Roses and Rodeo (Rough and Ready) (16 page)

Instinctively she caught the bouquet, without intending to. The next thing she knew everyone was laughing and congratulating her. She wanted to pass the flowers to someone else but it was too late. She groaned.

“Ha.” Sabrina grinned as she went up to Carly. “It was meant to be.”

“Pleeeeease.” Carly held up the bouquet. “This should go to one of your sisters.”

“Too late.” With a laugh, Sabrina set her hand on her friend’s forearm. “Don’t mess with fate.”

Carly rolled her eyes. “As if.”

“I know you’re dating Mike for fun.” Sabrina glanced toward the handsome best man. “Maybe it’s time you break it off with him and find someone who rocks your boat.”

“You’re forgetting that I already did rock the boat that day we went fishing on the lake, and that was with Mike.” Carly grinned at the memory of nearly capsizing the little fishing boat with her and Sabrina ending up in the water. “That was good enough for me.”

Sabrina laughed, a curl falling into her eyes, escaping the upswept hairdo. She brushed it out of her face. “That doesn’t count. You pitched us both into the lake.”

Carly shrugged. “Just goes to show that rocking my boat isn’t enough.”

“Hold onto those flowers.” Sabrina pointed to the bouquet. “They belong to you now.”

The moment Sabrina went off to join her new husband, Wyatt Cameron, Carly slipped away, into the resort hotel and to the room where they kept their purses. She set the bouquet with her purse. She was
not
going to carry that thing around, as if she was shopping for the marrying kind of man.

When she walked out of the room she nearly ran into Dillon Cameron and he caught her by her shoulders. Flutters exploded in her belly as she looked into his brilliant Cameron blue eyes and felt the heat of his palms through the satin bridesmaid’s dress.

His brown hair was a little tousled from the breeze outside where the wedding had been and where the reception was currently being held. She swallowed past the sudden dryness in her throat as she looked at the exquisite picture the cowboy made in his black western tux that he’d worn as one of Wyatt’s ushers.

All night, even during the wedding, her gaze had been drawn to the man as if her eyes had a mind of their own. He’d caught her at it a couple of times. She hadn’t had a chance to meet him, but she’d wanted to.

Dillon gave a slow, sexy smile. “Carly, right?”

She simply nodded, unused to being at a loss for words. Heck, she was never at a loss for words. Why now? He released her and that seemed to release her tongue, too. “You’re Dillon, Wyatt’s brother.”

“Yep.” He smiled. “You’re seeing Wyatt’s best man, Mike Sharpe.”

She shrugged. “We like to have a little fun together.”

A sexy light appeared in his eyes as if she’d just given him an invitation. “Will you be at the party tonight?”

He was talking about the party that the bride and groom’s friends were having once the pair took off for their honeymoon.

“I’m going with Mike.” She took a step back, feeling suddenly nervous. “I’d better get back to the reception. See you around, Dillon.”

I’m sure we will.” His slow drawl sent a thrill through her body.

Heart pounding for no apparent reason, she turned and walked back toward the reception, feeling the heat of his gaze on her back.

Damn, she was hot. Dillon watched Carly head away, his gaze on the way her blue dress hugged her ass. The dress reached mid-thigh and she had long, sexy legs that stirred his imagination in a number of ways.

He headed toward the men’s room, his thoughts consumed with the way the dress had bared her shoulders and clung to her curvy figure. If he didn’t get his mind elsewhere, he was going to be sporting a hard-on throughout the rest of the party.

He’d caught her looking at him a couple of times during the wedding and reception with her beautiful lavender eyes, but he hadn’t had a chance to get away from toasts and wedding photos long enough to talk to her. He’d known she was dating Mike, but didn’t know the state of their relationship. Hell, he still didn’t. For all he knew, Mike was serious about her. If he were, Dillon would back right off. But if Mike wasn’t serious…

Just when he reached door to the men’s room, Mike walked out and into the hallway. “Hey, Dillon.”

“Hi, Mike.” Dillon gave a nod. Speak of the devil. “I hear you’re going to the party with that cute thing, Carly.”

“She’s that all right.” Mike grinned. “Cute and sexy as hell.”

Dillon hooked his thumbs in his belt loops. “What’s the story with you two?”

With a shrug, Mike said, “We’re good friends. Why, you interested in her?”

