“We’ll make room.”
“No can do. Catch the next one.” Adam reached over and pushed the button that closed the doors as the two men glared at him.
Valerie wrapped both arms around Adam’s waist and gave him a hug. She stayed that way, pressed against him, until the doors opened on the first floor. Then she let go and followed him out, her heart full to the brim with gratitude.
He turned back to her with a smile of triumph. “Congratulations! You did it!”
“Thanks to you.” Capturing his face in both hands, she pulled his head down and kissed him full on the mouth. She didn’t care if the other elevator passengers got an eyeful. They probably already thought she and Adam were strange, not to mention unaccommodating.
It wasn’t a long kiss, not like the one he’d given her, but she couldn’t think of a better way to reward him for being such a hero. After she released him, she moved back and took a deep breath. “That was awesome.”
“You actually liked the ride?”
“No. I hated the ride, but I loved the way you stood up to those guys who wanted to crowd in.” She gazed at him. “You protected me,” she said softly.
“Of course.”
Looking into his eyes, she felt her heart lurch. She still didn’t know how he saw their relationship, but for her, the jury was in. She’d fallen for him.
Six
Lunch went by so fast that Valerie was shocked when she glanced at her phone and discovered they’d been sitting there for more than an hour. Having something to talk about hadn’t been a problem. Without the horses to distract them, they found out how many things they had in common—books, movies, music, even food choices.
But Valerie had shared common interests with the other guys she’d dated, too. This first lunch didn’t seem like the occasion to ask the tough questions about whether Adam wanted kids and whether he ever intended to marry again. He might have decided against it, and his horses might have replaced any desire to have a family.
Until the fire, Valerie hadn’t thought kids mattered to her, either, but lately she’d changed her mind. A kid or two would be nice. She could live without having them, but she wouldn’t mind, if she found the right man—someone kind, nurturing, heroic. Someone like the guy sitting across the table from her in this cozy little café.
She’d been here before for lunch. It was close and reasonable, and she could usually get a table by the door. Yet today she hadn’t minded where they sat. The hostess had given them a table roughly in the middle of the café, and Valerie hadn’t once worried about the distance to the front door.
All her senses had been focused on Adam. Now every time she came in here she’d remember sharing a meal with him. Whether she’d meant to or not, she’d created memories with him that weren’t likely to go away anytime soon.
“I saw you check the time.” He put down his empty iced tea glass. “You should get back.”
“Probably. But it’s been fun.”
“Sure has.” His hat was tilted back and his smile was open and uncomplicated.
“You may not realize that it’s significant, but we’re sitting in the middle of the restaurant. I’m nowhere near the door.”
“Shoot, I didn’t think about that.”
“Neither did I! That’s what’s so wonderful about it.”
“I’m glad. I wish we didn’t have to leave, but it’s time for you to get back to work.” He picked up the check and pulled his wallet out of his hip pocket.
“And for you to head back to the ranch.”
“Actually, I’m not leaving until later.” He set some bills on top of the check and returned his wallet to his pocket. “As long as I’m here, I decided to take care of some business. And I’m meeting Will for a drink at the Golden Spurs and Stetsons after his last appointment.”
“That’s nice.” She liked knowing he would be in town for a little longer, even if she wouldn’t be seeing him. They wouldn’t be separated by so
“No can do. Catch the next one.” Adam reached over and pushed the button that closed the doors as the two men glared at him.
Valerie wrapped both arms around Adam’s waist and gave him a hug. She stayed that way, pressed against him, until the doors opened on the first floor. Then she let go and followed him out, her heart full to the brim with gratitude.
He turned back to her with a smile of triumph. “Congratulations! You did it!”
“Thanks to you.” Capturing his face in both hands, she pulled his head down and kissed him full on the mouth. She didn’t care if the other elevator passengers got an eyeful. They probably already thought she and Adam were strange, not to mention unaccommodating.
It wasn’t a long kiss, not like the one he’d given her, but she couldn’t think of a better way to reward him for being such a hero. After she released him, she moved back and took a deep breath. “That was awesome.”
“You actually liked the ride?”
“No. I hated the ride, but I loved the way you stood up to those guys who wanted to crowd in.” She gazed at him. “You protected me,” she said softly.
“Of course.”
Looking into his eyes, she felt her heart lurch. She still didn’t know how he saw their relationship, but for her, the jury was in. She’d fallen for him.
Six
Lunch went by so fast that Valerie was shocked when she glanced at her phone and discovered they’d been sitting there for more than an hour. Having something to talk about hadn’t been a problem. Without the horses to distract them, they found out how many things they had in common—books, movies, music, even food choices.
But Valerie had shared common interests with the other guys she’d dated, too. This first lunch didn’t seem like the occasion to ask the tough questions about whether Adam wanted kids and whether he ever intended to marry again. He might have decided against it, and his horses might have replaced any desire to have a family.
Until the fire, Valerie hadn’t thought kids mattered to her, either, but lately she’d changed her mind. A kid or two would be nice. She could live without having them, but she wouldn’t mind, if she found the right man—someone kind, nurturing, heroic. Someone like the guy sitting across the table from her in this cozy little café.
She’d been here before for lunch. It was close and reasonable, and she could usually get a table by the door. Yet today she hadn’t minded where they sat. The hostess had given them a table roughly in the middle of the café, and Valerie hadn’t once worried about the distance to the front door.
All her senses had been focused on Adam. Now every time she came in here she’d remember sharing a meal with him. Whether she’d meant to or not, she’d created memories with him that weren’t likely to go away anytime soon.
“I saw you check the time.” He put down his empty iced tea glass. “You should get back.”
“Probably. But it’s been fun.”
“Sure has.” His hat was tilted back and his smile was open and uncomplicated.
“You may not realize that it’s significant, but we’re sitting in the middle of the restaurant. I’m nowhere near the door.”
“Shoot, I didn’t think about that.”
“Neither did I! That’s what’s so wonderful about it.”
“I’m glad. I wish we didn’t have to leave, but it’s time for you to get back to work.” He picked up the check and pulled his wallet out of his hip pocket.
“And for you to head back to the ranch.”
“Actually, I’m not leaving until later.” He set some bills on top of the check and returned his wallet to his pocket. “As long as I’m here, I decided to take care of some business. And I’m meeting Will for a drink at the Golden Spurs and Stetsons after his last appointment.”
“That’s nice.” She liked knowing he would be in town for a little longer, even if she wouldn’t be seeing him. They wouldn’t be separated by so
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