water, just as she’d requested, and were ordering exotic cocktails from the menu the waitress placed in front of them.
Noticing the waitress glancing and smiling at Mark, Samantha mentally kicked herself. San Francisco had many wonderful attributes, but a large supply of handsome, single, career-oriented straight men was not one of them. She needed to stop thinking about some random hick cowboy she’d known for a couple of days and start appreciating the good-looking, sweet and successful boyfriend in front of her.
As they ate their meal, she asked him questions about what else had transpired in the office while she was gone, and offered to take on some extra work to ease the burden he was feeling. It would mean that if she went back to the ranch this weekend she’d have to do some work, but there wasn’t much to do out there in the evenings anyway.
It wasn’t until Mark paid their bill and they were picking up their coats to leave that he finally asked, “So tell me about this ranch you inherited? Did you have fun playing cowgirl over the weekend?”
Samantha started for the door. “I wouldn’t exactly call it playing cowgirl. More like playing housecleaner, except unfortunately I wasn’t playing.”
Pushing the door open for her, Mark looked at her, surprised. “You stayed away the whole weekend so you could clean? You never really did know how to take things easy, hey, Kiddo?”
She winced again at the nickname. Kiddo? Not Beautiful? Or Sexy? Or pretty much anything else that didn’t make her sound like his little sister? “Probably one of the reasons you hired me, right, boss?”
“Well, that and the fact that you’re gorgeous, of course.” He stopped suddenly and swept her into a hug. “Missed you!”
Samantha wrapped her arms around his broad back and returned Mark’s embrace. It felt good to be with him again. Sure, maybe they talked about work too much, but she was glad to feel his strong, reliable arms around her. She turned her face up toward his expectantly, but he just planted a playful kiss on her nose then turned and continued walking, pulling her with him.
“I guess you’ll need to get a real estate agent, then?” he asked. “I know some good ones. I’ll email you their information.”
Tension coiled through her, and Samantha sighed, leaning her head against Mark’s shoulder. “I don’t really want to think about it, but yes, I guess I’ll need to sell it at some point.”
“I guess? You’re not thinking of keeping it, are you, Samantha?”
“Not forever, no. But, Mark, this has all happened pretty fast and I don’t think I’m ready to let it go just yet. Not this week, anyway. I’m still wrapping my mind around the fact that she left me her ranch!”
“Look, I understand why you’re feeling sentimental, Samantha, but remember, while you’re getting used to the idea, the tax bills are adding up.”
“I’m thinking of going there again this weekend, actually.” Samantha hadn’t really been sure until she said it aloud.
“What? You just got back from L.A. yesterday!”
“I know. But it’s like you just said. The tax bills are adding up and if I’m going to go through Grandma’s things, I should do it soon. Plus, I can’t really explain it, but I feel like I need to spend a little time there before I can let it go.”
“You’re sounding really groovy, there, Samantha. ‘Let it go’? Maybe your buddy Jenna’s rubbing off on you.”
Her temper flared. “Mark, if it was your childhood home, wouldn’t it be hard for you to sell it? Wouldn’t you need to go through it, pack things up and say goodbye?”
“You’re right, Samantha. I’m sorry. It’s just that this is a new side of you. I’m used to my practical, efficient Samantha, not this new conflicted one.”
“Well, maybe it’s a good thing I can still surprise you, right?”
“If you say so. You know me, I’m not too good with surprises. I’m too much of a planner, just like you are...er...were.”
She gave his arm a smack, laughing. “Enough! I haven’t changed, truly. I just have a ranch...which feels really weird to say, by the way. I’m still me, just with a bit more property.”
“Well, I’ll miss you this weekend, but I get why you need to go, I think.”
“Come with me.” She blushed as soon as the words were out. Why was she acting like a spineless, needy girlfriend? He’d already declined once.
He stopped, looked down and suddenly his face was clouded and troubled, and Samantha felt even worse. Now she’d made him feel obligated. The last thing she ever wanted was for someone to feel obligated to spend time with her.
“Mark, I know you’re busy,” she assured him. “Forget it.”
“I wish I could go with you, Kiddo.” He took her hand as they walked and gave it a squeeze. “I have a lot of work to do, especially since my star employee is disappearing into the mountains again.”
“No, really, Mark, I get it. It’s fine.”
“And then Sunday I’m flying to New York, remember? I’ve got those meetings there until Tuesday night.”
“That’s right. I’d forgotten. No worries, I’ll just go play cowgirl on my own.”
“That’s my girl.” He leaned over and planted a kiss on the top of her head. “That’s another thing I appreciate about you. You get it. You get what it’s like to do my job and you don’t resent the time I spend at it. In fact, you’re the only person I’ve ever met who probably works even more than I do.”
She stopped them and put her arms up around his neck. “I’m glad you appreciate all my excellent, understanding-girlfriend qualities.” She stood on tiptoe and kissed his mouth, feeling his lips warm and familiar under hers. Instead of kissing her back he looked down at her with a sheepish grin.
“So, perfect girlfriend, can I ask for just a little more understanding?”
She smiled. “Don’t push your luck.”
He gently smoothed back her hair, looking down at her seriously. “I am really, really beat. I know we talked about me staying over tonight, but would you mind if I just went to my place? I think what I need more than anything is a good night’s sleep. In my own bed.”
Ouch. Samantha took a step back and fixed a smile on her face. She understood him intellectually, of course. There were nights when she was really tired and wanted to curl up alone in her bed, but she hadn’t expected that from Mark. Not tonight at least, after she’d been gone for almost a week. And the previous week he’d been away at a big meeting, and the week before that he’d been really busy as well.
Karma, her guilty conscience suggested. This dry spell was the universe’s retribution for lusting after her gorgeous cowboy neighbor. She shooed the thought out of her head. Maybe Mark was right. Maybe she was spending too much time with superstitious Jenna.
“Sure, I get it,” she told him. She took his hand and started walking toward the cabs that often waited at the foot of Market Street. “Rain check, okay?”
He pulled her close and leaned his cheek into her hair as they walked. “Absolutely.”
A thought struck her. “Mark? Since I’m the most perfect, understanding girlfriend, can I ask you to be the most understanding boss?”
“Uh-oh,” he teased. “What now? More time off?”
“A half day on Friday so I can leave at noon and beat the traffic out of town?” She gazed adoringly up at him, batting her eyelashes in a mock plea.
Mark smiled. “Don’t you have to get everyone ready for the pitch next week?”
“We were ready last week. You know I’d never leave something so important