Page 11 of The Billionaire's Runaway Bride

Chapter 5

Caleb

“Come on,” I grouse at the sat-nav on the dash. “Where am I? Huh? Where’s this damn bird place?”

I frown at the signs at the intersection of yet another small remote town. I’ve come across several during this trip. Landing in Denver was easy. Picking up the rental was fine. Driving all over the state and led astray by this map service that cannot pick up and hold reception long enough to tell me where I am, is not cool.

My patience is fried. I want coffee with a scary desperation. And getting out of this car and moving would be great.

“Oh, screw it.” I shake my head and turn left instead of right. I feel like I’m supposed to be heading north, but what do I know? Dalton’s right. I’m a city boy. I am not pampered or helpless. But I’m used to streets and internet connection to always be told where to go.

I’ll stop in town and ask someone for directions. At this rate, it’s my only option to try before I wander along all these hilly roads and hope the suspension on the rental lasts.

I park the car, and while walking towards a nearby coffee shop, try to fiddle with my phone to get something to come through. Reception is worse than lousy, though, and just when I give up trying to get a map to update, I nearly run over someone.

“Whoa!” I reach out and catch the woman on the sidewalk.

She’s a slight little thing, short and curvy. Blonde wavy curls cover her face, and as I realize I’m still holding her arms, she huffs and blows the golden tresses out of her eyes.

Damn! Piercing bright blue eyes blink up at me, and I can’t help but grin. Her stunned gaze captures me, but I cannot get enough of her. I lower my gaze, taking in all of her, from the shiny hiking boots, up those slim legs hidden in baggy jeans, and the tight top that stretches over her breasts as she breathes too quickly.

Well, Colorado can’t be so bad if they’ve got women like this here.

I grin and let her go.

“What’s your name, sweetheart?”

I’m ready for her answering smile. I bet it will be a shy one, slow but gorgeous. Her pink lips don’t move though. Instead, her brow furrows and she cringes.

She steps to the left to bypass me into the coffee shop, but I block her path. “I’m new to town and wondering—”

“I don’t care.”

“—if you could tell me how to reach my destination.”

She narrows her eyes. “Oh, please. Charm me with a witty pickup line like that.”

I obstruct her step to the left and earn another grimace.

“I’m lost, and I’d like to—”

“Funny. I’m thinking I should tell you to get lost.” She tries again to pass me, but I block her. Jeez. Maybe she’s not in the mood to flirt, but damn, is she icy. It makes me determined to try harder.

She eyes me up and down, slowly and deliberately. Then she rolls her eyes and dodges me, giving up on the coffee shop and striding away.

That’s a first. I watch her leave me standing there, and I stare at her fine ass as she slips into the store next door.

Colorado might have some hotties, but something in the mountain air must make them…difficult. Women fawn over me. My charm never fails. I chuckle, more amused than I’d care to admit at how colossally she shot me down. If Dalton were here, he’d never let me hear the end of it.

I’m laughing at this new experience, but as my chuckle dies out, I frown. She sure knocked me down a few pegs, and on top of being lost and genuinely needing directions, it irks me.

I thought these small towns were supposed to be all friendly and welcoming. Like Hallmark movies.

“Whatever.” I shake my head and turn to enter the coffee shop. It’s small, almost as tiny as some of the artsy places in Soho, but coffee is coffee. I inhale a deep lungful of the scent and feel better already. A hot cup of black coffee won’t fail to improve my mood, and I step to the counter to order a tall cup to go.

The young kid at the counter doesn’t seem very awake, and with the deadened glare that only moody teens can give, I’m not encouraged to ask this kid for directions either.

I grab my drink and scan the room, finding my target near the front window. A couple of older men playing chess grab my attention, and I approach them.

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