Page 12 of Country Winds (King Creek Cowboys #9)

E llie’s limbs tingled with excitement as she rushed around, ensuring her townhouse looked welcoming. She was dressed, hair and makeup done, and ready for Tucker’s arrival.

Hailee sat regally on the chair Ellie had set up for clients’ photo ops, watching Ellie run around the place with interest.

Ellie always kept her home neat and pretty, so she didn’t have to do more than straighten a few pillows, adjust a couple of photos, rearrange a few paintings, and adjust a couple of rugs.

Last night, she purchased a large bouquet of sunny yellow and orange flowers, with pops of bright pink and purple, to adorn her dining table and brighten up the space.

The doorbell rang, and she stopped to take a deep breath and blew it out slowly. Ellie forced herself to take her time getting to the door rather than rushing and flinging it wide. She opened the door and nearly lost her breath.

Tucker stood on her doorstep, dressed chiefly in black from his Stetson to his boots.

Only his jeans were blue. He filled out his Western shirt with broad shoulders tapering down to narrow hips.

The Wrangler jeans hugged his powerful thighs, and she looked forward to seeing how they framed his sexy ass.

His lips quirked in amusement, and she realized she’d been blatantly looking him up and down even before she greeted him.

She gave him a mischievous smile. “You look great.”

“I was about to say the same about you.” His moss-green eyes sparkled, and he gave her a blood-singeing smile. He didn’t look her up and down in an obvious manner, but she was sure he had taken her in from head to toe. Some people were good at being casual—she wasn’t one of them.

“Come in.” She stepped back, and he entered.

He was so big and tall that he made her townhouse look small and made her feel petite—and she was nowhere near being petite. He looked around before returning his gaze to her. “Nice place. It suits you.”

“Thanks.” She scooped up her cat, who had come to investigate the stranger. “Meet Hailee, my roommate.”

“Hi, Hailee.” Tucker studied the cat. “You’re a pretty girl.”

Ellie set Hailee on the floor, and the cat stared up at Tucker, like she was trying to figure out if she liked him or not.

“I need to run upstairs and grab my purse, and then we can go.” Ellie’s Western boots thumped on the carpeted stairs as she headed up. She wore black jeans and a white blouse with a princess neckline and had left her wheat-blonde hair loose around her shoulders.

She snatched her purse off her bed, headed back down, and smiled at the sight of the big man in her living room. He now held Hailee, who looked like she was comfortable in his arms.

Ellie smiled at Tucker. “She likes you. I’m sure you’ll be wearing some of her love.”

Tucker set the cat on the floor, and sure enough, white hairs clung to his black shirt.

“Hold on.” Ellie grabbed a lint roller and ran it over the front of Tucker’s shirt that stretched across his muscular chest. She sighed at the thought of touching all that hard flesh. “There. I should have warned you.”

Tucker looked amused. “She’s a sweet little thing.”

A colorful quilted jacket hung on the back of a chair, and Ellie grabbed it. “It’s been cool in the evenings, so I might need this.”

He gave a nod. “Good idea.”

Ellie said goodbye to Hailee and walked out with Tucker.

The door locked and bolted, he escorted her to his big king cab truck, which had four wheels in the rear, perfect for pulling horse trailers.

The dually was black, with a light coating of dust that couldn’t be helped, given that he lived on a ranch and drove along dirt roads.

The drive to WestWorld in North Scottsdale took about forty-five minutes from her home. The grounds were teeming with people anxious to see many of the world’s finest Arabian horses. Almost 2,000 Arabian horses would compete throughout the week-long show.

They made their way through the crowds into the arena, where some events were being held.

When Ellie looked over the program for what would be going on in this arena, she was surprised to find English, Western, and Arabian events rather than just English.

She scanned the program and discovered that the three styles were mostly used at shows like this.

The Western dressage championship was next—the English and Arabian dressage would be held once this competition was over.

The first contestant, seated in a Western saddle, rode her prized Arabian mare into the arena.

Ellie caught her breath at the beauty and majesty of the graceful beast. Her elegant lines were beyond compare, and her coat shone in the light.

But most of all, how the horse trotted into the arena was enough to take anyone’s breath away.

Ellie had heard that Arabians love to show off, and she could now believe it.

