Page 52 of Parading the Cowboy Billionaire (Bluegrass Ranch 4)

She blinked her attention away from the altar, where Blaine and Tam had just linked hands and started their pilgrimage to the wedding pavilion, and toward the man who’d spoken.

Her natural reaction was to suck in a breath at the handsome man in front of her. Her heartbeat twittered in her chest, and she actually pressed one palm against it to get it to calm.

“Lawrence,” she said.

“I didn’t mean to startle you.” He put his hand on her elbow as if they’d touched so intimately many times in the past.

They hadn’t, but Mariah found her mind sparking in all kinds of new directions tonight. She’d only met with him in her office once since the meeting here in the administration building, and she suddenly needed to find a way to get him behind closed doors again.

Her thoughts surprised her, and she covered them with a smile. She dropped her arm, which caused him to pull his hand back, and said, “I’m fine.”

“You looked like you were looking for an escape,” he said, his smile so symmetrical, revealing perfectly straight, white teeth. He had a nicely trimmed beard, which was different than the last time she’d seen him. She wanted to reach out and run her hand along the length of his cheek to see if his whiskers were soft.

“Maybe I was,” she said, adding a little bit of coyness to her tone. “I don’t really know anyone here.”

He stepped to her side instead of standing in front of her and cocked his arm for her to take. “Now you do.”

Again, Mariah let her natural instincts take over, and she laced her hand through his arm. “You look great in that suit.”

“Thank you,” he said. “I like your dress as well.”

She looked down at herself as if she’d forgotten what she’d put on for this ranch wedding. A splashy, bright floral dress—her favorite item of clothing. She had them in blue and white, pinks, reds, and yellows, and this one in purple and green. “I like patterns,” she said. “Dr. Biggers doesn’t, so I don’t get to wear my fun dresses very often.”

“It’s gorgeous,” he said, and when Mariah looked at him, she found him gazing right back at her. The crowd and noise fell away. All that existed for a moment was him. Only him.

He cleared his throat and took a step, breaking her out of the bubble she’d fallen into. “I can’t be late. My mother is not one to be trifled with at family weddings.”

Mariah giggled quietly and walked with him. “I bet she isn’t.”

“I wasn’t expecting to see you,” he said. “Your family must know Tam’s?”

“That’s right,” she confirmed. “My father worked for hers for a while, and they’ve been friends since.”

Lawrence nodded as he led her out from underneath the wedding tent. The sun was just starting to arc west, and it would still be a couple of hours until dusk. She suddenly didn’t want to leave, especially alone.

Or before you make sure Lawrence knows to call you for anything other than what he needs for the race.

Mariah had no idea how to do that, but pressing her hip into his seemed like a good idea as they squeezed by another couple standing in line to get their name tags. “I need my tag,” she said as Lawrence seemed to be bypassing the front table to the wedding pavilion completely.

“Not when you’re with me,” he said, his voice slow and low but filled with confidence. He paused next to the table, not in front of it, and said, “Olli.”

“Right there, Lawrence,” she said, pointing without looking. “Family tags.”

“I need Mariah Barker’s,” he said, and Olli looked up. Mariah knew her; everyone knew Olivia Hudson since she’d gotten her perfumes, colognes, and candles in every Renlund Association store across the country.

“I have three of your perfumes,” she said, smiling at the harried brunette. “I love them.”

Olli grinned back at her, suddenly unconcerned about the crowd she still needed to serve. “Which one are you wearing tonight?” She leaned closer as if she could smell it.

Mariah stepped closer and let her sniff her collar. “What do you think?”

“Petals and Passion,” Olli said, smiling. Her gaze switched to Lawrence, her eyes missing nothing, including how close Mariah stood to him and her hand through his elbow. “Two things really quick.” She started searching for a tag on the table. “One, spray that perfume in your hair, girl. Make himlean into smell it.” She looked up. “Have you seen my videos?”

“I have to admit I haven’t,” Mariah said.

“Three minutes will change your life.” Olli handed her the tag. “Second, for a man like Lawrence, you wantLeather, Lace, and Laughter.” She grinned at the two of them, pressing her hip into the table. “Trust me on that.”

“Leather, Lace, and Laughter,” Mariah said. “I thought that one smelled a little…outdoorsy.”

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