True-Blue Cowboy - Vicki Lewis Thompson Page 0,68
Wait. That wasn’t Eva. The blue-hair lady was with Ed and Josette. Whoops. Another blue-hair sighting. That was Eva. What the hell?
He stumbled, turned the wrong way and was solely responsible for a major pileup in front of her. Wonderful.
She stood at the edge of the dance floor staring at him. What was she doing here? She hardly ever came to the Moose. Why now?
He needed to get his act together. Come up with a game plan. But the Babes were here, too, which meant he had a responsibility to—
A hand gripped his shoulder. “We’ve got this,” Rafe said. “Go talk to your lady.”
He nodded and walked over to Eva. “Hi.” Brilliant.
“I didn’t expect to see you here.”
“Ditto.” More brilliance.
“I came with the Babes. Ellie Mae wanted blue hair.”
“That was Ellie Mae?”
“Blue hair really changes a person.”
“On the outside. Not the inside. Speaking of outside, let’s go there.”
She peered at him. “You’re drunk.”
“Pretty much.”
“I’ve never seen you like this.”
“Well, here I am. Drunk. Can we go outside?” That fifth cider was kicking in.
“Yes. I think you could use the fresh air.” She took him by the arm and guided him through the front door.
He shouldn’t let her do that. He should be taking her arm. That was the gentlemanly thing. Too late. They were standing on the sidewalk.
She still had a hold on his arm. “Breathe, Nick. Get oxygen into your system.”
“Okay.” He took several deep breaths to please her.
“Better?”
“Actually, I feel a little light-headed.”
“Let’s go sit on the curb.”
“All right.” He let her take him over to a spot where nobody was parked. He managed to sit on the curb without falling over.
“How’s that?” She put a hand on his knee.
“Good. Listen, when I’m drunk, stuff just comes out of my mouth.”
“You’re going to throw up?”
“No, words come out. All kinds of words. No telling what I might say.”
She smiled. “Fiona’s like that, too.”
“Fiona wasn’t turned on by my sweat.”
“What?”
“On Sunday, when you were naked and I went downstairs. She wasn’t turned on.”
“Were you disappointed?”
“I was relieved. I don’t want anybody turned on but you.”
“Oh.”
“I made you smile again. I like it when you do that.”
“I like it when you smile, too.” Her voice was soft. “Nick, I’m sorry we can’t… that I’m not the right…”
“That’s what I wanted to say. They were terrible.”
“Who?”
“Your folks.”
“Water over the bridge.”
“It’s not. You remember.”
She went very still. When she said something, her voice was tiny. “I do.”
He wrapped his arm around her shoulders. “I remember stuff, too.”
Her grip on his knee tightened. “I’m sorry.”
“And I’ll never do that to my kids.”
“How do you know?” Her voice trembled.
“I just know. And you won’t either. I know you, Eva. I know you.”
She pressed against his side. “What if you’re wrong?”
“I’m not.” He swallowed. “Marry me, Eva.”
She started to cry.
Turning, he gathered her into his arms and rocked her back and forth. “Marry me. You know you want to.”
“I do! But I’m so scared!”
“It’ll get easier. I promise it will.”
“You’re drunk. How can I believe you?”
He tipped her wet face up to his. “I tell the truth when I’m drunk.”
“You said words just come out.”
“From my heart.”
“Oh.” She sniffed. “That’s… touching.”
He gazed into her green eyes, shimmering with tears. “I love you.”
“I know.”
“Can you love me back?”
She gulped. ‘I already do. It’s the scariest thing I’ve ever done.”
“Can you say it?”
Holding his gaze, she took a shaky breath. “I love you. And I’ll marry you.” She squeezed her eyes shut. “I can’t believe I just said that.”
“I can. I danced hard. Got sweaty.”
She opened her eyes and gave him a watery smile. “And I do love your sweat.”
“Attagirl.” He leaned down and kissed her to seal the deal. He was a little hazy about how he’d accomplished this amazing feat in the face of impossible odds, but he had her, now, and he was never, ever letting her go.
Coming October 2020!
Cowboy Rafe Banner receives an unexpected proposal from his heart’s desire, Kate Gifford, but with a catch as big as Montana in STRONG-WILLED COWBOY, book five in the Buckskin Brotherhood series!
But Wait, There’s More!
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Want more sexy cowboys? Then say hello to the McGavin Brothers of Eagles Nest, Montana!
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Praise for Vicki’s cowboy series
“Vicki Lewis Thompson has a reputation for putting enough sizzle between the pages to actually create steam.”
Fresh Fiction
“This modern cowboy tale expertly balances sex and emotion with a touch of humor. It’s one of the hottest western romances of the year!”
RT Book Reviews
“Once again Ms. Thompson’s writing is crisp and straightforward, with an uncanny ability to weave the beautiful western landscape of the Grand Tetons into the storyline. Overall a hot, sexy read.”
Harlequin Junkie
Also by Vicki Lewis Thompson
The Buckskin Brotherhood
Sweet-Talking Cowboy
Big-Hearted Cowboy
Baby-Daddy Cowboy
True-Blue Cowboy
The McGavin Brothers
A Cowboy’s Strength
A Cowboy’s Honor
A Cowboy’s Return
A Cowboy’s Heart
A Cowboy’s Courage
A Cowboy’s Christmas
A Cowboy’s Kiss
A Cowboy’s Luck
A Cowboy’s Charm
A Cowboy’s Challenge
A Cowboy’s Baby
A Cowboy’s Holiday
A Cowboy’s Choice
A Cowboy’s Worth
A Cowboy’s Destiny
A Cowboy’s Secret
A Cowboy’s Homecoming
Wild About You
Werewolf in Manhattan
Werewolf in the North Woods
Werewolf in Seattle
Werewolf in Denver
Werewolf in Alaska
Werewolf in Las Vegas
The Nerd Series
Nerd in Shining Armor
The Nerd Who Loved Me
Nerd Gone Wild
Gone with the Nerd
Talk Nerdy to Me
Nerds Like It Hot
My Nerdy Valentine
About the Author
New York Times bestselling author Vicki Lewis Thompson’s love affair with cowboys started with the Lone Ranger, continued through Maverick, and took a turn south of the border with Zorro. She views cowboys as the Western version of knights in shining armor, rugged men who value honor, honesty and hard work. Fortunately for her, she lives in the Arizona desert, where broad-shouldered, lean-hipped cowboys abound. Blessed with such an abundance of inspiration, she only hopes that she can do them justice.
Connect with Vicki online!
VickiLewisThompson.com