Page 10 of Backup Cowboy
“That’s B1 to you, E5.”
“I’ll be at your door in two.”
“No need. Just wait in the lobby.”
“Already there.”
“Copy.”
Ugh. I wish he would stop using that stupid nickname. All it does is remind me of an embarrassing moment when I attempted flirting, and it backfired. Except, it wasn’t really all that embarrassing afterward. And yesterday, we didn’t really have time to connect. Cas showed us around the artists’compound, and after the llama debacle, I spent the rest of the day catching Cal up on all things festival related.
I giggle and shake my head at Cal. He’s a good guy and a great employee. The way he ran after Leo was admirable.
But there is something about Nash and his wife Rebecca that turns my assistant into a puddle of fear. Nash once told me Rebecca put Cal in his place after being a ‘mysoginistic wannabe preppy’ because his buddies pulled a prank on him, so maybe that’s it.
And what’s with Caspian being so much of a gentleman that he insists on coming to my door? I can find the lounge by myself.
He doesn’t just do it for me, though. Cas takes his hat off whenever he goes indoors, unless it’s a bar, and he stands when a woman leaves the table we’re sitting at. I didn’t know I would be attracted to manners like this, but it isn’t helping my little crush.
Yes, I have a crush on Caspian, and I know he has a crush on me. Nothing can happen because we work together, and we both understand the unwritten rules.
But I sure wish we didn’t, because the things I would let him do to me would make my mama turn red and my daddy chase him out of the house with a shotgun.
At the firm knock on my door, I grab my work phone and sunglasses, then open it to find Caspian looking especially gorgeous today. He’s wearing a denim shirt with the sleeves rolled up and the Stetson from the first day. The ensemble makes his eyes pop, and instead of being steel-blue, they match the denim. He’s also sporting some morning scruff. I’d love nothing more than to sit on his bathroom counter and carefully shave that stubble away.
Lost in my thoughts, suddenly we’re at the UTV. Huh.
“You alright over there? You’ve been awful quiet.”
“I haven’t had enough coffee this morning.” The lie’s plausible enough.
The stars shine brightly as we make our way to the ridge along a dirt path worn from tire tracks. A cool breeze whips around us, making me glad I grabbed my baseball cap when I walked out the door. We drive along mostly flat grassland, passing the occasional bush or tree. The inky black horizon now has a purplish hue, the billions of stars still shining overhead.
Cas stops the UTV and throws off the lights. “Do you see the herd to our right?” His voice a whisper, he motions to the open field where thirty or more deer are grazing in the moonlight.
It’s amazing just how far I can see even though the sun isn’t out. Reminds me of the canyons in L.A., and for the first time in years, I miss home. I’ve been back to visit my family, and I’m in L.A. regularly on business. But I miss the freedom to hike, the peace the nature brings, and the feeling of being with family without taking a Zoom call.
We watch the deer for another minute, a peaceful expression on Caspian’s face. I can see how much he loves this, making him deliciously attractive. There’s something about seeing a cowboy in his element that makes a woman swoon.
When he starts the engine back up, the herd freezes before running off.
“I like that they’re still wild.”
“Sounds a little likeyou, Boots.”
“I could say the same about you.” I look at Caspian’s strong jaw and full lips, wondering how it would feel to be in his arms.
“Like what you see?” He glances over at me, a wry grin on his face.
“That’s already been established, Cowboy. Along with the reason it’s a bad idea.”
His thumbs beat the steering wheel like he’s debating whether to pull over and do something we’ll both regret.
“Tell me about where we are on the ranch.”
His shoulders relax, my words breaking the spell. He explains that we’re about five minutes from the namesake of Echo Ridge. Zane named the area after his twin sister, whose restaurant will be catering meals for artists at The Boot Roost.
The dirt path eventually dead ends at a small limestone barrier about waist-high that sports a large sign that reads Caution: Drop-off Ahead. Just beyond it are four camp chairs set on a large ridge that overlooks miles of Hill Country.