Rocky Mountain Mornings (Roberts of Silver Springs Book 1) Read online

  “What? Why?”

  He shrugged. “Then we’ll know how to act.”

  “We won’t know how to act if we don’t kiss?”

  Anthony shrugged. “Here’s my theory…”

  “I’m bracing myself for it.” The man seemed to blow hot and cold. He was definitely an enigma.

  “I think if we kiss now, we’ll know if we have chemistry or not. If we don’t, then we spend the evening as friends and have a good time without the added pressure of the whole date thing. If we do, then we have all the pressure, but we at least know where we’re headed.”

  She sighed, shaking her head. “Nope. You’re not going to talk me into a kiss that way. You’re going to have to pay for dinner and hope for a kiss like every other date I’ve been on. Thanks for playing, though!”

  He grinned. “It was worth a try, right?”

  “You won’t get around me with that little boy look. I’ve known too many men like you. You’re interested for an hour or two, and then you see someone prettier. I’m not holding my breath.”

  “I think you’ll find me different than the men who have broken your heart in the past. Besides, I couldn’t find someone prettier.”

  She had to ignore the first part of his comment for her own sanity. “That’s the thing though,” Bri said quietly. “I’ve never had my heart broken, because I’ve never let anyone get close enough to get a shot at it.”

  “Maybe it’s time.” He got out of the car, and came around to open her door for her.

  “Are you always this mannerly, or is it a first date thing?”

  “I never have been in the past, but I have a feeling I always will be with you.” He opened the door for the restaurant, and they went to the host. “Reservations for two. Name is Black.”

  “Of course. Right this way, Mr. Black.” He led them to a small quiet corner with a view of the river, handing them both menus. “I hope you enjoy your meal.”

  Bri studied her menu, trying to decide. She tried to eat healthy, but sometimes all she could think about was a nice steak. She wondered what he’d say if she ordered something like that, but decided to play it safe, and chose a less expensive chicken dish.

  When she’d finished choosing, she saw his menu closed in front of him and his eyes on her. “So tell me about you. You’re new to town. Where are you from?”

  “I grew up in Denver. Lived there until about a month ago when I came here. I was tired of the fast-paced city life, and decided it was time for a change. I figured a tourist town like Silver Springs would keep a contractor busy with work.”

  “Any relationships there?”

  He shook his head. “Not anymore. I dated some but wasn’t really serious about anyone. I guess I had to see the right girl covered in green paint before I was ready to settle down.”

  She rolled her eyes. “Ready to settle down? Maybe we should marry and have babies. Want to do that?” She waited for him to jump up and run from the restaurant, but instead he nodded.

  “I knew you’d propose. And you did. Now I can tell the whole world about your marriage proposal. Someday I’ll tell our grandkids that Grandma Brina asked me to marry her on our first date.”

  “I thought you weren’t going to tease me tonight?” Bri glared at him.

  The waiter came to their table then to get their orders. As soon as he was gone, Anthony apologized. “I did promise that, and I’m very sorry. No more teasing.” He just hadn’t been able to resist that one.

  “Thank you.” She truly didn’t mind being teased. Her extended family was big enough and close enough that she was used to being teased often.

  “Does that mean that there won’t be a wedding, though? Because I think I’m ready for that.”

  “A few minutes ago you wanted to kiss me to see if we really have good chemistry between us. Now you’re ready to marry me?” The look she gave him would have had a lesser man cringing visibly.

  “I was just trying to get a kiss. You didn’t think I really meant any of that hogwash, did you?”

  She sighed. “How am I ever going to know when you’re being serious and when you’re joking?”

  “If my mouth is moving, I’m probably joking.”

  “So you weren’t really upset when I got there later than you thought I should this morning.”

  He frowned. “Well, maybe a little. We should talk about that. I hate for my work time to be wasted. What time should I get there in the mornings? I don’t want to show up and you not be there again.”

