Satin & Saddles by Cheyenne McCray Read Free Book Online Page A

she told herself. I know better than to take a chance with my heart.

Chapter 9
    Carly pushed her basket through the grocery store, anxious to get her shopping done and get home. She had writing to do and a number of things to get ready before tomorrow when she’d go with Dillon to his family event.
    All week she’d been a basket case, worrying about getting too close to him. But when he’d call her in the evenings, all of that worry slipped away and she found herself enjoying their conversations and looking forward to them all the following day.
    She rounded an aisle and nearly ran into Geoff Burnside’s basket.
    “Hi, Carly.” He gave an enthusiastic grin.
    “Oh.” She smiled. “Hi.”
    “Glad I ran into you,” he said. “Barely missed you yesterday when you left the café.”
    “Sorry, I didn’t have a chance to stop and talk,” she said. “I was in a hurry.”
    He nodded as he leaned forward on the grip on his shopping cart. “Well, now that I have your undivided attention, I want to ask you out. How does tomorrow look for you?”
    “I have a date.” She was glad to have the excuse. She didn’t want anything more than a friendship with him.
    “What about next week?” he asked. “Pick a night.”
    She wanted to groan. She had to let him know that she was in no way interested in him romantically.
    “I just want to be friends, Geoff.” Carly sighed. “I’m not interested in starting up a relationship.”
    Geoff looked unperturbed. “Who said anything about a relationship? It’s just dinner between friends.”
    “Okay. We can talk about that later.” She pushed hair out of her eyes. “Right now I’m in a hurry.”
    “All right.” He held his hands up. “I know when I’m being a bother.”
    She felt bad for being so brusque with him. “I’m sorry. I just have a lot going on.”
    “I understand, Carly,” he said.
    “I’ll see you around, Geoff.” She gave him a friendly smile.
    He nodded. “Yeah. See you around.” He moved his basket away and went around her.
    She let out her breath. She wasn’t sure that went so well, but hopefully it did the trick and he got the message.
    * * * * *
    Carly gripped the phone tight as she spoke with Sabrina, her closest friend who’d just married Wyatt Cameron. “Dillon is a man I could fall for and I don’t want that. I’m flat-out afraid.”
    “I’ve gotten to know him since I first started dating Wyatt.” Sabrina’s tone was serious. “Dillon is a good man.”
    “I have a history of bad judgment.” Carly pushed her fingers through her hair as she paced her living room. “I don’t want to make the same mistakes I have in the past. Moving too fast and being a poor judge of character are some of my biggest faults.”
    “Slow down.” Sabrina’s voice had a soothing quality to it. “Take things a day at a time.”
    “He’s called me in the evenings all week and we’ve emailed back and forth.” Carly gave a little sigh. “And I’ve enjoyed every minute of it. That scares me.”
    “He’s not going to up and leave you like Tim or obsess over you like that guy, Geoff, did,” Sabrina said.
    Carly sighed. “Speaking of Geoff. He moved to Patagonia last week.”
    “What?” Sabrina said in clear disbelief. “You’re kidding me.”
    “Nope.” Carly stopped pacing. “He stopped by last Saturday morning and then he was at the barn dance that I went to with Dillon. He cut in on us on a slow dance.”
    “I can’t believe it,” Sabrina said. “How did he manage to end up here?”
    “He says it was a coincidence, that he likes the area. He’s a computer tech guy and he’s working out of his home four days a week and in Tucson the fifth day. Said he’s renting a house from one of the Sharpes.”
    “Hmmm.” Sabrina had a frown in her tone. “That’s an awful big coincidence.”
    Carly pushed her free hand through her hair. “I’ve seen him twice this week.”
    Sabrina said, “Did he approach you?”
    “The first time I