The Cowboy’s Runaway Bride (BBW Romance - Billionaire Brothers 1) by Jenn Roseton

felt like it was breaking into a thousand pieces. But what else could she do? She loved Garrett too much to stand in the way of his happiness.
    But she’d never regret anything that had happened in the last five weeks. Not jilting Howard, nor meeting Garrett and falling in love with him. At least now she knew what real love was . And incredible sex.
    Maddie opened her wallet, took out the fifteen-hundred dollars Garrett had paid her that first week and placed it on the bed besides the note. She had a small amount of cash in her wallet. It would be enough to tide her over until her next paycheck from the library. Thank goodness she hadn’t gotten around to emailing her resignation letter. At least she had a job to go back to, if nothing else.
    Picking up the suitcase, she took one last look at the bedroom, remembering what Garrett had looked like that morning, the sunshine gleaming on his bare muscular chest as he hooked an arm around her, pulling her to him before kissing her senseless.
    She blinked fiercely. “Come on, Maddie,” she muttered. If she didn’t do this now, she wasn’t sure if she’d ever be able to.
    Trudging through the house, she let herself out through the back door, near the garage. Carol had gone home for the day. Although she’d ached to talk to Garrett once the housekeeper had told her the bad news about Farley, she’d thought that maybe a clean break would be best. Because when she was in his arms, it was easy to lose sense of all rational thought.
    Maddie looked around. There was no sign of Garrett in the courtyard, or riding across the pasture. “It’s for the best,” she whispered, opening the garage door and placing the suitcase in the trunk of the snazzy red car. Once she reached Portland, she’d arrange to have the car returned to him from the Wyoming airport. He’d be able to sell it and hopefully that would help him financially.
    The car roared to life. She buckled up, half hoping that Garrett would hear the engine and try to stop her, and half hoping that he wouldn’t discover she’d gone until she was on the plane. It would be easier that way.
    She drove out of the garage, down the winding driveway and out through the ranch gates. Nobody saw her. Nobody stopped her. She was truly on her own.
    “I love you, Garrett.” She wiped away a lone tear. Telling herself to be strong until she reached her destination, she accelerated. Once she was back in Portland, she could fall apart ...
    ###
    G arrett entered the kitchen. “Maddie?” He’d had a hell of a day and needed to talk to her, wrap his arms around her, just breathe in her scent of vanilla and peaches and kiss her. His groin tightened. Yeah. He definitely needed to kiss her. And then carry her off to the bedroom and sink into her, finding the desire, love and satisfaction in her arms that he’d found nowhere else in his life.
    And after that, he decided, they’d talk about the date for the wedding. Sooner, rather than later. He grinned. Definitely sooner.
    “Maddie?” He headed toward the master bedroom. Maybe she was taking a shower. He chuckled. He could do with a shower himself. Half expecting to hear the water running when he entered the bedroom, disappointment radiated through him when he realized she wasn’t in the bedroom or the bathroom.
    Where the hell was she?
    His eyes cut to the bed, and he frowned. Picking up the piece of paper lying on his pillow, he sat down heavily when he saw the neat bundle of cash folded next to it.
    Tear stains smudged the blue ink of the note. Garrett cursed, reading the note for the third time.
    "Dammit." He crumpled the note in his hand. Giving the money only a cursory glance, he left the cash where it was. Raking his hand through his hair, he pulled open the dresser drawers and stared into the closet. All her clothes were gone. Every single item.
    Her written words were burned in his brain. “ Carol told me about your grandfather‘s will.” “I can't marry you if it means