Read Online Sunset at Keyhole Canyon: A Mustang Ridge Novella by Jesse Hayworth - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Jesse Hayworth
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around her mouth. “On our second date? What kind of a girl do you think I am?”
My girl
. The words popped into his head, but he kept them there, deep inside.
Later
, he told himself. He still had things to prove to both of them. “That’s right. Our second date, back in the big, bad city. You pick the day and time, and I’ll take care of the rest.”
“Not a fancy restaurant.”
His grin went crooked. “No way. I know you better than that now.” An afternoon at a flea market or a trail ride in the hills north of the city would entertain her far more than a four-star meal. And how cool was that? “I’ll get creative.”
Her eyes lit. “Well, when are you off next week? Give me some help here.”
“Nope. Pick a night and I’ll make it happen. Switch a shift, call in dead, whatever it takes.”
Trust me
, he urged her inwardly.
I’m going to make room for you this time
. When she started to speak, though, he covered her lips with his, silencing her with a slow and thorough kiss. It was a long moment before they parted, another before he said, rough-voiced, “On second thought, tell me tomorrow before we leave. That’ll give us both something to look forward to.” Because he had a feeling it was going to be a long night.
Chapter Nine
The next morning, part of Nina was grateful Ben hadn’t stayed the night—not just because it made her think he was really serious about making things work back home, but because it meant he didn’t see her get misty-eyed as she tucked her purple boots under a layer of denim that wasn’t stiff and new anymore.
She wasn’t leaving him behind, she reminded herself. She was just leaving the ranch and taking a week of wonderful memories back home with her . . . along with the promise of something new and exciting in the city. Still, she couldn’t stop from hesitating before she packed her rustler’s bandana and zipped her suitcase.
She was sad to leave her cabin, sad to shut the door one last time.
You’ll be back next year
, she told herself, and that helped some. But at the same time, her thoughts threatened to skip ahead to her return. Where would she be then? So much had changed in a week, what more would be different a year from now?
Don’t go there. You need to take it one step at a time
.
“Not to mention, you need to get a grip,” she said aloud, and headed for the main house, trying not to let her feet drag.
A mountain of luggage sat near the bus, but the parking lot was deserted, the rest of the guests at breakfast. She added her bag to the pile and turned toward the dining hall, but then an instinct had her stopping and turning back.
And she saw him.
Ben stood leaned up against the back of the bus, arms crossed over his chest as he watched her from beneath the tipped-down brim of his Stetson. In jeans, a dark T-shirt, and boots that had a layer of dust on them, he looked every inch a cowboy. Every inch hers.
“Hel-lo, gorgeous,” she murmured to herself as she crossed to him, heart singing.
“Good morning yourself, gorgeous.” He caught her hands and drew her in for a warm kiss that was growing more familiar, but felt different each time. Now, it was achingly tender, sending a poignant pang through her body.
When it ended, he pressed his forehead to hers and held her a moment longer, as if he, too, was caught between wanting to stay right there, and wanting to make the break and prove their relationship would work. “You sure you don’t want to ride back with me?”
She hesitated, but shook her head. “No, thanks. I’d like to leave the way I came in.” Sitting next to Traci with her face pressed to the one-way glass. “It seems like the right thing to do.”
He kissed her brow. “When can I see you again?”
And there it was, the question she had wrestled with more than she had expected during the night. It was tempting—too tempting—to meet up with him tonight or tomorrow, to pick up right where they left off and keep the
My girl
. The words popped into his head, but he kept them there, deep inside.
Later
, he told himself. He still had things to prove to both of them. “That’s right. Our second date, back in the big, bad city. You pick the day and time, and I’ll take care of the rest.”
“Not a fancy restaurant.”
His grin went crooked. “No way. I know you better than that now.” An afternoon at a flea market or a trail ride in the hills north of the city would entertain her far more than a four-star meal. And how cool was that? “I’ll get creative.”
Her eyes lit. “Well, when are you off next week? Give me some help here.”
“Nope. Pick a night and I’ll make it happen. Switch a shift, call in dead, whatever it takes.”
Trust me
, he urged her inwardly.
I’m going to make room for you this time
. When she started to speak, though, he covered her lips with his, silencing her with a slow and thorough kiss. It was a long moment before they parted, another before he said, rough-voiced, “On second thought, tell me tomorrow before we leave. That’ll give us both something to look forward to.” Because he had a feeling it was going to be a long night.
Chapter Nine
The next morning, part of Nina was grateful Ben hadn’t stayed the night—not just because it made her think he was really serious about making things work back home, but because it meant he didn’t see her get misty-eyed as she tucked her purple boots under a layer of denim that wasn’t stiff and new anymore.
She wasn’t leaving him behind, she reminded herself. She was just leaving the ranch and taking a week of wonderful memories back home with her . . . along with the promise of something new and exciting in the city. Still, she couldn’t stop from hesitating before she packed her rustler’s bandana and zipped her suitcase.
She was sad to leave her cabin, sad to shut the door one last time.
You’ll be back next year
, she told herself, and that helped some. But at the same time, her thoughts threatened to skip ahead to her return. Where would she be then? So much had changed in a week, what more would be different a year from now?
Don’t go there. You need to take it one step at a time
.
“Not to mention, you need to get a grip,” she said aloud, and headed for the main house, trying not to let her feet drag.
A mountain of luggage sat near the bus, but the parking lot was deserted, the rest of the guests at breakfast. She added her bag to the pile and turned toward the dining hall, but then an instinct had her stopping and turning back.
And she saw him.
Ben stood leaned up against the back of the bus, arms crossed over his chest as he watched her from beneath the tipped-down brim of his Stetson. In jeans, a dark T-shirt, and boots that had a layer of dust on them, he looked every inch a cowboy. Every inch hers.
“Hel-lo, gorgeous,” she murmured to herself as she crossed to him, heart singing.
“Good morning yourself, gorgeous.” He caught her hands and drew her in for a warm kiss that was growing more familiar, but felt different each time. Now, it was achingly tender, sending a poignant pang through her body.
When it ended, he pressed his forehead to hers and held her a moment longer, as if he, too, was caught between wanting to stay right there, and wanting to make the break and prove their relationship would work. “You sure you don’t want to ride back with me?”
She hesitated, but shook her head. “No, thanks. I’d like to leave the way I came in.” Sitting next to Traci with her face pressed to the one-way glass. “It seems like the right thing to do.”
He kissed her brow. “When can I see you again?”
And there it was, the question she had wrestled with more than she had expected during the night. It was tempting—too tempting—to meet up with him tonight or tomorrow, to pick up right where they left off and keep the
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