Free And Then You Dance (Crested Butte Cowboys Series Book 2) by Heather A Buchman

apartment, she was met with the overwhelming aroma of Tom Ka Gai. If she hadn’t already loved Billy most of her life, she would have fallen in love with him right then.
    It was ten degrees outside, and she walked a mile from her class to her apartment. She was frozen to her core and chicken-coconut soup would thaw her out better than anything.
    “I’m glad you’re still here.”
    “Because you’re happy to see me?” He helped her take off her jacket, leaned in, and kissed her. “Or because I have dinner waiting?”
    “Both, I guess.”
     
    “You guess.” He wound his hand around her neck and pulled her closer to kiss her again. Her nose was like an ice cube, so he kissed it too.
    “Come and eat,” he said. He pointed to the sofa, and when she sat down, he threw a blanket over her. “Get warm, I’ll bring the soup to you.”
    “Who are you and what have you done with Billy Patterson?”
    “I never do anything for you. Is that what you’re trying to say?” She was right. She did a lot more for him than he did for her.
    “What have you been doing since I left?”
    “Nothin’ much. Had some calls to make. Took a little nap. Tried on some of your clothes.”
    She smirked.
    “So you are listening to me? You look a million miles away. Whatcha’ thinkin’ about pretty girl?”
     
    She had been lost in thought, wondering how long he planned to stay, how things would be between them now. It would’ve been easier if he’d been gone when she got home tonight. It would’ve given her time to process this drastic change in their relationship. That was precisely why he hadn’t left. He didn’t want her to make any decisions without him there.
    “You and me,” she answered.
    “And?”
    She didn’t know what to say. She had no idea how to do this. She’d dated, but no one long enough to get serious enough to sleep with them. Which meant she’d never been in a relationship.
    He watched her, waiting for her to say something. She took another spoonful of soup. And he smiled. Billy Patterson had the best smile. Those dimples, his soft blue eyes…Renie imagined he got away with an awful lot in life by playing his smile card, as he did right now.
    She took another spoonful of soup, and smiled back.
    “I don’t know whether I love you because you’re such a brat, or despite it.”
    She stopped smiling.
    “Oh come on Renie. You know I love you. You love me too. Don’t ya? Doesn’t matter that things have changed for us in the between-the-sheets department. That’s not what I’m talkin’ about.”
    He was right. They did love each other; they’d been part of each other’s lives forever.
    “You’re right.”
    “So…come on, tell me what you’re thinkin’.”
    “I can’t do that Billy.”
    “You always make me go first. Okay. I will. Again. ”
    She set her empty bowl down on the coffee table.
    “You want more soup first? Or are you ready for Pad Thai?”
    “I can wait. I want to hear what you have to say first.”
     
    Billy stood and took her bowl to the kitchen. Now that he’d offered to go first, he had no idea what he would say. He knew how he felt; he didn’t know how to put it into words.
    When he came back out of the kitchen, her eyes were closed. He’d give anything to be able to read her thoughts. He’d spent most of his life wondering what Renie Fairchild was thinking. Now he knew why.
    “I’ve never done this before either.”
    She opened her eyes and raised her eyebrows.
    “The girlfriend thing, I mean.”
    “Girlfriend?”
    “Relationship? Is that better?”
    “Not ever?”
    “Come on. If I had, you would’ve known about it. I would’ve talked to you about it.” He was glad he never had. But then, there hadn’t been any women in his life worth talking about.
    When he was on the road, plenty of women were interested in keeping him company. But, he almost never slept with a woman more than once. There had been a few here and there, girls who followed the riders from