Taming a Texas Rascal (Bad Boy Ranch Book 6) Page 17
Sawyer stared at her for a few seconds before he tipped his head back and burst out laughing.
She swatted his chest. “It’s not funny. Four years is forever.”
He sobered, but his mouth still quivered with humor. “It’s not forever, baby. And I’ll work hard to keep you happy during those four years. Starting now.” He scooped her up in his arms and carried her into the trailer.
She wasn’t about to give up on talking him into getting married sooner. But when he started making sweet, slow love to her, she decided to postpone the argument. She postponed it again when after the sweet, slow lovin’, she decided she wanted some rowdy, cowgirl lovin’. By that time, she was so tuckered out she took a little nap. When she woke, Sawyer was gone and she smelled bacon cooking. She climbed out of bed and slipped on his western shirt. She found him outside cooking at the grill in nothing but his boxer shorts. Walking up behind him, she placed a kiss between his sexy shoulder blades.
“I guess you didn’t like charred bacon that much,” she said against his warm skin.
“I ate the charred. This is for you.” He flipped the bacon. “And I found something when I was getting more bacon out of the fridge. I don’t think you should keep such a good sign hidden so I put it up on the trailer.”
She turned to the trailer.
There on the side for everyone to see was the silly sign she’d made of a ranch entrance with two dog-like horses’ heads. Her face heated with embarrassment.
“Go ahead and laugh,” she said. “I know. It’s the sappiest name ever.”
He turned, but he wasn’t laughing. In fact, his bluish-gray eyes were serious as he pulled her into arms. “I don’t think so. I think Dreams Do Come True Ranch is a damn good name.” He smiled, and in his face, she saw all the love she would ever need. “Set the date, Maze. Whatever day you pick—today or four years from today—this cowboy will be waiting at the altar for his cowgirl to make all her dreams come true.”
Chapter Twenty-One
“What do you say, boy? You ready for the big day?”
Angel tossed his head as if he understood what Sawyer was saying, then continued to munch the carrot Sawyer held out.
“You can’t come live with me and Maisy just yet,” Sawyer continued. “But since you’ve become a little more mannerly, we’re gonna leave you right here on the Double Diamond with Chester and Lucas. And every chance we get, Maisy and I will be coming back to see you. One day, we’ll have a ranch of our own.” He reached out and patted the horse on the withers. “You’re going to be just fine, Angel. We’re going to be just fine.”
A hand on his shoulder had Sawyer turning around to see Mattie. His brother signed.
I might own half that horse. But by the look in his eyes, I’d say he’s all yours.
Sawyer gave Angel the rest of the carrot and then signed back. Horses and women love me.
Mattie laughed. I know one woman who sure does. He studied Sawyer. You always want to be around animals when you’re nervous. You feeling wedding day jitters, Bro?
Sawyer should be. Especially when he had avoided marriage for so long. But he wasn’t feeling nervous at all. He knew why. He signed back to Mattie.
There’s no reason to be nervous when you know you’re marrying the right girl.
Mattie smiled, and Sawyer smiled back before he pulled his brother into his arms. They had been through a lot, but they had survived and their relationship was much stronger for it. Sawyer would always be protective of his brother, but he no longer felt like he had to be the bad boy so Mattie could be the good. Mattie had found his place in the world. And so had Sawyer. They hugged for a long time before Mattie pulled back and signed.
I’m going to go tell your cute cowgirl that you’re still planning on marrying her.
Sawyer stared at him with surprise. Maisy was the one who sent you to check on me?
Mattie grinned. Her exact words were ‘Go find that man of mine and make sure he hasn’t hopped on Angel and ridden off into the sunset.’
It sounded just like Maisy. Sawyer signed back. Tell my woman that I’m not riding into the sunset without her by my side.
