Loe raamatut: «A Cowboy In Paradise»

1

JIMI CALLOWAY COULDN’T comprehend a destination wedding in Hawaii that wasn’t on a beach. The wedding was inland. On a ranch! No beach in sight. Her words echoed in her ears. Please just take care of the arrangements. Tell me when I have to be at the airport, she’d told Jose, her assistant, when the invitation had arrived a couple of months ago. Now she wished she’d not been so damn preoccupied with the finishing touches to her first commissioned gown for the Oscars and paid more attention to the finer details of this event.

Jimi sweated under the hot Hawaiian sun. Raising her face to the sky, she closed her eyes and absorbed the sun’s energy. It was a whole lot better than dreary, gray and cold New York City. She got bumped from behind and nearly toppled off her Christian Louboutins.

“Oh, pardon me,” Jimi said, and scampered not to sprawl into the dirt.

“My apologies.” A heavyset man in a straw hat and tropical flowered shirt steadied her by grabbing hold of her elbow.

Jimi gently pulled from his grasp. “It’s okay. No problem,” she said, smiling at him.

She glanced down at her Chanel dress. It had held up pretty well until now, after the twelve-hour flight and the bus ride from the airport to this Hawaiian ranch. She swept her hand over the fabric—covered in dust and travel wrinkled—finally giving up when her sweaty palms smudged the dirt. Shit, her hair would be 1980s huge in this humidity. Trying to blow the damp tendrils out of her eyes, she watched the luxury coach drive away, stranding her in the boonies of the Big Island. She’d had enough of the farm life growing up on a commune. Jimi shivered—a time she didn’t particularly want to remember.

And to top it all off, her suitcase was lost. Panic began to set in. How would she face the day without the suitcase that housed her full armor of makeup, clothing and essentials? A habit she’d started years ago, she couldn’t recall the last time she’d gone without makeup. Why hadn’t Diana chosen the Four Seasons to have her wedding instead of here? Jimi swung her gaze back to the lady ranch hand who had delivered the upsetting news about her suitcase. Out of habit, she eyed the young woman all decked out in cowgirl clothes. The cowgirl looked at Jimi with clear gray eyes and confidence. Jimi bet she didn’t have a worry in the world. She seemed so amazingly comfortable that Jimi almost envied her. The woman shifted her feet and spurs jangled in the dust. Jimi glanced down at the impressively tooled creations.

“Wow, I love your cowboy boots.”

“Thank you.”

They were great boots, with turquoise leather inlay and stitching. Jimi looked up and met the young woman’s eyes, doing her best to not let aggravation over her lost bag ruin the day.

“I’m really sorry about your suitcase.”

“It’s not your fault. I’m just thrown a little off-kilter by all this,” Jimi admitted.

“I understand, but I’m sure it will arrive soon. My name is Larson and I’ll definitely keep an eye out for your bag.”

Jimi nodded, trying not to let her disappointment show. She’d been looking forward to unwinding in Hawaii after the wedding. It was a treasured bit of time between moments of chaos. She so needed to decompress. Vacation time that had been almost impossible to carve out of her busy schedule, but she managed and had lived for these precious weeks in Hawaii. Twenty-one days of sleeping in, relaxing in a cabana by the pool or beach, spa treatments and hopefully a bit of man time.

She’d been without a man’s touch for far too long and desperately needed some attention from the male species. She’d been so busy and the promise to design Diana’s dress was fit it in between the other orders. It was a beautiful creation.

Diana’s dress! It was lost over the Pacific. In her suitcase. How would she ever explain this to her friend?

“Aloha, folks! Welcome to Broken Creek Guest Ranch!”

Jimi spun around, startled by the loud voice, which resonated in her chest like a loud bass drum. Deep, masculine and surprisingly seductive, it held a mild twang that completely caught her attention. Lost bags, Diana’s dress and wrong destination momentarily forgotten, Jimi sucked in a breath as she pinned her eyes on the owner of said voice. Struck dumb, she hadn’t expected to see such a hot cowboy. But of course there would be cowboys, right alongside cows, horses, flies and shit—a crazy mix next to the tropical foliage, beautiful blue skies and gorgeous flowers.

Hello, Hawaiian Hottie!