  “Get there at six-thirty. I’ll be in from my run by then. Just come in the house. You know where to go and what needs to be done. I might still be in the shower then.”

  “Now that’s something I’d like to see.”

  She looked at him blankly. “What?”

  “You in the shower!”

  She blushed. “Just let yourself in.”

  “I didn’t mean to embarrass you.”

  “Don’t lie to me! You did mean to embarrass me!”

  “Well, maybe. But you’re so pretty when you blush that I can’t really help myself.” He shrugged, making it clear that he wasn’t even sorry.

  “You’re going to be interesting to have around for the next month until we open.”

  “And after that? You’ll keep me around then too?”

  “Depends on how you behave until then. We’ll probably need help with repairs still though.” She broke off a piece of bread and buttered it, taking a bite.

  “Then my job is safe!”

  “I guess so. How’d it go today? Are you going to be able to make the plans we had drawn up work?”

  He nodded. “I can, but we can’t talk about work. We’re here to get to know each other better. So tell me, what’s your favorite thing to do in your spare time?”

  “You won’t laugh?”

  “I promise I won’t.” He had a feeling he knew what she was going to say anyway.

  “I love to run. I don’t do it just for exercise or to stay in shape like a lot of people do. I feel powerful when I run.”

  “That’s not the answer I expected at all. I figured you’d start talking about going to musicals.”

  “Well, I love that too, but I’d put running above that. You should come with me sometime.”

  Anthony made a face. “I haven’t run in a long time. How far do you go?”

  “About eight miles every morning,” she said, trying to hide her grin at his expression.

  “I wouldn’t mind watching,” he told her. He couldn’t imagine running that far. He’d run track in high school, but that was ten years ago. Running now sounded like absolute torture. “We could go hiking.”

  She shrugged. “That would be fine. It wouldn’t be the same feeling of exhilaration, but I like to hike.”

  “You’re not going to give in until I run with you, are you?”

  “I came to dinner with you.”

  He started to say that she’d asked him out, but he bit his tongue. He didn’t want to start that again, not when he’d made a promise. “I’ll run with you. Give me two weeks to get up to speed, and then I’ll be ready.”

  She raised an eyebrow. “You think you can go from no running at all to running eight miles in two weeks? Good luck with that.”

  He sighed. “I’m going to do my very best.”

  Chapter Three

  By the time they were finished with supper, Bri realized that there was a great deal more to Anthony than she’d realized. When they were in his SUV headed back to the B&B, she kept looking at him, realizing just how handsome he was. There was something special about him she just hadn’t noticed. She tended to see people how they treated her, so the most handsome man wasn’t necessarily good-looking in her eyes, and it was just now that she was able to see him as... well…hot.

  When they pulled up into the small parking lot they’d had made for the B&B, she started to open her door, but he stalled her with a hand on her arm. “You promised me a kiss.”

  “I made no pro
mises.” She turned to him fully, tucking one leg under her. She knew she shouldn’t sit like that in a dress, but sometimes it was hard to care.

  He sighed. “Yeah, I guess you didn’t. You told me I’d have to wonder all night if I’d get one, didn’t you? Well?”

  “You know, it’s a lot less pressure on the lady if you just lean in and go for it. Discussing it is kind of nerve wracking.”

  He stroked her cheek softly. “I’ll try that next time I kiss you. This time, I need permission.”

  She laughed softly. “I’ve not given you permission for anything. You invaded the Wicked room and gave your opinion without my permission. You ate the food I made for lunch without permission—”

  “Just so you know, I plan to make a habit of that every day!”

  She shook her head. “You’re something else, Anthony Black!” She tilted her head to one side. “Does no one call you Tony?”

  “Nope. My dad’s Tony. I’ve always been Anthony.”

  “And do you have any siblings, Anthony?”

  “Nope. My mom had cancer when I was little. She died when I was two. Dad never remarried. He said he didn’t deserve two loves like Mom in one lifetime.”

