Why not Wyoming? (Wyoming Wilds Series Book 1)

Why not Wyoming?

Copyright © 2016 Anneliese Brand

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reserved by author.

Published by
Wynwidyn Press, LLC

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For my Finn,

Thanks for holding my hand and
kicking my butt as needed.

Why not

Wyoming?

Snow crunched under her boots, each step agony. Her lungs
burned in the thin mountain air. Burying the snowboard in a drift, Annie leaned
over to catch her breath. When her beauty queen cousin had squealed the words
destination
wedding
, sun, surf and little umbrellas hadn’t sounded too bad. Bunny hills
and bruises had been a surprise.

Squinting against the blinding sun, she let her gaze crawl up
the trail that led to the lodge and groaned. As an author, Annie wasn’t
embarrassed to admit she was a sedentary creature. As beautiful as the Bighorns
were, the massive stone fireplace in the main room, Wi-Fi, and an endless
supply of hot chocolate was much more her speed. She could admire nature’s
glory through the two story windows. Nice, insulated double pane windows.
Approaching engine whine startled her. 

Raising a hand against the sun, she watched the powerful sled
skim over the snow and come to a stop a couple of feet away. The snowmobile
carried the lodge logo, but the Carhartt-clad rider wasn’t one of the pretty
boy instructors she’d met so far. Stocky and full-cheeked under a closely
trimmed beard, his smile held a boyish charm.

“All pooped out?”

Annie laughed at his candor. “I am. I’d love to blame it on the
altitude, but the truth of the matter is, I’m just woefully out of shape.”

He laughed with her and patted the black vinyl behind him. “Hop
on. I’ll give you a ride up to the lodge.”

Throwing a leg over the seat, she slid the snowboard between
them and hooked an arm around his waist. He patted her hand and gunned the
engine. They were at the magnificent front doors minutes later. Ignoring the
protest of her thighs, Annie stepped off with as much grace as possible.

“Thank you for the lift.”

“My pleasure.”

She hesitated, searching for a way to extend the conversation.
“Do you work here, or are you a wedding guest?”

He pushed his sunglasses up on his forehead to reveal startling
blue eyes crinkled in amusement. “A little of both. My parents own the lodge,
but the groom is my cousin.” He extended his hand. “CJ Barrett.”

“Annie Brand,” she said, tugging off a glove to shake hands.
“Cousin of the bride.”

CJ’s brows jumped in surprise and something else. “Uh…I think
I’m your escort down the aisle.”

Annie willed the ground to open and swallow her whole. From
CJ’s expression, she could almost guess what Tyler had said to his cousin about
her.
I need you to take one for the team, Bro.
She felt heat creep into
her cheeks and tried to deflect with humor.

“You could have it worse. Have you seen the bridesmaid dresses?
I thought my Disney princess days were long past.”

She got the laugh. Nibbling at her chapped bottom lip, she
tamped down the snow around her boots with the end of the snowboard. His large
hand settled over one of hers. She hadn’t even heard him get off the
snowmobile. He’d unzipped his coat. A simple navy t-shirt stretched across his
barrel chest and solid middle. With his dimples and furry face, he was a big ol’
teddy bear. 

“I’ll take care of that for you.”

“Thanks. I should get ready for rehearsal. Maybe a good soak
will ease the pain if not my pride,” she said, giving her behind a rueful rub
with her free hand.

“I guess I should go find Ty and ask what the dress code for
this thing is.”

“I don’t know about you cowboys, but we girls have matching
dresses and fringed boots for the shindig.”

His lips twitched before he brought a hand up to cover a grin.
“Miss America doesn’t mess around. Can I hope for a swimsuit event after
dinner?”

“God, I hope not,” Annie groaned. “It’s bad enough being a
shrub among the trees without adding that humiliation to the weekend. And it’s
Miss USA. I wouldn’t get that wrong in front of the bride if I were you.”

CJ frowned. “What’s the difference?”

“If I hadn’t been barraged by tales of tulle and tiaras since
Crystal was a toddler, I wouldn’t know either. They’re two different pageants.
The big thing is that Miss USA goes on to represent her country in the Miss
Universe pageant.”

