My Billionaire Cowboy: A BWWM Western Romance (6 page)

“One day at a time sounds good to me. You know, for an us.”

Bruce stroked her hair, gently massaging her temples. She sighed. “I
could do this forever.”

“I think I’m going to hold you to that, Woman.”

“I would not expect you to do anything less.”

They lay there for another thirty minutes, then finished breakfast,
and Kate got dressed.

“I really have to be going. The boutique awaits.”

Bruce agreed. “I just have one thing to ask you.”

“What is that?” Kate slipped on her shirt and shoes.

“I would love for you to come out with me again, as my date for
dinner. Tomorrow, perhaps?”

“Of course.”

The intercom buzzed.

“That must be your driver. Hold on.” He ran over and
checked and affirmed that it was the driver, ready to take her home.

“Until tomorrow, Kate.” His kiss was tender and soft.

Kate backed away smiling.

“Until tomorrow, Bruce.

*****

The ride back to her home was quiet. Kate had a lot of time to think.
Her mind was relaxed, her body was sore. She was not sure how things
had developed between her and Bruce so quickly. Just thinking about
the night they had spent together left her feeling hot and tingly all
over in the places where his fingertips had been.

There was not a place on her body where Bruce had not explored.

She did not want to share their little secret with anyone else right
now. It was enough to bask in the glory of the night they shared.

Bruce had treated her like a princess. Sending cars for her, flowers,
gifts, trinkets. It was all so much for her at one time. But it was
the kind of thing she felt was better if they dove in head first. If
she stopped and thought about it, she would find reasons to slow down
or create unnecessary obstacles when there were none.

She resigned to let it be what it was. She was having a good time
with a man that enjoyed her company and she enjoyed his.

Kate made it home just in time to shower and change for work. Right
now, she needed to focus on her business and nothing else, but Bruce
kept running through her head and she wanted to call him and hear his
voice. But was it too soon? She had just left his house.

Her phone chimed as soon as she hopped out of the shower. It was
Bruce.

I hope you know that I loved my time with you. Can’t wait
until tonight.

His words made her smile.

She text back her reply.

Until tonight.

She was ready to see him as well. Kate applied her lipstick and
stopped at the coffee shop for a cup of java and a danish before
heading off to work.

Fortunately she was the first one to get to the boutique. She needed
the peace and quiet, not Linda teasing her about her new love.

New love. The thought made her smile.

Bruce had been so sweet. So attentive. He seemed to want to make sure
she was happy and he genuinely liked spending time with her. He was
everything she wanted in a man. Although he had come wrapped in an
unconventional package, but she could not deny that he was the
perfect match for her.

The fact was, she did not need all of the gifts from him. The
attention and the affection was more than enough.

Bruce seemed to be a good man. They had a good time together and
seemed to be a good match and she wanted to see where it would go.

Kate did the best she could not to day dream all afternoon. Thinking
of Bruce and the night they spent together got in the way of her
productivity. Linda was not due in until noon and she was fortunate
enough to have Kim there working first thing in the morning. She
would need someone to work the morning shift.

She told Kim that she would spend the morning in the office, going
over paperwork. It was the only way she would be able to keep her
mind off of Bruce and on her work. By the time she went through the
business spreadsheets, Kate decided she would work from home. She did
not have any personal clients that morning to style and she could
spend the rest of the morning going over the books.

She glanced at her phone, and just as she considered dialing Bruce’s
number, his name came across the screen.

“Hello, I must have thought you up.”

“What does that mean?” he asked with a chuckle.

“I was thinking of you this morning. I could not get last night
out of my mind.”

“Me either.”

In their silence, she could hear that he was in the car.

“Are you going somewhere?” she asked.

“I have a few errands to run this morning. But I am open after
that. What about you?”

“I decided to work from home today. I could definitely make
time for lunch.”

“So I will have the pleasure of spending lunch and dinner with
you today?” Bruce teased.

“Well, I guess you do.”

“I will call you soon. Be ready around noon.”

“Will do.”

Once again, her heart was all aflutter. The mere sound of Bruce’s
voice was able to do that to her.

She shook her head. Kate had never really been in love, and she
wondered if this was what it felt like to truly be in love. But it
was nothing she wanted to rush. Her mother always told her that good
things took time.

So if this thing with Bruce was going to turn in to something, Kate
would have to do whatever she could to not completely fall head over
heels too quickly, though it was her first impulse to dive right in.

Fortunately, she was able to finish her work over the next two hours.
She called in to the boutique and found that everything was in
working order so Kate let Linda and Kim know that she was available
by cell phone all day if they needed her.

Just as he promised, Bruce called at noon.

“Come outside.”

She had no clue where they were going or what they would be doing for
that afternoon. And she was okay with that.

Dressed in a pink button down shirt, white jeans, a pair of canvas
sneakers, and a denim blue jacket, she was ready for lunch.

Bruce stepped out of the car and walked around to the passenger side.
A look of approval on his face.

“You look amazing.” He kissed her on the cheek.

“Thank you,” she replied. “And you look pretty
great yourself.” She admired the way that he was casually
dressed. Wearing a pair of gray slacks, driving loafers, and a
lightweight navy blue sweater, he looked handsome. He was still
clean-shaven and he smelled woodsy. It was the same scent that lasted
on her after staying at his home the night before.

She loved the fact that he was so masculine. He gave her this hedge
of protection and a feeling of security and it turned her on even
more. Opening car doors, pulling out chairs, sending her gifts. He
was doing all of the things that the gallant men did on the soap
operas and in the romance novels.

“A penny for your thoughts,” he remarked.

“What? Oh. I was just thinking how good things are so quickly.
I don’t know. It feels too good to be true.”

