Then Came You (3 page)

Maggie, who owned the place with her husband, greeted them at the register.

"Hi there, Connor, two tonight?” she asked, grabbing two menus from the stand.

"Yep, and I'd like you to meet Gillian Matthews. She's staying at the ranch over the Thanksgiving holiday."

Maggie held out her hand. “Pleased to meet you."

"Same here,” said Gillian.

Maggie went ahead of Connor and they both followed her to a booth by the window.

Connor held Gillian's coat as she slipped it off and he placed it up on the coat rack opposite the table. Connor put his jacket over Gillian's and slid into the booth, his knees scraping Gillian's as he did so.

"Our special tonight is chicken fried steak with creamed potatoes and green beans,” said Maggie, setting the menus in front of them.

"That sounds good to me. I think I'll go with that,” said Connor.

"Me too,” said Gillian.

"Looks like we won't be needing menus after all,” said Connor, sliding them back towards Maggie.

Maggie scooped them up. “And I'm guessing a beer for you, Connor?"

He nodded. “How about you, Gillian?"

"Do you think I could have some hot tea?"

"Sure can, honey. I'll be right back with those."

Connor smiled when he saw more guys looking over at Gillian. He knew their curiosity didn't have anything to do with her being a stranger in these parts. She was gorgeous and certainly worth checking out.

"Hey, Connor, and it's Gillian from the vaccine company, right?"

Connor had been busy thinking about the guys at the table across the way that he hadn't seen his neighbour, Steve—well, that was if a guy who lived three miles down the road could be called a neighbour—approaching their table. He'd obviously just finished eating and had a doggie bag and his bill in his hand. He, like Connor, was in his late thirties and single. He saw Steve's face light up as he stood close to Gillian. “You know Gillian?” asked Connor. Had there been a touch of jealousy in his question?

"Sure do,” said Steve.

"I often call on Steve but so far I can't convince him that Jensen's has the best prices,” said Gillian.

"I'm scared that if I do become a customer you won't spend so much time at my ranch. I love all the attention you give me,” said Steve.

"I give everyone my attention, customers and prospective customers,” said Gillian.

Connor knew the muscle in his jaw was pulsating. He hoped Steve hadn't heard that Gillian and her boyfriend had parted company and was thinking of making his move.

"You going to stop by the ranch tomorrow?” asked Steve. For a minute Connor thought when Steve leaned over the table towards Gillian he was actually going to slide in the booth and sit next to her.

"No, I'm not here on business this time around. In fact, Connor kindly invited me to spend Thanksgiving at his ranch."

Yeah, take that.
Shit, he was beginning to think like a sixth-grader. Next thing he'd be poking his tongue out at his neighbour.

Steve raised his eyebrows. “You're one lucky dog, there, Connor.” Steve punched him on the upper arm.

Maggie arrived with the beer and tea.

"Hey, I gotta go but I look forward to seeing you next time you're here on business,” said Steve. He winked at Gillian.

"Hopeless flirt, that one,” said Maggie. She put the drinks down in front of them.

Connor took a swig of his beer and watched Steve head outside and get into his truck. He'd certainly have to keep his eye on him from now on. He'd been unaware that Gillian made calls to him and that he obviously had some interest in her too. Of course, back in Chicago some guys probably had their sights set on her as well.

"So, have you been out on any dates since you and what was his name...” That had slipped out before he'd really given it some thought but after the close call with Steve he had to know if there were any competitors.

"Davey,” said Gillian.

"Since you and Davey broke up?"

Shit, if she said yes, he was going to be heartbroken.

