by Emma Roman
4
After she fixed dinner for Ryan that one night, he came to the restaurant every day. Even if he didn't eat, he would stop in to say hello and show up again about closing time. It became a habit; he would come by and walk her home. Every evening, she looked forward to their nightly conversations. He'd yet to ask her out again.
She knew he was waiting for a signal from her, and while every time he came near, her heart pounded a little faster, her blood surged through her, and she applied the brakes to her desires.
Being in a relationship for two years that culminated with infidelity didn't make you want to jump into another situation where you could be hurt again. Especially when the man you were considering was another lawman.
In the evening, she'd changed up the diner and now soft lighting, tablecloths, and china gave the place some atmosphere. She wanted to encourage people to try her new dishes on the menu, striving for a restaurant that wasn't just another coffee shop serving pancakes and eggs.
"Good evening," she said to a group of women who came in through the door. "Would you like a table or a booth?"
"Table, please," a middle-aged woman whose demeanor was more like a prominent socialite than some of Taylor's regulars.
"Are you ladies passing through or are you here on business?" she asked, knowing she didn't think any of them were from Cupid.
"We're on the way to a rodeo out in West Texas. Charlene, here, was the queen ten years ago and they asked her to return and present the next crown. Her husband didn't have time to attend, so we're tagging along for the fun, and the cowboys," the woman to the right of Charlene informed her.
"Definitely, the cowboys," another lady said.
Charlene glanced at her. "What do you recommend on the menu."
"The chicken picante is moist and spicy," she told her. "Or if you like something a little on the mild side, I suggest the miso salmon, which has ginger, mirin, miso paste, and cilantro. It's delicious."
"What is miso?"
"A Japanese rice wine," she responded.
The ladies quickly made their choices and Taylor went in the back to cook the dishes while her waitstaff handled the front. She did most of the cooking, but the easier old stuff she let her mother's cook handle. The ones she was trying to build a name for, she created those dishes.
While she was working, one of the waitresses came through the door. "Ryan's here. He ordered the chicken picante," she said.
Since the night she made the dish for him, he came in and requested it at least once a week. She smiled. "I'll put it right on and then I'll go out and talk to him."
After she delivered the dishes to the women’s table, Taylor turned and walked away.
Charlene said, "Sheriff, are you busy tonight? My friends and I are staying at the Cupid Inn. I've got a big empty bed that needs filling."
It was to Charlene's advantage she had her food or she'd find some extra spices cooked in that would keep her going all night long. But Taylor pretended the words hadn't pierced her heart.
"I'm sorry, ladies, but I'm on duty and all three of you have rings on your left hand. A sure sign you're married women and I don't play with fire."
Charlene laughed. "You're right, we're all married. A little fun between friends can't be all bad. We're pretty good at sharing."
"Problem is that I'm not," Ryan said. "I'm a one man, one woman kind of guy. Right now, I'm in hot pursuit of a lady."
Taylor didn't turn around. She didn't acknowledge she'd heard him, if he meant for her to hear his commitment to chasing her, it'd worked. His words were like a cake rising in the oven, fragile and simmering and sending her libido ascending. Still a niggling doubt of uncertainty refused to stop.
Sure, he'd said no to Charlene, but if Taylor hadn't been around would he refuse? If she didn't take advantage of this opportunity would she regret not going out with Ryan? Maybe she should give him a chance. Maybe she was a pushover, but Ryan Jones had just earned himself a date.
Ryan had gotten in the habit of walking Taylor the short three blocks to her townhouse after she closed the cafe. The distance was nothing, but she carried the day’s cash in her purse and anyone who knew she walked home could take advantage of the situation. With her by his side, he was certain of her safety and it gave them time together.
"Good day at the restaurant?" he asked.
"Yes. How about you? Catch any criminals today?"
He laughed. "No, I wrote three speeding tickets and gave Mrs. Fletcher a warning for driving without her seat belt. She says it bothers her shoulder and I keep reminding her if she's in an accident the safety harness will save her life. And she says ‘I'm almost ninety. How many more years do you think I have?’"
Taylor slipped her hand into the curve of his arm and he glanced at her. This was a first. The touch of her hand on his bicep sent a tremor down his spine. Very nice as his pulse gave a little extra spike. Every night, he fought the temptation to take her in his arms and taste those full lips of hers.
"How did you respond?" she asked.
"I tell her I hope she has a dozen more years, but she won't if she doesn't wear her seatbelt."
"You're such a hard ass," she said leaning into him.
"So what made it a great day at the restaurant?" he said, wanting to understand. She was trying to make some subtle changes and also introduce new dishes, but her clientele were a stubborn bunch who didn't like change.
"We were busy, which is good. But tonight, I overheard a conversation that intrigued me. Did you pay those women to come in and make lewd suggestions in front of me, so I'd know you don't cheat?"
Wow! Her mistrust ran so deep. The urge to kick her ex-fiancé’s butt all the way to the Mexican border for what he did to her was strong. "Hardly. One of the reasons lawmen could be known as serial cheaters is because women seem to throw themselves at them. I can't tell you the number of times I get hit on by older, married women who are just looking for a fling. I can see how some men would have a hard time turning it down. Do you think that's what happened with your guy?"