“Might be,” Dillon said. “If you’re just friends, mind if I ask her out?”

 “You like to play the field, Dillon.” Mike frowned and put his hands in his back pockets. “I don’t want to see her get hurt.”

“The last thing I want to do is hurt Carly.” Dillon’s expression was serious.

“If Carly wants to date you then I’m not standing in your way.” Mike studied Dillon. “But you mess around with her feelings and I’m going to have to kick your ass all over the state.”

“I have a feeling that woman can hold her own real well.” Dillon slapped Mike on his shoulder. “See you at the poker game.”

* * * * *

Carly braced her hands on the back of Mike’s chair as she watched the poker game with the Cameron men along a couple of their friends, including Mike. He was holding his own and it was down to him and Dillon who had the biggest pile of chips.

Throughout the game she’d had a hard time keeping her eyes off a Dillon and again he’d caught her at it. Like the other men, he’d taken off his western tux jacket leaving him in a shirt that was snug across his muscular chest and fit his broad shoulders just right. He had his shirtsleeves rolled up and she liked watching the way the muscles in his arms flexed when he dealt. Every now and then their gazes would meet and she’d feel a warm flush throughout her body.

She looked over Mike’s shoulder. He had a straight flush. He set his cards down and shoved most of his chips into the middle of the table.

Dillon studied Mike for a moment, then his cards. “I’m all in,” he said and pushed everything he had in.

Mike looked at the remainder of his chips then looked at Dillon.

“Have anything else you’d like to wager?” Dillon asked.

Mike glanced up at Carly then back to Dillon. “Got anything in mind?”

Dillon met Carly’s gaze. “The rest of the weekend with Carly if I win. If you win you can buy Rocket.”

Carly’s jaw dropped and the other men around the table hooted and laughed.

“That is one deal too good to miss,” Ty Sharpe, Mike’s cousin, said. “Mike’s been trying to buy that stallion off Dillon for the past year.”

“I think
not
,” she said.

“Come on, Carly.” Wayne, Dillon’s brother, grinned. “You’ll sweeten the pot.”

Zane nodded. “I’d like to see this.”

Mike glanced up at Carly.

She put her hands on her hips. “Are you serious, Mike Sharpe? You’d trade me in a poker game?”

“Anything else you’d take?” Mike looked sheepish as he asked Dillon the question.

Dillon shook his head. “Carly or nothing.”

Wayne laughed. “It’s all in good fun, Carly.”

She held back a smile. It was kind of funny—she’d never had men fight over her before—so to speak.

“Let me see your cards again, Mike.” She sat on his knee and looked at his cards. A straight flush, ace to five. “All right.” She glanced up at Dillon. “Do I have to sit in the middle of the table?”

The men chuckled.

“You’re fine right where you are.” Dillon leaned forward. “But when I win you have to come sit on
my
knee.”

Carly felt her cheeks flush. She tilted her chin up. “Daytime only if you win. But when you lose, Mike gets to buy that horse.”

“It’s a deal.” Dillon winked at her.

Mike laid down his cards. “Straight flush.”

Dillon’s eyes were totally on Carly as he laid down his own cards. “Royal flush.”

Carly’s eyes widened and this time she burned with heat all over. She had just been won in a poker game.

The men around the table were grinning and laughing. She tore her gaze from Dillon to Mike.

Mike wore a smile. “You know Dillon was just kidding.”

Dillon shook his head. “I wasn’t kidding.

She swallowed and met Dillon’s blue eyes again. He patted his knee and beckoned to her.

“You can’t be serious,” Mike said. “That was a joke.”

“Like I said, I wasn’t kidding.” Dillon looked at Carly. “You know I wasn’t.”

“You’re right..” She stood. “When you made the bet I knew you were serious.” She looked at Mike. “I guess I’m Dillon’s for tomorrow.”

“The deal was for the rest of the weekend,” Dillon said.

Saturday and Sunday. She took a deep breath and walked over to him, hoping she wasn’t blushing all over, and perched on his knee. He eased his arm around her waist and her whole body started tingling. Like earlier when she’d first talked to Dillon, she was at a loss for words at the moment, which was entirely unlike her.

She hadn’t been this close to him before and she hadn’t realized just how good he smelled. Of man and leather, a combination she loved.

Dillon stood, easing Carly to the floor and taking by the hand. “Time to cash out and head home.” He looked at her. “How did you get here?”