“My bad.” The flash of dimples under his beard robbed the words
of much actual remorse. “Now what was that about trees and shrubs? That’s more
my world.”

“Just a short joke. Have you seen Crystal’s mighty model
clique?” she asked waving a hand over her head to indicate the other
bridesmaids’ towering stature. Slipping her other hand out from under the
warmth of his on the snowboard, she backed to the steps. “Speaking of which, I
better get in there and get a shot at the mirror ahead of the crowd.”

“You are going to shave before the wedding tomorrow.”

CJ blinked. The pinched-face planner hadn’t phrased the words
as a question. Conversation in the banquet hall had ceased at the statement.
Family and the rest of the wedding party were staring at him. He glanced
uncertainly at Tyler.

“It’s best if he keeps the facial fuzz. CJ still looks about
twelve without his beard,” his handsome cousin said, slapping him on the
shoulder. 

CJ let out his held breath, ignoring the insult. “Thanks, Cuz.”

The bride’s laugh seemed a tad forced, but she didn’t
contradict Tyler’s decision. CJ just caught Annie’s pretty hazel eyes before
she turned back to a conversation with Miss California. Or was that Miss Texas?
He rolled his eyes. They all looked the same, and Annie looked as out of place
as he felt. He hadn’t taken his eyes off her since she’d come down the stairs.
Bulky ski-wear didn’t do her justice. Maybe 5’4 with long waves of brown hair
that framed her face, she stood out in the sea of cookie cutter blondes. Her
curves filled out the flirty off-white lace dress in a way the stick-thin queen
clique couldn’t. She made cowgirl chic look sexy.

He followed her to the beverage table. When she hesitated he
picked up the champagne and tilted the bottle toward her in invitation. Her
nose wrinkled seemingly before she realized what she was doing. She blushed.

“Sorry. No offense. I uh…apparently I have no class,” she said
awkwardly. “Really, I’m not much of a drinker but when I do, I don’t want to
taste the alcohol. I have a sweet tooth.” She rubbed her bare arms.
“Truthfully, right now I could really go for one of those amazing hot
chocolates.”

“I can make that happen,” he said with a tilt of his head
toward the kitchen.

CJ watched Annie out of the corner of his eye as he started
melting the chocolate. Her fingers still slid up and down her bare arms but
here in the warmth of the kitchen, it seemed more in distraction than chill. 

“I’ve never seen anyone make it like this. I should’ve known
something that good didn’t come out of a tin.”

“You’ll be spoiled after this. Every time I have to drink
instant I think of Mom’s.”

Shrill laughter filtered in from the banquet room. Annie winced
and looked toward the door. He wondered if the cousins were close and if
Crystal’s joy was ever genuine? While they didn’t have much in common, Ty was a
good kid. CJ hoped he would be happy in his marriage.

“I’ll be glad when this weekend is over,” Annie murmured.

“Not a fan of the West?”

She looked startled, like she hadn’t meant to speak out loud.

“What I’ve seen is spectacular. I could curl up by your
fireplace and gaze at that view forever. God, it would be a perfect place to
write. I’d even love to see some of this country from the back of a horse or a
four-wheeler, but for my sanity and the bride’s, this wedding needs to be
over.”

“So she’s not always like this?”

“No,” Annie said shaking her head. “She’s just nervous. She
really wants everything to go off without a hitch and your family to like her.”

“If she makes Ty happy, everyone will love her.”

“She’s trying. You ought to hear the way she raves about him.”
She rolled her eyes. “He’s definitely her Prince Charming.”

“Trust me. It’s a mutual admiration then. Ty’s crazy about
her.” He added the heavy cream and milk to the pan before glancing back at
Annie. “After what you said about trees and shrubs, I wasn’t sure how close you
two were.”

“We’re night and day in more than looks, but she helps bring me
out of my shell and I’m like the steady companion pony that escorts the
thoroughbred to the starting gate.” 

CJ fumbled the spoon.  Annie laughed.

“We’re both horse crazy so when my aunt came up with that
comparison we thought it was us.”