  “I’m sorry.” Her family had always been so close, she couldn’t imagine growing up without a mom. “Cousins?”

  “Nope. I have no one but my dad.”

  “Are you guys close?”

  “Yeah, we are. I worked for him until I moved here. He’s been a general contractor my entire life, and he taught me everything I know. I went to college, and got a degree in business, but I always knew I’d be doing what Dad does!”

  “I think that’s sweet. Why didn’t you stay and work with him?”

  He shrugged. “I thought about it, but I needed to work on my own. Everyone Dad worked with called me Junior. How would you like to be called Junior as a grown man? No, it was time for me to strike out on my own.”

  “I can see that. I could never have worked for my dad. He’s the bank manager for Silver Springs Savings, but it would have made me crazy spending my whole life living under his thumb.”

  “Then you get it!” He cupped her cheek with one hand, his thumb stroking it slowly.

  “I do get it.” She shivered at his touch. He’d made her feel more with the stroke of his thumb than she’d ever felt from another man, which surprised her despite her limited dating history.

  He leaned in and kissed her lips softly, his free hand stroking her hair away from her face. “There’s something awfully special about you, Brina.”

  She wrinkled her nose at him. “I thought you weren’t going to kiss me until I gave you permission,” she whispered, her hand on her stomach trying to still the butterflies there.

  “I’m a patient man, but not that patient. It was taking you forever!”

  Bri laughed softly. “You’re going to be interesting to have around, aren’t you?”

  He shrugged. “You’re keeping me then? For kisses and random construction work?”

  She sighed, wondering how to answer that. “I don’t know…I need to be concentrating on getting the B&B up and running.”

  “I won’t take up too much time, and I’m helping with the B&B remember…”

  “If I told you to go away and come back in a few years when I’m ready for a relationship, what would you say?”

  “I’d probably still hang around begging for scraps from your table. I’ve decided to marry you, Brina Roberts. I don’t know how you think you’re going to stop me.”

  She shook her head, determined to ignore his declaration of intent. No one wanted to marry someone they’d known less than twenty-four hours. The man was obviously missing a few screws. You’d think he’d be able to find more, since he was a contractor. “The name is Bri…”

  “I know. I like Brina.” With one last kiss pressed to her lips, he hurried around his truck to let her out, walking her to the door. “I’ll see you bright and early. Try to be on time tomorrow.”

  Bri stood at the door watching him leave, wondering what she’d gotten herself into. One date had seemed so simple, but now that they’d had one, she wanted more and more. She couldn’t be falling in love with a random stranger she’d met that morning, so she would just know that she liked him. That would have to be good enough.

  She practically floated up to bed. Her dreams would be full of Anthony and his sweet kisses.

  *****

  During her run the following morning, Bri passed Anthony, who was running the opposite direction along the river. She smiled and waved, but wasn’t at all surprised when he turned around and fell into step beside her. She didn’t remove her headphones from her ears, but simply kept running. Within half a mile, he’d waved to her and gone in another direction.

  It felt strange having him beside her as she ran…but good. Maybe a little too good. As she finished up her run at Books ’N Beans, she was still thinking about him. About how good he’d looked in his running clothes. About how soft his lips had been on hers the night before. How was she going to be able to stick to her guns and put her business first when he was there, tempting her to do otherwise.

  She walked into the coffee shop and found her sister there putting a lid on a large coffee. “Well? How was your date?” Emma asked.

  Bri frowned at her big sister. “Really? I can’t go on one date without all of creation knowing about it?”

  Emma laughed. “We’re a tight-knit family in a small town. Of course you can’t! Tell me about him! I heard he’s funny and sexy. What else?”

  Bri took a deep breath, wondering just what to say. “He’s both of those things. He drove me crazy yesterday, picking on me all day. I told him he needed to see Wicked if it ever comes to town, and he decided I was asking him out.” She took the coffee from her sister and took a sip. “I wasn’t, but he said I was. He somehow manipulated his way into eating the casserole I fixed for Bekah and me for lunch, and then I don’t know how I really ended up going out with him!”

