Page 32 of The Cowboy’s Forever Promise

“You’re coming home with me afterward?” he whispered.

“I …” There were a million reason why not, but damn it, she wanted to be with this man so badly, she could taste it. Sitting up and moving to her side of the seat, she combed her hair with her fingers. “I’ll need to get a few things from the guesthouse. And maybe take my car. I’m helping June tomorrow. I’ll need transport to get back to the B & B later.”

Grabbing her hand again, he started his truck. “If you want to go back, I’ll take you. But let me feed you first. You’re going to need stamina for the rest of the night.”

A giggle escaped. Gulping it in, she swallowed a groan. She never giggled, never. Seriously. With a sigh, she glanced at Carson.

Bringing her hand to his lips, he kissed the palm of her hand. “If you look at me much longer, we’re skipping dinner.”

“I’m hungry.”

“So am I, but not for food,” he grinned. “Okay, let’s have dinner first.”

“Oh, your credit card,” she remembered, opening her bag and returning his card.

“Did you get everything?”

“Everything I’ll need for your house, yes.”

“Did you get a red one?”

She nodded. “I’ve paid for it myself.”

“Of course you have.” His low chuckle did nothing to help extinguish the fire racing through her blood.

Abby was still a trembling mess by the time they’d ordered something to drink and food. Talk. Maybe if they talked about ordinary things this craziness inside of her would subside.

“Tell me about the ranch,’” she said. “What exactly do you do?”

Carson was sitting beside her in the booth with his hand on her leg. With hooded eyes he looked at her. “Seriously? That’s what you want to talk about?”

“We’re in a public place, it’s not as if we can …”

He moved his hand ever so slowly up her leg. Grabbing it with both of hers, she stopped him. “Talk to me,” she just about pleaded.

He hugged her. “Okay, let’s talk. Tell me about yourself.”

“I asked first.”

“Dylan and I moved to The Weston Ranch earlier this year. I don’t know if you’ve heard of the fight our dad and our uncle had?”

“June mentioned something.”

He quickly explained how they’d accepted Hayden’s proposal to combine the two ranches as well as Hunter’s ranch. “Hayden has made a study of new techniques of grazing and we learn so much from him. Dylan and I focus on seedstock production.”

“So what is that?”

Carson grinned. “You wanna know about seedstock production?”

She nodded.

“Well, it’s a vital aspect of the cattle industry responsible for providing high-quality genetics and improving the overall performance and productivity of herds. I won’t bore you further, except to say I love what I do.”

“That’s obvious. You come alive when you talk about your work. So is your photography just a hobby?”

“I love that part of what I do as well, but I wouldn’t be happy only doing that. Enough about me. Tell me about yourself.”

“Not much to tell. I was dropped off at a church as a baby with my birth certificate, but my mother has never been found. I don’t know who my father is. Ever since I can remember, it was just June and me.”