How To Rope A Rich Cowboy (Silver Springs Ranch #2) - Anya Summers Page 0,22

arms around him and pressed her lips over his briefly. “My hero.”

The brief touch zapped through his entire system. “Seriously, woman, you need a keeper.”

“Why would I need that when I’ve got you coming along at the right moment?” She beamed, her eyes dancing with merriment.

Lifting his hat off her pack, he brushed it off before setting it down over his head. “And if I hadn’t arrived when I did or noticed your backpack while I was carting groceries inside the cabin, you could have fallen and broken your damn fool neck.”

She shrugged nonchalantly. “It all worked out in the end, and the bird is safe from predators.”

“And what about you being safe? I should tan your hide and make it so you can’t sit pretty on that ass for a week.” He gave her a stern glare, thinking a few good swats to her cute butt would make her see things differently.

She laughed, clapped her hands together and said, “Has anyone ever told you that you’re utterly adorable when you go all domineering like that?”

With a blasé stare, unsure whether he wanted to spank her or kiss her for the stunt in the tree, he kept his hands at his sides. If he touched her, he would do one or the other, possibly both. She was the only woman of his acquaintance who, when he spoke to her like he would any submissive he considered under his protection, laughed and called him cute. She was incorrigible. “Let’s get the groceries inside. I didn’t stop for lunch and am starving, especially after being forced to climb a tree.”

“Groceries? What groceries?”

“The ones I picked up for the cabin because I need more than ramen noodles to survive.”

“But you bought them… for me?” she asked with a confused expression.

Hadn’t anyone ever looked out for her? “For the both of us, but yeah. This way, I will know you’re eating more than ramen noodles.”

Avery placed her palms on his cheeks, leaned up, and kissed him. It was a gentle mingling that bespoke of care. Where she touched him, he burned. Need churned in thick waves. The press of her lips as they moved sweetly over his, left him starved and craving far more than just a kiss. But she lifted her mouth away. “I could get used to having you around, cowboy. Thank you for feeding me.”

Pleasure speared him at the earnest praise and soft welcome in her eyes. They were eyes a man could drown in if he wasn’t careful. “As long as there’s more where that came from.”

She shot him a saucy grin. “Absolutely. I plan to rock your world later tonight, if you’re staying overnight again.”

“I’m spending the night.” Nothing short of the nuclear apocalypse would drag him away tonight. And even then he would find a way. He worried that she had already rocked his world. It hadn’t stopped spinning yet, either, and he had no idea where he would land once it was all over.

Together, they carted in the groceries, with Avery exclaiming at the number of bags. Yeah, maybe he’d gone a teeny bit overboard. But the woman was surviving on ramen noodles and instant coffee. On the last trip to his truck, he remembered to grab his overnight bag as well.

They put things away in the fridge and small pantry together. Avery’s joy as she oohed and aahed over the peanut butter and chips were infectious. Although that was nothing compared to the way she shouted with excitement over the sweet treat he’d picked up at the last minute. You’d think he had brought the woman diamonds the way she preened.

When all the groceries were put away, he got the oven started and put two potatoes wrapped in foil inside. While the potatoes were beginning to cook, he pulled out the two New York strip steaks he had picked up and began prepping those for the grill. He had an amazing bourbon spice rub he liked to use on steak. It made the flavor out of this world.

“We’re having steak? I can’t remember the last time I had steak.” she murmured, pressed up against his side at the counter.

“That we are; I figured we could both use the protein. I’ve got the potatoes for the oven and am about to get the grill started. Is there anything else you want with dinner? I’ve got veggies. And how do you like your steak cooked?”

“We can save the veggies for another night, this will fill me up. Medium