Sprinkled with Love

This wasn’t a good idea. But her body betrayed her and gravitated toward him. His arms were bands of muscles from his years of manual labor. His skin was permanently tanned from his days on horseback. And as he drew her close, she caught a whiff of his woodsy scent. She inhaled deeper and suppressed a sigh.

She wanted to ask what had come over him, but the other part of her didn’t want to ruin this moment. Her brain had turned to mush and her heart was doing a happy tap dance in her chest. For this moment, she was going to enjoy herself. And as they made their way around the dance floor, she caught the scowl on her cousin’s face. Jillian reminded herself that Mary’s bad attitude wasn’t her problem.

Jillian tilted her chin upward until her gaze met Avery’s. “Thank you.”

“I didn’t do much,” he said modestly.

“Oh yes, you did. I don’t think anyone has ever made my cousin speechless before.”

“Has she always treated you like that?”

Jillian thought back, trying to recall a time when they got along. There wasn’t one memory that popped out in her mind—not as children and definitely not as adults. “I guess so. She always had to have the best. She always had to be the best. My mother blamed Mary’s attitude on her being spoiled as a child. I never wasted time thinking about it.”

“Something tells me she’ll never be content. Instead she’ll always be chasing after something bigger and better.”

Not wanting to squander this moment in his arms, Jillian changed the subject. “And how about you? Have you figured out what will make you happy?”

His gaze met hers. “I’m starting to get an idea.”

“Oh good. So you’ve figured out a way to buy the ranch?”

“Whoa! Slow down. I didn’t say that.”

“But you were going to. Come on, say it. Don’t keep me in suspense.”

He arched a brow. “Why do you care so much?”

She shrugged. “I just hate to see people give up on their dreams.”

“Is that all?”

“That’s all.”

“Well, I hate to disappoint you, but I applied to a few online banks and they turned me down too.”

“Don’t worry. Where there’s a will, there’s a way.”

He smiled at her, making her stomach somersault. “You seem awfully optimistic.”

“I am.”

“Seriously? Why are you so invested in me buying the ranch?”

“I just want you to be happy.”

“Even if my being happy means living out on the road, moving from town to town while risking life and limb on an ornery bronc?”

She was over him. It shouldn’t matter to her where he hung his cowboy hat. “Yes, even then.”

This conversation reminded her of all the reasons she’d put Avery Wainwright in her rearview mirror. He was a loner and didn’t stick around long enough to cool his heels. She hated that he was giving up so easily on buying the ranch.

She pulled back just a little. Avery gave her a puzzled look, but she ignored it. She needed to think clearly and being so close to him skewed her thoughts.

*

It wasn’t so bad after all.

At first, Avery was referring to the improvement with his leg. It appeared the damage wasn’t as severe as everyone had first suspected. Thank goodness.