Free Cowboy Candy by C C Blaze Page B

.”
“Oh? What’s that?”
The old woman winked and whispered.
“Did ya’ go for the drop-dead gorgeous?”
Maddy blushed again.
“How’d you know?”
Mabel grinned.
“Cuz’ that’s what every gal in these parts buys when they’re lookin’ to
lasso a cowboy.”
They laughed again and gave each other a hug.
“I’ll see you this weekend, thanks for the coffee!"
Miss Mabel smiled and waved.
She smiled to herself as she went back
to the diner.
She entered, and placed her hands on her hips.
“Alright, time to pass the hat! We’ve got a weddin’ on our hands!”
CHAPTER 27
    Maddy’s cabin was her sanctuary. She had scoured and scrubbed it from
top to bottom. It was decorated with black and white framed photos that
she had taken while walking in the woods at the ranch.
She had painted
some of the walls a pale butter yellow and purchased a cayenne red sofa and
loveseat.
She loved coming home after work and relaxing with a good
book, or a shovel in her hand. She was an avid gardener and her vegetable
and flower gardens and pots added a bright splash of color to her little
corner of the world.
    Every night, she had quietly worked to clear out the pathway leading
from her porch to the thermal pool below, determined to create an
enchanting spot in which to relax. One particularly warm evening, she was
carefully pruning some of the wisteria trees into an archway. Lost in her
own thoughts, she suddenly heard a twig snap behind her and spun around,
panicked.
    She placed her hand over her heart.
“Dusty...oh, my word...you scared me half to death.”
He
had something
behind his
back
and walked towards
her,
concerned.
     
“Mad, I’m sorry...didn’t know you were so jumpy,” he apologized.
    She smiled, “I’m not. Guess I was just concentrating on which one of
these branches to trim,” she lied. She had been thinking about Dusty nearly
every minute, of every day since they met.
    He walked over and towered above her, like a giant oak tree. She
gazed up at his sky blue eyes and black lashes, and resisted the urge to reach
up and run her hands along his jawline. He had a sexy five o’clock shadow
and looked like he had stepped out of the pages of a magazine.
    “There’s some iced coffee over there on the table if you want, help
yourself,” she said as she returned to her tree trimming.
“Thanks, don’t mind if I do,” he replied. She heard coffee pouring
into a glass. “You want some?”
“No thanks, I already had three,” she laughed.
She figured if she kept busy long enough, maybe he’d go away. His
physical presence was overwhelming sometimes, making it difficult to
concentrate. Hell, he made it difficult to breathe. He was drinking his
coffee and could not force himself to look away from her. She had her
long hair pinned up from the heat, and wore some cut off levis and a tank
top.
Damn, those legs, those thighs, that sweet little behind...she was
driving him crazy.
He’d been a perfect gentleman all of these months. Sure, he’d tried to
kiss her a few times, and gauging from her reaction . . . she didn’t mind. He
wanted to make a move, but took the noticably absent bandannas as a sure
sign that she absolutely wanted nothing to do with him.
"Amazing," he whispered.
"What was that Dusty, I couldn't hear what you said," she asked
looking over her shoulder.
He
cleared his
throat, "Amazing...and I'm
not
talking
about
the
Diamond, either." he said with a penetrating stare. He walked towards her
and she suddenly felt weak in the knees. He smelled of sweat and after
shave. She breathed in, trying to concentrate.
As she reached up to lop off another branch she could hear his
footsteps getting closer until finally he was standing a few mere inches
behind her. "Allow me, mademoiselle." he spoke in a husky voice. As he
stepped behind her, he reached up for the tree trimmer and pressed his
body against hers.
“Hey, cut that out . . . I’m not finished yet,” she teased.
“Just trying to help little