Savage in a Stetson (Crossroads #4) - Em Petrova Page 0,31
more than the barbecue chicken it was famous for in these parts. Maybe she needed to make her sign reflect that change.
“Do you think my sign sucks?” he asked.
She laughed at his question and looked him straight in the eyes. “Yes.”
He chuckled. “Fair enough. It was a bit of an afterthought, but I’ll remedy that soon.”
She propped her chin on her hands and stared at him. He really was the most handsome man she’d ever seen. Too bad this would end the minute she climbed out of his bed and returned to her life. When she ran her fingertip over a bare spot in the beard on his jaw, he tensed.
Her stare flashed to his. “I never noticed this scar before. Is it new?”
“Got it while on the circuit.”
“Bull riding?”
He wouldn’t meet her gaze. “Yeah.”
Sensing there was more, she moved her finger and didn’t pressure him for information. She snuggled against him again. “You never paid me for your delivery.”
His brow hitched up. “You’re right. I’ll have to remedy that too. Maybe you’ll accept partial payment until I can reach my wallet?”
A shiver skated down her spine. “I think I can agree to those terms.”
He rolled her into the sheets and hovered over her to brush his lips tenderly over hers. “Mmm. Tastes like chicken.”
She giggled and smacked at him. “You’re terrible.”
He grew serious as he studied her. “If I hadn’t put my restaurant across the road from yours, you’d still like me.”
“No, if you hadn’t captured my heart and then turned around and dumped me to go to the rodeo, then I’d still like you.”
He sighed. “I deserve that.”
She couldn’t resist the pull of his lips and leaned up to kiss him. The soft flip of her tongue against his drove her crazy.
When he drew away, he stared into her eyes. “Maybe we can come up with some delivery schedule. You come by on Wednesdays.”
“Don’t push it.” She smiled.
“Yeah, I can’t become your regular customer. Imagine what the neighbors would say when they see your purple car parked out in front of my house every night.”
“You said Wednesdays.” She ran her hand down his back to land on his carved buttocks. Damn, the man’s body was a shrine to fitness.
“Oh I did, didn’t I? I just thought it would be so nice to have you in my bed every night. Or I can swing by your place tomorrow night.” He kissed her long and deep. “What do you say?”
She started to automatically agree to his offer but then stopped. “My family’s coming from Florida for a celebratory dinner for my nephew’s birth.”
“Oh well, I’ll bring the ribs.”
She narrowed her eyes. “I’m capable of making my own ribs.”
“Yeah, but you want something good.”
She issued a frustrated scream, and he cracked up laughing. “Maybe we better not talk anymore.”
“That’s right. Just kissin’.”
“Just kissin’.” She slipped her arms around his neck and pulled him down.
* * * * *
Dom pulled a pair of wire snippers from his back pocket and cut the excess barbed wire on the fence. Cort lifted the heavy roll and carried it to the back of his truck parked in the field.
Grabbing the sledgehammer, Dom followed. They placed everything in the truck and then reached for bottles of water. He drank off half his at once before coming up for air.
“Hot, thirsty work.” Cort chugged his too.
Dom nodded and then swiped some perspiration off his brow with the back of his hand. Leaning against the tailgate, he looked at the work they’d done that morning.
“’Preciate you coming out to help me today.” Cort lowered his water from his lips and admired the new line of fence.
“Sure thing. My mornings are free until the restaurant opens, so if you ever need help, give me a jingle.”
“I’ll do that.”
“How’s that son of yours?”
He beamed like the new proud papa he was. “Great. Sleeps a lot except at night. Been a little rough in the mornings to drag myself out of bed.”
“No doubt.”
“We had Joss’s family in to meet CT too, and that drained me. Dinner at Jada’s I thought I’d doze off listening to everyone talk.”
At the mention of Jada, Dom perked up. “Family dinners are good fun, but they can be tedious.”
He nodded and finished his water. He crumpled the bottle and tossed it into the bed of his truck. “Talk about diapers and pacifiers. When to introduce baby food. Then talk turned to Jada. Her restaurant and relationships. Your name came up.”
Dom’s brows shot up. “Mine?”
“Yeah.”
“I didn’t realize