Chapter 3

Sawyer slipped the bit out of Prince's mouth and gave the stallion a slap on the flanks to get him moving, but the horse needed little encouragement and left him behind with a huge snort. Shaking his head, he watched the young horse trot around the pasture greeting the other horses and making it known that he'd returned, before settling down to graze on the new spring grass. The horses on the ranch were just as important as the cattle they raised and the energetic stallion had been a much-needed addition to their workforce and was quickly becoming his favorite horse in the barn.

Looking up from the pasture, he started to head back to the barn but spotted Piper coming down the main trail toward the ranch on her new mare. He paused, unable to look away. He knew that she was putting the young horse through her paces that afternoon, so it was no surprise when she kicked the horse into a gallop as they got closer to the meadow that stretched between the ranch and the mountains that loomed over them. His breath caught in his chest as he watched her, his eyes suddenly open to what he'd never seen before, his body beginning to tingle and tighten as his magic slowly came to life.

Piper's hat had blown off her head, setting her blonde hair streaming in the wind as she rode, her breasts pushing against the tank top she wore, and she had a look of pure joy on her face. Stunned and confused by the desire that raced through his blood, he told himself to look away but continued to watch, the animal inside him slowly awakening as his magic grew stronger. With a groan of frustration, he tore his eyes away from Piper, wondering what was wrong with him, but he knew deep down what the problem was, just couldn't bring himself to face the truth.

Piper had been just a kid when she'd started working for him, barely eighteen and desperate to prove to her parents that she was capable of running a ranch. He'd just bought the ranch and money had been tight, so he'd taken a chance on her. Now, six years later, he knew that the ranch wouldn't have been as successful if she hadn't been a part of it from day one. Piper had been his biggest supporter, his confidant, and he never would have made it through the last three years without her, but he'd never seen her as anything but his friend and business partner.

He was still standing by the hitching rail, thinking about the strange turn his life had taken when Piper rode up, her cheeks pink from the ride, a huge smile on her face. "It's only been a week, but it feels like Buttercup already understands what I want her to do. I can't wait to take her on the drive in a couple weeks, she's going to be the best cow pony there," she said, vaulting out of the saddle. "I know I already said thank you a hundred times, but I'm going to say it once more. Thank you, Sawyer."

He laughed, "I don't think I'll ever get tired of hearing it," he said, grinning at her, relieved some of the tension that had built between them since the kiss. "She's a great little horse, and I'm sure you'll bring out the best in her. You have a way of doing that with everything around you."

A blush crept up Piper's cheeks, "Thanks for the compliment," she said, clearly pleased. "You must want something."

There were several things he wanted right then, none of them appropriate, and kissing her again at the top of the list. "Nope," he said, shaking his head. "I was just giving you a compliment, no strings attached."

Piper studied him for a second, a look on her face he couldn't read, then took a deep breath, "Sawyer, if this is about that kiss the other day……" she started to say, but her phone began to ring in her pocket and she pulled it out, looked at the screen, then back up at him. "I have to take this, it's Amy. I'm sure she wants to talk about the wedding."

"You go ahead, I'll take care of Buttercup," he said, taking the reins from her. "I'm sure you have a lot of details to work out. It was nice of you to agree to step in at the last minute."

"I like Amy, and I've never been a bridesmaid before," she said. "Are you sure you don't mind?"

"I'm all done for the day, I can spare a few minutes before I go inside," he said. "Besides, Buttercup and I need to get to know each other. You've been hogging her all week."

"Don't you be sweet talking my horse, mister," she said, laughing. "And no spoiling her with treats, I don't want her to get fat."

"Yes, ma'am," he said. "But I don't think a few carrots will hurt anything."

Piper laughed again, "You're hopeless," she said. "But I guess a spoiled horse is better than an abused one."

He watched her walk away, noticing for the first time the way her hips swayed in the tight jeans she wore and wondered what it would feel like to rest his hands there as he kissed her senseless again. Sure, that he was losing his mind and telling himself that Helen coming home must have knocked something loose in his head, he turned to Buttercup, determined to put Piper and her swaying hips out of his mind.

***Piper***

Piper stood at the window looking out at the backyard where the wedding preparations were almost finished and wondered if she'd ever be a bride, then pushed the thought away. Today wasn't about her, it was about her new best friend and making this a day she would never forget. Turning from the window, she watched Bridget fuss over Amy for a few minutes, a bit jealous of how close they were, but reminded herself she'd only known Amy for a few short months.

"Piper, will you tell Bridget that I don't need to take a nap," Amy asked, her eyes pleading. "I've already had a nap today; I don't need another one."

