Ashton chuckled. "I'm sure he does. I'm also very sure that I don't care. So, please, leave the description of his bulge out of this."
I shifted, tossing my legs over the arm of the chair to lean back. "You seriously don't understand. He's like Fabio, if Fabio had actually been good-looking. He's like what Fabio wanted to be in a cowboy hat, tight jeans, and well-used boots. And he seems like he's still nice!"
"Really?" He wasn't truly interested, but he was trying.
I’d take it. "Yes, really. Although he doesn't remember me, but still. He knew Gran. I have Teal checking to see what his story is, but yeah. He's offered to help out with the barn and says he can cut hay to get the agricultural stuff back on track."
"And get in your pants," Ashton pointed out.
"Maybe. I mean, he had to cancel on me at the last minute, so there's probably a girlfriend in his life." Which would suck, so I wouldn't get my hopes up. "But he was kinda flirting." I bit my lip, trying so hard to make that sound casual.
From Ashton's chuckle, I’d failed miserably. "Sweetie, any man in his right mind would flirt with you."
"Except you!"
He groaned. This was a conversation we’d had many times. "I flirt too. You just happen to know that settling down is not in my plans, and I know that stability is definitely in yours. Wouldn't work, and I love you too much as a friend to risk losing that. So, did you want to keep dwelling on this, or are you going to try to make me feel like a hideous ogre some more and keep talking about your new sexy friend?"
"That's not what I was doing, and you know it!"
"I do," he promised. "I'm just giving you shit. But I guess this means I have to be nice to the guy when I'm down there? Like no pawing the merchandise in front of him?"
I twisted in my chair a little more until my feet could fit inside the overstuffed thing with me. "I'm not sure how well a photoshoot would go if you didn't touch."
"I said in front of him," Ashton countered. "I'm definitely getting you into your undies. I have this adorable bra and panty set that I think would be perfect for a country-themed setting. Oh, and there's a yellow polka-dot combo that I need you to try out. I'm not convinced it's going to be comfortable, but I think I got the support in the bra that you wanted."
As soon as he started talking about support, I knew I’d never be able to get him back on the subject of Luke. Instead, I went with it. Designing lingerie was Ashton's one obsession. He loved fashion. He loved sexy women. Putting those things together naturally brought him to lingerie, but when he'd asked the girls around him why they didn't like it, all of them had some variation of the same answer. It was uncomfortable, unrealistic, or too expensive for only wearing a few minutes. Ashton decided he'd change all of that.
When he'd asked for help, I had been right there, willing to model for free. With my wild tattoos and brightly-colored hair, I changed the feel of our ads from sexual to fun. Then we’d started mimicking pin-up poses. The classic makeup, overly-feminine posture, and innocent settings all contrasted nicely with my appearance, resulting in a feel that had sold thousands of bras and panties. I was now the centerpiece for Risqué lingerie, and had become famous in certain fashion circles because of it.
Thankfully, no one in Cats Peak, Texas, seemed to keep up with the fashion trends, but I had a funny feeling that most of the town had already seen me almost naked. From the magazines in their doctor's office to the billboards scattered through places like Dallas, Risqué was growing, trying to fill the market for a women's version of Fruit of the Loom that was as sexy as it was functional. This was Ashton's dream, and I’d jumped in to help with both feet. That was why I owned almost half the company. And it was why he'd do the same to help me revive Southwind, because this wasmylong-term dream.
Chapter Six
On Sunday, I didn't bother going home after church. Faith took her things with her and headed back with her mom when the service was done. I went to Southwind. My excuse was that I’d promised to see Violet after church, but the fact that this was my only excuse to dress nice had a little something to do with it. Just a very small bit.
Rumbling up the long drive, I wondered if I was being stupid. Women like her didn't typically get weak in the knees over the whole cowboy thing. Considering it was all I had, I was going to make it work. Then again, I knew almost nothing about her. She just pulled at me in some primal way, making me want to take care of her. The only other girl who'd made me feel like this was my daughter, and that wasverydifferent. With Violet? I didn't even care that she probably had some long-distance boyfriend. I was here, the other guy wasn't, and I was going to make sure she had no reason to miss him.
When I parked, the place was strangely silent. A solid rap on the front door got nothing, but she knew I was coming. Then again, maybe she didn't know what time church got out, and she could always be a late sleeper. On a whim, I tried her number.
I thought I heard something on the other side of the house. First, it was a strain of music - country music. Next it was a splash. Chuckling, I made my way around back, letting the phone keep ringing. The song she'd set for me? It was all about riding cowboys instead of horses. I approved.
Then I saw the pool, and in it? The thing on Violet's body should be illegal. It had maybe four total inches of fabric combined, and the rest of what I could see was divine. Evidently I was going to spend some time praying - that I could keep my hands off her long enough to act like a gentleman. It was almost like she'd done this intentionally.
"Miss Dawson?" I called out, hoping she'd hear.
I wasn't that lucky. Her head slipped under the water and she turned, reaching out with each stroke. It seemed she took her exercise as seriously as everything else. I made my way to the near side of the pool and waited. When she reached it, before she could dive for the next turn, I tried again.
"Violet?"
"Huh?" she gasped, looking up. Then she smiled.
Dear God, a woman should not look that amazing, in that little clothing, while soaking wet. "Hey, princess," I said, not even trying to hide my smile. "Heard you have some work for me."
Her eyes crawled slowly down my body and her smile got a little larger. Maybe she did have a thing for cowboys after all. I crooked a finger, daring her to get out of the pool, but she just shook her head.
"It's nice and cool in here," she teased.
Oh damn. "And I am trying real hard to be a gentleman, Miss Dawson, but that is one hell of a bikini."