“Mike.” She glanced at Mike who had a bemused expression then she looked at Dillon. “He picked me up at my house.”

Dillon slid his fingers over the back of her waist. “I’ll get you home tonight and then in the morning, you’re mine.”

# # #

Excerpt…
Champagne and Chaps

Cheyenne McCray

Wyatt Cameron’s gaze slowly traveled the room as he leaned up against the bar, one elbow and forearm on the polished hardwood surface. The lights were low, the wood-bladed fans stirring the air that carried smells of bar food and beer.

Stampede Bar was warm from all of the bodies packed into it and filled with music, laughter, and chatter. Wyatt tapped one boot in time with the song the live band, El Rio, was playing. Cowboys and cowgirls danced a lively two-step on the sawdust-strewn dance floor.

A pair of pool tables took up one end of the massive room and it looked like some serious games were going on while a couple of cowboys were throwing darts at a dartboard at the other end of the room. Most of the high tops were filled and every stool at the bar was taken.

“See anything you like?” Mike Sharpe said over the fiddle playing.

Wyatt gave his buddy a quick grin then took another drink of his longneck beer. “Still looking,” he said after a swallow. “I’ll know her when I see her.”

“Damn.” Mike glanced toward the door and gave a low whistle. “Take a look at that tall, sexy drink of water.”

Wyatt turned his attention to the door. His gaze went straight past the curvy woman to the petite gal behind her and his gut tightened. Light brown hair with blonde streaks, big eyes, and the type of smile that lit up even the dim bar. She was so damned pretty that he couldn’t take his eyes off her.

Wyatt said as he studied the woman who’d caught his eye, “I think I just fell in love with that little thing next to her.”

Mike looked amused. “Why don’t you turn on that Cameron charm and go meet the lady?”

Wyatt considered it for a moment. He didn’t want to pounce the moment they walked in the door. Well, maybe he did, but it wasn’t the real smart thing to do. “I’ll give them a moment to settle in.”

He watched the two as they made their way to the only available high top in the room. The petite woman wore a red blouse and blue jeans that hugged her cute little ass. A silver chain with a small medallion was at her throat and small silver hoops on her ears.

He couldn’t get himself to look away. She must have felt his gaze on her because she looked up and gave him a little smile before turning back to her friend.

“If that isn’t your cue, I don’t know what is,” Mike was saying. “I think you’d better get your ass over there before someone beats you to it.”

Wyatt grinned to himself. Damn, that woman was cute as hell. “I think you’re right.”

He set his empty longneck on the bar and headed toward the woman he had to have.

“That cowboy you just smiled at is on his way over.” Carly’s startling lavender eyes met Sabrina’s gaze. “I knew you’d be flirting from the moment you walked in.”

“I was not flirting.” Sabrina’s heart beat a little faster. “And you know I’m not ready to meet any guys.”

Carly combed her fingers through her dark hair. “You’re plenty ready. It’s been seven months since you and the idiot broke up.”

Idiot was right. Stephen was definitely one of those not-so-rare breeds.

Sabrina shook her head. “That’s not all. You know what I mean.”

“No, I don’t know,” Carly said. “There’s no reason you can’t get out and start living now.”

Sabrina held one palm to her belly. “I don’t know. I think it’s too soon—”

“That is one incredibly fine cowboy,” Carly interrupted. “Fine, fine, fine.”

That was so true, Sabrina thought as she watched the man’s easy approach from the corner of her eye.

He was tall and had a cowboy’s build with broad shoulders and lean hips. He wore a white dress shirt and a white Stetson along with Wrangler jeans. The shirt in no way disguised his muscular chest and arms.

Yummy.

Sabrina’s stomach flipped as the cowboy held her gaze and walked up to their table. He touched the brim of his hat as he looked from Sabrina to Carly.

“I’m Wyatt Cameron,” he said with a sexy smile that made her stomach drop to her toes.

Carly extended her hand. “Carly Abbot.”

Sabrina jumped when Carly elbowed her. Sabrina cleared her throat and offered her own hand. “Sabrina Holliday.”

His touch was warm as he gripped her hand for a few moments and held her gaze. A shiver ran down her spine as she met his gorgeous brilliant blue eyes.

“Are you part of the Cameron crew that I hear so much about over in the San Rafael Valley?” Carly tilted her head to the side. “You have a bunch of brothers.”