Mattie nodded and headed around the barn toward the house where Maisy and her attendants were getting ready. Sawyer was happy Maisy was as ready to tie the knot as he was. In fact, she’d wanted to get married at the justice of the peace the day he’d proposed. But when they went to get Lincoln and Dixie to stand up with them, Dixie had convinced Maisy to wait because her wedding day should be a day to remember.
It was certainly going to be that. Most of the town had shown up to the Double Diamond ranch for a big country wedding. The barn had been turned into a reception hall complete with twinkle lights and tables covered in yellow-gingham tablecloths. Being that it was early November, baby pumpkins and mason jars of sunflowers served as centerpieces. A dance floor had been set up in front of the barn for dancing later and a local country band had already started tuning up.
Amid all the excitement, Sawyer had ducked behind the barn for a few minutes with Angel. But he figured his time was up when Emma Johansen came marching around the corner of the barn.
Since neither Sawyer nor Maisy knew anything about planning a wedding, Emma had volunteered as wedding planner. She’d done a great job of organizing things, especially on such short notice, but she was also a little bossy.
“What in the world are you doing back here? I’ve been looking all over for you.” She charged toward him like a roping calf let out of a chute. Before he could back up, she’d straightened his hat and smoothed down his collar. “You should’ve worn tuxes like I suggested. They would’ve looked much better in photos than jeans, western shirts, and jackets.”
Sawyer flashed her a smile. “Like I told you. I’m just not a tux kinda guy, Emma.”
She rolled her eyes and brushed something off his shoulder. “Well, it is what it is. At least you haven’t gotten horse crap on your new boots.”
Sawyer glanced down at the boots Cord Evans had sent him. They were hand-tooled leather and damn nice. Still, he missed his old boots and would be wearing them if Cord’s boot company wasn’t sponsoring Maisy—and if Cord and his family hadn’t driven all the way from Bliss for the wedding. Christie Evans had sent Maisy a pair of white boots with inlaid red hearts. He’d thought Maisy would think they were too girlie, but he was learning that beneath his bride-to-be’s tough exterior was a woman who liked lace and frills. And that was more than okay with him. There was nothing sexier than Maisy’s black lacy underwear.
“You remember what you’re supposed to do?” Emma cut into his thoughts.
“Get married to the woman I love,” he answered.
Emma’s shoulders relaxed and she smiled softly. “Yes. That’s exactly what you’re going to do.” She straightened his collar again. “All right. Let’s go collect those bad boy friends of yours and get you married.” But before they even made it to the corner of the barn, his bad boy friends arrived.
“Good. You’re here,” Emma said. “But where’s Sawyer’s brother, the best man?”
“I think I saw him making out with his wife on the porch,” Val said.
Emma sighed and pointed a finger at all the boys. “Nobody move from here. I’ll be right back.” She hurried off.
“That’s one uptight woman,” Cru said. “If I was Boone Murphy, owning half of a hardware store wouldn’t be worth dealing with her.”
“I get the feeling that Boone doesn’t mind it so much,” Lincoln said before he glanced at Sawyer. “You ready, buddy?”
“More than ready.”
Lincoln smiled. “It’s funny how this place can change a diehard bachelor into a man in a hurry to say I do.”
All the boys laughed before Logan spoke. “There’s definitely a magic to this place. I think we all felt it when we arrived sixteen years ago. And again when we came back. Do y’all remember the oath we made?”
Sawyer fielded the question. “We made an oath not to forget
what Chester and Lucas had taught us. We made an oath that the bad boys would become good men.”
Logan nodded. “We might’ve had our fair share of troubles getting here. But I’m damn proud of the men we’ve become. And we’re not done yet.” He held up his hands and formed two sign language d’s. “To the Double Diamond boys,” he said. “And to Chester and Lucas and the women who helped us become good men.”
The boys held up their hands and copied the sign as they chorused him. “To the Double Diamond bad boys. To Chester and Lucas and the women who helped us become good men.”
After they lowered their hands, they moved in for a tight group hug. When they pulled back, not one bad boy had a dry eye. Sawyer knew they were all thinking about everything they had been through. The good times and the bad times. There would be more good times. And bad times. But as long as they had each other and their strong Texas women, they’d survive whatever came their way.
