CHAPTER FOUR
It’d been happenstance that he’d run into Carlie. Marcus had been heading to Café French to see if Angela would give him the mystery woman’s name. Then he’d spied her purple dress and gorgeous blonde hair. Fate had stepped up, giving him exactly what he wanted. Now, he sat on her couch, waiting for her to shower and change.
Listening to the water running and thinking of Carlie in the shower, Marcus adjusted his too-tight jeans. He hungered to join her under the warm spray, but he wanted to get to know her better first. She was more important to him than a one-night stand. In their less-than-ten minute conversation, she’d delighted him, from her blushes to her accent.
The sound of the water stopped. He imagined her towel running over her luscious body as she dried her skin. Unable to sit for a minute more, Marcus stood and strolled around. High ceilings with track lighting gave a warm ambiance and provided a homey feeling. Double sliding doors allowed breezes to flow into the loft from the balcony. The open area operated as a living room, bedroom, and dining room. His gaze paused on the king-sized bed occupying the space at the rear of the flat. An instant wave of desire flooded him at the thought of her naked and wrapped around him. Her eyes glazed with passion as she called out his name.
Marcus rolled his shoulders then turned his back on the bed, determined to put it out of his mind. With its high-end modern furniture, from the concrete and wood table with colorful molded chairs to the red leather sofa, the entire place screamed money, not small-town life. Who is Carlie, and what brings her to Colorado?
“Are you ready?”
Marcus’s heart sped up as he spied her. Wearing white slacks and a turquoise-blue sleeveless polo shirt, she could have stepped off the movie screen. “Wow. So beautiful.” She shyly smiled then glanced down. “Doesn’t anyone tell you?”
Lifting her chin, she met his gaze. “I hear it all the time, but I never believed it until today. Everyone else had an agenda for their comment. They wanted something.”
He shook his head. “I can’t believe that. But we can talk about how crazy it is over lunch. I’m starving.”
Carlie grabbed her purse and keys then headed down the stairs. Marcus followed, trying to keep his gaze off her heart-shaped ass. The white pants molded to her body showed off her long legs and rounded hips. No panty lines. He ached to find out if she wore any. He chided himself then started up a conversation to take his mind off her sexy body. “Where do you want to eat?”
“How about we stop at Café French? It’s close, and they have the best sandwiches.” Her voice echoed up the stairs.
“Sounds good. Here, let me.” Marcus opened the door for her then held out his arm. As she slipped hers into his, she smiled.
“Outside or in?” He nodded toward the bistro tables decorating a side alley eating area.
“Let’s eat outside. With the low humidity and beautiful sunshine, we might as well make use of this good weather. Last week, we had such high heat and humidity, I actually wished for the cold snowy winters of New York. But it was a momentary weakness, nothing serious.” She chuckled.
He held out a chair, she sat down then Marcus took the seat next to her. He laid his Stetson on the remaining chair. “I thought I detected an accent.” Handing her the menu, he glanced at his own.
“Accent? Have you heard yourself?” She laughed. “Texas twang for sure.”
“Can I assume from your earlier comment that you lived in New York? What did you do there?”
“Yes. I’m a born and raised New Yorker. We had a flat in Manhattan and an estate upstate. I was a dancer on Broadway for a few shows like Hello Dolly and Kinky Boots.”
“That explains your long legs.” He spoke before he could think. “I’m sure you were a wonderful dancer to get a job on Broadway. What do you miss most about New York?”
“I miss the ease of getting whatever you want. I could walk two blocks and find the most delicious bagel and lox or the Jimmy Choo shoe outlet. Other than this place and Daisy’s, food is limited here in town. Are you a local boy?”
“Born and raised in Dallas. I moved to Whisper a few years ago, after my fellow bull rider Trey Arking started his own ranch. He raises some of the bulls we ride. I wanted to be closer to the bulls for the practice. Being able to ride a real bull is nothing like those mechanical ones, and watching old videos can only go so far.”
“Wow. Dangerous. Have you ever been hurt by a bull?” Her eyes were wide as she waved her menu to distract her from the image of him on a bull.
“A few broken bones. My left leg twice, my arm once, and three concussions. No pain, no gain.” He turned his attention to his buddy’s wife who approached the table. “Hi, Angela. Are you working today?”
