Wyatt (19 page)

“Weren’t you supposed to be in Butte?” she asked in
curiosity, but grateful he was here so she could see him one last time,
imprinting his gorgeous face on her mind so she never forgot it.

“I changed my mind,” he said without looking at her.

Olivia bit her lip to keep from gasping at the pain shooting
through her heart. She blinked the tears back while heading out through the
kitchen, pausing a moment to wish things were different but knowing they
weren’t, and then left.

* * * *

Wyatt swore when he heard the door close softly behind her
as she left the house. He’d have felt better if she would’ve slammed it. He
jumped up and hurried through the kitchen. As he gazed out the back door, he
saw her hesitating about getting in the car. Was she going to come back in? She
closed the door of her vehicle and headed toward the barn.
Coco.
She was going to see Coco.

Do something, you
idiot!
If he didn’t do something quick, she was going to walk out of his
life—forever. Wyatt put his coat on. He was about to go out the door when he
saw her coming back from the barn, wiping tears away from her cheeks with her
gloved hands. She started toward her vehicle, but then suddenly changed her
course and headed for the metal building.
Cochise.
She wanted to see him before she left.

Son of a bitch!
He
couldn’t let her leave. Not now. Not ever. Wyatt went out the door and strode
across the yard, and quietly entered the building behind her. She was petting
Cochise. Other than him, Cochise only let Olivia touch him. She’d stolen his
heart, too.

He leaned against the doorjamb, folded his arms across his
chest, and crossed his booted feet at the ankles. To anyone looking at him, he
looked completely relaxed but in reality, he was strung tighter than a bow. His
eyes never left her and he was ready when she turned to leave. The minute
Olivia spotted him, she faltered in her steps. Then her chin went up and she
strolled toward him. He pushed himself away from the doorjamb and stepped into
her path. He stopped and waited for her to reach him. She hesitated only
slightly as she came forward, and then she moved around him.

Wyatt closed his eyes for a second, and then turned to watch
her walking away.

“Olivia…” He cleared his throat. She didn’t stop. “Olivia,”
he said louder and watched as she slowed her steps, but still she didn’t stop.
Wyatt blinked his eyes quickly as tears made it difficult to see.

“Please…” He was willing to plead for her to stay. She
stopped and turned to face him. He dropped to his knees. “I’ve never begged for
anything in my life, but I’m begging you now. Please, don’t leave me.” Wyatt
lowered his head.

Olivia slowly moved toward him. “What are you saying?”

He raised his head and heard her gasp. He knew she saw the
tear rolling down his cheek. “I’m begging you to stay with me, darlin’. I’ll
crawl if I have to.”

“Why? Why do you want me to stay, Wyatt?” Olivia asked him,
and he knew what she needed to hear.

“I can walk away from anyone but you, Olivia.” He shook his
head. “I can’t walk away from you.”

“Why?” She repeated her question.

“I’m in love with you.” He swallowed hard. “I love you so
much. You’re the only woman I’d ever be on my knees for.” When she didn’t say
anything, he thought he’d waited too long. He lowered his head and took a deep
breath. “I blew it, didn’t I?”

“You hurt me, Wyatt.” He heard her whisper and the words
were like a knife through him. He despised himself for hurting her.

He gazed up at her. “I swear I’ll never hurt you again if
you’ll stay with me. I don’t want to be without you. I
can’t
be without you in my life. Please.”

She stared down at him with tears rolling down her face.
“You love me?”

“More than you could ever know.” Another tear rolled down
his face. “Please. You’re all I want in my life. I’d give up everything I own
to have you back. Nothing matters to me as much as you do. Name it. If you want
to leave Montana, we will. It doesn’t matter as long as we’re together.”

“Cochise?”

He nodded without hesitation. “Yes.”

Olivia gasped. “You love him.”

“I love you more.”

“I love you too, cowboy,” she whispered, her voice filled
with emotion, and her beautiful, amazing eyes glistening with accumulated
tears.

