Cowboy Jackpot: St. Patrick's Day (6 page)

“Dude!” Rance called. “Way to hook a hot
one!”

“You’re serious?” Boone snapped. “You’re
really hitched?”

Dallas just cleared his throat.

“Serious.” Jayden finally looked at her and
his smile faded. “Stormie?” He leaned closer and his eyes narrowed.
“We talked about this in the suite. You said you wanted to give it
a try.”

“Give it a…” She rewound to their
conversation. She’d thought they were talking about sex. Not
marriage. She closed her eyes, opened them, and saw five pair of
eyes staring at her. “Excuse us a minute, please?” She elbowed
Jayden to get him moving.

“Well, hell.” Jayden’s voice came out
frustrated. “Guess the honeymoon’s over.”

“What?” Kira shouted.

Jayden stood and helped Stormie out of the
booth and put a hand on her back, guiding her through the bar.
Outside the entrance, he found a quiet corner and turned to her.
“Say it. Whatever it is, just say it.”

He looked so miserable, she wanted to pull
him into her arms and comfort him. But he’d just blurted to the
world that they were legally bound. “Jayden, I think we were
talking about two different things up in the suite.”

His brows lowered, then a look of
comprehension softened his face. “You were talking about sex?”

“And you were talking about our
marriage.”

He slowly shook his head. “How did we screw
that up?”

“Back at the table, when I said we had
something to share, I meant the jackpot.”

He stuffed his hands in his front pockets. “I
get that now.” He blew out a breath. “Shit, I’m thick
sometimes.”

Her anxiety left her. “No. We’re just too new
at this to try to guess what the other person’s talking about.”

He waited a few seconds. “So what now?”

Stormie glanced over Jayden’s shoulder into
the crowded bar. “I’d rather not go back in.” Tipping her head in
the direction of the hotel elevators, she gave him a half smile.
“I’d like a little time to think about this, if you don’t
mind.”

His head dropped and he let out a breath.
After a minute, he nodded. “Okay.” He looked around them. “Let me
walk you to the suite.”

She’d love that. The casino was rowdy this
time of night and he was always the gentleman. But if he walked her
to the suite door, she’d damn sure pull him inside with her. “Do
you mind sending Kira out?” She made a dramatic shiver. “May as
well get this lecture over with.”

One side of his mouth lifted in a cute smile.
“Sure.” He turned to go, then stopped and looked at her. “Do you
want to call me when you’re ready?” He blinked a couple times. “To
talk, I mean.”

Sweet contractions fluttered in her core. She
wanted to do more than talk. She wanted it all, but they’d start
with talking. Get the crazy notion of making this marriage work out
of his head. And hers. She nodded. “It won’t be long. I just need
to collect my thoughts.”

“Hey, I’m sorry I embarrassed you.” He looked
so young just then.

Stormie’s heart skipped a beat. They both
were young. “You didn’t, Jayden. If I was really your wife…for the
right reasons, I mean…” Sucking in a breath, she held it a moment.
“I’d be so proud to let everyone know.” A lump of regret slid along
her throat, choking her and burning in the back of her eyes.

Jayden looked at her for a long time, then
turned and walked away, his cowboy boots thudding on the hardwood
floor of the bar.

How would she ever be able to let him walk
away for good?

Less than a minute later, Kira walked out of
the bar, her “Bareback Riders Do It Best” T-shirt, jeans, and
cowgirl boots a complete departure from her usual designer
clothes.

Kira strode right up to her and grabbed her
in a hug. “Are you okay?” She pulled back until they were face to
face.

“Of course I’m okay.” Stormie put a few
inches between them. “I appreciate your concern, but I just wanted
to be sure you wouldn’t tell anyone about this.”

Setting her fists on her hips, Kira lifted a
brow. “That’s what you wanted? To warn me? I’m concerned for you,
and you just want to make sure I can keep a secret?”

Stormie ducked her head, her stomach
clenched. “Sorry.” She gestured. “Walk to the gift shop with me,
I’ve got to get a few things.”

Kira dropped her arms. “At least tell me
you’re going to buy condoms. You do know about safe sex, don’t
you?”

Stormie linked her arm through her cousin’s.
“No.” She used her ditzy blonde voice. “Tell me all about it.”

Kira laughed. “Just tell me you know what
you’re doing with Jayden, and I won’t worry.”

