Dead of Winter (Battle of the Bulls #2) - T. S. Joyce Page 0,33
arranging flowers right now, like I do every other day. It’s Monday, so I would cook Monday spaghetti, check on my plants, watch the same competitive cooking show I watch every week, and then would be in bed by nine. Rinse and repeat every Monday. Instead, I’m still on a high from the rodeo last night, figuring my animal out a little better, I’m covered in mud, and I’ve now been on the inside of a real camper.”
“And slept in it. While being the little spoon to my big spoon. And you forgot the most important part of a romantic comedy.”
“Mmm hmm, and what’s that?”
“You met me—a gallant, strapping, bearded, hilarious hero who can cook and who has the perfect balance of good boy and bad boy with a massive dick—”
“Dead!” she choked out. Escape was her only option to get out of the embarrassment, so she pushed open the door and became very busy with stomping mud off her boots.
“The shower is all hooked up and will warm up after a few minutes,” he called from behind the truck where he was messing with the hitch. “Just drop your clothes in a pile out here, and I’ll rinse them off.”
“Oh. Okay. I feel kind of bad for not helping clean.”
He stood up straight with a frown drawing his blond brows down. “You want to help?”
“Why wouldn’t I? It’s not fair that you do all the work.”
His expression relaxed, his eyes softened, and the confusion faded away. “I like you.”
Her stomach clenched and released, and an accidental smile ghosted her lips. “Really?”
“Yep. I really do. You’re shy but funny, quiet but with a quick wit. You have confidence in surprising moments, and it’s so damn attractive. You’re beautiful, obviously, but I like more than that. Your parents are nice, and I can tell you’re close. I like that you’re a family girl. You’re a hard worker, and you don’t expect things of other people. You offer to help. And you say ‘thank you’ if anyone does anything for you and, nowadays, those traits are rare. And surprising in a good way. I haven’t found anything I don’t like about you yet, and I’ve been lookin’. You’re just a good woman.”
Raven pursed her lips and kicked at a mud clump with the toe of her boot. Had she ever felt so good about herself in any given moment? She couldn’t recall.
“Thank you for those compliments.” And then softly, she admitted, “I like you, too.”
Chapter Ten
The shower wasn’t warming up.
Cold water splashed across her open palm as Raven checked it for the tenth time. Cold showers weren’t her favorite, but her skin was speckled with mud and grit and her hair was drying in a dirty mat on her head, so a cold shower it would be.
Dead knocked. “We can do a laundromat date tonight when we stop if you want.”
She smiled and snuggled the towel a little tighter around her, then pulled the door open.
He was leaning against the door frame, both arms locked on either side. His vibrant blue eyes dragged down her fuzzy white towel to her mud-splattered legs and back up.
“I’ve never had a laundromat date before.”
“A virgin.” He straightened up. “I accept the pressure of popping your cherry. I’ll do the LD justice.”
She snorted and rolled her eyes, tested the water again.
He frowned at the shower. “Is it not heating up?”
“I think it’s broken.”
“Let me check the water heater. Hang on.” Dead disappeared for a minute and then reappeared in the doorway again. “Two minutes, and it should be heating up now.”
“Oh, my goodness, yay. Nothing sounds better than a warm shower to get this gunk out of my hair.” She raised a crusted mud dread up into the air. “I like to seduce you by showing you my worst and then dressing up for you later. I like to set the bar very low, and then when you have zero expectations, I dazzle you and brush my hair. I’m breaking you in.”
“Mmmm,” he rumbled, filling up the entire bathroom. He slipped his hands to her waist and gripped the towel. “How about we skip the dressing up later. Maybe I like you just like this.”
His eyes were full of such honesty, the self-deprecating jokes fell from her lips. “Really?”
His smile was crooked under that beard of his. Crooked and handsome and genuine. She loved his smile. He gifted them to her so easily.
He cupped her neck and ran his thumb gently under her eye. “I like