The Cowboy's Bride Bet - Holly Rayner Page 0,51

step toward her, pulling the wedding band out of my pocket. “Everything I said at that altar was God’s honest truth. I’m the best version of myself when I’m with you, and I don’t want my life to go back to how it was before you showed up.”

Elmer whined, sitting down on Ashleigh’s foot

Her expression softened. “I’m sorry.” She petted Elmer’s head softly. “I wanted this to be real, too.”

“If you’re sure you want to leave…” I looked down and then toward where my truck was parked. “I won’t stop you.”

A resigned sadness came over her face as she nodded.

“But you should know…” I held out the wedding band. “This was real to me. And I can’t just let you walk away, not without a fight. I want you to stay here. With me.” I looked down at Elmer. “With us. I need you, Ashleigh. And Fang needs his mama cat lookin’ after him, too.”

She bit her lip, her eyebrows pinching upward as she fought back the tears. As much as I hated seeing her cry, I knew it would break my heart if I didn’t at least tell her how I felt. My throat went dry as I braced myself for her response.

If I lose her, I don’t think I’ll ever be able to feel this way again.

I thought about all the broken hearts I’d left in my wake over the years. Maybe it was just karma that someone had finally walked into my life that could hurt me.

Chapter 19

Ashleigh

I looked down at Elmer, who stared up at me with sad, droopy eyes. My heart clenched like a fist as I mustered up the will to lie. If Connor was ever going to move on with his life, he needed to believe that I didn’t love him.

The smell of the grass and the barnyard carried on the breeze brought tears to my eyes as I committed it to memory, knowing that this was the last time I’d ever be able to experience it.

In such a short time, the sights, sounds, and people associated with this place had done more than make an impression. They’d become a part of me. This felt like home. The thought of leaving the Sunset View Ranch was almost worse than the idea of Moretti catching up to me.

I knew beyond the shadow of a doubt that I’d rather die here and now than live my whole life never seeing Connor or this place again. But I couldn’t sacrifice him. I wouldn’t.

“Look at me, Ashleigh.” He cupped my face in his hands. “If you honestly don’t love me, I will give you a ride to the bus station myself. I know your instinct to run has kept you alive. All I’m asking is that you run to me.”

“Connor…” I sniffled, my chest heaving. “I… I don’t.”

“Don’t what?” he whispered.

“I don’t…” I bit my lip, locking my eyes with his. I tried to disconnect myself from the words as they left my lips, knowing that the opposite was true. “I don’t… love you.”

I expected him to let go, but he didn’t. Before I realized it, I was reaching for him, and our lips crashed together. A warm, passionate storm of kisses swept us up like a hurricane, and we let it.

“I don’t want Moretti to find me here.” I said between kisses. “I won’t be able to live with myself if something happens to you.”

“It won’t.” He touched his forehead to mine as he held my body against his. “I said I would protect you, and I meant it. Stay with me, Ashleigh. Don’t make me beg you.”

I broke down, then, just as the cows let out a chorus of irritated moos, reminding us that they were still waiting on breakfast.

I laughed through my tears, putting my arms around Connor’s waist. “All right, I’ll stay.” I took a deep breath. “But you’re gonna have to teach me how to shoot, okay?”

He grinned and kissed the top of my head. “Deal.”

After we took care of the animals, Connor showed me the gun safe in his room and told me the combo, which was Elmer’s birthday. Fishing about ten beer cans out of the kitchen trash, Connor bagged them up, and we walked out to a closed-off pasture far from where the horses and cows were grazing. We brought along a rifle, a shotgun, a semi-automatic pistol, and a revolver.

I was nervous about firing a gun after what had happened to me at the pawnshop. My ears had