Turns out I’ve got a little something to celebrate, too.”
“Well, that’s intriguing. Give me a second.” She stepped behind the counter, grabbed a couple of kolaches and some more coffee. Then after a word with Delia Bruce, who was helping out until she found a full-time job, Marisol crossed back over to Ian’s table, setting the plate and cups down as she slid into a seat. “So what’s happened?”
Ian smiled, his eyes dark and full of something Marisol wasn’t sure she wanted to put a name to. “I’m now the proud owner of a hundred and ten acres of prime grazing land about fifteen miles south of here.”
“You’re kidding. I knew you were looking for a place for Marcus, but to be honest, with the Johnsons’ hold on everything to do with cattle around here, I figured it was a lost cause.”
“Well, now, you see, I’m not the kind of man to give up without a fight.” He paused, his gaze devouring her. “Especially when it’s something I truly want.”
Marisol swallowed too fast and almost choked on her coffee. Whoever decided cowboys had the power to make a girl swoon definitely had the right idea about things. At least when it came to Ian Briggs. “I see.” She didn’t. Not really. But she found herself wanting him to tell her.
“Zeke Johnson and I had a little talk and a meeting of the minds, you might say. And now Marcus and I have a chance to make a go of it here in Texas.”
“Marcus and you…” She was sounding like a schoolgirl. Limited to repeating whatever he had to say. And to make matters worse, she’d managed to shred one of the kolaches.
“Marcus,” he repeated, a slow, sexy smile tilting his lips. “And me. Me being the relevant part of this conversation. Me—and you, that is.”
Marisol felt a shiver of something work its way down her spine. “Me and you.” Lord, she was still repeating.
“I’m hoping maybe we can have dinner tonight to celebrate?” he asked, his eyes full of laughter and something else. Something hotter. Something full of promise.
“Dinner would be great.” Amazing. Fabulous. Wonderful. Her stomach actually clenched with excitement.
“It’s a date then.” He leaned over and before she even had time to think about it, brushed his lips against hers. She closed her eyes, relishing his touch.
“Marisol Moreno, I can’t believe what I’m seeing.”
Marisol sprang back, opening her eyes, coloring with guilt. Standing just across from her was her little brother Luis and his girlfriend Mallory, his eyes dancing with laughter.
“Kinda feels nice to have the shoe on the other foot.” His grin turned mischievous.
“You show some respect for your sister, Luis,” Ian admonished, not looking the slightest bit embarrassed for having been caught kissing in front of her brother.
“Oh, I have nothing but respect, Mr. Briggs. And if I’m honest, I’m totally psyched. It’s about time Marisol let herself be happy. She’s been way too busy trying to take care of me and my sister. Thinks she doesn’t deserve her own life. But we know better, right?”
Marisol looked from a grinning Luis to Ian, who was clearly gloating. Mallory, who was standing behind Luis, waggled her eyebrows at Marisol and mouthed one word. “Men.”
“It’s Ian,” Ian was saying to Luis as he motioned to the table’s empty chairs. “Your sister was just helping me celebrate. Join us.”
Marisol jumped up to get sodas for her brother and Mallory, her head swimming and her body still reacting to what had merely been a simple kiss. That and the fact that he’d asked her to dinner.
Of course, he was still leaving.
But now that he’d bought land in Texas, surely that meant he’d at least be visiting now and then. The relevant question being whether or not that was enough.
Truth be told, it wasn’t.
But then maybe she’d be smart to just take what she could get. After all, a girl didn’t have the chance to spend time with a man like Ian every day. A little
“Well, that’s intriguing. Give me a second.” She stepped behind the counter, grabbed a couple of kolaches and some more coffee. Then after a word with Delia Bruce, who was helping out until she found a full-time job, Marisol crossed back over to Ian’s table, setting the plate and cups down as she slid into a seat. “So what’s happened?”
Ian smiled, his eyes dark and full of something Marisol wasn’t sure she wanted to put a name to. “I’m now the proud owner of a hundred and ten acres of prime grazing land about fifteen miles south of here.”
“You’re kidding. I knew you were looking for a place for Marcus, but to be honest, with the Johnsons’ hold on everything to do with cattle around here, I figured it was a lost cause.”
“Well, now, you see, I’m not the kind of man to give up without a fight.” He paused, his gaze devouring her. “Especially when it’s something I truly want.”
Marisol swallowed too fast and almost choked on her coffee. Whoever decided cowboys had the power to make a girl swoon definitely had the right idea about things. At least when it came to Ian Briggs. “I see.” She didn’t. Not really. But she found herself wanting him to tell her.
“Zeke Johnson and I had a little talk and a meeting of the minds, you might say. And now Marcus and I have a chance to make a go of it here in Texas.”
“Marcus and you…” She was sounding like a schoolgirl. Limited to repeating whatever he had to say. And to make matters worse, she’d managed to shred one of the kolaches.
“Marcus,” he repeated, a slow, sexy smile tilting his lips. “And me. Me being the relevant part of this conversation. Me—and you, that is.”
Marisol felt a shiver of something work its way down her spine. “Me and you.” Lord, she was still repeating.
“I’m hoping maybe we can have dinner tonight to celebrate?” he asked, his eyes full of laughter and something else. Something hotter. Something full of promise.
“Dinner would be great.” Amazing. Fabulous. Wonderful. Her stomach actually clenched with excitement.
“It’s a date then.” He leaned over and before she even had time to think about it, brushed his lips against hers. She closed her eyes, relishing his touch.
“Marisol Moreno, I can’t believe what I’m seeing.”
Marisol sprang back, opening her eyes, coloring with guilt. Standing just across from her was her little brother Luis and his girlfriend Mallory, his eyes dancing with laughter.
“Kinda feels nice to have the shoe on the other foot.” His grin turned mischievous.
“You show some respect for your sister, Luis,” Ian admonished, not looking the slightest bit embarrassed for having been caught kissing in front of her brother.
“Oh, I have nothing but respect, Mr. Briggs. And if I’m honest, I’m totally psyched. It’s about time Marisol let herself be happy. She’s been way too busy trying to take care of me and my sister. Thinks she doesn’t deserve her own life. But we know better, right?”
Marisol looked from a grinning Luis to Ian, who was clearly gloating. Mallory, who was standing behind Luis, waggled her eyebrows at Marisol and mouthed one word. “Men.”
“It’s Ian,” Ian was saying to Luis as he motioned to the table’s empty chairs. “Your sister was just helping me celebrate. Join us.”
Marisol jumped up to get sodas for her brother and Mallory, her head swimming and her body still reacting to what had merely been a simple kiss. That and the fact that he’d asked her to dinner.
Of course, he was still leaving.
But now that he’d bought land in Texas, surely that meant he’d at least be visiting now and then. The relevant question being whether or not that was enough.
Truth be told, it wasn’t.
But then maybe she’d be smart to just take what she could get. After all, a girl didn’t have the chance to spend time with a man like Ian every day. A little
Similar Books
The Scribe
Susan Kaye Quinn
Aris Reigns
Devin Morgan
Fractured
Erin Hayes
Grave Dance
Kalayna Price
Penelope & Prince Charming
Jennifer Ashley
I Left My Back Door Open
April Sinclair
Far From Home
Valerie Wood
Illicit Intuitions: Sensory Ops, Book 3
Nikki Duncan
The Reluctant Heir
Eve Jordan