Young and stupid, Ryan let some girl convince him their quick tumble would do no harm. In many ways, Ryan had been lucky. No unwanted pregnancy, no sexually transmitted disease, but a lot of heartache and a painful lesson on the value of fidelity. Never cheat on the woman you love unless you're willing to lose that relationship. Never again, but Taylor didn't know his past and wouldn't understand the reason for his lie.
After they went out, if he saw they had nothing in common, then he'd slink away. But if something was brewing between them that seemed significant and right, he'd confess.
She shrugged. "I don't know. I thought he wanted forever and then I learned he wanted forever, with a side dish of blonde. And she thought he wanted happily ever after with her and I was just a nuisance standing in their way."
He stopped and pushed back a lock of hair that had fallen on her face, caressing her cheek. She gasped and licked her lips.
"I'm sorry that happened to you. In some ways, I'm glad. Because of that terrible time, you returned to Cupid."
She leaned toward him and he took up her invitation. His mouth covered hers and she opened to receive his kiss, his arms pulling her against him. She tasted of some delicious spice she'd used to cook and he savored the flavor. Her breasts were crushed against his chest and he could feel his penis hardening at the way her curves fit snuggly, melding to his muscles.
If they hadn't been on the street and him in uniform, he would have taken the kiss to the next step. He wanted to press against her hard enough for her to know what she did to him. How he desired her.
Leaning back, he let her go, her breathing fast. "Maybe I've been too hasty saying no to you. I haven't been out on a date in nearly a year. Maybe it's time."
He smiled. "What time do you want me to pick you up?"
"How about three on Sunday afternoon?" she said.
Saturday night the cafe had her hustling all night long and he worked a lot of weeken
ds to give his officers a break.
"Perfect. I'll find something special for us to do," he said and gave her a peck on the nose and kissed her again fully on the mouth. When he released her, he grinned. "Sleep well, Taylor."
What the hell was Taylor doing? In a weak moment, she decided to go on a date with him. Walking her home last night, he told her to dress warmly, but refused to tell her where they were going. Only that it would be fun. He'd walked away whistling and smiling after kissing her goodnight.
And the man could kiss like the devil in blue jeans. When he smiled that devilish grin, her heart pounded a little faster. Something about the way his full lips turned up in a smile that would reach up and spark his dark eyes from serious to playful had her breathing shallow, her pulse racing.
And now they were going out.
The doorbell rang and she took a deep breath, sighed, releasing her nerves. What could it hurt to enjoy his company for one night.
Yanking open the door, he stood there in jeans, a flannel shirt and cowboy boots looking like a sumptuous candy bar. He grinned at her.
"Hi," he said with a drawl that sent a shiver trickling to her center. Drop dead gorgeous. She reminded herself to calm down. She wasn't supposed to be affected by the chemistry oozing from those brown eyes that seemed to melt the clothes from her body.
"Hi," she said. "Do you want to come in?"
"No, we need to get going if we're going to have any daylight."
"What are we doing?"
"You'll see. Did you dress warmly? It's going to be cold."
"I'm layered," she said, her thinking they'd be a good defense against his charm, making it harder for him to somehow convince her to shed her clothes.
"Let's go," he said.
"Zeus, be a sweet puppy," she said as she grabbed her purse and coat and headed out the door.
"Zeus?" he said laughing. "You named a dachshund Zeus?"
"I thought it fitting. A little dog fit to be king."
Ryan laughed as he took her arm and walked her to his car. "Oh, I'm not used to seeing you driving a truck."
"Well, the city kind of frowns whenever you use a patrol car as your personal vehicle. This way we won't have to respond to any emergencies."
"Good point," she said as he opened the door and assisted her in. At first, she was surprised he helped her into the truck. She liked the fact he thought enough of her to treat her special. After all, they were on a date.
As he walked around, she couldn't help but notice how clean and organized the inside of his vehicle looked. Everything had a place, including his phone. Glancing into the backseat, she saw a large basket sitting on the floor board and a cooler beside it.
"Uh, uh, uh," he said, opening the door and climbing into the truck. "No peeking."
The thrill of suspense, kept her on edge, filled with a fun eagerness. He was doing everything to make this a memorable evening.
After starting up the truck, he drove out of town.
"How are your parents," she asked, wishing in all their time walking home together, she'd asked more questions about his family.
"My father passed away three years ago from a stroke," he said softly. "My mother is now living with my sister. Most of the time, I stay in Cupid, but I thought we might go out to the place.”
"What about your family? Are they expecting us?"
"Oh, no, they've all moved to the metroplex to make their fortunes."
When you're in high school, you couldn't wait to get out of town and explore the world, but when you became an adult, you couldn’t wait to return to the small-town atmosphere. In college, she realized no big city could replace the homey community of Cupid.
"The only place to eat is your restaurant or DQ. I didn't want to drive to Fort Worth today to go to a movie or take you to dinner, so I hope you enjoy what we're going to do."
"What are we doing?"
"We're going out to my parents’ ranch."