“I know what I’m doing with Jayden.” Stormie
had absolutely no idea what she was doing with Jayden. She tugged
Kira’s arm and they headed for the other side of the casino.

After shopping for essentials and a few silly
Vegas mementos while talking about the hazards and pleasures of
dating rodeo cowboys, Stormie pressed the up-button for the hotel
elevator. “I’ll be okay now.” She looked around. “But what about
you?”

Kira grinned. “Wait for it.”

“For what?”

Kira looked around, spotted someone, and
smiled. “Dallas.” She gestured to where the cowboy was walking
toward them. “Another thing about cowboys. They’re protective, but
not smothering.”

Dallas stopped a few feet in front of them.
“I’ll ride up with you and wait outside the room until you’re
done.” He adjusted his hat. “No hurry.”

Stormie liked him. He was perfect for her
cousin. Where Kira was loud and brash, Dallas’s quiet confidence
grounded her. “We’re done. I can go up alone.”

“Uh.” Dallas frowned. “If it’s okay, Stormie,
I’d rather—”

“No sense arguing, Storm.” Kira leaned in and
kissed her cowboy. “He’ll see you right to your door.”

Dallas’s lips curved into the first smile
Stormie had seen on him tonight. He nodded.

The elevator doors opened, they stepped in,
and Stormie used her keycard in the slot and pressed the button for
the top floor.

“You’re staying in a suite?” Kira’s eyes
popped wide.

“With all the excitement downstairs, we never
got the chance to tell you.”

Dallas’s eyes narrowed. “Jay said you’d
gotten lucky at poker.
How
lucky?”

Stormie smirked and shrugged. “Remember how
much you won at roulette last month?”

Kira gasped. “Really?”

Stormie nodded. “Almost twice that.” A giggle
escaped her. “We’re splitting it, me and Jayden.”

Kira squealed and hugged her. “That is so
awesome.”

Dallas’s barely-there smile grew deeper.
“Jayden’s a lucky man. Twice over.”

At his kind words, that strange burning
flared behind her eyes again.

“God bless you, Dallas Burns.” Kira took his
hand. “You say the sweetest things.”

Stormie caught a glimpse of a blush under
Dallas’s tan skin as he tipped his head down and cleared his
throat. The elevator doors opened and he pressed a hand to the
frame, letting the ladies out first. He stepped out and leaned into
a corner. “Take your time, sweetheart.” He tipped his hat. “Night,
Stormie.”

“Thanks, Dallas.” Stormie gave him a little
wave and walked down the hall with Kira. “He’s a great guy.”

Kira glanced over her shoulder and her cheeks
flushed peachy pink. “He’s the best I’ve ever known.”

“So?” Stormie stopped at the door marked,
“Hitchin’ Post.” “Why don’t you go for it?”

“It’s complicated. My parents…”

“I’ve got the same thing going on.” She took
a breath. Seeing Kira’s hesitation about a life shared with Dallas
made her reevaluate her own reluctance regarding one with Jayden.
“We’ve got to do what makes us happy. Not what makes our parents
happy, and us miserable.” Now the hard part. Taking those words to
heart and applying them to her own life.

Kira stared at her for long seconds. “When
did you get so frickin’ smart?”

Stormie shrugged. “Actually, just this
minute.” She was going to surrender to her instinct. Let herself go
and just feel, not overthink this the way she did everything else.
She had to give a relationship with Jayden a try, even if it didn’t
work out.

If she didn’t, she’d regret it her whole
life.

After a quick hug and promise to get together
the next day, Kira walked down the hall toward her cowboy.

Stormie closed the door but looked out the
security peephole. Kira stood in front of Dallas, her hands on his
shoulders. Her lips were moving, and Dallas was intent, perfectly
still. He spoke, she nodded, and he tipped his head back let out a
loud, “Yee-haw!”

Kira looked around, but Dallas grabbed her
ass with both hands and picked her up, pressing her tight against
him.

Kira’s arms snaked around his neck, and she
tipped her head for a kiss.

Stormie turned away and leaned back against
the door. Had Kira finally given everything to her cowboy?

Stormie imagined letting herself slide into a
relationship with Jayden. He’d been brave enough to open his heart
and tell her he wanted to give their marriage a try. He’d even
looked happy when he’d admitted it to their family and friends.

