Read Online OLIVER: WESTERN CONTEMPORARY ROMANCE (Blackwater Canyon Ranch Book 2) by Cindy Stark - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Cindy Stark
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them inside her car. He shut the door and entered on the opposite side. “I can’t wait to get you out in the wide open countryside.”
A shiver of anticipation forced goosebumps to the surface of her skin. “You’re forgetting that I spent many summers here.” She started her car and did a U-turn on his lawn like Rachel had taught her most folks did.
“You were only a kid. How much trouble can you get in when you’re six?”
“Ask Rachel. She was always dragging me into all kinds of trouble.”
“If you think that was trouble, wait.” He chuckled. “You’re in for a hell of a summer.”
She lifted a brow to question him further, but he only smiled.
Fine. He could be cryptic. For tonight, he was all hers, and she’d show him her kind of excitement.
****
The candle on their table flickered, casting shadows on the white linen tablecloth. Daisy had picked the most expensive restaurant in Cattle Creek, complete with a maître d and wine list in hopes of impressing Oliver. However, she hadn’t expected the setting to be so intimate.
Oliver didn’t seem to notice a sea of romantic couples surrounded them. He talked and enjoyed their meal as though they were alone.
“I didn’t realize you were taking me to dinner, too,” Oliver said, as the waiter cleared their plates.
She gave a nonchalant shrug, trying to ignore the chemistry bouncing back and forth between them. “I usually eat dinner out when I go to the theatre.”
He nodded once and poured more wine into her glass. “It’s very nice. Thank you.”
“You’re welcome.” With the way he looked right now, she could put him in any big city, and he’d seem right at home. Who would have guessed?
“Have you lived anywhere besides Cheyenne and Moose Meadows?” he asked, seeming to enjoy their small talk.
“No, though I’ve visited a lot of places with my mom.” She sipped her wine and then set the glass down. “How about you?”
“Mmm…here and there. Nothing too exciting though. Nowhere as nice as Moose Meadows.”
“How can you make that distinction until you’ve actually lived in a big city? There’s so much energy and life.”
He shifted in his seat and leaned closer to her. “Don’t get me wrong. I enjoy a nice dinner with a beautiful woman, but if it was up to me, I’d rather be on a horse, heading into the hills with you instead.”
The man was certainly full of flattery. “Why can’t you like both?”
“Who said I don’t?” He regarded her with an intriguing gaze that drew her in deeper.
“You said you prefer the country.”
“I do. You’re the one assuming I can’t enjoy both.”
She sat back in her chair. “Are you trying to confuse me to get out of answering the question?”
He grinned. “Maybe.”
She smiled. “And you think that’s okay?”
“I think you’ve been doing the same thing to me since we met.” He lifted his brows in a challenge.
“Hmm…” she said, unwilling to concede anything. She studied him for a few moments, and he seemed content to do the same.
“How does your girlfriend feel about our dare date?” Daisy hadn’t meant to bring her up, but she seemed like a safer topic than the flirtatious road they were headed down.
He tilted his head in confusion. “Girlfriend?”
“The woman who came over the other night. Cute blonde. Her red Jeep was in the drive again yesterday.”
A slow smile curved his lips. “Karla? She’s not my girlfriend.”
“Really?” It wasn’t that she wanted Oliver to be her boyfriend, but she’d missed the teasing and bantering between them that had suddenly seemed inappropriate to her. “Rachel said she likes you, and she does come by often.”
“You asked Rachel if she was my girlfriend?” He seemed pleased that she had.
“Oh, no,” She tried to backtrack. “No, no. I wasn’t trying to be nosy. Who you date is none of my business. I was curious why she’d come around so often if she wasn’t.”
“Well, let’s see. The first
A shiver of anticipation forced goosebumps to the surface of her skin. “You’re forgetting that I spent many summers here.” She started her car and did a U-turn on his lawn like Rachel had taught her most folks did.
“You were only a kid. How much trouble can you get in when you’re six?”
“Ask Rachel. She was always dragging me into all kinds of trouble.”
“If you think that was trouble, wait.” He chuckled. “You’re in for a hell of a summer.”
She lifted a brow to question him further, but he only smiled.
Fine. He could be cryptic. For tonight, he was all hers, and she’d show him her kind of excitement.
****
The candle on their table flickered, casting shadows on the white linen tablecloth. Daisy had picked the most expensive restaurant in Cattle Creek, complete with a maître d and wine list in hopes of impressing Oliver. However, she hadn’t expected the setting to be so intimate.
Oliver didn’t seem to notice a sea of romantic couples surrounded them. He talked and enjoyed their meal as though they were alone.
“I didn’t realize you were taking me to dinner, too,” Oliver said, as the waiter cleared their plates.
She gave a nonchalant shrug, trying to ignore the chemistry bouncing back and forth between them. “I usually eat dinner out when I go to the theatre.”
He nodded once and poured more wine into her glass. “It’s very nice. Thank you.”
“You’re welcome.” With the way he looked right now, she could put him in any big city, and he’d seem right at home. Who would have guessed?
“Have you lived anywhere besides Cheyenne and Moose Meadows?” he asked, seeming to enjoy their small talk.
“No, though I’ve visited a lot of places with my mom.” She sipped her wine and then set the glass down. “How about you?”
“Mmm…here and there. Nothing too exciting though. Nowhere as nice as Moose Meadows.”
“How can you make that distinction until you’ve actually lived in a big city? There’s so much energy and life.”
He shifted in his seat and leaned closer to her. “Don’t get me wrong. I enjoy a nice dinner with a beautiful woman, but if it was up to me, I’d rather be on a horse, heading into the hills with you instead.”
The man was certainly full of flattery. “Why can’t you like both?”
“Who said I don’t?” He regarded her with an intriguing gaze that drew her in deeper.
“You said you prefer the country.”
“I do. You’re the one assuming I can’t enjoy both.”
She sat back in her chair. “Are you trying to confuse me to get out of answering the question?”
He grinned. “Maybe.”
She smiled. “And you think that’s okay?”
“I think you’ve been doing the same thing to me since we met.” He lifted his brows in a challenge.
“Hmm…” she said, unwilling to concede anything. She studied him for a few moments, and he seemed content to do the same.
“How does your girlfriend feel about our dare date?” Daisy hadn’t meant to bring her up, but she seemed like a safer topic than the flirtatious road they were headed down.
He tilted his head in confusion. “Girlfriend?”
“The woman who came over the other night. Cute blonde. Her red Jeep was in the drive again yesterday.”
A slow smile curved his lips. “Karla? She’s not my girlfriend.”
“Really?” It wasn’t that she wanted Oliver to be her boyfriend, but she’d missed the teasing and bantering between them that had suddenly seemed inappropriate to her. “Rachel said she likes you, and she does come by often.”
“You asked Rachel if she was my girlfriend?” He seemed pleased that she had.
“Oh, no,” She tried to backtrack. “No, no. I wasn’t trying to be nosy. Who you date is none of my business. I was curious why she’d come around so often if she wasn’t.”
“Well, let’s see. The first
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