The Cowboy's Gamble: Destined For Love Series by Janelle Denison Read Free Book Online Page B

of auburn spiral curls shimmered in the sunshine, and then she turned her lovely smile Josie’s way. “So, when are you guys getting married?”
    Josie wished she could drum up even half the enthusiasm her daughter possessed. “Probably Friday.”
    “Wow!” Bending down, she plucked a wildflower from a patch, then another, gathering a pretty yellow bouquet. “Can I be one of those girls who stands beside you and holds flowers?”
    Josie managed a smile. “I’d love for you to be my maid of honor.”
    Kellie’s eyes glowed with anticipation. “And will there be a big cake and a fancy dinner and dance afterward?”
    Josie knew Kellie was remembering the wedding they’d attended last year for a friend of the family. It had been a lavish, traditional affair, with all the pomp and circumstance every young girl dreamed of. A beautiful white dress, a handsome groom who adored his bride, and vows that included loving and cherishing until death did they part.
    Loving and cherishing wasn’t part of the agreement between her and Seth. Just a quickie marriage that would ensure she kept the ranch in the family. “It’s going to be a small, quiet ceremony,” she said in answer to her daughter’s question. “And there won’t be a reception afterward.”
    Disappointment put a damper on Kellie’s excitement. And then an idea revitalized the sparkle in her eyes. “Maybe I could bake you and Mr. O’Connor a wedding cake!”
    Josie suppressed a groan at the thought of explaining a young girl’s whimsy to Seth. “We’ll see.”
    Crossing her arms over her chest and propping her backside on one of the fence’s rungs, Josie watched her daughter frolic in the meadow, picking flowers and pretending to be a bride. It was obvious that Kellie didn’t understand that she was marrying Seth because she had to, and not that she didn’t want to. But Josie was okay with that, because it eased her daughter’s fears to believe her mother was willingly marrying Mr. O’Connor.
    Seth, her husband. The idea was difficult to get used to, considering she’d long ago given up trying to find a man worthy of that title. She’d dated a few times over the years, but the men she’d gone out with had heard about her “reputation” and expected more from her than a dinner companion and friendly conversation. Fending off groping hands had become a frustrating and depressing process—so much so that she’d decided it was easier to forego the rituals of dating.
    As a result, though, her personal life was empty. Oh, she had Kellie to fill her days with smiles and laughter, but the long, lonely nights were the worst. Sometimes, she’d remember the way Seth’s hands felt on her body, the way he’d kissed her so eagerly, as if he couldn’t get enough of her. In the dark of night, those memories were enough to make her ache with a need so acute she’d toss and turn restlessly until dawn.
    But it wasn’t just physical pleasure she wanted. She longed for love. She yearned to be cherished. Now, she was going to be some man’s possession. Seth would be her husband, and the sensual privileges that came with that title made heat curl in her stomach. She steeled herself against the pleasant sensation rippling through her veins. She refused to be Seth’s plaything again, wouldn’t let him use her body to slake his lust. She refused to allow him that intimacy and give him the power to break her heart again.
    He’d be back in a few days to get her answer. She didn’t have a choice but to marry him if she wanted to keep the ranch, she knew and accepted that. But she had a stipulation of her own to add to their wedding deed, a solution that would benefit the both of them.
    A marriage of convenience.

    As promised, Seth came calling a few days later. At the break of dawn Wednesday morning, he rode up on his chestnut just as Mac and the other hands were heading out for the day. The six younger men on horseback abruptly stopped and watched Seth’s