True-Blue Cowboy - Vicki Lewis Thompson Page 0,40

the first floor. “You upstairs? I saw you got the trunk open! Is that somebody’s wedding dress?”

She froze. “Hey, Fiona! Yep, it’s a wedding dress.” Her voice sounded like it was coming from a woman hanging upside down over a muscular man’s shoulder. “I’ll be down in a sec. I was helping Nick in the attic and I… split the seam of my jeans. Be right there.”

Nick descended the last two steps, leaned over and set her on her feet.

She reached up and pulled his head down. “Please go entertain her,” she murmured.

“Shirtless?” he mouthed back.

“Get your shirt, then go. Please. I need a few minutes.”

He nodded and she scurried into her bedroom. Then she quietly closed her bedroom door and clapped a hand over her mouth to smother a laugh.

Holy hell in a handbasket. If she planned to continue carrying on with Nick, she’d have to start locking her front door.

Chapter Nineteen

Nick shook out his T-shirt, but it still looked like he’d been wearing it for three days straight. Couldn’t be helped. He put it on, took a quick glance in the mirror and shrugged. There was no improving that mess.

He grabbed Eva’s clothes off the floor, picked up her boots and started down the stairs. Her underwear was still warm. And fragrant. Fiona’s sudden appearance had taken care of his woody, but the silky material of her panties and the sweet scent of arousal recreated the problem.

Her bedroom door was closed. He deposited her boots beside it, stuffed her undies in one of the boots and laid her clothes on top. After running a short mental video of submerging his cock in a bowl of ice cubes, he was good to go.

He hadn’t succeeded in bringing the mirror downstairs, but guaranteed he’d get those stones dug. With the energy coursing through him, he could rip them up with his bare hands.

Funny how things worked out. Auctioning off his labor had led to sweating like a pig while working in Eva’s toasty house, thus creating an aroma that drove her wild.

If he’d taken her on a date, instead, that secret might never have revealed itself. He generally arrived for a date smelling like a rose, or more accurately, a pine tree.

Clearly that was the wrong strategy if he wanted to awaken Eva’s lust. He might not have CJ’s blond hair or his musical talent with a guitar, but he had awesome sweat.

Did it only work on Eva? What if it affected Fiona, too? That would be awkward. He’d keep his distance, just to be on the safe side.

When he walked into the living room, she stood gazing at the picture of the lady running through the field of wildflowers. Last night she’d fixed her hair so it curled around her shoulders. Today it was in a ponytail.

She turned and smiled. “I don’t have to ask what you’ve been doing.”

Damn, he was blushing. “Got all the boxes down at last. Lot of boxes. Took a while. I’m a little overheated.” Would that explain his pink cheeks?

“I’m sure.” Curiosity flickered in her eyes, but no lust. “So there was a wedding dress stored in the trunk? What’s up with that?”

“I’d better let Eva tell you about it. Can I get you something?” He asked automatically, although he had no clue what Eva had on hand. But she’d appointed him head of the hospitality committee so he’d do his best.

“Thanks, but I won’t be staying long. I just thought I’d pop over and find out if you and Eva had unearthed anything exciting in all those boxes full of who-knows-what. It would be like hunting for buried treasure.”

“Yes, ma’am.”

“I saw the coat tree by the front door. Were you able to bring that cheval mirror down?”

“Everything but that. It has issues.”

“So she said. Must be what she was helping you with when her pants split.”

“Exactly.” That was Eva’s story and he was sticking to it.

“Actually, part of my reason for coming over was to talk with you if I had a chance.” She took a step closer.

“Me?” He took a step back.

“It’s about my dinner date with Leo tonight.” She was on the move again.

“Oh?” He edged away from her. “Is there a problem?”

“No problem.” She took another step toward him. “I’m just really nervous.”

“Don’t worry. Leo’s a great guy. You’ll have a wonderful time.” He backed up and bumped into one of the wingbacks.

“Nick, am I making you nervous?”

“No, ma’am.”

“Then why are you backing away from me? I showered and brushed