Marshall had lived in Rosebud for a long time. He knew exactly what he was doing. The fact that he was being so liberal in sending out such a blatant message was a turn-on.
If Marshall King was claiming her, she was more than ready for it.
She only hoped her heart would survive when it ended.
CHAPTER 27
If eye-fucking was a thing, Marshall was definitely doing some eye-fucking right now. How was he supposed to resist the seductive power of watching Colette take a small piece of steak, weave it through the peppercorn sauce, and put it in her mouth? The way her eyes fluttered closed as the flavor hit her taste buds? Torture. The way she licked a dab of sauce off her lips rather than waste that deliciousness in a napkin? Devastating.
He dropped his gaze down to his plate, before he was tempted to sweep the dishes off the table with his arms and taste the rich red wine off her tongue. It was wrong to place the blame on her, but the slow, sensual way she ate, breathed, and sipped her wine was driving him insane.
“Is something wrong with your steak?” Colette asked, eyeing his plate, then his face, with a raised brow. Marshall cleared his throat.
His mouth curved into a grin as he picked up his knife. “No, I’m just having trouble focusing on my meal.”
Colette licked her lips, completely unaware of how distracting she was being. The side of her mouth quirked up into a half-smile.
“Well, you’d better eat, you’re going to need your energy for later,” she said, biting her bottom lip. Marshall flushed. Maybe he needed to be tested for a fever. The amount of blushing happening these days was alarming. It was working against the tough guy persona he had been projecting. With one look, she had him on his knees. Literally.
“Check please,” he said to no one, lifting a finger as though to flag down a server.
“Marshall, we are not leaving.” Colette giggled, putting another piece of perfect, medium-rare steak in her mouth. He stroked his fork and knife with his thumbs and turned to his food with a sigh. He could do this. Focus on his food for a few minutes to finish the meal.
“So, what are your goals at the ranch? I know you moved here from the city a while ago, but do you think you’ll want to stay here forever?” she asked, her captivating eyes focused on him with curiosity.
He had to remind himself that this could be a normal dating conversation. What are your goals? What do you want in life? The questions filled him with dread, because in truth, he wasn’t sure he had looked that far into the future. The need had never arisen. And now, he dreaded what was to come when he resumed his life without the flirty accountant.
“I left the city looking for a fresh start, where no one knew me. I’ve grown to love it here. On the ranch, if you work hard, you see results. If you put your heart and soul into it, it will give you that love back. It’s hard to explain.” He reached for his glass, swallowing the rich burgundy to fill the pit that was opening in his chest at the thought of leaving Rosebud. “Grandpa never gave me a time limit on running the ranch, so I assume the job is here as long as I want it. If I can fix this mess I made, of course.”
Colette’s head bobbed gently as she listened. “Do you ever think of moving back to the city?”
Marshall studied her face for a moment, his stomach sinking at the meaning of her words. He would never lie to Colette, not about this.
“No. I don’t miss it. There is nothing for me there,” he said, taking another bite of his steak. Conversation over.
Colette turned to her meal, and they ate in silence. His thoughts were messy, disordered. It’s not like he was in love with her, yet he had the distinct impression this conversation had meaning. It was drawing lines and making sure every party in this relationship remembered the rules. The limitations of their courtship.
“What about you? What do you see yourself doing after the contract?” A sucker for punishment, he asked without wanting to know the answer. He needed confirmation of his feelings, a reminder of the temporary nature of their liaison. It would give him strength.
She swallowed a mouthful of wine, eyes cast down to her glass. “Well, I would hope that after the contract, I manage to secure another steady job. Something that pays well. It sucks to be laid off, but the oil and gas industry is very consistent in its highs and lows. I’m hoping I can wait out this economic downturn and find something more permanent.”
Marshall nodded. “You deserve that. I still can’t believe they let you go.” The words “because I never would” swirled in his mouth, and he drowned them in wine. He quickly shoved them back down from where they came. She was a great accountant; her bosses were idiots. That’s where his thoughts were going. Or at least that’s what he told himself.
“Life is like that sometimes. When one door closes, another one opens. And that’s what led me here. I’m glad I met you.” Soft pink suffused her cheeks as she said the words, as though she had revealed too much. Her smile beckoned one from his own lips and he gave a soft chuckle.
“Yeah, me too,” he replied, his voice thick.
Who was he?
Some kind of lovesick fool?
A giddy sensation flooded his chest.
Her words pleased him an inordinate amount. Marshall shook his head and focused on swirling the baby potatoes through the rich sauce. Eat dinner, drink wine, don’t get too attached. His chest lifted with a deep breath. Maybe this date had been a bad idea. The more time he spent with her, the more they spoke, the more he became invested in whatever this was.
Friends with benefits?
No, he didn’t want to fuck any of his friends.
