Page 10 of Her Elusive Cowboy Billionaire

Chase seemed mesmerized.He gazed at her like a hungry wolf.His pupils were enormous and his eyes seemed black.He finally looked down and took a slug off of his beer.

Meri picked up the menu.“What do you recommend?”

He grinned and pointed to the menu.“Itisa steakhouse, and the steaks are great, so I’ve never had the inclination to try anything else.”

“Well, that doesn’t narrow it down much, since they have more steaks than I’ve ever seen on one menu.”

The server returned and asked Meri for her order.

“I’ll have the lobster bisque and the tenderloin, medium rare.”

“Very good.And for you, sir?”

“I’ll take the porcini-rubbed bone-in ribeye, and I’ll also have the lobster bisque to start.”

“Would either of you like a baked potato with your dinner?”

“Yes, please,” said Meri.

“Yes, please,” said Chase simultaneously.

Meri chuckled.

The woman turned to Meri.“What would you like on it, miss?”

“Everything.”

“Bacon, cheese, butter, sour cream and chives are all right for you?”asked the server.

“Yes.Perfect.”Everything about the evening so far had been perfect.Chase was perfect.Down, girl.He probably has every single woman in town panting after him.He doesn’t need me to do the same.

“And you, sir?Do you also want everything on your potato?”

“Yes, please.”

“Very good.Enjoy your drinks, and I’ll return shortly with your soup.”The woman turned and walked away.

After seeing the prices on the menu, she was very glad she wasn’t paying.She’d have had an appetizer, a drink, and left.That was her budget for dinner out for a month.Oh, well, that was the life of an artist, even a successful one, and she didn’t want to be anything else.Art soothed her soul and gave her peace.It also energized her and made her happy.

He leaned forward and kept both hands wrapped around his beer.“You’ve got a smile on your face.What are you thinking about?Is it too soon to hope it was me?”He waggled his eyebrows.

Laughing, she nodded.“Yes, way too soon.I don’t even know you.I did a Google search and besides the fact that you’re wealthy, you often attend gatherings, bringing a different woman to each event.And you’re a private investigator.”

Chase clenched his jaw and sipped his beer.“You know pretty much all about me.I’m what you see is what you get.”

Thinking that his fiancé’s murder was a sore subject with him, she decided not to mention it unless he did.She tilted her head and cocked an eyebrow.“Oh, I doubt that very much.No one is.We all have our secrets.”

“Doyouhave secrets, Meri?”

He’d leaned forward and quietly asked the question.Almost as though he wanted to whisper it in her ear.

“Yes, and that’s all I’m saying.They are my secrets to keep.”She took a sip of her wine and then set it on the table.But she didn’t let the glass go, rolling the stem between her left thumb and forefinger.“So tell me, what do you do as a PI?”

He was quiet for a moment.“I work mostly on my fiancée’s murder case.But I haven’t made much headway.”

“I read no one witnessed anything.I’m surprised the killer hasn’t bragged to someone about committing the perfect murder and been caught by now.”

Before he could answer, their soup arrived.