Page 35 of Christmas with the Cowgirl
“Actually,” she said, sounding only half-kidding, “I had a serious crush on Kyle Rafferty, when I was in high school.He was so handsome in his uniform, and when you threw in that brilliant artistic talent of his, he was…”
She waved a hand as if words failed her.
“Irresistible?”
“Pretty much,” she admitted.“But boys my age bored me, then.”
He couldn’t help wondering if all this meant she’d only be interested in an older man even now.He’d always kind of thought once you were past thirty you pretty much knew what you wanted and needed, and where you found it didn’t matter so much.
“Do they still?”he asked, keeping his tone carefully neutral.
“They’ve learned a lot since then,” she said, with a light laugh.“They don’t seem so…one dimensional.”
“So you require…layers, in a man you’re interested in.”
He could only hope she’d never read the in-depth interview he’d done with a reporter they’d told him was too big a name to pass up.Since he’d just been getting on his feet in the business at the time he’d done it.And gone a little overboard in explaining himself.Not that it had come out badly, and the reporter, unlike many who came into things like that with their mind already made up, had been kind enough, although a little condescending to the eager newcomer.
But in discussing his projects, the reporter had used that phrase.Layers.Flint’s work, especially his characters, have layers, and that contributes greatly to the depth of the stories he tells.
But the word seemed to fit here, so he’d borrowed it.And it made Riley look at him thoughtfully, for a long, silent moment.
Talk about layers…
“I never thought about it quite like that, but yes.”Her mouth quirked.Deliciously.“I had a horse once, who was brilliant in the arena.Not quite King level,” she said, nodding toward her obviously beloved buckskin, “but close.The problem was that was all he was good at.Outside the arena he was stubborn, cranky, stupid, and bordered on vicious.To humans and other animals, from dogs to chickens.”
“So he had one single good layer.”
She nodded.“And the rest was unbearable.Especially when I had King coming up, and he’s as close to perfect as a horse can get.”
“So what did you do with him?”
“Sold him to someone willing to put up with it.She did all right with him, but not King level.”
Of all the horses they had seen to this evening, she had spent the most time with the clearly friendly King.She’d practically cooed at him, something that had startled him coming from the usually businesslike woman.
And when she stroked his neck and kissed his muzzle, you about went ballistic.
He couldn’t deny his reaction had been rather…fierce.Just the sight of those hands sliding, those lips puckering, had him thinking things he had no business thinking.
At least, until he could get her to stop thinking she was too old for him.
And then what?
He asked himself the question rather sternly.Because when it came down to it, just because he’d been spending time here since Jackson had landed on the Baylor ranch didn’t mean he belonged here.His life was still on the West Coast, and hers was here.And would always be here, he had no doubt about that.He couldn’t imagine her anyplace else.
Himself, on the other hand…
He spoke hurriedly, asking a necessary question before he could say something else beyond stupid.“Can I call you, about the time for the Rafferty thing tomorrow?If you really want to go, that is.”
“I’d love to, if you don’t mind.”
Mind?Hardly.“Umm…number?”
She looked a little disconcerted but laughed.“I guess that would help.”
Since her phone was back in the tack room, he manually entered the number she gave him into his phone.He wondered what it must be like not to be tethered to the device 24/7.It wasn’t the first time he’d thought about that, but it was certainly the first time he done it so…wistfully.
And he found himself so pleased that he would see her again tomorrow, that he was able to mostly shrug off Nic’s teasing and Jackson’s assessing glances as they headed back to the Baylor place.
