Page 69 of Falling Hard for the Billionaire Cowboy

Austin squeezes my hand gently. "You don't have to. You look beautiful always, Hayley."

My heart skips a beat at his words. Without letting go of my hand, we begin walking towards the main residence. Along the way, we pass several ranch hands who greet us with knowing smiles and tipped hats.

"Boss you're back!"

"Beautiful mornin' Miss Hayley."

"Of course it's a beautiful morning, there's love in the air."

"Ooooh, they're holdin' hands. What a fine day indeed."

I feel my face turn as red as a tomato, but Austin doesn't let go of my hand.

"Cut it out, guys," he calls out good-naturedly. "Don't you have work to do?"

"Sure do boss!"

"We will get right at it!"

As we enter the house, we're greeted by Austin's dogs. They bound up to us, tails wagging furiously.

"Aww... look at these cuties." I coo, scratching their bellies. It's been a while since I’d seen them. And although Sarah is welcoming, it is kind of awkward to visit when Austin isn't around.

"Where's your cousin?" I ask, noticing she hasn't come out.

"Sarah? She went back home yesterday," Austin replies, leading me to the kitchen.

"Oh, that's a shame. I would have liked to say goodbye."

Austin smiles. "I'm sure you'll see her again soon. I'll start cooking right away." He says, heading to wash his hands.

"I can help you with anything. What should I start on?" I ask, looking around to see what I can do.

"Now, sit down and relax. Let me handle breakfast." Austin ushers me to one of the kitchen chairs.

Despite my protests, he doesn't let me help. I watch in amusement as he moves around the kitchen with ease, and I can tell this isn't his first time in the kitchen. Within minutes it seems, he manages to pull something that smells delicious from the oven.

"Look at you, Gordon Austin," I tease. "Should I be expecting a Michelin star meal?"

He laughs, plating up a spread of vegetable quiche, crispy bacon, and fresh fruit.

I'm not going to lie – I think I drool a little.

"I don't know about Michelin stars, but I hope it's edible at least." Austin grins, patiently waiting for me to take a bite.

"Alright let's see," I say as I dig in. "This is delicious, Austin. Seriously, where did you learn to cook like this?"

He shrugs, looking pleased. "Just picked it up here and there. I'm glad you like it."I probably shouldn’t tell you yet that I own a bunch of luxury hotels with chefs who love to teach.

As we eat, a question that's been nagging at me finally bubbles to the surface. "Austin, can I ask you something? Do you remember the first day we met?"

"Sure do. On the side of the road, I thought I came across the most beautiful girl in the world." He says softly, leaning in to squeeze my hand.

"I-"

I swear my face is as red as ketchup. This man sure is lethal to my heart.

Clearing my throat, I continue. "Why did you leave me on the road the day we first met?"

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