Falling for the Cowboy. Mary Leo

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СКАЧАТЬ up at him. “Nice hat.”

      There was an awkward pause when neither of them spoke, almost as if each of them was waiting for the other to make the next move, each staring into the other’s eyes. Maggie wondered what it would be like to kiss his lips.

      Mr. Kissable broke the spell. “I’m starving for some real food. How about you?”

      “You read my mind,” she lied. No way did she want him to know what she’d really been thinking.

      “Steak?”

      “Bloodred.”

      He chuckled and Maggie wanted to hear more. “There’s a table in back with our names on it.” He bent his arm out for her to take it. She hesitated for a heartbeat, thinking this might be a mistake, while his smile assured her that she had little choice in the matter. Maggie grabbed hold and walked inside as if she had done it a thousand times before.

      When they were seated under the painting of the nude, a smiling twentysomething waitress, dressed in a gray Western shirt, black jeans and the prerequisite boots walked over to take their order.

      “Strange to see you here, Doc, on a Sunday night. Dodge burn the roast?”

      He tossed her a sly little grin, as if they had a past. Maggie figured this woman was probably another notch on his already frayed belt. “Not exactly. Let’s just say dinner wasn’t what I’d expected and leave it at that.”

      “Gotcha,” she said, her face lighting up for what had to be some kind of inside joke.

      He turned to Maggie. “What’s your poison?”

      Maggie smiled and looked up at the red-haired woman, wondering if there were any single women in the entire town who didn’t salivate every time Doc Blake was around. “Do you stock any decent wine?”

      The waitress ignored her. “Where’d you pick up this one, Doc? Don’t think I’m going to like her much.”

      “Go easy, Helen. She’s Kitty’s sister.”

      The waitress turned back to Maggie, looking all apologetic. “Honey, your sister is an absolute treasure. She’s been there for me more than once. Because of her friendship, I’m going to give you a pass on your snobby question. How about you give me an order and I go fetch it?”

      “A glass of pinot noir.” It came out in a whisper.

      “I’ve got a great bottle of Williams Selyem pinot from the Russian River Valley. You’ll love it—medium bodied and silky smooth, with a blend of red cherries and raspberries along with a hint of spice. It’s dry but the tannins linger on the tongue. It’s on the house, honey, as a sort of a ‘welcome to the town’ kind of thing.” She turned to Doc Blake. “That good for you, too?”

      “Perfect. Thanks. And two rare steaks with all the trimmings.”

      “You got it, Doc.” She wandered off toward the bar, disappearing into the colorful, raucous mix of patrons. A cowboy, large both in stature and in girth, stared at Helen, then back at Maggie as he leaned on the bar. Maggie had the feeling he knew Helen well and was protective of her. Mess with Helen and you messed with probably the biggest guy in town.

      Maggie threw him a sheepish grin.

      He tipped his hat then turned back to his pint.

      Maggie wanted to crawl under the table. She was going to have to accept that just because everyone dressed like movie-set ranch hands didn’t mean they weren’t part of the twenty-first century. She felt completely out of place again, with that familiar knot forming in her stomach.

      Doc Blake leaned in closer. “When my patients are as uptight as you seem to be, I tell them to take a deep breath, close their eyes and think of their favorite Disney movie.”

      Maggie smiled. “Their favorite Disney movie?”

      “Yeah, works every time. Trust me on this. Lean back, close your eyes and think of your all-time favorite scene. I know you have one. I can see it brewing on your face.”

      “What you see is confusion.”

      “Maybe about which scene is your favorite, but it’s there. I know it is.”

      “From a Disney movie? Not from movies in general?”

      “Yup, and don’t tell me you weren’t a fan of The Little Mermaid or Aladdin. You’re needing a dose of the little girl with the big imagination. I know she’s hiding in there, scared to come out. I get a glimpse of her every time you smile. Give it a whirl, Maggie. Just lean on back and close your eyes.”

      Maggie hesitated, but he persisted, gesturing for her to get going. She figured she might as well go along with him. After all, the man was her new boss. She slid down in the chair then leaned her head back until she found the backrest and instantly felt uneasy, vulnerable, as if everyone in the bar was staring at her.

      “This is silly,” she said, quickly sliding back up and looking around. Everyone seemed busy with their own lives. No one was the slightest bit interested in what she was doing.

      “Silly’s the whole idea.”

      “But—”

      “Humor me,” he urged, and gestured for her to lean back. She thought she’d better go with it or he might think she was some kind of city snob, which she most definitely was, but she didn’t want him to know it. “Take a deep breath. Let your body go all weak and easylike. Breathe in through your nose and let the breath out slowly through your mouth.”

      Maggie did as she was told. Some country singer was belting out how they loved this bar while Maggie tried to get into the rhythm. Within moments her all-time favorite Disney scene flashed in her head—Beauty and her beast floating across a dance floor. She could visualize them as clearly as if she were watching the movie in a theater. Only difference was, they were dancing to I Love This Bar.

      She couldn’t help but let out a little chuckle.

      “I knew you could do it,” Doc Blake said as he touched her hand. As soon as he did, she felt warm and safe, as if she had been spinning on the dance floor wrapped in his arms.

      She opened her eyes.

      Helen had returned and busied herself pouring wine into their glasses. When she left, Maggie said, “I’m sorry, Doctor Granger, I think I fell asleep for a moment.”

      “Call me Blake. It’s easier. Do you feel better?”

      “Much. Thanks. Do you work this kind of magic on everyone?”

      “Not everyone. Some of my patients are stubborn.”

      “More stubborn than me?”

      “You’re easy.”

      She felt the heat of a blush. “Not necessarily. It depends on the man.”

      “So we’re back to that, are we?”

      “Not if you don’t want to be.”

      He СКАЧАТЬ