“I found him!” Emma came charging around the corner of the barn with a scared-looking Mattie in tow. “Now let’s get this wedding underway.”
Sawyer remembered every second of the ceremony from the moment Maisy walked toward him in the beautiful white gown that showed off her perfect petite body to the moment the pastor pronounced them man and wife and Maisy threw her arms around Sawyer’s neck and kissed him like she never wanted to stop.
The reception was just as memorable. As Sawyer whirled his bride around the dance floor, he was glad Dixie had talked them into a wedding to remember. As if reading his mind, Maisy smiled up at him.
“It was beautiful, wasn’t it?”
“As beautiful as you.”
She smoothed a strand of hair off his forehead. “You’re pretty beautiful yourself. From the moment I first laid eyes on you, I was dumbstruck. Of course, it might’ve had to do with the way you sit a saddle.”
“You like the way I sit a saddle, do you?”
“Uh-huh.” Her fingers ran along the open collar of his shirt. “I’ve had more than a few fantasies about that.”
“Really? Exactly what were those fantasies, Mrs. Dawson?”
She leaned in closer and her breath fell against his ear as she sang in her off-key voice. “Save a horse, ride a cowgirl.”
The townsfolk of Simple didn’t have a clue what the bride had said to make the groom release a loud “Yee-haw!”
But like any good Texans, they didn’t need a reason to join in. A chorus of “yeehaws” followed as two old cowboys looked on with smiles on their weathered faces and tears in their aged eyes.
“Our boys did it,” Lucas said. “They found their happiness.”
“They sure did,” Chester said. “And right here where we can watch their families grow until the day the Lord calls us home.” He spit a stream of tobacco to the ground. “Of course, that will be sooner for you than me, you old coot.”
“Like hell, you old fart.”
They looked at each other and grinned before they lifted their faces to the big star-filled Texas sky.
“Yee-haw!”
THE END
* * *
Turn the page for a Sneak Peek of Katie Lane’s next Texas Bad Boy . . .
Special Sneak Peek
Finally Emma and Boone get their story!
Taming a Texas Tease
is out March 2021!
“Take me to the moon, Boone,” Emma yelled into the dark night.
Boone laughed and pushed her higher. “Only if I can come too, Emma Lou.”
She giggled at his familiar response—one he had given her since they’d been in kindergarten—and leaned back in the swing as sheer happiness consumed her. She didn’t want to be anywhere else on earth but right here in the middle of Simple Park . . . with Boone. He pushed her higher and higher until she felt like she could reach out and touch the moon.
“What will you do when you get there?” he asked as she swung back, so close she could feel his breath on her neck.
She didn’t even have to think before she answered. “I’ll open the first moon bookstore so no space traveler will ever have to go without a good book. What will you do first?”
“I’ll take a big bite out of the moon to see if it tastes like cheese pizza.”
She laughed. “You’re always thinking about food, Boone Murphy.”
There was a long a pause before he spoke. “Not always.”
She was about to ask him what else he thought about when the park sprinklers came on. The wind caught the high spray and swept it over to the playground. She released a shriek as the cold mist hit her bare legs.
Boone laughed. “Afraid of a little water, Em?”
“It’s cold.”
“And it’s hot.” He stopped swinging her. “Too hot.”
She glanced over her shoulder and saw him kicking off his flip-flops. “What are you doing?” She slowed the swing down with her feet. In the darkness, she saw his flash of teeth. Boone had the most contagious smile.
“I’m cooling off.” He pulled off his shirt, and her breath got stuck like a big wad of bubble gum in her chest. Since turning fifteen, Boone’s body seemed to be sprouting muscles daily. The more muscles he got, the more breathless she seemed to get whenever he took off his shirt.
