Cowboy Jackpot: St. Patrick's Day by Randi Alexander Page B

had
he gotten so wise in just the last few hours?
    His blue eyes watched her with an intensity
that rattled her deep inside. “That’s why I want a divorce,
Storm.”
    She swallowed the cry that threatened to
burst from her aching heart. “I don’t blame you. It’s probably for
the best.” She almost choked on the lie and glanced away from him,
sucking in breaths to keep herself from acting stupid and weeping,
or falling into his arms, or begging for another chance. The guy at
the pump behind them had given up the pretense of cleaning his
windows and was blatantly eavesdropping. She frowned at him.
    Jayden followed her gaze. He turned toward
the guy and fisted his hands. “You done?”
    He nodded and jumped into his car, backing
out and taking a wide path around them.
    Jayden looked back at her. “Wanna go
somewhere and talk?”
    She shook her head. “Let’s finish this here.
It’s getting late and I want to cover some miles before I stop for
the night.”
    His breath came faster. “I followed you here
because I don’t want you to go home. At least, not without me.”
    She had to pause and rethink what his words
meant. “You just said you want a divorce.”
    “Stormie.” His voice was quiet as he took her
arms in his big hands and pulled her closer. “I want to divorce you
to wipe this all away. Then I want to sign a pre-nup and get
remarried.”
    A bubble of joy burst through her sadness,
but she couldn’t let herself get pulled back in without taking time
to clear her head first. “Tell me the truth, Jayden. Have you ever
thought about my money? My horses?”
    He dropped his hands. “Of course I did.” His
voice went quiet. “Wouldn’t you if the situation was reversed? If
you were a broke cowgirl, and I owned a big old stud ranch.”
    She glanced away and looked at him from under
her lashes. He was saying all the right things, but she fought the
instinct that told her she could trust him again. “I guess I
would.”
    He rubbed his jaw. “Stormie, your money,
that’s not why I’m here. This—you and me—is something I want to go
after, hold on to, and see if it will work for us. Hell yes, I’ll
divorce you. I’ll sign an iron-clad pre-nup. I’ll even wait to
marry you in a big church with a thousand guests if you want.”
    She’d always dreamed of a big church wedding,
but their back seat ceremony in the cab made her ridiculously
happy, too. “I don’t know.” She touched her forehead. “I’m reeling
from everything right now.” She looked toward the east. “Let me
have some time to think about it.”
    “All the time you want, Stormie.” He moved
right in front of her. “Let me come back to OKC with you. Drop me
off at a hotel in town, come and see me when you feel like you’ve
got your head in the right place again. I’ll wait. I got nowhere
more important to be.”
    “You’d do that?” Everything inside her turned
to honey and she wanted so badly to be in his arms. The fog in her
brain started to clear. “What about the circuit?”
    “Rodeo is important.” He set his warm hand on
her shoulder, his thumb tracing a pattern on the tender skin under
her ear. “The rodeo school is important. The money is important.”
He let out a breathy laugh. “Storm, right now, I’m gonna put
everything on hold for you.” He looked deep into her eyes. “You’re
why my heart beats.”
    Her knees wobbled and she reached for
him.
    He had her in his arms, tight against him,
before her next breath.
    “Jayden Hancock.” She loved this man. The
certainty of it whacked her like a horse tail across the face. “I
like you too much for my own good.”
    “Like?” His smile was hesitant. “It’s a
start.” He kissed her, just a quick press of his firm lips on her
quivering ones.
    She. Would. Not. Cry. Her regret, her relief,
and her love for Jayden whirled around in her. With a shaky inhale,
she let a single sob escape.
    He guided her head to his shoulder and rocked
her gently, back and