Jimi couldn’t stop staring at the man standing on the front porch of the rustic-looking building. His head almost brushed the overhang he was so tall. She’d never been so drawn at first glance to a man before; he oozed a dangerous sexuality that reached across the dusty ground and lit her like a sparkler. He. Was. Gorgeous. It was like he snagged her with a lasso and yanked it tight. Jimi caught her breath and placed her hand over her heart as it tripped into double time.

This Hawaiian cowboy was large, muscled and tanned. He had it all going on. She smiled when she noticed the collar of his Western-style shirt. The pattern on the fabric was a ring of deep red hibiscus flowers. Only here could he get away with that. Her mind tumbled over itself as she considered ways she might be able to get this devilishly sexy cowboy on his own. Had a silver lining just appeared on the clouds of doom?

Jimi crossed her arms and hugged herself to keep from trembling, unable to drag her gaze away from him. She wasn’t opposed to a holiday fling—preferably at a five-star hotel with butlers, vintage wine and gourmet dining and not on a ranch. Finally being able to afford the finer things, she’d become accustomed to them. Something told her this smoking-hot cowboy would transplant well and be a sweet distraction. As long as he showered.

She nodded to herself. She’d be able to make do for a short time without her bag. Seeing this delectable male specimen made her realize how travel weary she must look. The urge to step behind the cowgirl to hide herself made her shuffle backward without looking away from him.

His gaze swung through the crowd as he continued with his welcome. Then his attention fell on her. Jimi’s feet froze and she was rooted to the spot—as if the dirt reached up and grabbed her ankles. Good Lord, he was too gorgeous for words. All Jimi’s thoughts fled when a big, wide smile curved on his tanned face. He was clean shaven, but his dark hair was long, ruffling over his shoulders. Her belly fluttered—something she’d not experienced in...oh, ever. Unable to see his eyes, shadowed by the brim of his hat, made him all that much more enigmatic. She wanted him. Bad.

Her blood rushed and her arousal for him nearly made her swoon. She held her breath, enjoying the rare sensation as desire swept through her. The sun came out from behind a cloud, and Jimi raised her hand to shield her eyes from the glare so she could see him.

He seemed to be looking directly at her and she smiled. Did he smile at her? His gaze lingered a little bit and then moved on. The break in their connection was surprisingly disappointing.

“There’s some grub waiting for you in the dining room, and once y’all fill your bellies the luggage will be in the change rooms.”

He pointed and she turned to the beautiful log building with paned windows and a wide front porch. Rocking chairs sat at the ready and there were even hitching posts and water troughs. Just like in classic Western movies. “There you can get on your riding gear while your horses are saddled and then we’ll make our way—”

“Um, excuse me.” Jimi raised her hand and waggled her fingers. “Did you say horses?” she blurted.

The cowboy placed a booted foot on the mounting block. Yes, she’d ridden and knew the lingo. She’d been a fairly decent rider, having grown up with horses on the commune, but fashion and makeup were her escape from that into a new and exciting world. Far from her impoverished growing up. His smile widened and he pushed his hat back on his forehead with his thumb. He leaned over and rested his forearm on his knee. She watched every move he made. Utterly mesmerized. His jeans tightened nicely over his thighs and hips. A flash of silver at his waist drew her attention to the monstrosity of a belt buckle and her gaze drifted lower until she realized she was gaping at his—

“You got that right, ma’am.”

Jimi pulled her gaze away from his tempting bulge to his face and felt a flush grow on her cheeks. Had he caught her staring at his very manly package? She nearly groaned at the possibility and glanced around feeling uncomfortable that everyone was now staring at her like she’d grown a second head. She braced herself, expecting laughter to explode around her. Seemed it didn’t matter how old you were—the insecurities from childhood could rush back at the most inopportune moment.

Squaring her shoulders, Jimi turned back to the cowboy. “I’m sorry, but I’m here for the McCain Scott wedding?”

“You’re in the right place.”

Her heart sank. “But this is for a destination wedding.” Jimi waved her hand, indicating the miles of meadows beyond the very neat and tidy buildings. “There’s n-no beach.” She felt her cheeks flush hotter at the scattered laughter behind her. She wished the ground would break open and swallow her up.

“We have a beach on the property, ma’am. It’s just a long way away from here.” Not only was his drawl sexy and deep, she heard a compassion in his voice that made her feel a tiny bit better.

