Page 19 of The Cowgirl's Forever Love
Josiah told her a couple of stories about growing up in the theatre world, which was something completely outside of her realm of experience.
The food went down easy as the light outside began to change. Sunset mode slipped into play as six o’clock passed.
It was a tough choice, what to look at. The sharp, sexy lines of the man’s face beside her, or the clear lines of the Rocky Mountains as reds and golds edged the craggy peaks in the distance.
The corners of Josiah’s eyes crinkled as he spoke, lips curling in a smile as he shared another story. Sunlight reflected off his hair, a glint in his eyes as he passed her the bowl of macaroni and cheese and she helped herself to another scoop.
Eventually her stomach could hold no more. “I’m done. So very done.”
Josiah leaned back with a sigh of satisfaction. “For now.”
She groaned. “Oh God. Mercy.”
He snorted. “You’re the one who brought ice cream. Three types.”
They stacked the dishes into the machine, Josiah moving easily as he put things away. He was obviously a man comfortable in his own skin and his own place.
A place that continued to impress the heck out of her. “I know you said you bought this from someone else, but the house is gorgeous. Show me the rest?”
“Sure. Let me put on my tour director hat.”
Before she could ask any more questions, he caught her by the fingers and tugged her across the floor. He paced, pointing toward collectible knickknacks hanging on the walls or arranged on side tables.
“My oldest sister, Kelsey, grabbed that picture for me from England the last time she was there. She said it made her think of the veterinarian stories we used to read back on rainy days when we were trapped in the house. And Lenora gave me that statue for my birthday. She and Micah are taking turns giving me horses. At this rate, I’ll eventually have an entire herd around the place.”
“That’s a nice tradition to start.” She peeked her head into the next room to find an office with sleek leather upholstery and solid wood furniture everywhere. “This place is over the top for a single guy.”
“Which is why I’ve got a couple of roommates joining me. I’ve done this over the years, whenever we’ve had veterinary students doing time at the clinic. Couple of guys moving into town were looking for a place to stay, and I offered.” He cursed softly, pausing in the middle of the hallway to stand close to her. “Which is good, and bad. We’re only alone tonight until they get back, which they guessed would be around nine.”
“Plenty of time for a private tour,” she said as deadpan as possible.
The heat in his eyes was not just her imagination. It was there, it really was. The same bubbling curiosity that lived inside her. Simmering, yet ready at a moment’s notice to slide into something far more delicious.
Josiah stared at her lips. “Next two doors are the rooms I gave the guys. Door after that on the right is a guest bathroom. Door at the end of the hallway leads to the master bedroom.”
“I bet you’ve got some amazing views from that vantage point.” How she kept from leaning into him, she had no idea. The attraction between them was rock solid and growing.
If he walked them into his bedroom, she would be more than happy to take a thorough tour, wherever that led.
Only he surprised her again, tipping his head toward the only door he hadn’t labelled. “Talking about amazing views, I’ve got just the thing.”
The door opened onto a spiral staircase rising upward in a tall, round building. “Is this what I think it is?”
“If you think it’s an old grain silo, yes. The homestead was originally a barn. They renovated and added on the kitchen and living room section. I call this part the castle.”
“Prince Josiah. There’s a bit of gossip I didn’t expect.”
He laughed, gesturing her up the steep staircase. “I thought dukes were all the rage. Hurry, before we lose the light.”
A moment later, she understood why he’d rushed her. The staircase opened into a large, open space, and the entire wall dormer facing the mountains was made up of windows.
The room was lit with a thousand red, yellow and gold lights shining off reflective surfaces and turning the space into a true fairytale setting.
“Wow.” Lisa turned in a slow circle, taking in the room and all the gleaming bits and pieces around the walls before stopping at the feature event—the view to the west.
They were much higher now, and the fences and fields that had looked like a rolling carpet from the living room stretched out for miles. The nearby foothills rose and fell in a series of asymmetrical bumps and hollows. Snow that appeared cream white in the daylight was lit with the setting sun as everything turned to rose and blush.
Lisa stared in fascination. Again, that sense of being in an unfamiliar place sent a thrill through her. She’d seen beautiful sunsets before. She’d made a point of enjoying them, but this one seemed more miraculous.
