My Billionaire Cowboy: A BWWM Western Romance (9 page)

She showered, all the while her mind turning the situation over and
over. The fact that he was a millionaire did not scare her. She was
not attracted to him for the money. Kate had never really been the
type to be enamored with material things. When he confessed, it had
not made her care for him any less. She did not feel one way or
another about his money. It did in fact make her wonder why he wanted
to be with her. She was effectively in transition in her life. Why
would a man that was established want to be with her so badly?

They had so much in common, yet appeared to be such an odd couple.
Wanting to be with him was now a craving, an urge that made her body
call for him. It was like craving sugar. Once you ate the cookie, it
made you feel good, you got a rush, but you also came crashing down
afterward. The crash was what she was afraid of.

Being with Bruce was exhilarating. He made her feel like a princess
and it was just exactly what she wanted a man to do for her. Taking
her on excursions and diner dates and even the appearance at the gala
was like a dream. Sending for her with limo rides and impromptu
dinner dates, it was all an attempt to show her that he cared and
wanted to spend time with her, but she was not sure that it was not
too much.

As she got dressed, she saw her phone light blinking. It was a
message for her from Bruce telling her that he missed her and that he
wanted to see her again.

She smiled at the thought, but suddenly felt suffocated. He wanted
too much too soon. She was not sure that she could give what he was
asking for. She simply sent him a smiling face and said that she was
looking forward to seeing him again as well.

Kate tried her best to get Bruce out of her mind. She had to focus
because today was the day she had to meet with a potentially
lucrative client. She wanted to make sure she was on top of her game
and that she would give the best presentation possible. Thinking of
Bruce was taking over her mind. The way he smelled, the way his hands
felt on her skin, the way he whispered softly in her ear while they
made love.

Her body started to respond to the thoughts of them making love. The
first time at his home and then last night. Last night had been so
uninhibited, and so right. He made her feel like she was his sexy
siren, the way he held her and caressed her body. The way he kissed
her and set her on fire from within and made her body respond to his.
She had never known anyone that was able to do anything like that to
her. She had never given anyone the chance to get that close.

And now, she was starting to question her decision to let Bruce get
so close so quickly. She would have to think about it later. Today,
she had to focus on work and her career. She could not give her
energy to anything else right now.

*****

When her client walked in, Kate considered herself to be on stage.
She wowed her client with her expertise and her sense of fashion.
After talking and getting to know one another for the consultation,
the potential client signed on and became a paying client. Linda,
Kim, and Kate celebrated with a glass of champagne and some Belgian
chocolates, their normal celebratory ritual.

Signing a new client was invigorating. She loved the fact that she
worked hard and it paid off. She wanted to feel that exhilaration
more and more. It was like a high that she did not want to come down
from.

Kate’s day was packed with meetings as well. She had calls back
to back and it felt like she had to make up for taking a day to work
from home the day before.

She barely had time to pay attention to the vase of flowers Kim
brought in to her office. The red roses in a clear vase sat on the
counter in her office until she got a break in between her third and
fourth phone call. She took a breather, ate a small snack and chugged
down some mineral water.

“Who are the flowers from?”

Kate looked up to see Linda peeking in the office.

“I did not even get a chance to look at them. I’ve been
swamped with phone calls all afternoon and I did not get the chance
to check them out.”

Kate stood up and walked over to the arrangement. She found the card,
opened it, and figured out that it came from her new beau.

There was a strange feeling of flattery and feeling unsure.

“It’s from Bruce.”

“Ah, we are on a first name basis now.” Linda came over
to smell the roses.

“Well, we are kind of dating.”

Linda closed the door behind her. “Wait. When did this happen?
Dating?”

“I’m not sure. I’m just not sure about anything.
Look, I have to finish one more call. Can we table this and discuss
it over coffee?”

“We are definitely discussing this over coffee.”

Kate finished her last call and signaled to Linda that she was ready
to leave. They walked down the block to their local coffee shop.

“Tell me everything. Please don’t leave anything out.”

Kate began to share. “It just started out as me going by to fit
him for the gala. He’s this charming man who is great to talk
to. He’s easy going and fun to be around. I like his
spontaneity. That night, he asked me to go out to eat, I did. It
turned in to dinner, dancing, a date to the gala, dinner at an
exclusive restaurant, sleeping together, meeting his parents. You get
the picture.”

Linda practically slammed her coffee cup on the table, the hot liquid
spilling over.

“How long have you known this guy, Kate?”

“That’s not the point. Things like this can happen rather
quickly when things are right.”

“Really? This is so unlike the calculated, analytic girl that I
know. I kind of like it.”

Kate was surprised. “What?”

Linda sipped her coffee. “I like it. I like the fact that you
have decided to throw caution to the wind and go for it with this man
that excites you. It’s like a steamy romance novel.”

“You can’t be serious. You actually think this is a good
idea?”

Linda grinned. “I’m always telling you that you should
live a little. Well, today my friend, you are living.”

“Oh, is that what that is? Living?’

“Yes, my dear. Living. Have some fun for once. Why do you have
to over think everything? Are you having fun?”

“Yes,” Kate replied.

“Does he seem to be a good guy?”

“Yes. I’ve even met his parents. Everything on the family
front seems normal.”

“Okay,” Linda replied. “Are you happy?”

Kate thought about what Linda was asking. Asking someone if they were
happy always seemed so subjective. There could be so many different
reasons for someone’s happiness.

“I think that I am.”

“When I ask that question, it means are you happy. With
yourself and where you are in life? You can’t depend on him to
make you happy. People will disappoint you every time. But are you
happy in your life period?”

