Page 217 of Promise Not to Fall for the Rich & Famous

She wondered if he could kiss someone with his cowboy hat on or if he usually removed it beforehand. Wondered—because all she could think about was that heavenly kiss from her dream.

“Is there a rule about volunteers not getting involved with the guests?” Ellie asked, suddenly curious to see what he looked like without the hat.

As if sensing her thoughts, Nash lifted it off his head, rested it on the blanket beside him, and quickly ran a hand through the thick, loose waves of his dark blond hair.

Now that the brim wasn’t hooding his face anymore, she caught the heated look in his hazel eyes. Wow, he was easy on the eyes. She liked him without the hat as much as she liked him with it. Something unspoken passed between them as he held her gaze, her heart thudding wildly out of beat.

“If that ruledoesexist, and I’m not sure whether or not it does, I’d say it falls into that rare five percent territory.”

Adrenaline spiked through her at his response. “Good answer.” Her gaze fell to his lips as she thought back on her dream once more. And was it just her, or was Nash looking at her mouth, too?

He was, but he seemed to catch himself suddenly, glancing out over the water and clearing his throat.

Too soon, Ellie figured, at least for a guy like him. They’d only just met, after all, and it seemed Nash was a true gentleman; she liked that. Of course, she couldn’t help but wonder if that five-percent rogue would come out soon.

A slight breeze picked up, and Ellie nudged in, daring to rest her head on Nash’s shoulder. It felt nice there,verynice. She breathed in the crisp, spicy scent of his cologne—masculine, woodsy, and capable of making her stomach tighten in waves of pleasing warmth.

Nash had a soothing presence about him. And a confidence she didn’t see often. He wasn’t hiding who he was or trying tobe someone else to impress her. That level of authenticity was rare, and Ellie couldn’t help but be drawn to it. Couldn’t wait to discover more.

Hope welled within her, and she caught herself grinning like one of the lovesick characters she’d played. What a perfect night this was.

“Hey, Nash,” she said, feeling as if she were floating on clouds.

“Yeah?” he rasped.

“Thanks for letting me experience this. I wouldn’t have known it, but I think this is exactly what I needed.”

CHAPTER 8

If there was a sticker that read, ‘I’m dating Ellie Blaire,’Nash was wearing it on his forehead.

Not that he wasdating-dating her, but they had seen each other every day for a week. Riding, talking, flirting, holding long gazes that made him weak with desire.

The trouble was, it seemed that no matter who he came in contact with, Nash couldn't keep the I've-got-a-secret expression off his face. At least, it felt that way to him.

He still hadn’t made the big move yet—that being the kiss, of course, but that didn't mean things weren’t progressing. On the contrary, Nash had never felt so instantly connected to another woman in all his life.

It was funny; with as different as their lives and backgrounds were, they totally clicked. Nash was fascinated by the stories she told, and Ellie seemed to be intrigued by his in return.

Since the regular ‘horse guy’ was back from his vacation, Tucker gave Nash a new position. He was now a horse specialist assigned to work one-on-one with the celebrities as they came through; for the time being, that was Ellie. Nash had already signed the NDA, and, according to the feedback Ellie gave Tucker, Nash seemed an appropriate fit.

Tucker did, however, insist that Nash move into the lodge for the duration of his time—at least until Ellie was gone. Nash had done so gladly. It wasn’t bad either. The lodge had nice rooms, its own cafeteria, and a large foyer where the staff hung out during their off time.

Nash had spent most of his off time with Ellie.

Rather than text each of his family members separately about his temporary move into Wild Buck’s, Nash had called Uncle Lloyd and asked if he and the ranch hands could manage things without him for a while. When Uncle Lloyd assured him that they could, Nash asked him to tell the others and explained that he wouldn't be on his phone much during the month ahead.

So far, Nash had received encouraging texts from Grandma C, Thatcher, and, oddly enough, his brother Wyatt, which made him wonder if Thatcher had spilled the beans. Grandma C and Thatcher’s texts had a similar I-think-I-know-why-you’re-staying-away vibe, while Wyatt’s simply said he was thinking of him and hoped he was having a nice day.

He’d been having a whole lot of nice days since he’d been spending them with Ellie.

For the weekend, Nash had a little something up his sleeve. He’d already gotten special approval from Tucker, and now it was time to see if Ellie would say yes. What better way to ask her than a good old-fashioned invite tied with string?

If she said yes, he had a few follow-up items to give her. And he was counting on her saying yes. Of course, Nash had spent way too much time creating a logo on his laptop over the week and far too much money getting it printed onto the apparel he planned to present to her, but he’d enjoyed putting it all together with Ellie in mind.

This is how he was when he really liked someone, Nash realized, recalling the elaborate dates he used to plan. It’d been a long time since he’d liked someone this much.

It felt odd driving to the private cabins along the east side of the ranch. So far, he’d only gotten to her place through the back trails while walking her home. Now, he’d be pulling into the driveway and knocking on her door, which felt very date-like compared to the regular riding meet-ups they were used to.