The café owner smiled. “Welcome! How fun to see you two together.”
Carlie turned toward Angela. A strange expression crossed her face. “Hello, again.”
The dark-haired woman squeezed Carlie’s shoulder. “Just started my shift. Can I get you two something to drink?”
“Ice water with lemon for me.” Carlie nodded at her friend.
He pulled his gaze from the beautiful woman next to him. “I’ll have a Dr. Pepper.” Marcus laid his menu on the table.
“Thank you. We have a special sandwich today—a BLT with avocado dressing on ciabatta bread. I’ll bring your drinks out and then return to get your order.” Angela turned and left.
Marcus had watched the two women interact. They appeared close friends, but he’d thought Carlie hadn’t been in town but a few months. “How long have you known Angela?”
Carlie fidgeted with her menu, straightening it so it was perfectly parallel with the edge of the table. “I met Angela when I moved into town. My childhood friend Preston Hall took over his grandfather’s veterinarian practice. I visited him and fell in love with Whisper’s small town charm. Angela offered me the loft above the café for rent.”
He chuckled. “Angela’s the one who got me involved in the auction. I met her husband when I ran a bull riding camp for kids one summer at the ranch. He does such a wonderful job with the kids. I’ve never seen anyone work such miracles.”
Angela placed the glasses on the table, glancing back and forth between them. “I can’t believe you two hadn’t met before. I suppose it was due to Marcus’s NPR scheduled events. But now you have.” She rubbed her hands together. “What will you have?”
He nodded toward Carlie. “Ladies first.”
“I’ll have the cobb salad with honey mustard dressing.”
“That’s yummy,” Angela said. “And you, Marcus?”
“I’ll have the special. Sounded too good to pass up.”
“It comes with chips, is that okay?” With his nod, Angela gathered the menus. “I’ll get this out right away.”
Carlie leaned back in her chair and brushed her hand through her hair. “Isn’t the sun glorious? Just enough of a breeze to feel comfortable. By the way, I hear I have you to thank for not losing my social standing by throwing up on the front of that idiot, Pierre.”
The smile lit up her face, making her appear even prettier, her skin flawless. He longed to reach over and rub his finger across it to see if it was as soft as it looked. “You’re welcome. I’m not just a bull rider. I’m really a superhero, rescuing fair maidens from social blunders. Besides, Pierre didn’t deserve a moment of your time, although”—he winked—“throwing up on him would have been hilarious. What a pompous man.”
Her beautiful laughter had him adjusting his jeans. “Oh. Pierre’s pricey suit with vomit. That might have been worth the embarrassment. I should warn Mrs. Hamilton about his handsy ways.”
“I’m sure he’s only interested in her financial assets. She should be safe. So, why did you leave New York? Won’t you be bored here in Whisper without any good food?” His voice held a note of teasing. Holding his breath, he hoped she wouldn’t say she wanted to leave. During the small amount of time he’d spent with her today, she’d delighted him. She possessed not only beauty but brains.
“You want the truth?” She met his gaze. “I needed to escape my overbearing father. He dictated my life, from the clothes I wore to the people I hung out with. He thinks I’m here to bring Preston to his senses and return him to New York. But I’m not leaving. Even without high-end shopping and authentic ethnic foods, Whisper has more than I can get in New York. Here, I have real friends, and I’m able to live my dream of teaching dance. I’ve started a studio above the real estate agent’s office. The beautiful space will allow me to share my love of dance with the next generation.”
Her passion shone through as she spoke about teaching. He reached over and squeezed her hand. “I’m glad you’ve found a place to live your dreams. We should plan out our date. Tell me, you do know how to ride a horse.”
She squeezed his hand back. “Of course I’ve ridden. Daddy bought me a horse for my sixteenth birthday. I rode her often through Central Park or upstate. Maybe, when I find a piece of property here, I can send for her.”
Angela brought out the plates and laid them in front of Marcus and Carlie. “Everything okay?”
They both nodded.
“Great. The bill’s on me. Enjoy your lunch and let me know when you plan the date. I’m supplying the food. Just think of today as a trial run.” She blew them each a kiss then turned and headed back into the café.