“And yet you’re absolutely beautiful, and I love you.” His grin was hot and cocky. “I’m wearing the same clothes I had on yesterday.”
She said, “And yet I love you.”
“The jeans are fine, but my shirt and shorts need washed.”
“I’ll do a load of laundry for us.” The thought of washing clothes had been a chore far too difficult to tackle yesterday. But today, washing Cash’s tee shirt and boxers with her clothes would be nothing short of a thrill. “Okay?”
Cash nodded, placed his cowboy hat on the counter, and pulled her into his arms. His mouth closed over hers and she ran her tongue across his lips. Their kiss deepened and his hands slid down her back and cupped her fanny. She wound her arms around Cash’s tapered waist and slipped her hands into his back pockets.
“You didn’t take the SUV like I told you,” he said between kisses.
“I’ll make it up to you,” she whispered, standing on tiptoes as she kissed him.
“How?”
“I’ll treat you to a pizza for brunch .”
“Okay.” He patted her butt cheeks with both hands. He stood back and pulled his tee shirt over his head. “I need to take a shower before I take you to bed.”
“Oh, so you think you’re taking me to bed?”
“I know so.”
“So do I,” she giggled. He pulled off his boots and she admired him, from his thick, brown hair down to his sock-covered feet. “You know you’re seriously gorgeous, right?”
His smile said he knew it. “If you say so.”
“I say so.” She led him to the bathroom and took a towel out of the linen closet. Placing the towel on the counter next to the sink, Tracy put her hands to his fly.
Cash touched a finger under her chin, and as she unbuttoned his jeans, he said, “I want to wake up with you in my bed from now on, not dream about you alone.”
Tracy wrapped her hand around his wrist and looking up at him, said, “I want that too.” Cash let her tug his jeans down and off. His desire for her was obvious, and she cupped her hands to the hard bulge in his boxers before stripping them off him. “I want you, Cash.”
“If you don’t agree to take the SUV, I don’t take a shower and we don’t go to bed.”
“You drive a hard bargain,” she said with a suggestive grin.
“You’d know.”
“Give me your socks and we’ll see what happens.” Tracy laughed and turned on the water. “Shall I order a large pizza with everything?”
“Yes, and wings,” Cash said, tugging off his socks.
With his socks, boxers, and tee shirt, she left him to his shower. Making her way to the living room, Tracy couldhardly feel the carpet under her feet. Never had she been so happy, so relieved, and so full of hope for the future. She ordered the food, put Cash’s laundry in with hers, and returned to her bedroom. Dude was sound asleep in his dog bed with a full belly, and she could have sworn there was a smile on the German shepherd’s face.
Tracy dabbed on mascara and lipstick and brushed her hair. From the end of her bed, where she’d tossed it, she picked up a short sundress with a sexy, scalloped neckline dipping in a vee. The soft white dress was decorated with passion fruit berries the same reddish-brown as her cowboy boots and the berry leaves were turquoise. She’d ordered the dress while at Cash’s ranch because he’d mentioned her eyes being turquoise and she knew it would go with the boots he’d bought for her. Finding it on her doorstep the previous day, she’d thought Cash would never see it. She shimmied into the dress now, elated that he would.
Returning to the kitchen, she set plates and napkins on the counter as the doorbell rang. Hurrying into the living room, she opened the front door to a slender pizza delivery man wearing the pizza chain’s red and green collared shirt and matching ball cap. Probably about her age, he greeted her with a grin that grew bigger and toothy. She reminded him she’d paid online but would give him the tip in cash. She took the pizza and wings, set them on the kitchen counter, picked up his tip, and retraced her steps across the room.
“My name is Tad,” he said, lounging in the doorway. “I don’t think I’ve delivered to you before, Miss—” He paused, waiting for her to say her name as he accepted the tip.
“First time I’ve ordered,” Tracy said. “Thank you.”
“I would have remembered you,” Tad said, looking her up and down as he leaned against the doorframe.
Grasping the doorknob as a sign for him to leave, she said, “Thanks again, Tad.”
“Yeah, sure.” With a glance past her, Tad instantly jerkedhimself away from the doorframe. “Welcome.” Swiveling on his heel, Tad skedaddled off the patio.
