Page 12 of Montana Born

He leaned forward and pressed his lips on her jaw, just below her ear and damn it her knees practically buckled.

How could the man have figured out her weak spot? Her breathing hitched and she blew out air. “So yeah, I’ll be seeing you.” Elle hoped not to be weaving toward her car. It was hard to tell.

The entire drive back, Elle couldn’t stop going over what happened at the stables. He’d asked her out and she’d said yes.

What was she? Some kind of masochist? It was a huge mistake. If she didn’t shield her heart, it could end up with her eating gallons of ice cream and watching sad movie marathons at her Aunt Janet’s.

“No.” The word rang out against the silence in her vehicle. “I’m not going to join the endless string of women he dates and dumps. It will be one date, bam slam, thank you Sully.”

At the intersection near her house, she turned left instead of right and headed to her mother’s.

“I think he is interested in you. He couldn’t keep from looking at you at dinner the other night.” Her mother sipped her Diet Coke and placed items into a gift basket she was making for a local charity auction for an activity center for dyslexic children.

Every year the center where Billy went for tutoring counted on her mother’s baskets to make enough money to sustain their programs.

“I’m not going to dinner with him,” Elle announced while pulling price tags from items her mother handed her. “It’s not a good idea.”

“What harm can come of it?” Her mother took a picture frame from her and nestled it into the basket. “I think you like him. He certainly likes you.”

“Who wouldn’t the man is a hunk, but...he’s also way out of my league.”

“Nonsense. If anything, you’re both in the same league. You do very well and are independent. It’s probably very refreshing to him that you are not one of those money diggers.”

Margie let out a sigh. “I’m so proud of you and your cousins. Every single one of you taking care of business, not depending on any man to make it.”

She met her mother’s warm smile and instantly felt better. “You are my world. Always set me straight. You’re right. That man is not out of my league.”

“Then you’re going to dinner with him?”

“No. It’s a very bad idea. He’s too...I don’t know....”

“You like him too much.”

Her mother’s quiet response seemed to echo in the room.

“Yeah, maybe I do. Therefore, I don’t need to tempt myself by going out with him. That man is no closer to settling down than I am flying to the moon.”

“In a few years, they’ll be offering shuttle rides past the moon to Mars,” her mother quipped.

“Touché Mom.”

On Saturday night, Elle drank ginger ale the entire time while dressing feeling ridiculous at how nervous the upcoming date with Sully made her feel.

At seven o’clock sharp her doorbell dinged and she let out a long breath before opening the door. In a black dress shirt unbuttoned at the throat and grey slacks, he was mouth watering. His hair was combed back accentuating his square jawline.

“You look great.” His gaze skimmed over her and Elle was glad she’d splurged earlier that month at Neiman Marcus for the formfitting emerald green dress.

With a simple low round neckline, the top of the dress skimmed her body until reaching her waist where it flared into a soft A-line. The bottom of the dress skimmed just above the knees allowing her to showcase her calves. Elle opted for black three-inch pumps since Sully was quite a bit taller than her.

He took her elbow and guided her to his car, this time he drove a grey Lexus sedan.

Once he settled into the driver’s seat, he leaned forward and pressed a soft kiss on her lips startling her. “I’m glad you agreed to go out with me.” His lips curved and she wanted to smile at the slight tinge of her red lipstick staining them.

Sully covered her left hand with his right. “I figured you’d cancel out on me.”

“I did consider it,” Elle admitted. “But I’m here.”

“Not sure if I find your honesty reassuring or cruel.”