As they drove off, Bruce kept his eyes on the road. “Nothing is
too good to be true. It either is or isn’t. So you just have to
let it be what it is.”

“Hmm. Good perspective. That makes a lot of sense.”

“I’m glad you think so. If you say it’s too good to
be true, it implies that you aren’t deserving of having good
things. That there is no truth in having and deserving good things.”

He turned up the music a bit, quieting the conversation. Kate could
tell he was in deep thought about something. If he wanted to share,
he would.

Within a few minutes, they pulled up at a small restaurant she had
passed by many times. It was a tiny little house called Mingo
Gardens.

“Oh my goodness. I heard so many good things about the food
here.”

“Great. I’m glad you’ve heard of it. Come with me.”

He held her hand as they walked in.

“Hello, welcome to Mingo Gardens.” The hostess was tiny
and bubbly, full of energy.

“Yes, we have a reservation. Two for Bruce.”

The hostess scanned the sheet. “Ah, yes. I see your name here.
Right this way.”

They followed the woman to a room toward the back. It was mid
afternoon, and the restaurant was full. They continued further back
until they were on a balcony. They were overlooking the city, and the
sight of people walking to and fro was exhilarating as they sat on
the balcony.

The hostess left them with menus and fresh water with lemon. Kate
glanced at the menu, trying to figure out what she would eat.

“What are you having?” she asked Bruce, hoping that his
selection would give her an idea.

“I like the grilled halibut and the penne pasta with an arugula
salad.”

“Okay, I think I’ll get the antipasto and a side of
artichoke dip.”

They placed their orders and sat back with their drinks.

“Is this another one of the places that you like to go?”

Bruce nodded. “Yes, but I have never eaten on the private
balcony.”

“Nice. I feel special.”

Bruce leaned in a bit more. “I hope that you don’t just
feel special because of the gifts.”

“Not at all. I mean, those are nice, but you have this way of
making me feel like I’m the only girl in the world. At least
the only girl in the world that matters to you.”

He took her by the hand. “What if that was true?”

“If what was true?”

“What if, you are the only girl in the world that matters to
me?”

The impact of his words hit hard. “How is that possible so
early on?”

Bruce took a sip of his water, waiting to respond until the waitress
finished serving their food.

“Kate, if there is one thing I have learned in love and
business it is that you have to strike when the iron is hot. There
are precise moments in life when things happen and when you don’t
go for what you want during that window, you can completely lose the
momentum, or the opportunity at all.”

“Have there ever been times when you lost the opportunity to
have something you wanted?”

Bruce looked up in to the sky, as if trying to gain perspective.
“Yes. I have. And it is not easy. But you live and you learn.
And then you live again to more forward and not make the same mistake
again.”

“Tell me more. That is, if you are comfortable.”

Before speaking, Bruce finished his food. “I don’t think
the history is all that important. I think what is important is where
I am right now. Where I would like to be right now in life.”

“And where is that?”

“Kate, I’m a simple man. I like my liquor, a little
gambling, and I love nature. When I fall for a woman, I fall hard.
And I put everything in to it. I’m not the type of man that
does anything halfway. I believe in making my woman first and that if
she is my woman, that she is exclusively with me, by my side. So if
you and I are to go into this relationship, then I have to let you
know that ahead of time. So you know what to expect.”

Kate listened intently. Was he telling her that he wanted her to be
with him?

“Are you asking what I think you’re asking?” Kate
just wanted to make sure that she was not jumping to any conclusions.

“Kate, I think you know what I’m asking.”

“Talk about whirlwind romance.” She sipped her wine and
thought about what he was asking.

“Bruce, we’ve only known each other for a few weeks. I
admit, things progressed rather quickly, but I was not expecting
this.”

“I’m not the kind of man that sleeps around. When I find
a woman that I want, I’m with her.”

He stared at her intently as he sipped the rest of his rum, waiting
for her response.

Her mind twirled, thinking of what the right thing was. To go all out
for a man she just recently met, or to pump the brakes and be
cautionary and take her time growing and cultivating a relationship.

As if he could read her mind, Bruce squeezed her hand. “What is
the first thing that comes to mind?”

“Well, I-,”

“No,” Bruce said with certainty. “Your first
impulse. Quickly. Kate, tell me what’s on your mind.”

She felt panicked, her heart racing. “I want to be with you!”
Kate blurted out.

Bruce leaned back smiling. “How did that feel?”

Kate gulped the rest of her wine down, feeling the liquid warm her
from the inside. She could barely breathe.

“That was a rush.”

“You should feel good about your decision. Now, do you stand by
your choice?”

“I do.”

“Very well. Let’s enjoy lunch.”

*****

By the time Bruce and Kate finished lunch, she wanted to spend more
time with him. She checked in with the boutique and was assured
everything was alright.

“What if I told you that I was not ready to end our afternoon?”

Bruce stood up, put on his wide brimmed hat, and walked over to pull
out her chair.

“I would ask you if you had anything pending at work.”

“No, I don’t.”

“Well then I would say I would love to spend more time with you
this afternoon. What do you suggest?”

Kate hoisted her purse over her shoulder. “I would like to show
you a little bit of my world.”

“I would love that. Lead the way.”

The first stop was the neighborhood where she grew up. She showed him
the playground where she and her best friends used to play. She
showed him her elementary school and high school and the recreation
center where she went several days a week. The hang out spot where
Kate and her friends spent a lot of their time eating ice cream and
talking about boys.

“This is nice to get to know so much about you.”

Kate smiled. “Thanks. It’s nice to share. You already
know where I work, and you know where I live. Speaking of home, maybe
we should swing by so that I can change for dinner tonight.”

“Perfect idea.”

They were silent as he navigated the city streets.

“What are you thinking about?”