The Billionaire Bull Rider Read online

  Now his accent sounded typically American....

  She allowed him to help her liberate the rest of the pastries and then sat down, helping herself from the carafe of French vanilla coffee Ruth placed on the table.

  “These are great, Yvonne.” January made a moaning sound that drew the immediate attention of her husband. “If I could marry twice, I’d marry this éclair.”

  “Marrying the pastry chef would be the best idea,” Matt chimed in. “Then you’d have a renewable resource.” He beamed at Yvonne. “We should talk about that.”

  “Our wedding or the cakes?” she countered.

  He laughed, and the conversation went off in another direction.

  Despite everyone protesting, Yvonne somehow won the right to finish cleaning the kitchen with the cowboy and Matt. Ruth was watching TV in the parlor, and everyone else had dispersed. Yvonne had a thing about leaving her workspaces clean, and actually enjoyed the process of restoring order. Matt had no idea what to do, but was willing to be ordered around, and the other guy, Rio, just got on with it, seeming to know instinctively what to do and how to do it. He’d make an excellent kitchen assistant if he weren’t already a ranch hand.

  They kept the conversation to a minimum, giving Yvonne plenty of time to consider what she thought about Matt and his prospects as a boyfriend. The major issue was that he lived in San Francisco, which, although quite close, was still a plane or long drive away. January and Chase managed their relationship like that, but they were very committed to making it work.

  Matt did have a lot of the qualities she liked in a man. He was intelligent, good looking, but not out of her league, and he really did listen when she talked. But there was no “’zing” there, nothing that made her want to kiss his socks off, no hint of sexual attraction. But she’d been there, had that, and had the broken marriage to prove it. Perhaps it was time to start with a friendship and hope it would grow into something more durable.

  Matt would certainly understand her work schedule, seeing as he was pretty committed to the angel venture capital company he ran with Chase and Jake. And maybe not having him around all the time would work, too. They could both concentrate on their businesses and enjoy their relationship on the side.

  Matt’s cell buzzed, and he fished it out of his pocket and grimaced. “Sorry, I’ve got to take this. Back in a minute.”

  Yvonne carried on putting things away, finishing with the huge pile of silverware, which she carefully dried, and polished with the dishtowel.

  “Do you know where this should go?”

  She blinked into the gorgeous brown eyes of the cowboy, and then let her gaze fall to the glass bowl cupped in his large, capable hands.

  “Up there.” She pointed over her head. “Second cupboard on the right.”

  “Thanks.” He reached up and put the bowl away. “I’m glad someone knows where everything goes. I’m working on it, but there are still a few things that elude me.”

  “Are you here for the season?” Yvonne asked.

  “Kind of.” He considered her, his keen gaze taking everything in. “I know Ry and HW from the rodeo. They asked me to come and help out.” He barely paused to breathe. “Would you consider going on a date with me?”

  She blinked at him. “What?”

  He pointed at his chest. “Me.” Then pointed at her. “Go out with you.”

  Great . . . her one day off, and someone was hitting on her. She put up with it at her café because pouring hot drinks over customers’ laps was apparently bad for business, but she didn’t have to smile and let it happen right now.

  “I heard what you said, but . . . I think they’re trying to set me up with Matt.”

  “Okay. Do you like Matt?”

  Yvonne frowned. “I’ve only just met him.”

  “But you’d go out with him?”

  “Maybe.”

  “Then seeing as you’ve only just met me, you could go out with me instead.”

  “Your logic is . . .” She shook her head. She really didn’t want to deal with another cocky cowboy, but he was a guest of the Morgans. “So, so lame.”

  The door banged and Matt came back in. “Sorry about that.” He looked around the kitchen. “Looks like you two have everything covered. Shall we go and join Ruth in the parlor?”

  * * *

  Rio watched Yvonne leave the kitchen with Matt, the exasperation at his expense still lingering in her eyes.