He cleared his throat, frowning. “You do know that not all
riders like thoroughbreds?”

She was quiet for a moment.

“Um … are we still talking about horses?”

He felt heat creeping up his neck.

“Not every guy goes for the skinny blondes,” he muttered. “Some
of us like curves.”

“I’m so glad you didn’t say ‘a little meat on their bones.’ I
hate that one.”

It was his turn to roll his eyes. “I’m just saying, you don’t
need to run yourself down because you’re not six-foot-tall and someone else’s
twisted perception of picture perfect. You women are too hard on yourselves. That
dress looks ten times hotter on you with a little something to fill it out.”

He could feel her staring at him, but was afraid to meet her
eyes. She didn’t say anything. Had he offended her? Why had he opened his
mouth?

“I’m glad you’re keeping the beard. It’s sexy.”

The words startled him as much as her touch. CJ stole a
sidelong glance at the brunette as her hand stroked his cheek. Her voice was as
soft as her touch. 

“I’m sorry if I made you uncomfortable,” she continued, her
fingers combing through the dark hair before they fell away. “I have a bad
habit of trying to slip jokes in before others can. It’s better to be laughed
with than at.”

“You’re a good looking woman. You’ve got to know that.”

“Thank you. That’s sweet. I’m usually much more comfortable in
my own skin. Or at least my own PJs,” she said with a blush and little laugh.
“Seriously, I’m no skinny Minnie, but I know I’m not fat. It’s just been a
challenge being surrounded by a bevy of pageant queens for the shower,
bachelorette party, and these last few days leading up to the wedding. Do you
have any idea how difficult it is to plan party food for this group?”

CJ couldn’t help but chuckle. “I bet that isn’t easy.”

“I might need a vacation from my vacation,” she said wryly.

“I heard you telling my mom that you’re an author,” he said
slowly. “You could stay and enjoy the Wi-Fi, fireplace, and hot chocolate after
the wedding circus leaves town.”

Her eyes searched his as her hands closed around the warm mug.

“It might be nice to see more of the Bighorn Mountains if I
could do it on something more stable than a snowboard.”

Her hazel eyes sparkled with the shared joke. Taking a risk, CJ
let his hand slide across her hip and around to give her round bottom a light rub,
letting her know he got the jest. One of her eyebrows quirked, but she didn’t
move away.

“I think that could be arranged. The lodge has snowmobiles and
all sort of all-terrain vehicles. There're not many places my Jeep can’t go.
Or, as you mentioned horses, I have a couple at home getting fat in their
stalls.”

“Sounds like you have this all thought out,” she said, lips
pursed in a playful smile.

“If you decide there are too many people around the lodge,
there is a smaller version of that fieldstone fireplace at my house. I think
you’d enjoy the view there too,” he said, pitching his voice lower.

Annie nestled closer, taking a sip from her mug. “Hmm … what
about the hot chocolate?” 

“I can make that happen.”

Annie shifted slightly as someone dropped down in the
oversized beanbag with her. The bride’s suite was packed with lounging females
all bedecked in camouflage onesies. It was quite the sight. The fleece
sleepwear had been part of their bridesmaid gift package and bore a pink heart
logo on the breast. Crosshairs marked the romantic symbol zeroing in on the surname
Barrett and the wedding date stitched in the middle. The whole thing was
adorable. If the wedding location hadn’t proved Crystal was head over heels for
her Western lover, the PJs had. Annie peeked over at her cousin and smiled at
the exaggerated pout on her lips. The wheels were turning. Something was
bothering her.

“You’ve been quiet since rehearsal,” the blonde said as if on
cue.

“You know me. Just soaking it all in and filing it away for
later.”

“Ah, planning out the bridezilla chapter for your torrid
tell-all,” Crystal said, nudging her shoulder at the long-standing joke.

Annie shrugged, hand fluttering in airy disinterest. “I don’t
know, maybe with a hot hubby in the mix you’ll finally be interesting enough to
write about.”

Crystal gasped in outrage, grabbing a throw pillow to pummel
her with.