Page 30 of Captured by the Billionaire Cowboy (The Secret Billionaires #7)

“ W hat 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.

“Who’s hungry?” Chelsea arrived, carrying two steaming plates of Irish stew, filled with potatoes, onions, carrots and celery, roasted and perfectly spiced.

A hearty helping of colcannon came on the side, a creamy dish with mashed potatoes, braised white cabbage, green onions and a melting pat of butter.

Of course, soda bread accompanied it. Ciara breathed deeply, as the aroma of the comfort food relieved the conversation’s tension.

She would consider it later, when she had time to convince herself she’d actually agreed to a date.

She even managed a smile for the friendly waitress, waving as she departed. Stabbing a perfect morsel of the stew, she let it cool for a moment and brought it to her lips. She held back a moan as she bit into the culinary delight.

They ate in comfortable silence. Ciara finished the entire dish, plus two pieces of savory soda bread slathered with honey butter.

And when dessert arrived, she simply couldn’t resist. She devoured every chocolaty bite of the Irish chocolate pot de crème, a decadent liqueur concoction topped with a dollop of whipped cream and a drizzle of Bailey’s Irish Cream syrup.

Finally, she set down her napkin and took a large gulp of ice water.

“You no longer have to worry about me being hungry,” she announced. “I’m good for a week.”

Rowan gave her a feigned look of sternness. “Don’t tell me you’re trying to get out of dinner.”

“Never crossed my mind.”

That was true.

The busboy arrived to remove their plates, followed by Chelsea, who smiled widely when she saw the empty dishes. The waitress straightened the table and placed the check in the middle. “Grandma Leigh has the best food in all of Waterstone.”

Ciara tried to grab the bill, but Rowan swiped it first. She scowled, yet it was hopeless, as he held out the money, including a generous tip.

She sighed, turned back to the waitress.

“No one who’s tasted her delights could argue with that.

Hopefully, the food we serve at the retreat is half as good. If only she could cook for us, too.”

She stopped, looked at Rowan.

He lifted an eyebrow.

As usual, he knew exactly what she was thinking. “We could use a little help in the kitchen.”

“It’s not like Teara can prepare every meal…”

“And if we offered delicious catering…”

“It would be another reason for people to come,” she finished. Across the restaurant, Grandma Leigh laughed with a group of gray-haired, smartly-dressed women. “It looks like we have someone else to approach.”

Chelsea blinked at the rapid conversation. “Grandma Leigh said you wanted to talk to me. You’re my last customers, so if you don’t need anything else, I can chat now.”

“That would be great.” Rowan stood and held out a chair. “It’s about the horses.”

Chelsea cringed in mock alarm. “Don’t tell me Cinnamon has a sibling you want me to adopt. Shannon already plays with that horse all day.”

Ciara laughed. “That’s good to hear, but, no, I’m not trying to give you another horse. Actually, I – we – were wondering if you would be interested in working with us.”

The waitress looked startled. “Working with you?”

“That’s right.” Ciara rubbed her hands together.

“Did you hear the horse rescue is officially opening?” Chelsea nodded confirmation, and Ciara smiled.

Leigh must have shared the good news. “I’m happy and excited, but starting an organization is a daunting task.

There’s a lot to do, especially since we’ll essentially be operating two businesses in one: a horse rescue and a bed and breakfast. We’re talking to Teara Hayes about running the lodging portion of the operation.

She has a lot of experience and came highly recommended. ”

“She’s a great choice,” Chelsea replied immediately. “She was a wonderful asset to her parents’ inn.” Her eyes shuttered for a moment, like she knew more about the situation than she revealed. But Teara’s explanation during the interview had been reasonable, and Ciara wouldn’t pry.

“We need to hire a full staff,” Rowan jumped in. “Most of the current workers are on loan from my main ranch.”

“We’ll be looking to fill several positions, and most will involve caring for horses,” Ciara explained. “However, we need someone to help with the business side of things, a manager who can provide assistance when I’m not available. Grandma Leigh suggested you for the position.”

Chelsea’s eyes flashed in surprise. “Me?” She hesitated. “Are you serious?”

“Absolutely.” Ciara nodded. “She said you had a business degree, along with extensive experience and skills.”

“I do,” the waitress admitted, “but I don’t understand. I work for Grandma Leigh. Is she unhappy with me?”

“Not at all,” Ciara quickly replied. “She said you’re wonderful. She just wants you to use the education you worked so hard to earn. To be honest, she believes you’re only here for her.”

Chelsea’s blush gave credence to the words. Ciara reached out to the kind woman. “Obviously, the choice is yours. If you’re willing, we can discuss the job to make sure it’s a good fit for both of us. Grandma Leigh thought you should at least consider the opportunity. Would you like to discuss it?”

Chelsea hesitated for a second, then her expression changed. Suddenly, she seemed confident, powerful. “Yes, I would,” she said firmly.

Ciara clasped her hands together. Everything was falling into place. “Perfect. Can you talk now?”

“Now?” Chelsea blinked, but she recovered quickly. “That would be great.”