  Jeez. Talk about messing things up from the get-go. He wanted to slap a hand over his own mouth. He was supposed to be a smooth-talking charmer, yet he’d come across like a two-bit bumbling teenager asking out his first girl. No wonder she’d looked at him with such bemusement. A woman as beautiful as Yvonne Payet was probably used to dealing with drooling fools, which was exactly what he’d turned into the moment he’d seen her.

  And then he’d had to listen to the Morgans working out how they were going to fix her up with Matt, who was a really nice guy, but—

  “Hey.” HW put his head around the door. “What’s up?”

  “Just getting myself more coffee.” Rio busied himself finding a mug. “What’s the plan for the afternoon?”

  “Some of us are ‘napping.’” HW gave him a lascivious wink. “The rest are thinking about taking a walk around the ranch.”

  “Why walk when there are horses to spare?” Rio wondered.

  “Yvonne doesn’t like to ride, and neither does Avery. Matt’s not very confident either. Did you think he hit it off with Yvonne? She seemed to like him.”

  “What’s not to like?” Rio agreed.

  “You can ride out if you want,” HW said. “I’ll make your excuses. It’ll give you a chance to get used to the different horses so you can match them with the guests.”

  “I thought I was here to teach the newbies bull riding?” Rio asked.

  “Sure, you are.” HW gave his famous patented smile. “But we’re hoping you’ll pitch in with the other stuff as well.”

  “Only if you double my wages?”

  HW punched Rio’s shoulder. “Seeing as I’m not paying you a dime, sure, why not?”

  * * *

  Halfway along the gentle, winding path shielded by pine trees Chase had constructed beside Morgan Creek, Rio managed to catch up with Yvonne, who had outpaced both Avery and Matt. She glanced over as he reached her side, but didn’t speak.

  “I want to apologize,” Rio said.

  She shrugged. “I’ve heard some lousy chat-up lines in my time, but that was pretty dire.”

  “That’s because it wasn’t planned,” Rio said ruefully. “It sort of just fell out of my mouth before I used my brain. I’m usually much better than that.”

  “At flirting? I should hope so or you’ve probably never gotten laid in your life.”

  “Ah. That probably explains it.” He nodded. “I’ve always wondered what I was doing wrong.” He fought back a grin. “I’ll have to work on my technique.”

  She gave him that amused don’t-mess-with-me stare again. “Not with me.”

  “I should imagine you’re pretty good at shooting down lame bullshit from guys, aren’t you? You could tell me where I’m going wrong.”

  They’d reached the end of the path, where a series of picnic tables was laid out overlooking one of the minor waterfalls on the creek. The roar of the water was loud with the rush of melting snow from the Sierra Mountains above. She turned to face him, her hands tucked in the pockets of her jeans.

  “It’s not my job to help amateurs work out their best lines.”

  “True.” He met her gaze. “I’m really sorry.”

  She considered him for a long moment. “Okay. Apology accepted.” She sighed. “I probably overreacted. I deal with it six days a week at my café, and for once I didn’t have to grit my teeth, smile, and pretend everything was fine. You just caught me on my day off.”

  “I’m sorry,” Rio said again. “I really am.”

  He wanted to throw caution to the wind, and ask he
r out again, but the thought of her turning him down flat held him back. He was better than that, and she definitely deserved more. He took a seat on the corner of one of the tables, and looked out over the rushing waters of the creek. The ranch was a truly magical place steeped in history and tradition.

  “I love it out here,” Yvonne said.

  Rio glanced over at her in surprise. He’d expected her to ignore him for quite a while. Maybe she really had forgiven him, and moved on.

  “Me, too.” Inwardly he grimaced as he dropped yet another inane reply. “The scenery is spectacular and the people even better.”

  “The Morgans are good people.” She sat down on the top of the picnic table, her feet on the seat. “You met the twins on the rodeo circuit?”

  “Yeah.” He smiled. “I was twenty-three, I’d barely spoken English for years, and I had five hundred dollars to my name. The twins took me in, introduced me to the other guys from Brazil, and made sure nobody hazed me too much. How did you end up in Morgantown?”

