Page 306 of Cowboys & Navy SEALs
Conversation flowed easily between them as they made their way to the Ferris wheel. By the time they got in line, she managed to convince herself she’d only imagined seeing Gracie … or Alice. Nash’s sharp wit kept her laughing, and there was such a strong undercurrent of attraction running between them that she felt like a teenager again—out on a hot date with the man of her dreams. Sooner or later, she was going to have to rethink her anger towards her daddy, because things were working out better than she would’ve ever believed. When she and Nash had the conversation about just being friends, she nearly lost all hope of anything developing between them. Thankfully, she had enough sense to be patient and let things play out. She couldn’t pinpoint why the change had occurred. But these last few days, it was as if the sun had finally broken through the dark clouds. Ever since Nash returned from the bull-riding tournament in Vegas, things had been different. He took first place and returned to the ranch, almost giddy. Then he insisted on taking her out to celebrate. “There’s a carnival in Grandbury this weekend. Let’s go check it out,” he’d said. She’d played it cool, not showing too much excitement. In reality, she was ecstatic!
Grandbury was a stone’s throw from the ranch. With its nineteenth-century storefronts and quaint, historical houses, Grandbury was a popular spot for tourists. People came from miles around to attend the myriad of festivals held throughout the year. She’d been to Grandbury several times with her parentswhen she was a teenager but had never taken time to go as an adult. She’d overlooked Grandbury because she thought it was behind-the-times and hokey; but seeing it this evening as they drove to the carnival, she realized how wrong she was. It was a gem, and she’d totally overlooked it. What else had she overlooked? She never would’ve thought she would enjoy horseback riding, but she loved it! This whole experience was making her rethink many of the things she’d held as hard-fast truths.
She was jolted back to the present, as Nash began telling her all about the tournament the previous weekend. She smiled at the enthusiasm in his voice and the look of pride in his eyes as he recounted the thrill that shot through him when he got on the bull and slipped his hand through the rope. Then he described how the bull charged out like a fire-breathing demon when the gate opened. “For a minute there, I was afraid he had me and that I’d go flying straight over his horns. But by some miracle, I was able to stay on for the eight seconds.” He shot a fist in the air. “Whamo! The rest is history.”
A shiver ran down her spine. It was horrifying to think what could’ve happened if he’d gone over the bull. Myrna’s words came rushing back, driving home the fact that it wasn’t a matter ofifNash got hurt, butwhenhe would get hurt. His luck couldn’t hold out forever.
“Hey, are you okay?”
She nodded and looked away.
He looked bewildered. “What’s wrong?” When she merely shook her head, he cupped the curve of her cheek, lifting her eyes to his.
There was such tenderness in his voice that it evoked a deep longing, causing a lump to form in her throat. “I just don’t want anything to happen to you.”
He looked surprised … thoughtful … and then a smile twitched at the corners of his lips.
“What?” she demanded, not liking that he was laughing at her.
“You’re just worried that you won’t be able to find another cowboy who’s as hard-headed and conceited as I am.”
Irritation blistered over her like a sunburn on an albino, and she was about to let him have it, but then she saw the teasing in his eyes. He was pulling a classic Nash—diffusing a tense situation with humor. “Yep, that’s it. What can I say? You’ve got me all figured out.”
Time stood still as he locked gazes with her. “I have from the moment I laid eyes on you,” he murmured.
Her breath caught as she looked into those smoky blue eyes that had been hijacking her dreams for weeks now. The moment got deliciously slow as he encircled her waist and pulled her close to him, sending electricity racing through her veins.
“You look absolutely gorgeous tonight,” he whispered in her ear.
“Thank you,” she murmured, a ripple of pleasure running through her.
His lips touched hers.
“Hey, get a room!” This was followed by several wolf calls.
Nash jerked back, his eyes wide. They turned and saw a group of teenage boys, standing directly behind them in line. Heat burned Brooke’s cheeks. She’d gotten so caught up in the moment that she forgot anyone else was around.
“Hey, now,” Nash drawled with an easy laugh, “I was just kissing my wife.” He put a proprietary arm around Brooke, pulling her to him, as he winked. “Maybe one day, you’ll be lucky enough to have a girl like her.”
Brooke’s eyes went round, and she looked at Nash to see if he meant it. Then she looked at the boys who seemed embarrassedthat Nash had confronted them head on. The ringleader shook his head. “I hear ya, man,” he said admiringly. He held up a hand. “Y’all have a good night.”
“Oh, we certainly will,” Nash said, giving her a promising smile that sent tantalizing shivers circling down her spine.
It was their turn to get on the Ferris wheel. When they sat down in the chair and the bar closed, Nash scooted closer and put an arm around her. She leaned into the curve of his shoulder. Things were going so well that she could almost believe they’d never been apart. The chair rocked back as the large wheel turned and lifted them higher into the air. Lights from the town twinkled below, giving the illusion of being wrapped in a cocoon, where it was just the two of them in the entire world.
“Did you really mean what you said to those guys?”
“Which part?” he said playfully, trailing his fingertips up and down her arm.
She angled her face to his. He was so close that she could feel his breath. She could tell from the quirky grin on Nash’s face that he was toying with her. She certainly couldn’t fault him for that because they were cut from the same cloth. Nash was her equal in so many ways. “You’re making me work for this, aren’t you?”
He chuckled lightly, but there was a challenging look in his eyes. “Is that so bad?”
“Do you really feel lucky to have me?” She kept her voice light, but she couldn’t hide the urgency in her eyes. She needed to know for her own sanity where they stood.
“Immensely,” he murmured, trailing a finger down the curve of her cheek.
Her pulse began hammering in her chest. “Can we really make things work this time?”
