Rope My Heart A cowboy second chance romance

Chapter 26

Lily Mae

Eleanor gives me a look, she raises one of her eyebrows. "And Jax was just explaining to me, how you are organizing for everyone to bid on prizes to raise money for the charity. I hear that Jax here is being offered to act as a companion for the day. I think I might just have to come back for the event, Lily Mae. I mean I wasn't considering being here, but now, well it throws a whole new light on the matter."

Okay so now I am truly steaming mad, I bet you can see steam puffing out of both my ears right now like in a damn cartoon. Jax blushes, and so he should. "Jax, a word please," I say. He nods and disengages himself from Eleanor's hand.

"Go on without me, Wes," he says, "show Eleanor the paddocks please and don't forget the stage." Wes taps his cowboy hat in acknowledgement.

"What's up, Lily Mae?" He stands beside me, towering over me. God this man makes me spitting mad as hell and wanting him all the same time. How is that even possible?

"Can you stop flirting with my boss. You know what she is like, I've already explained she is a dragon inside a human body."

He lowers his head and whispers into my ear sending shivers all the way through my body, making my core tighten. "I wasn't flirting with her Lily Mae. You are the only girl I intend to do some flirting with, Sunset." His breath on my face is warm, his voice so darn husky that it makes my heart flutter and I have no right feeling this way.

"Well just stop it whatever you call it and be more," I search for the right word because right now I am so taken by his closeness and the fragrance of pine and pure masculinity that it's making my head spin right off my shoulders. "Profession, behave more professional. She's here to find fault with something and trust me, no matter ow much you try to swoon her, she will find something."

"Come on now, Lily Mae, she ain't gonna be able to find fault with nothin'. Everything is perfect. It'll be a show of a lifetime."

"Yes well now she wants to come back to bid on you. Goodness sake, what have you done to her? You and your good looks and charm."

He chuckles, it's deep and throaty, "Ah, so you do think I'm good looking and charming then? I've not lost my touch or my looks, good to know."

I swat him on the arm, feeling his large bicep and he's not even flexing. It's rock solid. Heat intensifies in my core and spreads through my stomach to my chest. I feel myself blushing.

"It is damn well offensive is what it is, Jax McCoy. Shame on you!" I move away needing to put some distance between us.

"What's offensive?" He asks matching me stride for stride as I catch up with Eleanor the dragon lady and Wes who now seems to be in full flirt swing. What the hell is it with the cowboys around here today? "Me being so handsome, rugged and good looking or that I've got more charm than Prince Charming?"

"Both, okay now drop it."

"Only if you agree to go on a date with me, Sunset." I take a look at him with that smug grin of his on his face, exposing his dimple. Fuck, I am a sucker for those dimples and he knows he's giving me that grin. The one that makes a girls panties drop to the ground on their own accord.

"Not happening, Jax. There ain't no point starting something when I am going back in a few weeks time."

He grabs my wrist, his hand is strong and warm. Electricity pulses through right to my elbow, to my upper arm and settles in my chest. My nipples tingle and strain against my bra. "One date, Lily Mae is all I'm asking. And what would be wrong with dating whilst you're here? I'm not asking you to pick up where we left off. We can have us some fun. I promise to keep my hands to myself the entire time."

I glower at him narrowing my eyes, "is that you crossing your fingers on that there hand behind your back?"

"What is keeping you, Lily Mae? I do not have all day, hurry up and explain the rest of the event to me." Eleanor's screeching voice almost shatters my ear drums. I quickly tug my hand away from Jax who chuckles.

"If you don't agree to one date with me, Lily Mae, I will tell your boss all about the time you had to shovel horseshit all day because your daddy caught you making out with me when we were younger in the back of the barn."

I can feel my eyes glowing with madness at him right now. "You wouldn't dare, Jax."

He folds his strong arms in front of his chest displaying sexy, ropey forearms and tilts his head to the side.

I let out a sigh, "fine, one date and that is it." I huff off stomping my feet to an exasperated looking Eleanor. Wes shrugs his shoulders.

"Thanks, Wes I have it from here."

After showing Eleanor the paddocks where the barrel racing will take place and the paddock for the actual rodeo, I move on to the big barn. Wes has turned on the lights and even though it isn't dark, you can make out the twinkling of all the hundreds of fairy lights. It makes me gasp with just how pretty it is. I expect her to say something, you know like how beautiful it is but nothing comes out of her tight lipped mouth.

"So we'll be having live music as you can see from the stage over there, that is where they will be placed. A few local bands and we're trying to get a Nashville entertainer to come in too. My daddy has some connections in the music industry."

No sign of interest nor of being impressed. I continue. "We'll be having dancing, running a lottery and obviously like Jax mentioned there will be the bidding for items. My momma is donating cakes and cookies, my daddy is working on a project he's making with my brother Wes. My best friend, Harper..." She puts her hand up to stop me in my tracks.

"And how is any of this going to make any money for us, Lily Mae?"

I bite my lower lip. "Like I've said, Eleanor we are not here to make money. This is a pure charity rodeo event it's not about bringing in money. That is what the other events are for. You gave me the green light on this."

"Looks to me like you will be on weddings for an awful long time then, doesn't it, Lily Mae? She beckons her driver to escort her back to the vehicle whilst my jaw is hanging to the ground.

Tears well in my eyes. I will myself not to cry over something she has said. I need the job, I need the promotion. I left Eagle Ranch telling everyone how successful I would be in the city and that I was going to make it to partner one day. Not a wedding planner for the rest of my life.

Don't get me wrong, there is nothing wrong with wedding planning but I have bigger dreams and Eleanor has gone and struck me down like a bolt of lightning.

I sense someone behind me and turn around to see Jax standing there. He sees the tears in my eyes and brings me into his chest. His hard chest, his masculine smell. Resting a hand on the back of my head he cradles it to him. "Hey, Sunset. I am here for you. Don't worry about her, you will make this event a roaring success. We all have faith in you, darlin'. You deserve better than to work for a woman like that."

"Why don't you just give up the city and come on home to us where you belong?"