She shook her head. Connor hoped she didn't see him release the breath he was holding. He almost wanted to reach across the table and hold her hand upon hearing the good news but maybe it was a bit too soon. The first time he'd seen her, when she'd worn completely inappropriate shoes to visit a ranch and got the heel of her pump stuck in the mud, she'd fascinated him. He'd offered her a pair of his boots. He'd even put them on her and the poor girl had walked around trying to keep his size-twelve footwear on her size-seven tootsies. She'd looked so cute that he'd wanted to sweep her up in his arms. He'd been immediately smitten and had given her the order for all the cows’ and horses’ vaccines. In the last two years she'd paid him a visit every two or three months, and each time he'd fallen a little bit more for her. He'd known from day one she had a boyfriend but that hadn't stopped him from flirting. In the back of his mind he'd always hoped they'd go their separate ways and he'd be in with a chance with her. And it wasn't all about getting her into his bed—although, yes, that was his ultimate goal, but before he made love to her for the first time he was going to be a perfect gentleman, a true cowboy... He was going to woo and romance her.

"So, why have you been a bachelor all these years?"

Her question had jarred him out of his train of thought. Only his family and a handful of other people knew he'd once been married. He'd been nineteen, thought he was in love and ended up getting hitched to the wrong woman. He hadn't spoken about her or their ill-fated marriage in over a decade. However, as he had high hopes that this thing with Gillian might become serious one day, he wanted her to know about his past right off the bat. No surprises somewhere down the line to mess things up.

"I was married,” he said.

She raised her eyebrows.

"What happened?” she asked, running her index finger around the rim of the mug holding her tea. Shit, he could imagine that delicate digit circling his dick and he was suddenly lost for words.

"We got divorced. She had some issues I never knew about."

"I'm sorry to hear that."

She continued to run her finger around the circumference of the mug as she spoke. He squeezed his knees together, feeling his cock get harder as he thought about what her hand could do to him.

"She remarried and now lives in Idaho.” Yeah, nothing like talking about his ex to put an abrupt halt to his erection.

"You ever see her?"

Connor shook his head. “No, not since the divorce was finalised. Not that there's any hard feelings between us but we both moved on with our lives."

"So there's never been anyone else? I mean, have you ever come close to remarrying?"

"No, the ranch keeps me busy. I've been on dates, sure, but none of them have ever progressed to the serious stage."

In all honesty he hadn't been out on a
proper
date since he'd first set his eyes on Gillian. Of course, when he knew she wasn't available and after each visit she paid to the ranch, he'd headed into town and picked up a woman, spent the night with her but had always woken up the next morning feeling completely empty. When he set his sights on a lady like Gillian, well, that was it. Guess he really was an old-fashioned guy who needed romance to accompany the sex.

Maggie approached the table with their meals and put the plates down along with napkins and flatware.

"Oh, boy, this looks delicious,” said Gillian.

"Just leave some room for dessert because this place serves the best pies in Wyoming,” said Connor

He winked at Maggie before she turned and walked away.

Gillian was so full from eating the great steak, plus the slice of cherry pie with whipped cream on top Connor had talked her into, that by the time they finally arrived at his place she almost had to roll herself out of his truck.

"I don't think I've ever been to this part of the ranch,” she said as they made their way up the path to the front door of his house.

The snow was picking up intensely and it felt like the temperature had dropped since they'd left the airport. Probably because it was close to ten p.m. now and the elevation was higher.

Connor opened the front door and she was met with warm heat and the cosy feel of the place. The entry way opened up straight away to a huge living room that looked just like the photos of log cabins she'd always seen in home and garden magazines. A brick fireplace was the centrepiece of the room. Above it, large wooden beams housed candles and what looked to be family photos. A huge brown leather couch with an off-white snuggly looking blanket draped across it sat in front of the fire. She could image getting cosy on it with Connor right beside her.

"This is beautiful,” she said.

"Glad you think so. I've made some updates since my dad passed away and I moved in."

"Your other brothers didn't want to live here?"

He shook his head. “Seemed I was the only one who wanted to be a rancher like my dad and grandpa. Let me show you the kitchen and dining area."

She followed Connor through an archway into the kitchen that literally took her breath away. So huge, with its tiled floors, gorgeous brick walls and top-of-the-line stainless steel appliances.

"Wow, Connor, this is fantastic."

"The old kitchen was falling to pieces so I thought why not go all out and get it completely remodelled. I know it sounds silly for a bachelor but I figured I'm going to spend the rest of my life in this place so I might as well have something nice to look at."

