Page 30 of Choosing the Montana Cowboy

She could send another one, something more playful. Flirty. Interested.

Did she even still know how to send texts like that? It really had been ages since she’d even tried.

As she sat there debating, a new message appeared.

We’re men of our word—you’ll get to see your views. Stop by my place after dinner tonight if you’d like to iron out the details together.

Excitement rushed through Natalie, leaving her feeling like a teenager whose crush had just acknowledged her from across the cafeteria. She grinned at the ridiculousness of it all yet couldn’t deny how happy the text exchange had made her feel. Now, how to respond?

Well, turnabout was fair play after she’d spent all night thinking about that kiss.

*

Sam collapsed onhis front porch rocker Friday evening, fresh from a shower and body still aching from a long, hot day in the saddle. He hadn’t meant to overdo it today, but that vague text response from Natalie had thrown him for a loop.

We’ll see.

We’ll see? Notcan’t waitorlooking forward to it? How the hell was he supposed to interpret that?

Maybe he should have added something in there about him being the only one home tonight—that might have sweetened the deal. Then again, if she was still on the fence about where to take things after that kiss last night, it might have sent her running. And her running away was the last thing he wanted to see, especially after he’d spent most of last night convincing himself to stay the course with pursuing Natalie. Maybe things would work out, and maybe they wouldn’t. But the more he was around her, the more he thought he’d go mad if he didn’t get a chance to act on this attraction.

When she hadn’t pushed him away last night, that’d only added fuel to the fire.

It’d taken every ounce of self-restraint to pull back from that kiss last night. That, and the knowledge that his daughter would eventually come looking for him. Navigating the single-again life with a kid at home certainly added a level of complexity he hadn’t had to juggle when he’d been smitten with Sasha all those years ago.

So, when Madison had asked if she could spend the night with a friend in town this morning, he’d practically high-fived her. Then he’d driven past the infamous Dixon and pulled over to snap a picture for Natalie, hoping to start a conversation, no business involved. And it’d seemed like it was working, until that vague last response from her.

We’ll see.

Was that Indiana codefor don’t hold your breath?

As the clock rolled past eight, he started to think that was exactly what it meant.

He was halfway through his second Bone Dust Wheat Ale—some fancy beer Norah had brought back with her from her last trip to Bozeman—when a pair of headlights sliced through the violet fringe of dusk. It must be Madison and her friend swinging by the house to grab something. He drained his beer and went inside to discard his empty bottles. After she left, he’d have himself another; the first two had gone down easier than he’d expected.

But when he stepped back outside, it wasn’t Madison standing at the foot of the porch. It was Natalie, thumbs hooked into the tops of her denim capri pockets. She had on a yellow top that brought out the auburn in her hair. And oh, happy day, she had those open-toed sandals on again. Hope lit in his chest. Even so, he felt the need to play it cool.

Sam leaned against the banister, arms crossed. “Well, hey there, stranger.”

“Happy Friday.” She remained where she was, her gaze scanning the yard. “Probably should have texted first.”

Was she regretting that kiss from last night, or was she just as nervous as he was?

“Is that a Midwestern thing? Texting before visiting?”

The ghost of a smile touched her lips. “Maybe.”

Lips he’d been waiting all day to taste again. But she remained several paces away; he needed to take things slower tonight. Just how slow, he wasn’t sure.

“’Round here, people go where they need to go, no advance notice required.” Still, she didn’t meet his gaze. “Long day?”

“You could say that.”

He came down the steps, cautious not to spook her. “Need a drink?”

She laughed softly. “Probably.”

Behind her, dusk had claimed the sky, a sea of navy blue slowly fading to black, casting them both in darkness. The porch lights had been flicked off as usual, Sam being the kind of man who preferred starlight over anything manmade. He came to stand before Natalie and waited for her gaze to meet his.

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