The Cowboy Takes a Bride. Debra Clopton

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      “You’re not hurt?” he asked, embarrassed that he was grinning with her. She could be hurting despite her laughter. People reacted strangely to pain sometimes.

      She nodded. “I’m fine.” Her features relaxed a bit as she took a slow breath. Her dimples didn’t completely disappear, leaving her with a mischievous look. He wondered if that was a true reflection of what lay beneath that lively persona.

      “Sugar, what in the world happened?”

      Ross looked up to find Haley Wells, Mule Hollow’s only real-estate agent, standing in the doorway of her office. “She took a tumble and now she can’t seem to stop chuckling,” he said.

      “That’s Sugar. When she gets tickled, she can’t stop laughing sometimes,” Haley declared. A phone inside the office started ringing. “Busy day! Help her, Ross, I’ve got to get that call. Boy, am I glad you’re here to help me, Sugar!”

      “Sure thing,” Ross replied. He’d already planned to help her up. He was more than aware that he liked what he saw when he looked at her. Though he wasn’t fond of the zebra-striped pants and the skyscraper heels, he did like those dimples. The woman’s face was open and inviting, with a girl-next-door appeal that hooked him. And there was something extraordinary in the way her eyes captured the light.

      “Thanks, cowboy.” She took his offered hand with a firm grasp and smiled as she rose to her feet.

      “Ross Denton, glad to be of service.” Still holding her hand, Ross felt a kick of pure attraction that sent his pulse humming.

      “Sugar Rae Lenox. I used to be Haley’s assistant in L.A.” She tugged her hand free and waved toward the building. “I’m here to help run her office for a short while.”

      He noted the “short while” with disappointment. “Nice to meet you, Sugar Rae. You must get asked this all the time, but are you named after Sugar Ray Leonard?”

      She nodded. “It’s a long story, though, and I have to get moved in here, so I won’t bore you with it right now. Thanks for picking me up off the ground.” She turned back to the vehicle and grabbed hold of another suitcase. The way she’d packed the back end of her station wagon rivaled the dam-building techniques of his pesky beavers.

      “Here, let me get that for you.” He reached out for the handle.

      “No need, I can get this one. I packed it.”

      “Looks like you used a bulldozer.”

      “How did you guess?”

      He eyed the conglomeration of suitcases, boxes and housewares stuffed inside the car. “Just lucky. But really, I’ll help you unload that. Here.” He carefully tugged the suitcase out and then a few boxes, setting them on the sidewalk between them.

      Sugar shrugged. “Suit yourself, cowboy. I’m certainly not going to turn down two strong arms. But I’m going to warn you one last time. If you know what’s good for you, you’ll turn and run far, far away. Unpacking my stuff is going to be a challenge you might regret getting involved with.”

      “Sugar,” he drawled, grinning into her playful eyes. “I do believe I’m up for the challenge.”

      She arched an eyebrow. “Oh yeah, cowboy? We’ll just have to see about that, won’t we?”

      She was teasing, but he wasn’t. Looking at her, he knew he meant it.

      Only minutes ago he’d thought this was going to be a dismal day.

      Wrong. The day’s potential had just skyrocketed, and gauging by the twinkle in her eyes, the days to come in Mule Hollow promised to be anything but dull.

      

      The lyrics of “I Need a Hero” were playing inside Sugar’s head as she and the ever-so-dashing Ross the cowboy grinned at each other.

      Who was this gorgeous guy? Okay, back it up, sister! She was not here to flirt, date or otherwise entangle her personal life in this tiny town. She wasn’t here because she actually wanted to be…oh no, this city gal wanted to be back in L.A. starring in the fantastic romantic comedy in which she’d almost scored the leading role. The one that, like all the others, she’d just barely missed out on. She didn’t have time for real-life romance—she was here because her dreams were going down the tubes and she was desperate to make something happen. Age mattered in Hollywood, and if she wanted to be America’s next sweetheart then she had to give her acting career a shot in the arm before she was considered over the hill! Mule Hollow was that shot. She was here to get a play going, a summer stock that would get some buzz happening. Then she’d be back to L.A., where she could finally snag some much-needed attention from those directors who kept passing her over.

      So there, she told herself firmly. She wasn’t here to gawk at gorgeous cowboys with striking green eyes and sexy voices. But still…The thing was she did need a hero for the show she was going to produce, and if this walking, talking, long tall Texan wanted the job, he had it. On the spot.

      “I’m back,” Haley said, bursting through the open doorway and interrupting Sugar’s runaway thoughts. “Grab a bag, everyone, and let’s get the apartment unlocked before the phone rings again,” she added in a rush. “Lately there are more and more people calling and wanting to look at property out here. You just wouldn’t believe how Molly’s articles have attracted people to this area.”

      “That’s great to hear,” Sugar said. Molly was a journalist who lived in Mule Hollow and wrote a syndicated column about life there—the town that had advertised for women to come and marry all their lonesome cowboys. The column was unbelievably popular, and Sugar was counting on that popularity to help her make her dreams come true. This was going to work. It had to. And looking at the handsome cowboy beside her helped keep her thinking positive.

      Haley grabbed one of the cases “Ross the hoss” had set on the sidewalk while Sugar had been drooling over him, and headed toward the side of the building.

      Sugar grabbed the box at her feet as Ross slipped the strap of her travel bag over his arm, then picked up her two larger suitcases. His cowboy hat dipped as he motioned for her to go ahead of him. Nerves jangling, she led the way around the corner to where Haley was already climbing the stairs up the side of the building.

      “I came in earlier and turned on the air for you,” Haley said as she pushed open the door at the top of the stairs.

      Sugar followed her. The blast of coolness was a welcome feeling from the end-of-June heat. Inside, she stopped short. “Oh. How cute!”

      “No lie.” Ross peeked in over her shoulder, effectively distracting Sugar with his closeness. The man smelled good.

      “I bet it never looked this nice before,” he stated, his breath whispering across her cheek.

      Sugar inhaled slowly, turning her head toward him. Their faces were not even three inches apart. “It’s lovely,” she said, clearly not talking about the apartment. His beautiful green eyes darkened with interest. Instantly, her mouth went dry.

      “I couldn’t agree more,” he said, lowering his voice to a raspy rumble. “Do you mind?”

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