  “I came through here once by accident when we missed the turn-off for the highway. It kind of stuck in my memory because there was nowhere to buy a decent cup of coffee—only the stuff in the general store.” She smiled, and it was like a shot of pure tequila. “When I was looking for a place to set up my business, I called a couple of my old friends, and ended up here.”

  “From what I hear, everyone is glad you got lost that day.”

  Her smile dimmed. “It’s a good place to make friends, and put down roots.”

  “But not so good for business?”

  She swung around to study him, her hands now tucked into the pockets of her jacket. “My, you are full of questions today, aren’t you?”

  He shrugged. “I’ve never seen myself as shy. If I want to know something, I always prefer to ask outright.”

  “Like when you asked me out even though I told you I was thinking about going out with Matt?”

  “Exactly.” He loved the way she sparred with him.

  She regarded him for a long minute, and shook her head.

  “What?” Rio protested. “I heard that the café was doing very well.”

  “From whom?”

  “Everyone. So what’s the problem?”

  “Lack of trained staff.”

  “Ah. Beauty comes with a price, eh?” He let his gaze travel around the stark splendor of the isolated valley protected by the massive Sierra Mountains. “What are you going to do about that?”

  “Why? Have you decided to give up on ranching, and apply for a job in my kitchen?”

  “Maybe.” He winked at her. “A man can’t live on beef alone.”

  She rolled her eyes and redirected her gaze over the top of his head. “Avery and Matt are here. Did you know Avery used to be a barrel racer?”

  “Yeah. Ry told me.” Something told him that she was trying to get rid of him. It was quite a new experience. He wasn’t sure whether to laugh or cry.

  Yvonne hopped gracefully down off the table and headed toward the incoming pair.

  “Hey.” Matt greeted her with a smile. “I was just asking Avery about a good place to take you out to eat tonight. She suggested the hotel would be the easiest, or the Red Dragon Bar if you wanted it louder.”

  Yvonne didn’t even look back in Rio’s direction as she smiled and took Matt’s hand. “The hotel will be great. Just remember I have to be home by nine.”

  Only then did she look at Rio and sent his wink right back to him.

  Rio opened his mouth to say something, and then shut it again. Yvonne might have won the first round, but he was here all summer, and Matt was going back to San Francisco. . . .

  Competition was his middle name, and he hated to lose. Soon, he would be the man taking the gorgeously smart Yvonne Payet out for dinner, and Matt would be consigned to history.

  Chapter Two

  Yvonne loved her kitchen. It was the only place where she was in complete control—well, as complete as the recipe and the demands of the cooking gods allowed her to be. The surfaces were clean; her supplies were labeled, dated, and kept in an easy-to-access system, which made pulling together the ingredients for anything super easy.

  And then there was Tom, her latest apprentice from the community college....

  “I dunno, like, what happened, Yvonne. One minute, everything was, like, in the bowl. The next, my hand slipped, and the cake batter sort of, like, got everywhere.”

  “I can see that.”

  Yvonne took in the globs of pink that covered his apron, dripped from his covered hair, and decorated the plain white walls.

  “I’ll clean up,” Tom offered.

  “That would be good.” Yvonne smiled into his anxious eyes. This was his third shot at a youth apprenticeship, and probably his last before he was kicked off the program. “It’s okay. Nothing is on fire this time, and this is totally fixable. Clean the walls, the work surfaces, and most importantly, yourself, and then start again.”

  “Okay.” Tom blew out his breath. “Thanks for not shouting at me, Yvonne.”

  She returned to her end of the kitchen, and started counting croissants again. The café was open, but it wasn’t that busy yet so Lizzie, who worked out front, could manage without her.

  Tom started whistling as he cleaned up. He was a good kid, and he definitely had potential, but, like all the college kids, he still needed a lot of supervision.... Yvonne wrote down the number of croissants and started on the chocolate-filled ones. She had four birthday cakes to make today, as well as the usual café fare, and time was tight.