Gillian ran her hand over the stove top in the middle of the island. This was so different to her tiny one-bedroom apartment in the Chicago high-rise.

"You like to cook?” he asked.

"Oh yeah, have since I was a little girl."

"Feel free to make whatever you want while you're here. And how about I show you to your room?"

My room.

She'd got the whole reason for him asking her to visit wrong. He'd obviously just invited her to be polite so she wouldn't be on her own for the holiday. He wasn't interested in her for anything other than friendship. How could she have been so stupid? And all the way to the house from the diner she'd been having these wild fantasies about them rolling together between the sheets, him diving deep and hard until she climaxed and begged for more.

God, what an idiot she'd been.

Gillian followed behind him as he took her bag and made his way up the stairs. She noticed more family photos that hung on the wall.

They reached the landing. Gillian glanced in the first room that had an open door. The bed was huge. Lots of masculine stuff like statues of horses and cowboy hats were dotted around the room. This had to be Connor's...the one where she really wanted to stay.

They walked along further until Connor stopped.

"And this is your room. You have a great view of the mountain and it has its own bathroom, which I thought you might prefer."

Now he sounded like an inn keeper. Shit, how embarrassing. This was just going to be a vacation. What a let-down, and bringing the box of condoms had been a total waste of time.

She hoped he didn't read the disappointment in her face but she couldn't even muster up a smile when she entered the room. Yeah, it was just as gorgeous as the rest of the place, even down to the blue checkered quilt on the bed, but she didn't want to be in it.

"Would you mind if I got an early night? I was up at five a.m. to catch the flight to Minneapolis."

She wasn't tired, she was upset and right now all she wanted to do was be alone.

"Sure, I understand. You get some shut-eye and then how about a full day of activities tomorrow?"

"Sounds like a plan."

"Just let me know if you need anything."

You mean
other than you.

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Shit, maybe he'd lost his touch with the ladies or something because when she'd told him she was tired and turning in for the night, for some strange reason she'd suddenly looked pissed off with him. Had he said the wrong thing or what?

He put his hands behind his head and looked up into the darkness above him. He'd watched TV for a bit then turned in himself. Tonight he had the worst case of insomnia, which was not typical for him. Most nights he was asleep before his head hit the pillow. And hell, he slept so soundly a 747 could land on the ranch and he probably wouldn't open an eye. Tonight he'd had a tough time falling asleep, then had woken up only thirty minutes after he'd drifted off and hadn't been able to fall back to sleep again.

Connor wished Gillian was in his bed right now but he didn't want to seem like the sort of guy who got into a woman's panties straight away, and even more so because she was staying in his house. God forbid if she thought that was the only reason for his invitation. He rolled on to his side and fluffed up the pillow to make it more comfortable.

She probably didn't know what she did to his body. The almost constant hard-on he'd had since he'd met her at the airport. When she'd come into the house and taken off her coat he'd wanted to just pick her up, carry her up the stairs and make love to her. But he had some romancing to do first.

Maybe she'd just come here to have sex and that was it... Fuck, if that was the case they weren't on the same page because he wasn't interested in that sort of relationship any more. He'd had enough one-night stands and short-lived romances to last him two lifetimes. He was edging close to thirty-seven and was thinking that in the next year or so he'd really like to settle down with someone he could grow old with. Okay, Gillian shouldn't have been his first pick because she lived miles away but airlines brought people closer together, right? It was worth a try.

Gillian threw the covers off the bed. She'd tried sleeping but was just tossing and turning and getting more frustrated by the second. She got out of bed and walked to the window. The wind had blown every cloud from the sky and now the moon was visible over the mountain range at the back of the ranch. It was the most glorious sight she'd ever seen. Stars were even twinkling up there. She hadn't seen those since she was a kid and the family had gone camping in Michigan's Upper Peninsula. There was so much to the world you missed when living in a big city, all the blaring lights blocking out what nature provided.