Page 53 of Captured By the Billionaire Cowboy
“What if I simply keep you?”
CHAPTER 10
“What if I simply keep you?”
Ciara’s breath caught, as a streak of – something – energized her, quickening her heart until it slammed against her ribs like the staccato of Riverdance. Did he realize he was the only man who had ever captured her? That the world melted away when he was near? That her feelings had never truly departed?
Yet how could she do this when he once shattered her heart? When her home was in a country an ocean across the globe? “Of course, you’re in my life. You’re part of the horse rescue. You could almost say you’re my partner.” Surprising, no shocking, for how right it sounded. She’d commenced this journey alone, yet somehow Rowan had entered that dream, become part of the reality. Working together simply worked, even at the cost of total control.
His eyes darkened to vibrant shards, as if he were privy to every traitorous thought. “Partner is a suitable word, although I wasn’t talking about the horse rescue.”
Her skin tingled. Pursuing more was unwise, risky, rash and totally ill-advised. And also impossible to ignore. “Define partner.”
His expression melted into satisfaction, as if he expected her to deny anything existed between them. She was not a good enough liar.
“I’d say we’re dating.”
Ciara’s heart took a hop and a skip, before resuming at a gallop. “Are we?” She fought for strength. Perhaps she could usurp a smidgeon of control away from him, to show she, too, could go after what she desired. “I don’t remember going on a date.”
A slow smile spread across his chiseled jaw. “I’ll have to rectify that. Ciara O’Connor, would you go on a date with me?”
Hard-won control faltered as he arrested her in his smoldering gaze, as the heat of the cozy diner rose a thousand degrees. The affirmative caught in her throat, like a racehorse stuck at the starting gate. He still hadn’t shared his true emotions. Could she risk so much – again?
He leaned forward. “Come on, Ciara, give it a shot. I seem to recall something about a kiss hotter than a sizzling summer.”
She stared at him. “What did you say?”
“Didn’t you say that? I could be mistaken.”
She flamed at the memory of her embarrassing yet true confession to Jasmine in the garden. The scoundrel had feigned ignorance. “You were eavesdropping!”
“I accidentally heard,” he corrected. “Unless I misheard. Although there may have been another time you mentioned a similar sentiment when you weren’t quite awake. Ever heard the term Cowboy Sexy?”
Oh. My.Goodness. She was never having chocolate after 10pm again.“You did mishear. I clearly recall saying the kiss was the most ordinary I’d ever had. Extremely, unbelievably, extraordinarily ordinary.”
“Extraordinarily ordinary? Is that a thing?” His amused expression proved he didn’t believe a single word. “I suppose I’ll just have to prove you wrong.”
He wouldn’t, would he? But he could. And really, he should.
Oh, she had it bad.
“Go out with me, Ciara,” he murmured. “Let’s explore this.”
“But what happened before–” She stopped as his expression hardened. She looked down, tried again. “We don’t even live in the same country.”
“We do now.”
True. At the moment, they both lived in the vast beauty of Ireland. It would change soon, however, within mere months. She couldn’t just upend her whole life, take what was supposed to be a year journey and turn it into a lifetime. Could she?
She exhaled slowly. Then, since there was simply no other way she could respond, she whispered, “Okay.”
“Tomorrow evening,” he pressed. “Dinner.”
“All right,” she agreed again, through a dozen would-be protests. With a to-do list as long as the Mongol Derby, the world’s longest horse race, she didn’t have time to spare, and yet, how could she say no?
“I’ll take care of all the details. Just meet me at the stables at five. Dress for riding.”
Satisfaction bloomed. Some women wanted a fancy restaurant for a first date, but for her, horseback was perfection. She nodded her consent.