  Her young apprentice was supposed to be making the cake batters so that she could get the sponge bases cooled down before she attempted the filling and frosting. She loved making individual cakes. They were a creative challenge, and she always enjoyed that.

  Next week, she was going to sit down with her accountant and go through the books again. She was making enough money to survive, which was great, and the new contracts with Morgan Ranch would ease her financial concerns even more, but she still worried. She never forgot that most small businesses failed, and she hated the thought of being financially insolvent.

  She loved her café with its striped pink and black awning over the door, the small bistro tables and chairs set out on the raised wooden sidewalk. It reminded her of her last summer in Paris, when she’d been in love and everything had been wonderful.

  So much for that....

  Lizzie popped her head around the door. “Do you have another tray of chocolate chip muffins? They’re going like crazy today.”

  “Sure. I’ll bring some out to you.”

  Yvonne went into the large, cooled larder and brought out a batch of the muffins she’d baked at five that morning. The chocolaty smell wafted over her, and she inhaled appreciatively. Some pastry chefs lost their taste for sweet things when they worked with them all day, but not her. She’d bathe in chocolate if she had the time, and the money.

  Using her shoulder to open the kitchen door, she backed into the shop, and almost bumped into a man standing at the counter. He wore the local uniform of jeans, T-shirt, and a cowboy hat.

  “Hey.”

  Belatedly, she recognized the new hand from the ranch who had asked her out.

  “Hey, Ross.”

  “It’s Rio, but never mind.” His smile was warm, and there was a twinkle in his eye that she bet slayed almost every female between the ages of two and one hundred and two. “I came in for some coffee, and got waylaid by the muffins.” He chuckled. “I think I inhaled the last one, and asked if there were any more.”

  “Happens a lot around here.”

  He eased his arm around her back, and carefully closed the kitchen door. “Don’t want you to get smacked in the back of the head.”

  “Are you sure you’ve never worked in a restaurant before?” She put the tray of muffins down on the back counter, and started shifting them across into the glass display cabinet.

  “I worked as a waiter to make end
s meet when I first joined the rodeo.” His smile was wry. “Got into trouble going in the out door once, and caused a plate pile-up. Never did it again.”

  “I bet.” She finished with the muffins, and spent a moment rearranging the display to make it look more appealing.

  Lizzie came over with a large cup of to-go coffee, and handed it to Rio with a blush and a cute smile.

  “Here you are. I’ll just get your muffin.”

  “Thank you, Lizzie.”

  Lizzie went even redder as she found a paper bag and fiddled around with the tongs.

  The cowboy took a sip of his coffee, and sighed. “Yeah. That hits the spot. How did your date with Matt go?”

  Yvonne raised an eyebrow. She really should go back into her kitchen and stop playing with fire, but she couldn’t seem to help herself. “What’s it got to do with you?”

  “After listening to the whole Morgan family setting you up for a week, I’m kind of invested.”

  “You’re just hoping it was a disaster.”

  He widened his brown eyes. “Why ever would you think that?”

  “Because then you could jump in and ask me out again.”

  He considered her for a long moment as a dimple slowly emerged on his right cheek. “True.”

  She liked the way he acknowledged a hit so easily, and decided to be gracious. “Actually, it went really well.”

  “Damn.” He sighed. “So are you two a couple now?”

  “I didn’t say that.” She hedged. “There are a lot of things we need to discuss before we get to that stage.”

  “Discuss? Sounds more like a board meeting than the start of a relationship.”

  “Like you’d know about either of those things.”

  He winced and pressed a hand to his heart. “Ouch.”

  “You’re welcome.” Yvonne gave him her best smile. Rio might be a pain, but it was fun having someone to spar with who didn’t seem to take offense. “Have a great day.”

  He hesitated. “Actually, there was something I wanted to discuss with you.”

  “Didn’t we just do that?”

  “This is something else entirely.” He gestured at the nearest table. “Can we sit down?”

  Yvonne glanced back at the kitchen, where she hoped Tom was behaving himself. “Okay, but I only have a minute.”