“Interesting…” Colette said, her voice trailing off as her gaze took in the dark blue jeans that hugged his thick thighs, his joyful demeanor. He even had a sexy mustache.
A guy like that could be a lot of fun, but was that what she was looking for? His dark tee did nothing to hide his strong muscles, gained from years of hard work, and stretched over his taut waist. He was hot, yes, but was he her type? Most of the time, her type was whoever was available when she was looking for a hookup. She was used to being a stopping point for men. They had fun but never stayed around for long. Colette’s mouth scrunched up to one side as she twirled a soft curl around her finger.
Was she truly looking for more of that?
Bearing witness to the closeness between Simone and Roger, it gave her the desire… No, the absolute need for something more. When she left Calgary, she was looking to feel more valued and appreciated by her employer. Shouldn’t she want that in all facets of her life? Chasing temporary love didn’t jibe with the kind of life she wanted to create for herself. She was working at the ranch to build up her résumé and pay her bills, but she also wanted the position to lead to something more permanent. Stable. Would chasing after Evan be going against her new life goals? A quick fling would probably leave her unsatisfied and feeling discarded. Again.
Perhaps a relationship was too much to aim for when she was only in Rosebud temporarily. Or maybe it wasn’t.
She didn’t mind taking a chance to see where things led.
The good men she was meeting out here were not like the playboys she was used to meeting at bars in the city. There was still the potential for something more, even if Simone did describe Evan as a fuckboy. Even if Evan wasn’t her Mr. Forever, he could be fun for a spell.
And if that familiar heat wasn’t building in her chest when she thought of Evan, so what? Marshall wasn’t chasing after her at all. In fact, he was hanging out with Jessica Lansbury during his free time, whoever that was. Colette’s eyes narrowed.
Damn that Jessica.
Clearing her throat as her eyes came to rest on Marshall, a thrill ran down her spine unbidden. Her cheeks flamed as she took in his frown and his darkened gaze, standing next to Evan and Roger. Was he scowling at her?
Had he caught her checking out Evan?
Her gaze slid back to Simone.
“Uh oh, I think Marshall just caught me checking out Evan,” she said with a smirk.
“So what? It’s your day off, you can do as you please,” Simone said, waving to the server. “We need more drinks, unless you’re ready to do some dancing? I think they’re setting up for the karaoke after nine. Things get a little out of hand once that starts.”
Colette ran a finger along the edge of the glass, her thoughts racing.
“Should I ask Evan to dance?”
“Of course! Have fun! What on earth is wrong with Marshall? I swear his frown could not get any deeper. Maybe he’s more aware of you than you think,” she said, brows knitting as she waved to the server, who turned her back and walked further away from their table. “That server is not seeing me, and I’m thirsty. Let’s go to the bar and you can talk to Evan. The boys look like they’re having way too much fun.” Simone stood with a smirk, hips swaying suggestively as she approached Roger.
Well, Evan and Roger were. Marshall just looked grumpy.
Colette followed her to stand near the bar, nerves fluttering in her stomach. Marshall turned back to the conversation with Roger and Evan after offering her a slight nod as she joined the group. Simone pulled Colette so that she was awkwardly pressed up against him, shoulder to shoulder.
Colette smiled as Simone introduced her to Evan. She was mortified at the way her cheeks heated immediately. She tried to focus on Evan, but the way her arm brushed against Marshall’s sent her body reeling.
It was hard to act natural when the simple touch sent a pang of longing shooting through her. She might ask Evan to dance, but she knew exactly where her interest lay.
Simone rubbed Roger’s cheek with her hand, eliciting a dreamy smile.
“Hey, Sunshine,” he said, pressing his lips against Simone’s for a quick kiss.
Colette’s stomach flopped, indulging in a moment of pure yearning. Imagine belonging to someone like that. Simone’s touch brought an instant glow to his face. It seemed like a dream. This was exactly what she wanted for herself. If Evan was the guy to give her that, great. She would be brave and explore all possibilities available while she lived in Rosebud.
And maybe, she would take her time, instead of rushing into something.
Yes, that was a perfect plan.
“We were trying to decide whether we wanted to dance or have another drink,” Simone said to the group, twirling a strand of her hair in her fingers. “Evan, would you take the new girl for a spin? I don’t want to abandon my friend, but I want to dance with my man.”
Evan’s mouth opened in shock, eyes darting momentarily from Simone to Marshall, then he quickly recovered with a flirty smile.
“Colette, you want to dance?” he croaked, rubbing his hand behind his neck. Colette blushed, and for some reason, her gaze slid to Marshall.
For permission?
