Page 48 of Some Cowboys Fight for Love

He chuckled, the sound like music to her ears. Their strained emotions now completely gone. “What about you?” he murmured, his breath fanning her face as he drew even closer. At any moment he could brush his lips against hers and set her world on fire.

“What about me?” She closed her eyes, waiting for the taste of him, but it didn’t come. When she finally looked at him, she found that he was still as close, his eyes bright with amusement. She scoffed and gave him a little shove. He’d been teasing her in the most tantalizing way, and she’d fallen for it.

Daniel laughed, taking a stumbled step backward. “What about your dreams? What do you want to do?”

She shrugged. “I don’t have anything.”

“There has to be something,” he inched closer to her and she fought the urge to claw him toward her—to take full control and kiss him until neither one of them could breathe. He shook his head. “There has to be something. If I have to chase after a dream, I want you to do the same.”

Aria reached for him, but he made sure to keep his focus on her eyes rather than give in to the desire that had only grown between them.

“Aria…” he murmured, soft and warm. The sound of her name on his lips had her skin erupting with goosebumps. “What do you dream about?”

She could have given him anything at that point just so she could get that kiss she so wanted him to bestow on her. But she didn’t. She owed him an answer—a good one. A sigh slipped from her lips. “I used to think that I wanted to do something with culinary school—you know, go back there and do something great with that. But after living here with my cousins, it seems boring.”

He chuckled once more, and she flicked at him with the ends of her fingertips.

“I’m serious.”

Daniel nodded. “Okay, so if being a culinary wizard is boring, what wouldn’t be?”

She shrugged. “I love helping the animals. I’ve been enjoying my time with the puppies. I like riding with you.” Aria looked away, then graced him with a small smile. “But I’m only really good with cooking and writing. I don’t know what I could do.”

“You mean… what you could do here? In Copper Creek?”

Aria rolled her eyes. “Of course that’s what I mean. I don’t want to go back to Georgia. But I can’t think of anywhere else that feels like… home.”

Finally, Daniel pulled her in for a hug. “I hear they’re looking for a receptionist at the veterinary clinic. With how good you areat computers, I’m sure you’d be able to make something like that work.”

She pulled back and gaped up at him. “That actually… sounds… pretty perfect.”

He laughed, and she tilted her face upward. Then he kissed her.

21

Daniel

As much as Daniel wanted to rationalize what had happened between himself and Aria, he couldn’t shake the guilt that lingered after he’d gotten upset with her. Aria was a saint. She didn’t bring it up after he’d apologized. She didn’t behave any differently around him.

It went to show that Aria was perfect for him. If he believed in soulmates, he would go so far as to say she was divinely created just for him.

The more he dived into the curriculum and what was actually offered to him in terms of the scholarship, the more he realized that she’d given him the best gift possible. She’d pushed him to do something out of his comfort zone and, in the process, helped him come to terms with a future he’d long since given up on.

How could he not fall head over heels in love with the woman?

His fury over her going behind his back seemed utterly ridiculous at this point. And he knew he’d be making it up to her for the rest of their lives.

Daniel shook his head, a smile pulling at his lips as he strode forward to check out at the cash registers. The hardware store was fairly empty this morning. Normally, he’d be working with the horses, but he’d noticed a few things in the barn that needed repairing and opted to run the errand before he forgot.

There had been no sign of Aria when he’d left, but that was normal around breakfast time. She was more of a night owl than an early riser—something that might end up changing if he had anything to do with it.

Nothing was going to wipe the smile off his face today. He and Aria were in a good place, and it was only getting better. Daniel was looking toward the future—with her by his side—and it didn’t feel strange or daunting in the slightest.

He nodded to the clerk and whistled as he exited the building to head for his truck. Maybe he should get Aria her favorite coffee. She’d probably like that. There was nothing like a fresh cup from the local shop. And he knew exactly what she usually ordered.

Daniel dropped off the supplies in his truck and then headed for the coffee shop.

His steps slowed when he noticed a familiar figure exiting from the building, coffee in her hand. His smile widened and he took a step toward her until someone else exited with her.

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