Not Looking for Love: A Cowboy Romance Read Online Free PDF

and they passed the source of the piano music. A black baby grand piano sat near a wall in the middle of the room. The pianist dressed in a tuxedo nodded and smiled at them when they passed.
    Not only did they get seating with short notice, they got prime seating out on the Amalfi Coast inspired balcony overlooking the beautiful blue Pacific.
    The host asked Richie if he would like his usual drink. Richie nodded and then the host asked Simone what she would like. Simone looked from the ocean to the host and ordered.
    Simone inhaled. “Mmmm, smell that salt air,” she said when she turned her attention to Richie. She had a big grin on her face.
    He nodded as a smile formed on his lips. “So how’ve you been?” he asked as a waiter came over with their drinks and set his scotch and her Paloma down in front of them and strode off.
    She nodded. “Good. And you?”
    “Good.” He picked up his drink and held it out. “To feeling good.” His grin reached his eyes.
    Simone clinked glasses with his and the two of them sipped their drinks.
    While they began their meal with appetizers Richie told Simone a little about himself; where he grew up, and what he wanted to do there.
    “A cowboy, huh? You could have anything in the world and you want to be a cowboy?”
    “Yes, ma’am,” he drawled in his Texan accent.
    “Do you come to L.A. oft—”
    “Rich! How are you?”
    Richie turned his head to see an old friend. Not surprising. He knew so many people who ate at this restaurant. He stuck his hand out and spoke briefly with the guy and after realizing he wasn’t going to introduce her, Simone gazed out at the ocean. She turned her attention back to Richie when the guy left.
    “I’m sorry. You were saying?” he asked.
    “I was just asking how often you come out here if you live in Texas.”
    “A few times a year, but I suspect it will be more times now.” He dipped his head and smiled.
    “My parents own a home in Newport Beach,” he said as the busboy cleared their dishes. Right behind him was their waiter with their meals.
    Richie’s steak was still sizzling and the aroma, with a hint of butter, wafted up to their noses.
    “That smells amazing,” Simone said as the waiter set down her dish with four large sea scallops drizzled with a champagne butter sauce. The vegetable in the dish was string beans.
    “It is. They know how to make a steak.” Richie finished cutting the tenderest piece of the steak and brought his fork up to her mouth and watched as she opened it, taking the steak.
    Oh, shit. Watching her chew gave him a narb. He shifted in his seat.
    “Mmmm, it’s so tender,” she said after she swallowed. She smiled at him as she slowly shook her head, knowing what he was thinking.
    He let out a sigh and took a bite of his steak.
    “Hi, Richie.”
    Both Richie and Simone looked up at the source of the soft, sexy feminine voice, and Richie rose up and kissed a woman on the cheek while Simone assessed her. She was pretty with long, straight as a pin, brown hair that she kept tossing around, eyes dramatically made up to bring out the green in them. Her clothes screamed expensive designer, and her Rolex had a diamond bezel on it.
    Again, Richie didn’t introduce Simone, but Simone heard him call her Taylor. She was getting uncomfortable. She picked up her drink and downed it as she stared out at the view of the ocean, only this time she really didn’t notice it. She was thinking of a hasty retreat. In fact, she didn’t even hear the lady leave and Richie sit back down.
    “Would you like another bite?” Richie held out his fork with another piece of steak on it.
    She looked to him. “No, thank you.”
    Richie saw the change in her demeanor. Gone was her dazzling smile and sparkling eyes he had seen since the moment he saw her in the car. Taking its place was a more subdued look, lips flat lined and eyes darting all around.
    ‘You, okay?”
    “Yeah. I’m good.” She picked her fork up and cast her