“She doesn’t need any treats.”
Amanda looked up just as Sam Pleasant eased himself into the row. He’d changed into a navy blue suit, but he was still wearing that damn white cowboy hat. Amanda did her best not to swallow her tongue. Somehow she managed to playfully roll her eyes instead.
“Is this seat taken?” he whispered as he sat down beside her just as the first of the ushers practiced walking the mothers of the bride and groom to their seats.
“Yes, it is, as a matter of fact. I’m having a very important and private conversation with—”
“Clementine. Her name’s Clementine.” He flashed a smile that could light up the night sky. What was she thinking hopping into bed with someone that good looking!
“Yes. My good friend Clementine and I have some very important issues to discuss.”
“Like how you like to use men and leave them cold and alone.”
“I like to think I left you in a big comfortable bed feeling more sexually satisfied than you’ve ever been in your whole life.”
“Well then, you should definitely tell her that you’re somewhat of a thief.”
“Excuse me. That was a mistake and I returned it immediately. I assume your management team gave it back to you?”
“They did, but that’s not what I meant.”
Amanda looked over into his deep brown eyes as he paused for dramatic effect. In the back of her mind she wondered how many women had fallen for this routine. The eyes, the smirk, his whole face, really. The polished cowboy act. And now an Oscar winner. He had to have women chasing him noon and night. She knew one had already proudly slid into his DMs. The thought of Dru taking her crack at him sobered her right up. She cleared her throat and focused back on the dog.
“What did you mean?” she asked.
“You stole my heart.”
“Oh. Okay.” Amanda chuckled quietly, then leaned forward and cupped Clementine’s sweet face. She’d never seen such a shiny coat on a dog, but she didn’t want to tell Sam. She had a feeling it might go to his head. She settled on something he could take credit for. “Your dog daddy is full of crap, did you know that?”
“She’s not mine. Clem belongs to my brother Jesse. That pretty girl over there is mine.” Amanda looked on the other side of the pasture and saw some mixture of cattle dog and mini horse basking in the sun. She watched Sam as he leaned over and snapped his fingers twice. The dog’s head perked up and as soon as she saw Sam she came trotting over. She stopped at Amanda’s side and nudged Clementine out of the way. Amanda smiled to herself and did her best not to cry tears of joy. This was her happy place. Wide-open spaces and surrounded by adorable dogs.
“Oh, it’s your turn for pets, is it. Hello, beautiful,” she cooed softly. “Yeah, that’s right. Ignore your dog dad. You’ll get the loving you need right here. What’s her name?”
“Euca. She lives here full-time with my grandmother, but she’s still my sweet baby girl.” He reached over and scratched Euca behind the ear. Amanda ignored the way his fingers brushed hers in the process. She turned and looked back toward the mountains again. “This whole place is beautiful. The views, the cabins, the dogs. You grew up here?”
“I did, but I can’t take credit for the beauty of it. My grandfather really turned this place into what it is, and my brothers have spent the last seven years putting their own shine on it. We’re just borrowing the land the Earth has provided and the splendor all around you, you can give that up to God.”
“Do you always lay it on this thick? You’re not making me regret my decision to ditch your ass right now.”
“I’m just messing with you. I’m surprised to see you here actually.”
“Likewise.”
“Are you having any regrets, Cha-Cha?”
“Cha-Cha?”
“That’s what I’ve been calling you, in my mind.”
Amanda wouldn’t have been surprised if her body picked that exact moment to start ovulating. She swallowed, then schooled her features though and focused on the easy task of petting two dogs at once. “You’ve been thinking about me, have you?”
“I have.”
Amanda froze as Sam tipped up the brim of his hat, then leaned over. His breath lightly brushed the shell of her ear as he spoke. “But next time we’re together, I’d like to call you by your real name. Amanda, is it?”
Right at that moment, Amanda knew she should have ended this conversation before it began. Politely excused herself from Sam and his adorable dogs and walked the grounds or hidden under her bed back in the lodge until it was time for dinner. Anything to avoid him because even though everything out of his mouth was corny and over the top, it worked for her. Every second she spent at Big Rock Ranch, she knew she was in big trouble.
Chapter 6
To buy some time, Amanda deliberately turned to watch Helene as she made her way down the aisle on her father’s arm. She was wearing a light cardigan over the flowing cream maxi dress she’d changed into. She wanted to make sure she chose her words carefully, and she wasn’t sure she could do that if she was looking into those brown eyes shaded by the brim of that white hat.
“First of all, young man. Have you ever considered I wanted that one-time thing to be just a one-time thing.”
“I was hoping you wouldn’t say that.”
“Well, lucky for you it’s not true.” Amanda refused to look at him, but she didn’t miss the quiet chuckle he let out. “But there are a few things you need to know about me.”
“Fill me in, girl.”
“For one. I am a very private person and while no one is paying attention to us now, maybe don’t broadcast
