Rancher For The Holidays (Love Inspired) Read Online Free

“You have excellent taste, Miss Sanders.”
    Her pupils darkened as she studied the entrées, and he could swear she was actually salivating. “For obvious reasons, I don’t come here often.” She peered over the menu and wiggled her brows. “But you did say I could pick anywhere I wanted.”
    “I certainly did.” Ben returned his attention to the menu. Maybe he’d settle for a salad. And water.
    At least he’d gotten out of the department store without breaking the bank. Three colored T-shirts, two pairs of Wranglers, a package of tube socks and a pair of heavy-duty sneakers. Plus a nifty gray ball cap. Marley had reminded him that, even with the approach of fall, the high-desert sun could be brutal. And all his purchases amounted to less than what he typically paid for his favorite brand of dress slacks.
    Or Marley’s meal, apparently. She went all out, ordering an appetizer, salad, ten-ounce rib eye and baked sweet potato with all the trimmings.
    Ben narrowed his gaze. “Skipped breakfast, huh?”
    She shot Ben a sheepish glance as she passed her menu to the server. “I’ll probably take half of it home.”
    “Now I’m subsidizing your grocery budget?”
    Marley gave a playful sniff. “It’s the least you can do, since you never came back to buy one of my photographs.”
    “I wish I could. It’s just—”
    The server cleared his throat. “Sir? Have you decided?”
    “Chopped salad, balsamic vinaigrette on the side.” Closing his menu, Ben motioned toward the miniature loaf of dark bread the server had brought with their waters. “And can we have a couple more of those?”
    “Salad? That’s all you’re having?” Marley grimaced. “You must think I’m a glutton.”
    “Not at all.” Ben sliced off a thick piece of bread and slathered it with butter. “I realize my city-slicker duds probably made you think I’m loaded.”
    Marley harrumphed as she buttered a slice for herself. “Not to mention your fancy red convertible.”
    “The truth is, I was laid off two weeks ago. If I don’t find another job soon, it may come down to selling the Mustang so I can pay my rent—on a
much
smaller condo.”
    “I’m sorry. I had no idea.” Marley shot an embarrassed glance around the restaurant. “If you can find our waiter—”
    “Forget it. I’m not broke yet.” Ben paused to savor a mouthful of warm bread oozing with melted butter, then wiggled his brows. “Anyway, I owe you for helping me pick out my swanky new wardrobe.”
    “Still, I’d have been just as happy with a burger and fries at the DQ.” Marley stared guiltily at her bread slice before nibbling a tiny bite.
    “Yes, but the ambience here is so much nicer.” Not to mention the view across the table. Marley wore her hair down today, and Ben liked the way it framed her face. He imagined touching those silky auburn strands...
    Suddenly the clinking of tableware and the conversations of other diners seemed amplified a hundred times. Ben blinked and buttered another piece of bread. No point in starting something he couldn’t finish, seeing as how he didn’t envision sticking around Alpine once he found another job. He was only here for some R and R. A rented beach house on Galveston Island would have been his first choice, but Uncle Steve and Aunt Jane had offered free room and board.
    The server returned with Marley’s appetizer, a platter of cheese quesadillas. She nudged it toward Ben. “Have all you want. You’re buying, after all.”
    “Don’t mind if I do.” As Ben helped himself, he watched Marley scrape the
pico de gallo
off hers. “Not into hot and spicy?”
    She slurped up the melted cheese dripping from her quesadilla, then shook her head. “Not even after ten years in Texas.”
    “Ten years? I took you for a native. Where are you from?”
    At that exact moment, Marley stuffed the rest of her quesadilla into her mouth. Making exaggerated chewing motions, she waved her hand to signal she couldn’t answer yet.