FOUR PLAY Read Free Page B

Then he raised it toward her. "To many more first dates with a beautiful woman."
    "This will be our last first date, silly." She frowned as she thought of his words. "Unless you plan on dating many more women."
    "Oh, no, I've had my eye on you. You're special enough to warrant many more first dates." He nodded over his wine glass and drank.
    Charli sipped more slowly, unsure what to make of Connor. Original Sin had taken a lot of time preparing the dinner date last night. But he hadn't spoken of future dates or future anything.
    Connor sat on the blanket and patted the spot beside him. "Sit. I have our lunch all here. I wanted to get away from everything so that we could spend some time getting to know each other."
    "What would you like to know?"
    He smiled and patted the blanket beside him. "Lots of things."
    A flash of guilt swept across Charli's mind. She hoped he didn't ask about her sex life. Last night had been highly satisfying, but she didn't want to lie to Connor from the very beginning.
    Immediately on the tail of that thought was the defensive thought of, she didn't owe Connor anything. This was their first date. They didn't even know enough about each other to make any kind of monogamous commitment.
    Connor fished out sandwiches, chips and napkins, waiting on her like she was the queen, careful to tend to her every need. "I've always dreamed of owning a place like the Flying F Ranch."
    Charli swallowed the bite of sandwich she'd been chewing. "Really, why?"
    "I love the animals, the wide-open spaces and the thought of lying naked under the Texas sky with the woman of my dreams."
    Her next bite of sandwich lodged in her throat as a molten rush of heat pooled low in Charli's belly. She could imagine the dark night, the stars shining overhead, lying on a blanket much like the one she sat on now. Her lover lying by her side, running his fingers over her cool, naked skin.
    Charli swallowed hard and choked on the bread.
    Connor leaned forward and patted her back, rubbing his big, coarse hands over the thin tank top.
    Her mind already several layers of clothing ahead of him, Charli turned to stare at Connor. "Is that one of your sexual fantasies?"
    "No, not necessarily. Ever since I went to war, I had a picture in my mind of what I wanted."
    "And what's that?"
    "I want what most men want." He smiled and tipped the wine bottle, refilling her glass.
    Her hand shook as she recalled what her ex-fiancé had wanted. "Most men want sex with every gorgeous woman he comes in contact with."
    "Not most." With a shake of his head, he frowned. "Do I detect a bit of cynicism?"
    She shrugged and waved a hand in the air between them. "Rightly earned. You know—once burned and all that."
    "He must have been a real jerk." Connor traced his finger down her cheek. "I want the house with the white picket fence, a wife to come home to and kids."
    Swallowing hard, Charli fell into the sincerity shining from his eyes. Dang, he was good. She could almost believe him. "Some dream you have there, cowboy."
    He brushed his thumb across her full bottom lip. "I expect it will be a reality when I find the right woman."
    "Who is the right woman?" Charli asked, her breath catching. "Have you met her yet?"
    "I think I have, I'm just not sure she knows she's the right one yet." He poured more wine into his glass and touched the rim of his to hers. "Here's to starry nights."
    She sipped from the glass, her gaze meeting his over the rim. "What can you do on a starry night that you can't do on a sunny day?" She challenged him, shaking through some of the heavy content of their conversation.
    Charli hadn't thought of houses, picket fences and husbands since her last failed relationship. But Connor made them sound real appealing.
    She shook her head. No. She didn't dare dream of that kind of forever relationship. They didn't last.
    Right now, she wanted to concentrate on sex without commitment.
    Would Connor take her up on her challenge and give her a little