He lifts her up into his arms, his massive biceps flexing the whole time. “I think they’re on all night long, bug. How about we pick a day next week to lie there until the sun comes up?”
Cora rubs her eyes and lies her head on his shoulder. “Okay. Jake and Ms. V too?”
“Of course,” he says, winking at me. “Jake and Ms. V too.”
My heart has been doing somersaults all night. Between the care Cash showed bandaging me up and the way dinner went, I know for sure I’m far too emotionally invested.
I’m not supposed to like kids. They’re messy and unpredictable. They’re wild and dirty. Yet, here I am, excited to lie out under the stars next week, excited to teach Cora every recipe I know, excited to take Jake fishing again so I can watch the light in his eyes brighten as he watches a trout swim away.
Now, all I need is the big, strong, handsome man to crawl into bed with every night.
That’s the part where I know I’m dreaming. The part where I have tostaydreaming. It doesn’t matter what I feel. Cash is my father’s best friend, and he’s most certainly off limits.
As Cash takes the kids to their rooms, I lay back on my bed and stare up at the ceiling, watching the fan spin in slow circles, every blade chasing the next into oblivion.How am I ever going to stop thinking about this man? How am I ever going to stop wanting his big, massive frame holding me close? His rough, rugged voice low in my ear? His big, calloused hands all over my skin?
My clit throbs and my stomach fills with butterflies at the thought of him crawling into bed next to me.
No! I can’t go there!
I reach for my phone and dial Bella’s number. She’s not the best person to call to get some sense talked into me, but I know she’ll be awake, and apparently, that’s how low my threshold is tonight.
“Umm… why are you calling me instead of riding the cowboy?”
“He’s not a cowboy, and there are a million reasons I can’t have him, so,” I blow out a breath, “what are you up to?”
“Oh no! You’re not okay.” There’s a smile in her voice as she asks, “What happened? Did things get serious?”
“No. He just cleaned my cut, we had dinner, and now he’s putting the kids to bed.”
“And you’re thinking about all the things you wish he were doing to you.”
I consider lying, but she knows I like him, and I’ve already gone through the trouble of calling her. “What’s wrong with me? I know what’s at stake, and I don’t even think he wants me like that. I just…”
“What?” she presses.
“I’m like a little rabbit, pumped up on Viagra. Do women even use Viagra?”
She crunches into a chip. “Maybe get yourself off. I know you own like forty-two vibrators.”
“I own three vibrators, and they all have different purposes.”
“Oh yeah?” she laughs. “What are those purposes?”
“My God.” I roll my eyes and cross my arms over my chest, still watching the fan spin. “Anyway… how are things with you? I know you were pretty worried about selling your grandparents’ lake house.”
“Oh no, you’re not getting off that easy. Have you checked your emails today, ‘cause I have.”
“You have got to stop logging into my account.”
“You have to remember to log out when you’re using my computer.”
I pull up my email as we talk, my stomach in knots. “You don’t have to go through my messages.”
“I don’t go through your messages,” she huffs playfully. “I happen upon them. Are you there yet?”
“Clicking now,” I say, noticing right away the message is from the insurance company in Dallas I’d applied to last month. “I thought they’d forgotten about me at this point.”
“Told you. It just takes a while for people to get back these days.”
