride and groom were subjected to endless photographs, she and the rest of the guests were shuttled from the church to the reception site. The Gardens was just that, a botanical garden abloom with native and imported colors alike. But, in keeping with the fairy-tale theme, the wedding planner had addedmore.
The small stream that ran through the gardens had floating floral arrangements. Some were simply flowers. Others had tulle and beaded designs. The large oak trees, hundreds of flower pomanders hung in every ethereal and pastel shade available. From large to small, the pomanders and silk ribbons swayed in the spring breeze.
Loretta had never mastered being comfortable in crowds—not that she let on. Johnny had told her confidence was more a state of mind. If she acted confident, even if she didn’t feel that way, she’d eventually feel confident. So far, that hadn’t been the case. But she kept trying.
When the King family arrived, the cocktail hour under the trees moved inside the massive white tent for dinner and dancing.
“Loretta?” Jace Black waved her down, a young woman at his side. “This is my little sister, Heather.”
“Ohmygawd, you’re Loretta Gram.” Heather had that high-pitched excited fan quality that made Loretta smile. “Hi.” She reined it in. “Nice to meet you.” She sounded more in control now. “I’ll try not to fangirl too hard but no promises.” She nudged Jace. “I mean, of course you know Loretta Gram.” She shook her head. “Is there anyone you don’t know, at this point?”
Jace pretended to think, then shook his head. “I don’t think so.”
Heather laughed. “You’re so full of it.”
“Heather.” Hank King wrapped Heather in a hug. “How’s college? Almost done, aren’t you?”