“You do?”

“Oh, Wyatt, I’ve loved you since the first time I saw you.”

He smiled. “I want to spend my life with you, sweetheart. I
want to marry you.”

Olivia squealed and leaped into his arms, causing them to
tumble onto the floor laughing. Wyatt rolled her onto her back catching her
head in his palms, and kissed her deeply.

“I love you, darlin’. I’m going to tell you every day so
you’ll never doubt it, and if I have to get on my knees to prove it, I
will—every day.”

“I don’t want you on your knees, Wyatt. I never did. I just
wanted you to love me.”

“I do. I love you so much it scares the hell out of me but
if you ever leave me, I’ll come after you.”

“You’ll never have to worry about that. You’re stuck with
me. Now let me up, cowboy. I have a wedding to plan.”

Wyatt burst out laughing and lowered his head to kiss her
again. It was a while before they got off the floor.

Epilogue

June was unmercifully hot, but the bride and her party
didn’t care. They sat in the living room of Becca and Jake’s home sipping
champagne. Olivia gazed at her two best friends. Their gowns matched the color
of their eyes. Becca wore green and Emma wore blue. Olivia had stolen Becca’s
idea for the color of the gowns. In her wedding, Olivia had worn purple and
Emma had worn blue. They looked so beautiful, making Olivia smile.

She set her flute down and picked up her gown. She stepped
into it and pulled it up. The gown was strapless and hugged her like a second
skin with a beautiful train flowing out behind her.

“Will one of you zip me?” she asked her best friends.

“Oh my God, Liv, you’re so gorgeous,” Emma said as she stood
and quickly moved behind Olivia to help her.

Olivia glanced over to Becca, who was grinning like it was
her own wedding day with tears glistening in her happy eyes. “Don’t cry, honey.
You’ll ruin your make-up.”

Becca waved her hand in front of her eyes. “I’m trying not
to but you look so amazing.”

Olivia smiled. “We can’t have the matron of honor with runny
mascara.”

Emma laughed. “Yeah, you’ll look just great in the
pictures.” She laughed aloud when Becca stuck her tongue out at her.

“You’re not nervous at all, are you?” Becca asked as she
fussed with Olivia’s hair.

“No. I have no reason to be nervous. I’m marrying the man I
love. The one I wanted the minute I saw him. A
nasty cowboy,
” she said wrinkling her nose, and then laughing.

Olivia remembered how she’d told Becca before she moved to
Montana that she thought cowboys were nasty but after meeting the Stone
brothers, and every other cowboy in Clifton, she had quickly changed her mind.

Just then, Stan entered the living room to tell them it was
time to go to the church. Just as he had for Becca’s wedding, he was giving
Olivia away. Taking a deep breath, she headed out through the kitchen with her
matron of honor and bridesmaid following behind her. She was so ready to do
this.

* * * *

Inside the church, Wyatt paced, and his brothers grinned at
him as they watched him.

“You’re not nervous are you, little brother?” Jake asked
with a sly grin.

Wyatt stopped pacing, and grinned at him.
“Nope.
I’m so ready to do this.” He moved to the window and gazed out.

“You know, they claim
it’s
bad luck
to see the bride before the wedding,” Gabe told him stepping up beside him.

Wyatt laughed when he heard the crowd outside cheering. The
entire town had shown up. Those who couldn’t fit in the church stood in the
street. They had done the same for Jake and Becca’s wedding, as well as Brody
and Madilyn’s wedding.

“Sounds like your bride’s here, little brother.” Jake
slapped him on the back.

Wyatt smiled. “I had no doubts.”

The Reverend entered the room and told them it was time. The
men followed him out and moved to stand at the altar. When the music started,
Wyatt kept his eyes on the door at the back of the church. He smiled when Emma
started down the aisle. A moment later, Becca stepped into sight and followed
behind her. The music suddenly changed to the wedding march and when his gaze
shifted to the doorway, Olivia was standing there with Stan.