Kate nodded. “I am happy. Life has been good thus far.”

“So,” Linda leaned across the table, almost whispering.
“I saved the most important question for last.”

She paused, just for drama.

“Well?” Kate asked.

“Is the sex good?”

“That is the most important question? Really, Linda?”

Linda sat back in the chair, clasping her hands together. “Of
course it is. If the two of you are not sexually compatible, things
won’t work out.”

Kate inhaled deeply. The thought of her and Bruce in bed together
threatened to make her lose control and dial his number to ask for
more.

“It is explosive.”

“Yes!” Linda exclaimed, clapping her hands together
loudly. Other people in the cafe turned to look their way.

Linda rolled her eyes. “That is what is most important. The
sex. If the two of you don’t have that sexual physical
attraction, nothing else matters. You may as well be hanging out with
your brother.”

“Interesting train of thought, but I am definitely not hanging
out with my brother.”

“So he meets all of the requirements on the checklist. What is
the problem?”

“He’s a millionaire.”

Linda choked on her coffee. She had to take a napkin to start
cleaning up the mess.

“A millionaire? The man that walked in to the boutique with the
cowboy hat, jeans, and cowboy boots?”

Kate nodded.

“So I’m still not seeing what the problem is. Spill it.”

“I just don’t want him to think I want him for the money.
I actually felt a bit awkward after he told me that he has money.”

“Kate, the man has more than ‘money’. He’s
rich.”

“What would you do if you were in this situation?”

Linda laughed. “What, you mean the situation where I have the
attention of a rich man that is a great companion, sexually
compatible, and a wonderful man. Is that the situation that you are
speaking of?”

“You make it sound like it is so easy to come to a conclusion,
Linda.”

“It is easy. Say yes.”

“I did, but I want to mean it.”

“So you said yes, but you didn’t mean it? You, my dear
Kate are driving me crazy. Does Bruce have a friend? I could use some
of what you’re getting if you don’t want it.”

Kate drummed her fingertips on the table. “So I just say yes?”

Linda shrugged. “Do what you want to. But I think you would be
insane to walk away from him. Maybe he came along at a time when you
least expected it, but he’s here. It’s all up to you to
decide what to do with your ‘situation’.” When she
said the word situation, she used her fingers to make air quotes.

“Are you ready to get back to the boutique or are you going to
take another day off to work from home like yesterday?”

Kate knew that Linda was just teasing, but she did not want to keep
talking about the situation.

Her phone chimed as they got ready to walk out.

“I’m coming back to the boutique. I have a few follow up
calls to make and then we can close up on time.”

Kate glanced at her phone only to see that she had a text from Bruce.

*****

Kate did not answer the text until she was back in her office alone.

It was Bruce telling her that he would give her all of the time she
needed to make a decision about being with him.

I understand that things are strained between us, but I want you
to know that I will give you the time
you need to decide whether you want to be with me. I
want to be with you. Please know that. I am here when you are ready
to talk.

She felt bad that she had not responded all day to the texts or the
flower delivery. All she wanted was to be able to concentrate at
work. Today had been an important day at work for her and Linda and
the boutique.

She finally decided to respond to him.

Can we talk later?

It did not take long for him to respond.

Yes. Just name the time and place.

She thought about it.

Can you meet me at the park on Lawton and French Street at seven
o’clock?

When he replied yes, she knew she would be able to work it out with
him from there.

She wrapped up with work and they closed the boutique to one of the
most successful days they had yet in the past year. Excitement
coursed through her veins. It was a victory she shared with her
friends and looked forward to having more of.

And as much as she hated to admit it, she wanted to share it with
Bruce as well. She knew that he would be genuinely happy for her and
he would appreciate all of the hard work that went into her success.

She made her way to the park. It was almost dusk and she knew that
Bruce should be on the way soon.

Glancing at the watch, it was almost seven.

“Are you looking for me?”

“Hi.” The sight of him softened her heart. “I was.”

He approached the bench where she sat and lingered until she reached
her hand out and offered him the seat next to her.

“Thank you,” he replied as he took a seat.

“Okay, here goes.” Kate thought it would be best to go
ahead and dive right in.

She waited until she knew she had his undivided attention.

“So here’s the deal. I have to say that even though we
have not been apart long, I missed you. I thought of you the entire
day. But I was struggling with it because I felt a little
suffocated.”

When the words escaped her lips, they felt hurtful and almost
threatening and she worried about how her feelings would make Bruce
feel. He was a big boy and she knew he would be able to deal with it
either way.

He waited quietly for her to continue speaking.

“When you left this morning, all of a sudden, I started to have
a panic attack. I wondered what I had gotten myself into. I spent the
entire day with you even when I knew I had work to do. So then I
start to think that maybe I need to pump the brakes and slow down. I
have expressed that I don’t want anything or anyone to get in
the way of my career. And I started to wonder if these feelings I am
developing for you would start to get me off focus.

“That is part of the reason I did not call you back today. I
had a huge client that I needed to focus on. I landed the client and
all worked out well, but I had to think long and hard about us. And I
realized that I do want you. I want to be with you, Bruce.”

He sat there silently and when she finished speaking, he commented
calmly.
“What am I supposed to
say to that?”

Kate was confused. “I just told you that I wanted to be with
you. What do you mean what are you supposed to say?”

“Kate, my love. I don’t think you know what you want. I
promised to treat you well, be the man that you need, and I have
showered you with attention, gifts, and I have opened myself up to
you. And still, that was not enough. Instead of feeling okay about
all of it, you felt smothered. That was not my intention and that is
certainly not what I wanted you to feel in response to my
affections.”