Page 35 of Cowboy Stole My Heart
“I’d better go,” she said, looking embarrassed as she glanced back toward the bar. Sam almost felt guilty about what he’d done, but every time he’d glanced at the guy she was with, he’d been on his phone. He doubted he’d even have seen it. “You sure you don’t want to come over for a drink?”
He laughed. “Yeah, I think it’s best I don’t. You know, since you’re on a date with another guy and I just kissed the hell out of you.”
Mia smiled. “Actually, I’d say it was me kissing the hell out of you, but I’ll let that one slide.” She laughed. “And he’s been way more interested in work than me all night.”
She reached for his hand and he caught her palm, holding it for a second and looking into her eyes.
“You really do look beautiful tonight, Mia. Really, stunningly beautiful. And if the guy you’re with is more interested in his phone than you? I’d say he’s a damn fool.”
Her smile lit up her entire face.
“You know, you don’t look so bad yourself.”
She gave him one last, hard-to-read look before disappearing, and he was left wondering what kind of rocks-for-brains idiot he was for letting her walk away.
The sensible kind, he reasoned with himself. He couldn’t get involved with Mia. She was beautiful, intelligent and an accomplished rider. She should have been everything he’d ever wanted. Only she wasn’t. Because he couldn’t do relationships, not anymore. He’d seen his mother walk out on his dad, and them, and then his own girlfriend,fiancée,the woman he’d promised to marry, had gone andripped his heart out. He couldn’t trust again, and that meant he wasn’t looking for anything serious, and he knew that Mia wouldn’t be the kind of girl to do a no-strings-attached affair.
He squared his shoulders and walked out of the bar. The cooler night air was like a soft punch to the face as he headed for his vehicle.
There was no wedding, brood of children or white picket fence in his future, and not even Mia Ford could tempt him to change his mind about that. He was a horseman, that’s what his life was, and he was going to live his career and enjoy his ranch.Alone.
He could be the world’s coolest uncle, he could have casual flings with beautiful women, and he could enjoy every goddamn minute of his life.
Blue wagged his tail, jumping out of the driver’s seat when he opened the door and moving aside for him. Sam dropped his hand to his dog’s head and smiled down at him.
“You’re the closest thing I’ll ever have to a wife, ain’t that right, gorgeous?” he muttered to the dog, wishing he could push away the image of Mia standing in front of him, lips plump and pink from being kissed, her eyes so vivid they were like staring at a perfect blue sky.
Blue jumped up and licked his face and Sam laughed. At least he had his dog. It wasn’t much of a consolation, but it was something.
