Tempting Love (Cowboys & Angels 3)

“Well, son, dust off your old work boots and get you some good gloves. There’s a shit ton of work to be done on this ranch. If my memory is correct, I believe you wanted to talk to me about horses.”

“Mitchell? Hello? Mitch?”

Lifting my head, I found Corina standing in front of me.

“Wow! You were in deep thought. What was that all about?”

I grinned. “Nothing. I was thinking about my conversation with Dad last night.”

“He sure seemed happy after you guys came out of his office. I don’t think I’ve ever seen him so gleeful.”

Standing, I pulled her to me and kissed her on the lips. “Me neither.”

I took her hand, and we started toward our gate. One of the things I loved about Corina was that she didn’t push. She could have asked what we had talked about, why Dad had been so happy, but she didn’t. She respected the fact that we’d talked in private. I loved how she always let me come to her with things and didn’t pressure me. It reminded me of my mother. When I was little and our father would be upset about something, my mother would always say, “When he’s ready to talk about it, he will. Until then, wait patiently until he feels like he’s ready to let the burden go.”

Corina and I were lucky to learn that lesson quickly in our relationship. We would never hold anything back from one another, but we would also never pressure each other.

We took a seat at our gate and Corina wrapped her arm under mine. When she looked up at me with those big blue eyes, I couldn’t help but smile.

“What?” I asked.

“Let’s people watch!”

Letting out a half-laugh, I took her hand in mine. I couldn’t wait to slip the ring I was carrying in my backpack onto her finger. I couldn’t wait to make Corina my wife.

My gaze took in her beautiful face as she looked around. I’d never in my life felt so complete. Everything was falling into place.

Pam, my brother’s fiancée, sat next to me while we got our nails done. She was silent as all get out and for some reason, I didn’t get the feeling it was nerves.

“Do you need me to help with any last-minute things?” I asked.

With a dumbfounded look on her face, she turned to me. “What?”

“Do you need help with anything?”

Pam was the one who had suggested we get our nails done. She felt like she needed to spend more time with her future sister-in-law, which was strange since we had grown up together. She had only lived a few blocks from us and was always at the house, even before she and my brother, Rick, started dating.

“Um, no. Everything is ready to go. My mother made sure of that. I’m sure Lori has mentioned what a pain in the ass my mother has been.”

I gave her a weak smile. There was no way I was going to tell her that my mother had indeed filled me in on Pam’s over-the-top mom and her antics.

“She hasn’t mentioned it.”

Pam huffed. “Then she is a saint. I’m losing my mind, Corina. All I wanted was a simple wedding. Marry the man of my dreams. My mother is making it a nightmare.”

“Why don’t y’all elope?”

Pam froze and I quickly realized what I had said.

“Wait. Did you just say…y’all?”

I shrugged. “I guess I’ve been in Texas long enough for it to rub off on me.”

She winked. “Or you’re spending a lot of time with that hunk of hotness you call a boyfriend.”

“Pam! You’re marrying my brother. You can’t say that about my boyfriend.”

Pam rolled her eyes. “Please, I’m still allowed to look, and honey, when a man that handsome comes around women are going to look.”

My chest felt heavy. It was hard to deny that no matter where we went, women stared at Mitchell. I’d even heard them say things about him—things that made my stomach tight with disgust. Of course, Mitchell seemed to be clueless about it all.

“You don’t get bothered by all the eyes staring at him?” Pam asked.

I shrugged. “I don’t know. Sometimes it bothers me, but I don’t blame that on Mitchell. He doesn’t even seem to notice.”

Pam grinned from ear to ear. “Oh trust me, Corina. That man only has eyes for you.”

My cheeks heated.

“Don’t pretend like you don’t know that man worships the ground you walk on. The way he looks at you? It’s like he breathes when you breathe. Moves when you move. It’s utterly romantic.”

I smiled. “Well, we had a bit of a long journey to get where we are now. Things happened slowly, then really fast.”

“Have you guys said the L word yet?”

When I didn’t answer right away, she grabbed my hand. “Oh. My. Gosh. Corina! Have you?”

I covered my mouth to hide the silly young-girl giggle that was threatening to come out.