Catching the Cowboy (Circle B Ranch 2)

Slowly, she turns her head toward me as though she’s possessed. Her eyes are squinted so tight that I’m waiting for her to blow me up with her lazers.

“You’re really mad I told some punks to stay away from you?” I pop a brow.

She continues glaring, but it’s so damn cute, and I can’t help but laugh at how adorable she acts when she’s upset.

“This isn’t funny!”

“Alright, fine.” I bring our locked hands to my lips and press a kiss to her knuckles. “Let me make it up to you this weekend, and you’ll be glad I kept those little dickheads away. Otherwise, the alternative would’ve been you dating some tool bag who would’ve broken your heart. And you were going off to college anyway.” I flash the most charming smile I can.

“Well, we could’ve gone to the same college together…” she counters.

“Name one guy in our high school who went to the University of Houston,” I challenge.

“If I had dated someone, and it was serious, he might’ve followed me. Or I could’ve followed him to another school. You don’t know!”

I snicker at how serious she is about this. “But aren’t you glad you came back to me?”

Rowan rolls her eyes as she struggles to fight a smile.

“You forgive me?”

“No,” she says dryly. “But maybe you’re right about the long-distance thing. Nick and I went to the same school, and it still didn’t work out.”

The corner of my lips tilts up. “That’s because he’s a fucking asshole. It’s no coincidence y’all broke up before you moved back home. It just allowed me to give you everything you’ve ever dreamed of having in a man.”

“Don’t be smug! This doesn’t mean you’re off the hook.”

“I’m about to romance your pants off this weekend, and you’ll forget all about those lame high school boys.”

She snorts, then starts chuckling. The sound is contagious, and soon, we’re both laughing our asses off.

“I really should’ve suspected something when no one would dance with me in middle school.”

“Exactly!” I say proudly. “Now we can tell our kids we were each other’s first kiss.”

Rowan blushes, then smiles. “You got lucky that after years of tormenting me, I actually did end up liking you.” She pinches her thumb and finger together. “Just a little.”

“I think you mean a lot,” I mock.

She shrugs casually. “Nothing else to do, so…”

My eyes widen.

She bursts out laughing. “Relax, geez! I’m kidding.”

“Now you have to make it up to me…” I tell her. “I expect full service treatment too.”

“You ruined all my teenage dating opportunities,” she reiterates. “You have years of making it up to me.”

“Oh, sweet Rowan. Don’t fuckin’ tempt me.”

Chapter Twelve

ROWAN

Arguing and laughing with Diesel makes the drive to San Angelo fly by. A part of me worried that if we weren’t sneaking around, being alone would be awkward, or that our relationship was only built on the excitement of hiding, but it’s not been the case at all. If anything, I’ve felt more comfortable with him, and it makes me want to tell the world that somehow, someway I’m falling for Diesel.

I’m falling hard and fast for him.

This weekend, we won’t have to hide, and in some odd way, it feels so damn right.

We’ll get to hold hands and have dinner in a restaurant and act like a normal couple out on a date.

“Wow…this room is so nice,” I say, noticing how fancy our hotel room is.

Walking in farther with Diesel behind me carrying our bags, I spot a large bouquet of roses on a table, an ice bucket with a bottle of champagne, and a platter of chocolate covered strawberries. He wasn’t joking when he said he’d pull out all the stops to make this romantic and perfect for us.

It’s a scene straight from a Hallmark movie, but I love it all the same. So very not Diesel, but very much him trying to be sweet.

“You planned quite the night,” I hum, turning around with a smile.

He drops our bags, then pulls me into his chest. “I told you I was turning on the charm.”

“I’m gonna be really mad if there isn’t a violinist at our table or it doesn’t rain when you kiss me outside,” I tease, biting my lower lip. The anticipation of what’s to come gives me butterflies.

“You don’t give me enough credit,” he mocks with a wink.

“It’s very sweet,” I tell him. “Thank you for doing this.”

“I would’ve done it much sooner, but you were too busy hating my guts.”

“That’s because you were too immature to tell me you liked me.”

He chuckles, and a grin spreads across his face that has my entire body fluttering. “Well, you calling me an asshole every other day didn’t convince me you’d reciprocate the feelings…”

I roll my eyes and squeal when he lowers his hands and smacks my ass. “But we’re here now, so let’s not waste another minute…”