Unbreak My Heart (Rough Riders Legacy #1)

Miknag? What was that? Then I realized he’d transposed the letters. He was so anxious that he wasn’t taking an eternity to type out a text.

Me: I have to get ready. See you soon.

B-Dub: Can’t wait. Luv u

So sweet, that man of mine.

Darkness had fallen and I stared out at the city lights. Strange to think Boone lived here. He’d never mentioned loving it or hating it. Accepting it was more his way.

Had he ever driven by the military family housing and imagined coming home to a wife and maybe a kid or two? If we hadn’t reconnected, would he have settled for someone else? That seemed plausible. Certainly more plausible than us ending up together. Then again, he’d come after me. The harder question was: would I have ever gone after him? When the word “no” echoed through my head, my heart and my stomach clenched with outrage. Now I couldn’t imagine a life without him. But I could’ve easily gone the other way, ignoring Boone’s attempts to start over. Thank heaven for the man’s tenacity. Thank heaven for his faith in us—in this.

Four solid raps sounded on the door.

I raced over and flung open the door without checking the peephole first. “I thought…”

My brain stopped. My heart did too. I had the vague sensation I’d abandoned that whole breathing thing when I got my first look at him.

Boone was one hundred percent polished, from the tips of his shiny shoes to his belt buckle to the brim of his hat. Talk about heart stopping to see Boone West in that uniform.

I flashed back to the anguish in his eyes the night he’d told me he needed to leave Wyoming. He had to make it on his own. I hadn’t doubted he could do it, even when I’d hated the decision he’d made. But it had been the best possible option for him.

“Sierra?”

My eyes met his. Such pride there. Such love.

“Look at you,” I managed. “You’re so…” I wished I’d had the foresight to grab a tissue. But the tears started regardless.

Boone followed me in. “What’s wrong?”

I shook my head and kept walking backward.

“Sierra. Stop.” He latched onto my upper arms. “What is going on?”

“I’m so proud of you. It just hit me, seeing you in uniform like you were born to wear it. And it makes me so ashamed that I was so selfish that I didn’t want you to have this.”

“Baby—”

“No, let me finish. I would’ve happily sabotaged your entire life and all your plans in order to make you mine. You were so much stronger than I’ve ever given you credit for. Maybe that sounds stupid, but I couldn’t have made that choice. You did. For both of us.” I sniffled. “So, I’m just…crazy in love with you, okay? Crazy in love and crazy proud that I get to be part of your life.”

Boone studied me with an intensity that made me tremble. He didn’t touch me, he didn’t kiss me. Every inch of him, except his eyes, had gone still.

“Never has anything that anyone ever said to me meant as much as this.”

I thought I was done crying.

I thought wrong.

But he caught the next tear, and the one after that, and the one after that, on his own cheeks as he kissed me.

I was utterly lost in him.

When he finally relinquished my mouth, he smiled. “That leaves us no time for a quickie.”

“You can make it up to me later.”

His lips grazed my bare shoulder and collarbone. “You look fantastic, by the way.”

“Thank you.” I’d chosen a red dress, simple in cut and design. I’d splurged on shoes, with distinctive red soles the exact same color as the dress. I’d debated on wearing my hair up, but I’d opted to leave it down because I loved how Boone swept my hair away so he could kiss my neck. I needed that familiarity.

“You ready?”

“I have to check my makeup.” With my luck I’d have black streaks running down to my chin. I crossed to the small vanity and leaned closer. Not too bad. The waterproof mascara lived up to the name. I blotted under my eyes, added concealer, touched up my eyeliner and dusted powder across to seal it. Boone had done a number on my lipstick.

He moved in behind me.

I smiled. Which made it hard to put on my lipstick.

“I almost stopped and bought you flowers. But it seemed more important to get here, than to get here with a flower you probably wouldn’t wear.”

So freakin’ sweet.

Keeping those dark eyes on mine in the mirror, he gathered a handful of my hair and delicately wrapped it around his palm. Then he pulled down hard, exposing the side of my throat. He dragged his lips up and stopped at my ear, sending chills through me. “When we get back? You won’t know what hit you. I’m going to fuck you like it’s my right. Because it is mine. Just mine.” His breath fluttered across my damp skin. “All night, Sierra.”

And…not so sweet.



The ballroom sparkled as if we’d stepped into a fairy-tale castle.