Page 52 of Cowboy Stole My Heart
Chapter 14
MIAwasn’t sure how to read Sam. One minute he was sweet and funny, the next he seemed to pull away, a dark cloud settling over his face that she found impossible to decipher.
“Thanks for the spaghetti,” Sam said, standing up and stretching. “And the beers.”
She smiled. “Glad you liked it.” She was also glad about something else they’d done, and was wondering if there was going to be a round two. Her stomach had gone all fluttery, her skin tingling, wondering if he was going to take her by the hand and lead her back to bed. Or to the kitchen counter. Or the sofa. Or… she crossed her legs and dug her fingernails into her palms.Enough.
“You’re leaving?” she asked, trying to hide her disappointment as he collected his car keys from the counter.
“Yeah, I need to get back,” he said.
“Right, of course,” she said, standing and wondering whether she should kiss him or just awkwardly stand there. What did you do in a no-strings deal? Could she kiss him before he left or was that something you only did in arelationship? The last thing she wanted was to come across as needy.
“Come here,” he said, taking the decision out of her hands with his gruff words, his hand claiming her waist as his lips warmed hers and reminded her exactly why she’d hoped he’d be staying over.
Mia kissed him back, mouth moving in time with his, wishing there was more to come instead of it being goodbye.
“See you tomorrow,” he said, pulling away and giving her a long, slow smile. “Oh wait, tomorrow’s Sunday. I’ll catch you Monday then?”
Mia watched him gather his things and go, and she decided not to follow him out and watch him like a puppy that was being left behind. She was a grown woman and she’d entered into an agreement with him knowing full well it was about physical needs above all else.
“Yeah, see you Monday,” she replied, walking a few steps and leaning against the wall, trying to act like she didn’t give a damn. “And bring your overnight bag next time. This was too short for my liking.”
He smiled and nodded, winking as he opened the door and disappeared out into the night. She waited, held her breath, then turned the interior lights off so she could see his silhouette illuminated by the external lighting. When she was certain he’d gone, she slipped down the wall and sank to the floor.
What the hell was she doing? What had she gotten herself into? And how the hell could he leave like that after the evening they’d had? Mia took a deep breath and forced herself back up. She couldn’t sit there like a forlorn puddle on the floor all night, and she definitely wasn’t about to start feeling sorry for herself. The trouble was, she liked Sam, a lot. And although she knew that he liked herback—he had to—she also knew that it was only about one thing to him; he’d made that abundantly obvious. She needed to be sensible though. He had animals in his care, and he probably needed to get back to them.
Her phone was vibrating, she could hear it chirping away somewhere in the kitchen, so she went off to find it. By the time she did, it had long ceased ringing, but she noticed there were text messages from Kat. A lot of them. She went into the fridge and pulled out a bottle of wine, retrieved a glass and poured herself a generous amount. Then she made her way over to the sofa, tucked her feet up and dialed her friend.
“Oh, it’s the heartbreaker,” Kat answered.
“Ha-ha, very funny,” she replied, taking a sip and sinking back into her cushions. She looked out, wishing she was still sitting poolside with Sam instead of wondering why he’d left so fast, like he was suddenly in a hurry.
“Seriously, I thought you’d get on well together. What was wrong with him?”
Mia went to reply that nothing was wrong with him, when she realized they were talking about different men.
“There’s someone else,” she admitted. “I’ve kind of, well, entered into an arrangement.” Mia cringed. It sounded terrible calling it that, but she always told Kat everything and she wasn’t going to start lying to her now.
“Anarrangement?” Kat asked. “What the heck does that mean, and who is he?”
Mia blew out a breath and took another sip of wine for courage.
“Ohmygod, it’s that horse trainer, isn’t it?”
Mia sighed. “The one and only.”
“I’m coming over. I want to hear everything.” Kat’slaugh echoed down the line. “And don’t drink all the wine before I get there.”
***
Sam walked up the steps of his sister’s home the next day and knocked lightly on the door. He’d been scolded before when he’d knocked too loudly and woken sleeping babies, and after ending up with an infant in his arms crying inconsolably, he wasn’t about to make that mistake again.
“Hey!”
Nate opened the door with one of the tiny humans in his arms. Sam knew better than to get too close, or he’d end up having to pretend he knew what he was doing with her. “Something smells good.”
“That’d be the meat,” Nate quipped. “We have half a cow out there on the grill, seriously.”