"Amy, you're seven months pregnant, you need to reserve your strength," Bridget said. "I don't know why you let Grant talk you into this. You could have waited until after the baby is born to get married."

"He said it was important to him," Amy said, with a shrug of her shoulders. "You know I can't say no to him."

Briget looked down at the baby bump under Amy's robe, "Obviously," she said, then started laughing. "Fine, have it your way, but if you fall asleep at the altar, don't blame me. I'm going to go boss some people around outside, and then I'll be back to help you get dressed."

When Bridget was gone, Amy patted the bed next to her, "Bridget means well," she said. "She just gets wound up sometimes."

"You two have been friends for a long time," she said. "I'm a little jealous to be honest with you, working with a bunch of men like I do doesn't leave much room for friendship."

"Well, I have plenty of room in my life for new friends," Amy said, giving her a quick hug. "Thank you for doing this on such short notice. I really can't say no to Grant when he makes his mind up that he wants something."

"Love will do that to you," she said, then quickly added, "at least that's what I've heard."

Amy studied her for a second, "You and Sawyer are pretty close," she said. "You've been working together for six years now, right? That's a long time, I'm surprised nothing……well……ever happened between the two of you."

"Men and women can be friends, you know," she instantly defensively, then took a deep breath. "Besides, Sawyer doesn't see me that way, I'm just one of the guys to him. It's less complicated that way, I guess."

Amy was silent for a second, "We haven't known each other for very long, so I might be sticking my nose in where it doesn't belong, but I get the feeling that you would like it if Sawyer saw you as a woman," she said, clearly choosing her words carefully. "He's a great guy, Piper, I can understand why you might fall for him."

She looked over at Amy, opened her mouth to deny it, then let out a long sigh, "I've been in love with him since I was twenty-one," she finally said. "I was going to tell him at my birthday party, but he showed up with Helen, and I chickened out. I should have left years ago, I should have cut my losses and moved on, but I can't. Every time I think about leaving, I feel sick to my stomach, I get shaky, and I can't breathe."

"Oh, dear, you've got it bad," Amy said, pulling her into her arms for a hug, then pulled back and looked at her. "Do you really want Sawyer?"

"More than anything in the world," she admitted, and a weight lifted from her shoulders. "It's like an ache deep inside me that never goes away. You have no idea how good it feels to finally tell someone."

"Have you been keeping this bottled up inside you all this time?" Amy asked, a look of surprise on her face. "Oh, Piper, I'm so sorry you never had anybody to talk to about this, but that's going to change. I'm here for you now."

"There's not really much to talk about," she said, shrugging her shoulders. "I'm in love with a man who doesn't love me back. One of these days I'll realize how hopeless the situation is and move on, but for now, here I am, too stubborn to give up."

Amy studied her for a second, "Have you ever thought about just telling him how you feel?" she asked. "He's separated from Helen now, filing for divorce from what I understand, so there's nothing stopping you."

"I've thought about it. For the last six months I've been getting up the courage, but every time I think about telling him how I feel, I chicken out," she said. "I can't stop thinking about what will happen if he doesn't feel the same way. Besides, I can't just walk up to him and tell him that I'm in love with him; that would freak him out."

"That's true," Amy said, then fell silent for a second, her brow furrowed in concentration. "Wait, I've got it; the answer is so simple. Make him fall in love with you."

She snorted, "You make it sound like no big deal," she said. "He only sees me as a friend, maybe even a sister, which is even worse. How am I supposed to make him fall in love with me?"

"Change his perspective," Amy said, a grin on her face. "Maybe it's time Sawyer saw you as the woman you are instead of just the capable ranch manager he's gotten used to. There's more to you than just running that ranch, Piper, maybe it's time you let down your guard a little and tried to have some fun, go out on a few dates."

"Wait, why are you telling me to go out on a date if I'm trying to get Sawyer to fall in love with me?" she asked. "I don't understand."

Amy shook her head, "I can see you and I are going to have to have a long talk about men after the wedding," she said, then smiled at her. "Let's start with something simple: I want you to dance with at least three men tonight, and don't tell me no one is going to ask you. You'll have plenty of admirers in that dress I picked out for you."

She looked over at the dress, then back at Amy, "I haven't worn a dress since the day of my birthday party three years ago," she said. "I'm afraid Sawyer will just think I look silly."

"Honey, that last thing he's going to be thinking is that you look silly," Amy said. "Go put the dress on, you'll see what I mean."

A few minutes later, she was standing in front of the mirror staring at her reflection, not sure it could really be her looking back. "Oh, it looks just as wonderful as I thought it would," Amy said, clapping her hands. "I dare Sawyer not to notice you in that dress."