Free Stay With Me: BWWM Interracial Cowboy/Western Romance (Westbury Ranch Book 2) by Roxy Wilson Page B

“Do you like to read?” she asked as she spied a book that was turned upside down on the nearby shelf.
    “I read biographies,” he admitted. “Do you?”
    “Detective novels. Love them.”
    “Would you like some more chicken?”
    “No, thanks. I’m saving some space for that pecan pie.”
    When he stood with the dishes, she helped him. It felt like a homely scene. If someone peered in from outside, he or she might assume that they were married. Even though she was at ease with him, she was a little discomforted to know that her relationship with him was already in a much better shape than the one she shared with her ex-husband. She realized now that she’d made the wrong choice when she married Nick. Maybe he hadn’t been right for her in the first place. While she helped Juston clean the kitchen, various thoughts dominated her mind.
    “We’ll take the pie in the living room, or the den as I like to call it.”
    “You watch a lot of TV?”
    “Not a lot. I stay away from the reality shows, but I like comedies and, of course, the cooking shows.”
    “You must have gotten a lot of flak in college for watching cooking shows.”
    Juston shook his head. “The boys I was sharing the apartment with knew I could cook, so they were happy to let me watch, knowing I would feed them that very thing within a matter of days.” He chuckled. “Of course, I watch sports like any other guy.”
    “I’m not into sports,” she said. “Never was.”
    He cocked an eyebrow. “Don’t tell me you like reality shows.”
    “I hardly watch TV. The only thing I catch is the news or an occasional debate on some hot topic. I would rather read or work.”
    He gestured for her to take a seat and she did so. When he sat next to her on the couch, she felt that breathless anticipation once more. With an effort, she controlled her emotions. If anything happened, she didn’t know what she would do. If they made love again, it would cement a relationship, that up until now she’d convinced herself was just a flirtation. Much to her relief, he sat with a little distance between them, and she breathed a sigh of relief.
    “Figures. You’re a workaholic.”
    She suppressed a grin. “Is there any harm in that?”
    “Nope. It makes you even sexier.”
    There it was again; that easy flirtation and the warm, friendly way in which he delivered these lines. He meant them, and that made it all the more difficult for her to brush them off as if they meant nothing. “I think I’m ready for the pie now.”
    Juston served her and took a piece for himself.
    She tasted it and moaned as she looked over at him. “I really think you’ve missed your calling. You should open a restaurant somewhere nearby. There is hardly any competition, and if you price in the mid-range, you will sell like hot cakes.”
    “Ah! That’s the marketer in you talking.” He grinned. “I don’t think I would get any pleasure out of cooking for others when they’re paying customers. Does it bother you that I have so little ambition?”
    She was baffled by his question. “No, why would it bother me?”
    “Some women might think they’re wasting their time with a guy who’s just a ranch hand.”
    The fire that bloomed in her chest almost choked her. She finished the last of her pie because she didn’t want to say something she would regret. “Do you think so little of me?”
    “No, actually, I think very highly of you, and I was just wondering if you feel the same way.”
    Feeling entirely insulted, Shayne turned to face him.
    Juston set his plate on the table. “Some women think like that.”
    “I’m not one of them. Money is important to me yes, but I know how to earn it, so I don’t wait for a man to do it. When I have a partner, what’s important to me is that he takes pride and joy in his work. There’s nothing more important than that.”
    “Good. I’m glad we’re on the same page. So since we’re partners now, what do you think about staying the