“S-so, no beach wedding?” she said, and immediately wished she’d not asked the inane question which, of course, she already knew the answer to.

He shook his head and smiled again at her. He was totally charming and sincere, giving no hint he was making fun of her. Jimi relaxed somewhat at his calm tone. “Not right now, no.”

She clamped her mouth shut, determined not to ask any more dumb questions. God, she’d really made a mess of things. If only she’d handled the arrangements herself, not passing them off. All she knew was the wedding was in Hawaii, with most arrangements made by the bride and groom. Guests provided their details, booked their own flights and hotel for after the wedding, with the suggestion of staying at the Four Seasons.

“In about an hour we’ll ride up to the camp. Your luggage will be in the tents when you get there.” He stood and hooked his thumbs into the pockets of his jeans. “Enjoy your meal and we’ll gather at the barn across the yard.”

Ride, tents? Jimi nearly screeched with building frustration but bit her lip. Panicked, she looked around at the other guests, clearly the only one who thought this whole trip to a Hawaiian ranch was a bad idea. The silver lining of only moments before had suddenly turned very dark and stormy.

She wanted to bolt right back down the road they’d just driven up but, seeing the dust settle from the long-gone bus, knew that wasn’t going to happen anytime soon. Desperation overwhelmed her and she had to fight back the dread starting to set in. When tears sprang to her eyes, she was horrified. Jimi blinked furiously to stop any tear leakage that would further embarrass her not to mention smudge her mascara. She had to be here, though, for Diana.

Jimi straightened her back and drew in a shaky breath. She had no idea how she was going to face Diana or make do without any clothes, toiletries and the like. Somehow, she’d just have to man up. Surely there would be some kind of shop here where she could get the basics until her bag arrived. Fuck.

* * *

DALLAS WAS AT home in the saddle, and he was happy with the posse of wedding guests riding behind him. He’d never get enough of seeing all the excited faces when they stepped off the bus. It didn’t matter how many years he’d been doing this, it never got old. Sharing his love of Hawaii, his ranch and all aspects of it was what he’d been born for. The Wilde family had been running this spread for over a century. Dallas looked at it as being a custodian of the land, honoring it as best he could. A caretaker. He was proud of his heritage and he’d encouraged his father and siblings to open their ranch to the public, to share with others. He hadn’t been wrong and their business of eco-camping had really taken flight. Only this trip wasn’t eco-camping. It was glamping. He shook his head ruefully. Glamping, of all things!

He thought of the blonde woman. She didn’t fit the normal Broken Creek guest profile. When he’d first laid eyes on her he’d nearly forgotten his memorized speech. The wind had blown her hair across her face and she’d swept it away with slender fingers. Elegance had oozed from her and he could hardly imagine her holidaying at a ranch let alone riding a horse. That aside, he’d checked her out, from the tip of her sunny blond head, down her lean and fit body to her long and shapely legs, which he’d love to have wrapped around his hips.

No way would she be able to sit a horse in that tight sheath of a dress. But, Lord, he appreciated how fine she looked in it. And just like that he had a hankering to see that body naked. His groin tightened imagining her standing before him with nothing on but those killer shoes. He’d never seen such a razor heel and could almost feel the sharp stab of them in his ass as if she were under him as he banged her.

Those shoes were the damned sexiest things he’d seen in the longest time and a complete contradiction to the boots and runners on the other ladies around her. All guests were told to bring shoes or boots with heels. This siren had certainly got that wrong in such a right way, and he knew he had to defuse this growing spark of interest. She looked every bit the prima donna.

And he made a point of keeping the divas at a good distance.

But, still, this one mystified him. She oozed a sensuality that made his cock sit up and take notice and elegance he shied from. A poor fit for the likes of him and totally not suitable for a rough-and-tumble interlude. Now the sensuality part...that was a whole other kettle of fish. She had a frosty exterior that made him wonder if in bed she’d be just as chilly or as sizzling hot as the Hawaiian sun. Dallas felt a flash of disappointment that he wouldn’t be finding out the answer to that.

Best he steer clear of this tempting woman, even though every cell in his body wanted to try to melt this glacial filly. She spelled high maintenance and was not worth the trouble. Not his type. At. All. But, shit, he wanted a taste of her.