She laughed. The sex part, that would be
easy. The rest of it—a real relationship—that would take a lot of
time and a lot of work. But, she was willing. Before her cautious,
over-analyzing brain had a chance to break into her sweet, joyous
instinct, she pulled out her phone and dialed Jayden’s number. “Hi,
Cowboy. Busy?”

****

Jayden hadn’t figured Stormie would call so
soon. He thought he’d be spending the night in the room he and
Rance were sharing. “No.” He looked at Gigi and Boone, who sat
watching him. He’d just told them about his jackpot win in an
attempt to steer the conversation away from his impulse
marriage.

“Want to come upstairs?” Stormie’s voice was
quiet.

“Sure.” He stood.

“Don’t hurry if you want to spend more time
with your family.” She sounded cheerful. That was good,
hopefully.

“I’ll be there in a few minutes.”

When Stormie hung up, he slid his phone into
his pocket and took another look at Boone’s angry stare. The moment
Kira and Dallas had left the table to find Stormie, his big brother
had gone off on a rant about irresponsibility, sending Rance
high-tailing it toward the bar.

“I’m going up to talk to Storm.” He pressed
his palms on the table and leaned toward Gigi and Boone. “We have a
lot to talk about, a lot to work out.”

Boone pointed at him. “You’d better not hurt
that little lady, or you’ll find out what it feels like to be
stomped on by a piss-angry bull.”

“Boone.” Gigi grimaced then looked at Jayden.
“We know you’ll do the right thing.” She patted her husband’s hand.
“We’re just a little shocked to find out about your marriage this
way.”

Jayden hung his head. “I was hoping it was
all a dream.”

Boone smacked the table. “That’s another
thing. Getting drunk, yeah, sure. But getting married?” He shook
his head. “Most people get a tattoo or find a cathouse when they’re
drunk. Why the hell did you get hitched?”

Gigi smiled. “Something was missing in your
life, Jayden.”

“Baby.” Boone’s tone was a quiet warning, but
Gigi ignored it.

“I’m not saying that getting married was the
right thing to do.” She glanced at the rings on her left hand. “But
there’s something you wanted to gain from doing it, and you should
figure out what that is before you make any decisions about
Stormie.”

Boone nodded. “I guess she’s right.” He
lifted a brow. “As usual. But just keep in mind
my
little
piece of advice, too.” He narrowed his gaze on Jayden. “Don’t hurt
Stormie.”

“Ain’t gonna.” Jayden straightened up and
winked at Gigi. “Thanks for the guidance, little sister-in-law.” He
headed out of the bar, giving a lot of thought to her words. What
had he expected to gain from marrying Storm?

The casino was busy with partying rodeo fans.
He wound his way toward the elevators, keeping his head down in
case anyone recognized him. He almost laughed. With his career
hanging from the last rung of the ladder, he wasn’t exactly a fan
favorite anymore.

It had felt good to talk to Stormie last
month about his fear of failure. She was a good listener,
intelligent, and always had a positive word for him. Was that why
he wanted to hook up with her? Because of her strength? The way she
liked to tackle problems?

He stepped into the elevator next to a young
couple. They pressed a button, Jayden slid in his suite keycard,
and pressed the button for the top floor.

The couple looked at him, probably wondering
who he was. Right now, nobody. But with Stormie’s help, he might be
able to figure out what was going on in his head. Maybe pull his
career out of the dirt. And if not, she’d help him handle the
disappointment of not making it big.

He frowned. Was that all he wanted from her?
Someone to prop him up until he could stand on his own? No. There
was more. There was a whole lot more. He needed to name it now,
before talking with Stormie, or she’d be history.

When the elevator doors opened on his floor,
he stepped out and paced. It couldn’t be love. Not yet. But he was
hopeful. He could almost see a future with Stormie, and he honestly
hoped it would work out. He’d give it his best effort, too. Give
her and their marriage everything he had. He stopped and nodded.
That’s what he’d go in armed with; hope and promises.

Sliding the card in the door, he opened it to
find Stormie standing in front of the window, looking out at the
mountains. She turned, a champagne glass in her hand. “Hi.”

“Hi.” He stepped forward to the couch that
stood between them. She’d turned on the fireplace, and the warmth
surrounded him. “I’m real sorry I embarrassed you down in the
bar.”