A warmth sizzled inside her. Years ago, she had gone to a party at his parents’ place and thought the house and land beautiful. A meandering river ran along the edge of the property.
"I'm sure you've got something planned," she said, picturing him naked in that big bed of his. Not ready to consider jumping between the sheets with him, her mind went to the thought of the two of them alone at his family home.
The truck turned down a gravel road, bouncing as it hit ruts in the lane. "I would tell you the ride gets better, but it doesn't. My brothers and I are planning on getting out here and fixing this in the spring, but until then, it's like riding a bucking horse."
"Well, now I know what that would feel like. I've often wondered what the attraction was for those cowboys at the rodeo."
"The sensation of being in control on the back of a wild jerking animal for eight seconds. There's no other excitement quite like it. But hitting the ground and getting your breath knocked out of you makes you realize there are safer ways to show you’re tough."
"I forgot all about you being on the high school team until now. Why did you give it up?"
"I enjoyed being on the rodeo squad, but I hated slamming onto the ground so hard. When I broke my shoulder, I said enough."
Kelsey had worried about Ryan when a bronc had injured him. At the thought of her best friend, a cringe of doubt raced up her spine. What was she doing here with Ryan? Yes, Kelsey and Ryan's romance happened years ago, but still, the two of them had been the golden couple. The scuttlebutt around school said they were talking wedding dates. And then Kelsey left town unexpectedly.
"What about you? Anything you miss about school?"
Shaking her head there was no question. "Nope. I hated high school. Remember, I dated only a few boys, but never had a steady boyfriend, unlike you."
"Well, I didn't have a boyfriend," he replied.
She laughed. "You know what I meant."
Frowning, he glanced at her before shifting his eyes back to the road. "Did you tell Kelsey you're out with me today?"
All week, she'd fought with herself. One moment she thought she should tell her, and the next, she pushed the idea away. This date could be a complete bust and she refused to ruin her friendship of fifteen years all because of one man.
"No, I didn't tell her," she said.
"Why not?"
"Why ask for trouble?"
"But...why should us seeing one another matter any longer? We had a mutual agreement never to date each other again."
Gazing at him nervously, she said, "I thought you broke up because you went into the military."
"Yes, and she was going to college. Plus, her family believed there was someone better for her than me. Her brothers had been trying to break us up since our first date."
With a chuckle, she threw her hands up. "That sounds like them. I decided today we'd just spend some time together and take it from there."
Nodding, he smiled. "Fair enough. But I'd suggest you tell her soon. She'll need to learn before the wedding."
Taylor felt her head jerk toward him. Her eyes narrowed and she glared. "Not funny."
"I thought it was hilarious. Got you all riled up, like watching a porcupine raise its quills in self-defense," he said, grinning.
"You catch your man in bed with another woman and then tell me what you think about marriage."
He put the truck in park and turned to her. He touched the side of her face with his fingers and smiled. "I don't do men. I like women. Real women like you."
Her heart skipped a beat at the thought of her and Ryan. No, it just couldn't happen. Today was about getting out and dating once again, going for a performance drive. Ryan just happened to be her test vehicle. Time would tell if they reached the finish line or it was a total spin out.
Ryan was a very happy man. Taylor clung to him on the back of the ATV as they rode along the edge of his family property checking the fence lines. When the land flattened out and the trail became smooth, he'd sped up, until she started to squeal. He'd ended their time r
iding along the bank of the river, watching the water flow downstream, the leaves floating. Overall the afternoon had been fun.
As the sun sank beneath the horizon, he headed the vehicle back to the gathering place in the woods. The place where he'd sat around many a campfire. He always kept a stack of cut logs for whenever he felt the need for some time outdoors.
He slid the ATV sideways as they pulled into camp. As they came to a stop, she laughed, the sound sending warm trickles down his spine.
"You don't drive like a man in law enforcement."
"I've had more training than most people. Not only did the city send us to school, but the marines did as well."
Her arms were still around his waist as she whispered in his ear, "I forgot you spent time in Afghanistan."
He chuckled, the sound snide sounding. That time had been the worst in his life. He never wanted to see that part of the world again. Never. "I'm one of the lucky ones. I lived through that hell."
"Was it bad?"
"Toughest thing I've ever done," he said not wanting to ruin the mood. The afternoon had been great, driving through the trees and being outside in the country air. It'd been the kind of day he enjoyed the most and what Taylor didn't realize today was a test. What did she enjoy doing? Did she like outdoorsy things or was she a girly girl only interested in shopping? So far, she seemed to be having a good time. Now for the final exam.
"Come on, let's start a fire and we can sit back and watch the sun set. In the summer, I bring a tent and spend the night. We could have stayed the night."
She didn't respond and he knew he was pushing things, but the thought of waking up in Taylor's arms was pretty special. And it would happen. Hopefully sooner rather than later. After all the talking, he felt confident a growing attraction was building between them, with her ex-fiancé a brick wall in the way. If only he could plow through that barrier, then she'd be free.
He grabbed the basket and cooler attached to the ATV and placed them on the ground. Walking over to a storage shed, he pulled out some blankets and pillows and handed them to her. "Why don't you set up our picnic area while I start the fire."
