Read Online A Cowboy Under the Mistletoe by Vicki Lewis Thompson - Free Book Online
Authors: Vicki Lewis Thompson
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getting acquainted part tough.
But when he walked into Rangeland Roasters at exactly six o’clock and was greeted by her warm smile, his heart turned over. Whenever he was with her, something inside him clicked into place. Although he wanted her desperately, that wasn’t the only reason he couldn’t wait to see her. He just plain liked her. Even if they couldn’t be lovers, he’d want to be her friend. That was a new situation for him.
On the way to the diner he wrapped an arm around her shoulders because it was freezing on the street. Huddled together, they didn’t try to make conversation until they were seated at the counter again. They both ordered coffee this time.
“I want something besides a burger,” she said. “Two in one day is one too many.”
“Mac and cheese.” Ty closed his menu.
“Perfect.” She slapped hers closed. “Make that two.”
He smiled at her. “I’ve known ladies who would shudder at the thought of mac and cheese.”
“Really? Why?”
“Calories.”
“Pfft.” She waved a hand dismissively. “I’m on my feet for countless hours a day. If I ever quit working at Rangeland Roasters, I might have to watch my diet, but I’m running from the minute I hit the door until I lock up. I don’t worry about calories.”
“From where I sit, you don’t have to.”
“Thanks, Ty. That’s the gentlemanly thing to say and I appreciate it. My clothes still fit, so that’s all that concerns me. I don’t make enough to buy a whole new wardrobe.”
“Then it’s mac and cheese for both of us.” He ordered when the waitress came by.
“Before I forget, let me give you these.” She pulled two keys on a small ring out of her pocket and handed them to him. “The big one’s for the outside door and the smaller one is to my apartment. I don’t know what you planned to do between dinner and coming over, but it’s silly for you to sit in some bar passing the time. Just go on over and let yourself in.”
“I was going to sit in some bar, but actually, the original plan isn’t going to work.”
“Oh?” She straightened. “Why not?”
He filled her in on the news. “Rosie’s having a celebration, and I...need to be there. If you’re willing to come with me after you close up tonight, that would be great, but I can understand if you—”
“Of course I will.”
“Really? I’m afraid it jacks up our evening.”
She smiled. “You’ll have to bring me back to my apartment sometime, right?”
“Eventually.” He held her gaze. “But you were up early and we’re talking about a really long day. You might want me to drop you off and head for home.”
“I changed the sheets on my queen-size bed. I’d hate to go to all that trouble for nothing.”
He swallowed. “You make a good point.”
“So we won’t have an entire evening together. That could be a blessing if we don’t...if we’re not...compatible.”
He couldn’t help smiling at that. “I seriously doubt that will be the case.”
“I seriously doubt it, too. Bottom line, do you really want to drive back to Cheyenne tomorrow without...”
“ No .” His response came out with a little more force than necessary. He lowered his voice. “No, I don’t.”
“Me, either. But you need to celebrate with your foster family and I’d love to be there. I’ll just need a few minutes to change clothes and then we can go.”
Now that the keys to her apartment rested in his suddenly sweaty palm, he wondered how that would work, with her changing clothes while he was there. “The party might run late.”
“Doesn’t matter.” She looked into his eyes. “I have a feeling that once we get back to my apartment, we won’t be tired anymore.”
As he imagined that explosive moment, he wasn’t capable of coherent speech, so he made a little noise of agreement deep in his throat.
“But you probably need to make sure that nobody expects you to come home until morning.”
“They won’t.”
“You’re
But when he walked into Rangeland Roasters at exactly six o’clock and was greeted by her warm smile, his heart turned over. Whenever he was with her, something inside him clicked into place. Although he wanted her desperately, that wasn’t the only reason he couldn’t wait to see her. He just plain liked her. Even if they couldn’t be lovers, he’d want to be her friend. That was a new situation for him.
On the way to the diner he wrapped an arm around her shoulders because it was freezing on the street. Huddled together, they didn’t try to make conversation until they were seated at the counter again. They both ordered coffee this time.
“I want something besides a burger,” she said. “Two in one day is one too many.”
“Mac and cheese.” Ty closed his menu.
“Perfect.” She slapped hers closed. “Make that two.”
He smiled at her. “I’ve known ladies who would shudder at the thought of mac and cheese.”
“Really? Why?”
“Calories.”
“Pfft.” She waved a hand dismissively. “I’m on my feet for countless hours a day. If I ever quit working at Rangeland Roasters, I might have to watch my diet, but I’m running from the minute I hit the door until I lock up. I don’t worry about calories.”
“From where I sit, you don’t have to.”
“Thanks, Ty. That’s the gentlemanly thing to say and I appreciate it. My clothes still fit, so that’s all that concerns me. I don’t make enough to buy a whole new wardrobe.”
“Then it’s mac and cheese for both of us.” He ordered when the waitress came by.
“Before I forget, let me give you these.” She pulled two keys on a small ring out of her pocket and handed them to him. “The big one’s for the outside door and the smaller one is to my apartment. I don’t know what you planned to do between dinner and coming over, but it’s silly for you to sit in some bar passing the time. Just go on over and let yourself in.”
“I was going to sit in some bar, but actually, the original plan isn’t going to work.”
“Oh?” She straightened. “Why not?”
He filled her in on the news. “Rosie’s having a celebration, and I...need to be there. If you’re willing to come with me after you close up tonight, that would be great, but I can understand if you—”
“Of course I will.”
“Really? I’m afraid it jacks up our evening.”
She smiled. “You’ll have to bring me back to my apartment sometime, right?”
“Eventually.” He held her gaze. “But you were up early and we’re talking about a really long day. You might want me to drop you off and head for home.”
“I changed the sheets on my queen-size bed. I’d hate to go to all that trouble for nothing.”
He swallowed. “You make a good point.”
“So we won’t have an entire evening together. That could be a blessing if we don’t...if we’re not...compatible.”
He couldn’t help smiling at that. “I seriously doubt that will be the case.”
“I seriously doubt it, too. Bottom line, do you really want to drive back to Cheyenne tomorrow without...”
“ No .” His response came out with a little more force than necessary. He lowered his voice. “No, I don’t.”
“Me, either. But you need to celebrate with your foster family and I’d love to be there. I’ll just need a few minutes to change clothes and then we can go.”
Now that the keys to her apartment rested in his suddenly sweaty palm, he wondered how that would work, with her changing clothes while he was there. “The party might run late.”
“Doesn’t matter.” She looked into his eyes. “I have a feeling that once we get back to my apartment, we won’t be tired anymore.”
As he imagined that explosive moment, he wasn’t capable of coherent speech, so he made a little noise of agreement deep in his throat.
“But you probably need to make sure that nobody expects you to come home until morning.”
“They won’t.”
“You’re
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