  “I heard you did not look like Bri. Were you really wearing one of Bekah’s dresses?”

  “I was. At first I was freaked out because it showed a bit of cleavage, but I decided if Miss Piggy could show cleavage, so can I. She looks a lot trampier than I do in every movie she does. And she’s a Muppet!”

  Emma laughed softly. “You’re the only woman in the world who gauges how she should look based on Miss Piggy.”

  “Well, the Muppets are for kids, so if kids can see that much cleavage, it must not be horrible, right?”

  “Bekah told me your girls looked really good.”

  Bri sighed, shaking her head. “Bekah’s insane!”

  “Well, that’s a given.” Emma grinned. “I think you should have a muffin instead of an egg biscuit today. A bit of a celebration.”

  “Maybe a muffin with my egg biscuit. I need the protein from the egg.”

  “You’re on. Did he kiss you?” Emma gathered up the order, knowing her sister would want an orange muffin instead of a blueberry.

  “Isn’t there a saying about not kissing and telling?”

  “Bekah said you’d bring that up and to remind you that sayings like that don’t go for sisters or cousins. They need to know!” Emma looked at her sister questioningly. “Well?”

  “Well what?”

  “You know what! Did he kiss you?”

  Bri shrugged. “I don’t have to answer that.”

  “I guess that means he did kiss you. And you liked it.” Emma rolled the top of the sack with the food in it. “You should be more forthcoming with information about your love life for your poor spinster sister.”

  Bri laughed as she headed for the door. “See you tomorrow morning.”

  “Don’t forget it’s your turn to take a dessert to Mom’s for lunch tomorrow!” Emma called after her.

  Bri stepped outside and took a bite of her egg biscuit as she began her short walk to the B&B. Her parents, sister, and brother Jack all met for lunch every Wednesday. Mom cook
ed the meal, but she and Emma took turns making dessert. Bri had offered to take the whole meal, but their mom had insisted it was her job. She loved to cook, so Bri didn’t have a problem backing off.

  When she rounded the corner of 8th St. and saw Anthony’s truck in the parking lot, her heart skipped a beat. After her shower, she’d have to casually check on him and see how he was doing. She hated the idea of him seeing her all hot and sweaty, but he already had that morning. And the previous morning. Surely he wouldn’t change his mind about her now if he saw her that way again.

  He was sitting on the front steps eating a donut. “I told you to go right in,” she said.

  “You said to go right in at six-thirty. It’s only six-ten.” He took a swallow of the coffee in his hand. “How was your run this morning?”

  “It was good. Cold front is moving in, and it’ll be harder to run when it’s all slick again.” She shook her head. “I’ll find a way.” She could run on the treadmill in the basement, but it wasn’t the same. She liked to run outside.

  “For February, the weather has been warm.”

  She nodded. “I’ve been thankful I could run outside the past few days. I hate using the treadmill.”

  “I didn’t realize you had a treadmill.”

  “We’ve known each other for twenty-four hours. There’s lots you still need to learn.” She put her hand on the doorknob to go in. “I’m going to get my shower. I’ll check on you in a little while.”

  “You painting today?”

  “Yeah. I’m doing the Sound of Music room.”

  “No green walls?”

  She made a face. “Light gray today. And one will remain white.” She went into the house and straight up the stairs. She hated that he saw her all sweaty, but it didn’t seem to bother him. Wanting to kiss him good morning had warred with her common sense. He’d already taken the time to go home and shower after his run.

  When she was presentable in jeans and an old T-shirt she didn’t mind getting paint on, she started the coffee pot, and then wandered into the bathrooms he was making. “How’s it coming?” She’d taken more care with her appearance than she usually would when she planned on painting all day, but she was nervous about being around him. She hadn’t liked a boy as much as she liked him since little Bobby Renquist in first grade, and he’d broken her heart by chasing Bekah around at recess instead of her.