Cowboy is Mine (Cowboys of Nirvana Book 5) by Rhonda Lee Carver Page B
Authors: Rhonda Lee Carver
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the cup. “But it’s tea. I’m going wild tonight.” She winked.
“Probably best. Wouldn’t want you passing out on me again.” he teased.
“Now about that…I let my nerves get the best of me. That’s all. You can’t tease me anymore.”
“I’ll be back,” he promised, then sauntered across the grass approaching a circle of cowboys.
Krista felt at ease. She leaned back, bracing her hands on the bale and watched Dodge. He seemed confident and happy talking to the other men. They were all about the same height, weight, and build…and she’d guessed they all worked hard around the ranch. Krista appreciated a hard worker, a man who liked getting his hands dirty, although she’d noticed that Dodge’s hands were scrubbed clean. Her mom always said, “A man who takes pride in work will always take pride in his life.”
She couldn’t help but wonder where she and Dodge would be now if she hadn’t left Florida. Would it be possible that they could still be married? With children?
Blowing out a long breath, she mulled over the idea of enjoying the week with him. Nirvana was beautiful and she loved being here, but this was dangerous and could be lethal. She was placing herself in a position of risk. Could she keep her emotions protected? She’d never been able to before. The alternative was to demand that he sign the papers, and then she’d leave. Why did the idea make her chest ache? Why did she feel as if neither decision was best?
Hearing giggling, she brought her attention across the yard. Dodge was no longer standing in the group of cowboys. She found him pouring beer from the keg, but he wasn’t alone. A scantily dressed woman was standing beside him, her arm hooked over his shoulder and her way-too-big breasts were pressed against his bicep. Ten years ago, Krista would have been overcome with jealousy, but now, she only felt a nudging of curiosity. Who was the woman? A guest? She was pretty and obviously hot for Dodge.
The woman stood on the toes of her boots and whispered something in his ear, but Dodge didn’t respond how one would expect. She could see in his profile that his jaw was tight and his gaze squinted. There was no mutual interest. Krista smiled. Why this brought her a sense of relief, she wasn’t sure, but it did.
Kaycee sat down next to her. “How are you enjoying the party?”
“I’m enjoying it. Everyone is welcoming, some even very friendly.” Krista couldn’t help that her gaze naturally darted in Dodge’s direction. The blonde was no longer pressed against him, but she stood close by, her hands tucked into her front pockets and the waist of her shorts were pulled down enough to reveal her flat stomach and a navel ring.
“I hope I’m not overstepping any boundaries here, but I get the feeling you and Dodge didn’t just meet. You got your eye on him like a woman who knows what he looks like under those Wranglers.”
“That obvious, huh?” Krista couldn’t lie to the other woman. “I’m afraid Dodge and I have what you call history. Not the greatest, but he sure as hell can still make my blood boil.”
Kaycee smiled. “That’s what I figured. I haven’t been around for long, but he’s a good guy. All of the cowboys are really. Especially my Chase.”
Krista saw the love in the other woman’s gaze as she looked at her husband who was standing at the fire pit. “Now I have a question that might be overstepping my boundaries a bit.”
“Ask away. I’m an open book.”
“Do you ever get frustrated living here? You know, with all of the single and obviously horny women?” Krista noticed that the blonde had stomped off from Dodge.
Kaycee inhaled and let it out slowly. “No, I don’t worry about Chase. If you only knew our past, you’d see that trust wasn’t always there, but when you love someone, you work through all of the hurdles. I love living here. Chase has a vision for this place and I share in the dream. A husband and wife have to support
“Probably best. Wouldn’t want you passing out on me again.” he teased.
“Now about that…I let my nerves get the best of me. That’s all. You can’t tease me anymore.”
“I’ll be back,” he promised, then sauntered across the grass approaching a circle of cowboys.
Krista felt at ease. She leaned back, bracing her hands on the bale and watched Dodge. He seemed confident and happy talking to the other men. They were all about the same height, weight, and build…and she’d guessed they all worked hard around the ranch. Krista appreciated a hard worker, a man who liked getting his hands dirty, although she’d noticed that Dodge’s hands were scrubbed clean. Her mom always said, “A man who takes pride in work will always take pride in his life.”
She couldn’t help but wonder where she and Dodge would be now if she hadn’t left Florida. Would it be possible that they could still be married? With children?
Blowing out a long breath, she mulled over the idea of enjoying the week with him. Nirvana was beautiful and she loved being here, but this was dangerous and could be lethal. She was placing herself in a position of risk. Could she keep her emotions protected? She’d never been able to before. The alternative was to demand that he sign the papers, and then she’d leave. Why did the idea make her chest ache? Why did she feel as if neither decision was best?
Hearing giggling, she brought her attention across the yard. Dodge was no longer standing in the group of cowboys. She found him pouring beer from the keg, but he wasn’t alone. A scantily dressed woman was standing beside him, her arm hooked over his shoulder and her way-too-big breasts were pressed against his bicep. Ten years ago, Krista would have been overcome with jealousy, but now, she only felt a nudging of curiosity. Who was the woman? A guest? She was pretty and obviously hot for Dodge.
The woman stood on the toes of her boots and whispered something in his ear, but Dodge didn’t respond how one would expect. She could see in his profile that his jaw was tight and his gaze squinted. There was no mutual interest. Krista smiled. Why this brought her a sense of relief, she wasn’t sure, but it did.
Kaycee sat down next to her. “How are you enjoying the party?”
“I’m enjoying it. Everyone is welcoming, some even very friendly.” Krista couldn’t help that her gaze naturally darted in Dodge’s direction. The blonde was no longer pressed against him, but she stood close by, her hands tucked into her front pockets and the waist of her shorts were pulled down enough to reveal her flat stomach and a navel ring.
“I hope I’m not overstepping any boundaries here, but I get the feeling you and Dodge didn’t just meet. You got your eye on him like a woman who knows what he looks like under those Wranglers.”
“That obvious, huh?” Krista couldn’t lie to the other woman. “I’m afraid Dodge and I have what you call history. Not the greatest, but he sure as hell can still make my blood boil.”
Kaycee smiled. “That’s what I figured. I haven’t been around for long, but he’s a good guy. All of the cowboys are really. Especially my Chase.”
Krista saw the love in the other woman’s gaze as she looked at her husband who was standing at the fire pit. “Now I have a question that might be overstepping my boundaries a bit.”
“Ask away. I’m an open book.”
“Do you ever get frustrated living here? You know, with all of the single and obviously horny women?” Krista noticed that the blonde had stomped off from Dodge.
Kaycee inhaled and let it out slowly. “No, I don’t worry about Chase. If you only knew our past, you’d see that trust wasn’t always there, but when you love someone, you work through all of the hurdles. I love living here. Chase has a vision for this place and I share in the dream. A husband and wife have to support
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