Now, he didn’t just take off his shirt. He slipped off his shorts too. She hadn’t seen Boone in his underwear since they’d been in preschool. The saggy Spiderman underwear he’d worn then didn’t have the same affect on her as the navy blue boxer briefs did now.
Emma looked away and brought the swing to a complete stop. “Don’t you dare strip naked, Boone Murphy.”
“Why not? We used to run through the sprinklers nek-ked all the time.”
“When we were kids. We are not running through the sprinklers—nek-ked or otherwise—now.”
“You might not be, but I am.” Boone jogged toward the grassy area being watered by the rotating sprinklers. Luckily, he’d left his underwear on. Although the sight of his butt still made her feel a little woozy. He disappeared in the spray of water and hooted like he had when they’d run through the sprinklers in their front yards as kids. A few seconds later, he reappeared, looking like a happy drenched puppy. A muscular and hot drenched puppy.
“Come on, Em.” His grin was teasing and devilish. “I dare you.”
Dares from Boone had always been Emma’s kryptonite.
Since she wore a sports bra, she didn’t hesitate to strip off her t-shirt. She toed off her sneakers, but left her shorts on as she raced toward the sprinklers and Boone. She shrieked as the first spray hit her and ran faster to avoid the next one. Boone was right behind her, laughing and hooting. They ran all over the park until Emma got too close to a sprinkler head and got knocked to her fanny by the force of the spray. Boone ran over to help her to her feet. They were both thoroughly drenched and laughing hard . . . until they took note of each other’s bodies in the wet clothing.
Then they stopped laughing.
In the cool mist of the sprinklers on that hot September night, the friendship they had guarded so carefully over the years shifted. Like two magnets flipped to the right sides, they were drawn together and the physical attraction they had been trying to ignore could be ignored no more.
Boone lowered his head and Emma lifted hers. Right before their lips touched, he whispered.
“Em.”
Just one breathy syllable and she knew. She knew that things between them were about to change forever—that two best friends were about to become something more.
Much more.
What she didn’t know then was that more wasn’t always better.
(Taming a Texas Tease Excerpt by Katie Lane)
Also by Katie Lane
Be sure to check out all of Katie Lane’s novels!
www.katielanebooks.com
* * *
Bad Boy Ranch Series:
Taming a Texas Bad Boy
Taming a Texas Rebel
Taming a Texas Charmer
Taming a T
exas Heartbreaker
Taming a Texas Devil
Taming a Texas Rascal
Taming a Texas Tease (March 2021)
Taming a Texas Christmas Cowboy (July 2021)
* * *
Brides of Bliss Texas Series:
Spring Texas Bride
Summer Texas Bride
Autumn Texas Bride
Christmas Texas Bride
* * *
Tender Heart Texas Series:
Falling for Tender Heart
Falling Head Over Boots
Falling for a Texas Hellion
Falling for a Cowboy’s Smile
Falling for a Christmas Cowboy
* * *
Deep in the Heart of Texas Series:
Going Cowboy Crazy
Make Mine a Bad Boy
Catch Me a Cowboy
Trouble in Texas
Flirting with Texas
A Match Made in Texas
The Last Cowboy in Texas
My Big Fat Texas Wedding
* * *
Overnight Billionaires Series:
A Billionaire Between the Sheets
A Billionaire After Dark
Waking up with a Billionaire
* * *
Hunk for the Holidays Series:
Hunk for the Holidays
Ring in the Holidays
Unwrapped
About the Author
Katie Lane is a firm believer that love conquers all and laughter is the best medicine. Which is why you'll find plenty of humor and happily-ever-afters in her contemporary and western contemporary romance novels. A USA Today Bestselling Author, she has written numerous series, including Deep in the Heart of Texas, Hunk for the Holidays, Overnight Billionaires, Tender Heart Texas, The Brides of Bliss Texas, and Bad Boy Ranch. Katie lives in Albuquerque, New Mexico, and when she's not writing, she enjoys reading, eating chocolate (dark, please), and snuggling with her high school sweetheart and Cairn Terrier, Roo.