A shout from behind snapped him out of the rabbit hole he’d just fallen down. Dallas twisted in his saddle, scanned down the line of riders to make sure everyone was still doing fine. The wranglers would follow up the rear, so he wasn’t too worried about losing anyone. But having forty guests was a little out of his comfort zone. Matt, the groom, was an old university friend. It surprised the hell out of him that his fiancée had agreed to a ranch wedding. He’d never met her but had heard stories about her. Girls’ weekend away in Vegas. Jetting off to Bahamas and Paris. So this didn’t really fit the persona he’d assumed for her.

Dallas huffed to himself, still not convinced marriage was the right thing to do. At least for him. Especially after being jilted at the altar. No sirree. Maybe, he reckoned, if kids were involved. But it seemed rather pointless to enter into a commitment that likely would bust up before long. He could count on one hand the number of marriages that had gone past the three-year mark. Anyway, he’d do whatever it took to make Matt and Diana’s wedding day dreams come true. Even if he didn’t believe in happily-ever-after. Women wanted to change a man to their liking, not accept him for who he was. Unlike men, who only want women to accept them for who they are and not try to change them.

“Another half hour and we’ll be there,” Dallas shouted, and bit back a smile at the chorus of groans.

Diana was insistent about comfort for the guests. Which meant he had to upscale all the prospector tents to a more glamping style. He shook his head, not understanding that at all.

The grove of trees beyond a wide, rolling meadow wasn’t far-off. He liked it there with the pretty waterfall ringed by ancient and craggy lava rock. He’d chosen it especially for the camp as it was a protected location should extreme weather blow in. He sighed and wished they were there already so he could get the group settled and let the wedding planner take over.

Dallas patted Sweeny’s neck. “I’ll take you over a group of uncomfortable wedding guests any day.” As if the horse knew what he said, Sweeny tossed her head, nickered in agreement and pranced sideways like they were the hottest couple in town. He chuckled and let her have her little moment of play. He’d be retiring her after this trip and breeding her.

He ran his fingers through her mane and hoped that she’d throw a good foal that would mature into a horse just as fine as she. Unlike the mare he was waiting on to foal anytime now. She was a Thoroughbred and covered by American Prince, a Triple Crown winner and Dallas’s step into the racing world on the mainland. He was determined to give it a try, regardless of the chiding remarks his siblings made. He could handle it, mostly by ignoring them. It would take dedication and money to make it a go, money he’d worked hard to save. He didn’t know a woman who wanted anything to do with the racing world. Fine thing, too, since he didn’t need any added complications.

He hadn’t entertained the idea of a committed relationship since...well, he’d rather not think of her. She’d soured him. Long since over her now, he’d learned a valuable lesson from that experience. Women were selfish creatures and told you what you wanted to hear before snagging you. Then expected you to put their wants and needs first. He hadn’t met a woman yet who was willing to compromise and be a true partner. Sure, he’d dated, had a few flings and been hounded, too, but he was a confirmed bachelor, and he was pretty sure there was no woman who could make him consider otherwise.

Dallas looked up at the sky. Sunset wasn’t too far off and he’d hoped to have all the guests bedded down in time for them to watch from Sunset Ridge while the BBQ was prepared. No luau tonight—they were saving that for the wedding feast. Horsetail clouds winged in the sky, foretelling a change in weather. He furrowed his brows. Nothing significant had shown up on the radar last he checked, but that could change at the drop of a hat here on the island. The sky spoke to him better than any sort of technology. And it was telling him a different story. Storm coming.

Stress knotted at the back of his neck, but he refused to consider the possibility of weather ruining the wedding trip. He wouldn’t say anything to the happy couple yet. Tomorrow was a riding trip to the beach, which made him think of the blonde woman—and his cock told him it was just as eager to see her prancing on the sand in a bikini as he was—then the wedding party rehearsal in the evening. The next day a wedding breakfast for everyone, and the ceremony in the afternoon with an evening luau only to ride back down the following day. Seemed like a colossal waste of time to him, but it was revenue in the bank for them.

He pulled Sweeny up in front of the river and called to the riders behind him. “This is our last crossing, folks. Remember to keep moving through the water and don’t let your horse get his head down.”

Sweeny stepped into the water with no need for Dallas to cluck her. She knew the drill. The water ran belly deep under the horses, slow moving and crystal clear. He hoped they didn’t get surprised by any rain over the next three days; otherwise, it would make things mighty difficult.