Bouquets and Buckles: An Age Gap, Snowed In, Cowboy Romance (Crimson Ridge)
Bouquets and Buckles: Chapter 23

“You need me to do what, with the what?” I blink at Brad. He should know by now I’m not to be trusted with anything important in this kitchen. Any kitchen.

“You’ll be fine, Sky. Just keep an eye on the pan, and if anything starts to stick, just turn it.” He shrugs into his coat, keys jangling. “I gotta go pick up a few more things from the grocery store for the party tomorrow; I’ll be half an hour, tops.”

“Don’t come for me if these meatballs are all burnt to fuck by the time you get back.” I cross my arms and give him a petulant eye roll.

“I have faith in you.” He calls over his shoulder.

“No, you don’t,” I shout after him. “At least bring me back some ice cream, bitch.”

The sound of the front door shutting is all I get in reply. I’m tugging out my phone from my back pocket to text him my demands for rich, chocolatey, frozen goodness, when I feel the heat of a broad chest behind me. The proximity and suddenness of where he’s just appeared from makes the fine hairs stand up on my arms.

“Are these supposed to be charred?” Luke’s voice is so close it makes me jump.

“What? No…” I spin round in an immediate panic, shoving at his immovable shoulder to get a proper look at the pan. They were fine and sizzling and definitely not burnt two minutes ago. “All I did was check my phone; they can’t be burnt already.”

That’s when I realize what’s really going on. The mountain of a man beside me has his hand over his mouth, dark eyes twinkling with mirth.

Lucas Rhodes is laughing at me.

“Oh. Not funny. Not funny at all.” I pout.

“You’re cute. Grab yourself a drink, and I’ll keep an eye on all this.” Luke nudges my hip with his thigh and I suck in a sharp breath. My eyes immediately fly up to check our surroundings, but the house is quiet. We’re the only ones here.

“Flinn’s down at their place. I just saw him as I left the stables, and Brad won’t be back for a little bit longer.” He absently tucks a strand of hair behind my ear, and I just about dissolve into a puddle on the floor, right there, in the middle of the kitchen.

“Do you want something?” My voice is suddenly hoarse. Me? My entire heart and soul, perhaps?

“A beer would be perfect.” He sets about fussing with the tongs and the pan, and I think my heart is suddenly about three times too big for my chest.

I grab each of us a drink and hand him over one. As I do so, he hooks my pinky finger with his, not letting me step away.

“I was serious yesterday.” That rich, gritty voice rumbles through my senses. “I can’t stay away from you, sweetheart… but you say the word, and I’ll respect that. I’ll keep my distance, alright?”

“I just wish…” I swallow thickly. Not entirely sure what I want to say in this moment.

“Your friendship is more important, I get that. Brad means the world to both of us. I couldn’t live with myself if my selfishness ruined any aspect of what you have as friends.”

A heavy sigh gusts out of my lungs. I have to fight the urge to sink against his chest and wrap my arms around his broad torso.

Luke holds my chin, sweeping his thumb over my bottom lip. “In another life. In any other life, I’d track you down and wouldn’t let you go. You’re worth that and so much more, Skylar.”

I’m gaping up at him. Frozen in place at the sincerity in his words and tenderness in his usually chiseled, gruff exterior.

Goddamn this man for stealing my heart when I know that I can’t stay here beyond tomorrow.

Words aren’t forming, even though I’m trying, and failing, to replace the right thing to say in reply. To articulate the increasingly complicated set of feelings I have for this cowboy.

But the outside world beats me to it. The front door bangs, and I hear Flinn come inside, midway through a conversation on the phone as he does so. His boots thud one by one as he kicks them off in the hallway, and that’s my cue to put some distance between us.

Luke sets his beer down and turns back to the pan on the stove, but not before sliding me one last look that will stay imprinted on my mind forever.

“Remember all that when the next guy comes along.”