As the show progressed, Ellie chatted with Tucker, unable to restrain her enthusiasm and excitement.

“I never realized how big this show is.” She held up the program. “There are so many competitions I’d love to see, but there is no time to watch more than a handful.”

Tucker nodded. “It’s much bigger than the Western events where I show my best horses.”

Ellie turned to him. “I’d love to see your horses compete.”

He rested his arm on the back of her chair. “One of these days, I’d be happy to take you.”

She leaned back in her seat to see if he’d settle his arm around her shoulders. He didn’t, but she swore she could feel his warmth.

The English dressage competition began after the Western event, and the champion horse and rider were announced. The riders used English saddles, making the horses look even more elegant, if that was even possible.

Ellie applauded and cheered with the audience throughout the day. She was so excited to be here that she could barely contain her enjoyment without letting it spill over. She might talk his ear off when they left.

After the dressage events, they walked through the vendor area, which was far more upscale than anything she’d ever seen at any horse show she’d ever been to.

Lavish jewelry, works of art, and lovely clothing were sold among the over 200 vendors at the show.

There was no way they could visit them all, but Ellie dragged Tucker to each one that interested her.

He watched with amusement in his expression as she looked over fine purses and scarves and admired exquisite jewelry.

She loved fine art, so she visited some of the booths and others featuring silver and lead crystal items, as well as handblown glass.

When all was said and done, she purchased a gold chain with a lovely chocolate diamond set with smaller white diamonds in a rose-gold pendant, along with a matching bracelet.

She had considered a handblown vase at one booth and a crystal sculpture at another, but decided against them because she hadn’t wanted to carry anything. The necklace and bracelet boxes fit neatly into her purse.

At a Western art booth, Tucker bought a painting of a cowboy on the back of a bucking bronc, so realistic you could almost see the horse's movements. He arranged to have it shipped to his ranch.

Ellie and Tucker continued to stroll down an aisle with more booths. “That painting is perfect for your home.”

He nodded. “Have you ever eaten at Honey Bear’s BBQ restaurant in Phoenix?”

She shook her head. “I’ve heard of it but never made it there.”

“Are you up for a late lunch at Honey Bear’s?”

“Oh, yes.” She held her palm to her belly. “My stomach is demanding BBQ now that you’ve mentioned it.”

He flashed a grin. “You’re in for a treat.”

Tucker enjoyed looking at Ellie, no matter what she was doing. While she watched the Arabians compete, her face remained lit up with excitement. She shopped with the kind of enthusiasm that many women show when looking at something they love.

She was incredibly beautiful, and her personality only made her more captivating.

Now and then, she would imitate an actor or a character with a spot-on impersonation.

She kept him interested and amused, and he thought he’d always enjoy it, no matter how long their relationship might last. Since he’d met her, he’d imagined what it would be like to always have her with him.

That was something he’d never experienced before.

She had a full-time career, and he wondered how she felt about slowing down and starting a family. He was too far ahead of himself, but he couldn’t help but imagine a future with this intelligent, fun, and beautiful woman.

The drive to Phoenix from WestWorld in North Scottsdale was a good forty-five minutes, but at least it was a Saturday, so they wouldn’t have to deal with Phoenix’s rush hour, which was hell to be stuck in.

Honey Bear’s, close to a hole-in-the-wall restaurant, served Tennessee-style BBQ and had been around for almost forty years. It had become a fixture in Phoenix.

When they arrived, Tucker and Ellie picked one of the white tables with red bench seats in a corner.

Ellie sat at the table while Tucker went to the front counter to order.

He returned with two pulled-pork sandwich meals, along with collard greens, “Cowbro’” beans, fries, and coleslaw for sides, and two Cokes.

She spooned the sides onto her plate. “I am so hungry that I could eat yours and mine.”

He pointed to his plate. “I’ve got two, and I’m willing to share.”

“Nah, I told you I only wanted one sandwich.” She smiled as she picked up hers. “The sides will fill me up just fine.”

She took a pretty good bite of her sandwich and chewed with obvious enjoyment. Tucker ate his while he watched her and wondered what she would look like while they were making love.

The thought just about knocked him off his seat. Where the hell had that come from? He had to focus on something else.

He cleared his throat. “Tell me about your social media business.” He took a bite of his sandwich and waited for her to respond.