His breath whooshed out of his chest at the sight of her.
She was stunning. Her white dress was skintight, showing off that gorgeous body
of hers, and she had pinned her silky hair up, leaving her neck and shoulders
open to his eyes. There was a purple rose behind her left ear and around her
neck, she wore the infinity necklace he’d given her two days ago. Her hands
clutched a bouquet of purple and white flowers with baby’s breath and ivy. She
was beyond beautiful.

Wyatt almost burst out laughing when he heard Gabe whisper a
holy shit
upon seeing Olivia. Wyatt
was sure there wasn’t a man in the church who wasn’t slack jawed, but she kept
her eyes only on him as she moved gracefully down the aisle. He grinned with
pride, and took her hand when she stopped beside him.

When the Reverend asked who gave this woman in marriage,
Stan cleared his throat and announced proudly that he did. He kissed her on the
cheek and stepped away. He seemed to look around instead of taking his seat
right away, and then walked to the end of pew. There he smiled at Evelyn
Robinson before taking a seat next to her. Wyatt swore he saw the sweet lady
blush when she scooted over to make room for him, and then she smiled at him.
Good for them!
He wished them the same
good fortune he now had.

He and Olivia listened to the Reverend say the words joining
them in marriage but never took their eyes off each other. When Wyatt slipped
the ring on her finger, he raised it to his lips and kissed the back of her
hand. He thought he heard the women in the church let out a collective sigh,
but it was possible he’d only imagined it. When the Reverend pronounced them
husband and wife, Olivia grabbed the lapels of his tuxedo, jerked him forward,
and kissed him soundly.

“I’ve got you now, cowboy,” she said against his lips but
loud enough for everyone to hear, and make them laugh.

He laughed along with everyone else, and then gave her a
wicked grin before he picked her up, tossed her over his shoulder, and carried
her down the aisle. Their guests applauded, and laughed. When he stepped out
into the sunshine, the crowd outside cheered too. He could feel Olivia laughing
against his shoulder as he walked toward Cochise, and put her up on the horse.
He vaulted onto the horse’s bare back behind her.

“We have to have pictures taken, Wyatt. Where are you taking
me?” Olivia kissed him.

“Just a little trip around the block.
We’ll be right back for pictures. Jake and Gabe knew I wanted to do this, and
arranged to have Cochise here waiting.” He kissed his wife. “We’ve come so far,
you and me, just as you have when it comes to getting on a horse.”

She laughed and stroked his cheek, gazing up at him. “I love
it.”

“This is just the beginning, sweetheart. I love you.”

“I love you too, cowboy, and I can’t wait to see what the
future brings.”

Wyatt grinned, nudging Cochise through the crowd.

“Only happiness, darlin’, I promise…only happiness.”

*The End*

About the Author

Susan
was born and raised in Cumberland, MD. She moved to Tennessee in 1996 with her
husband and they now live in a small town outside of Nashville, along with
their three rescued dogs. Although, writing for years, it was a year ago she
decided to submit to publishers and signed a three year contract with Secret
Cravings Publishing. Susan is a huge Nashville Predators hockey fan. She also enjoys
fishing, taking drives down back roads, and visiting Gatlinburg, TN, her family
in Pittsburgh, PA and her hometown. Although Susan's books are a series, each
book can be read as standalone books. Each book will end with a HEA and a new
story beginning in the next one. She would love to hear from her readers and
promises to try to respond to all.

She
would also appreciate reviews if you've read her books.
You can visit her Facebook page and website by the links below.
https://www.facebook.com/skdromanceauthor
www.susanfisherdavisauthor.weebly.com
[email protected]

Other books by Susan include:

JAKE Men of Clifton, Montana Book 1

GABE Men of Clifton, Montana Book 2

BRODY Men of Clifton, Montana Book 3

LUCAS Bad Boys of Dry River Book 1

MONTGOMERY Bad Boys of Dry River Book
2

Secret Cravings Publishing

www.secretcravingspublishing.com