“Your girlfriend?” The look on her face was a mix of happiness and shock. She looked so cute.
“Yeah, my girlfriend. I don’t go around kissing just anyone. That’s saved for one special person.” I kissed her again and felt her smiling.
“I love the sound of that. Let me get dressed. Did you make coffee?” She sounded excited as she threw back the covers.
“Thankfully I remembered to prep the coffee pot last night. I'll bring you some. Be right back.”
I walked out into the kitchen while she went through her clothes, trying to find something that would work for working in the barn. We had done laundry before Jenny and Luke came over for dinner so our clothes were mixed in the basket, in my room. If I had my way, she would move everything into my room and it would be our room.
I let Duke outside before walking back into the room just as she was pulling her pajama shorts down, trying to get dressed.
“Oh I'm sorry.” I turned around to give her privacy. “I don't know why I didn't think you'd still be getting dressed.”
Her voice was laced with confusion. “Why are you sorry?”
Without turning around I answered her, “Because I want to be respectful and I walked in on you changing.”
Silence fell between us for a brief moment before I felt a hand rest on my back. I glanced behind me but didn't turn around.
“Caleb, thank you. I appreciate that, but I do want to be comfortable, in every way, one day. With you.”
A smile tugged at the corner of my mouth.
“Plus, you've seen me with my top off already,” she added playfully. “You don't have to turn around unless I ask you to.” Her hand moved to my shoulder, and she made a slight pulling motion, as if to ask me to turn back around.
When I turned, I looked into her eyes, searching for any signs of hesitation, but I found none.
I passed her the cup of coffee. She thanked me and walked back to get dressed. I had only looked at her face until she walked away and I realized she hadn't put her shorts or pants back on before walking up to me.
I walked to the side of the bed I slept on and sat down, not completely facing her but still able to see her.
The soft morning light showed through the spot where the curtains met, and it made her ivory skin glow. Her long curvy legs, her hips, she had the most beautiful body I'd ever seen. I stared at her lustfully and reverently. She was everything I ever wanted but someone worth waiting for.
She started to talk to me as she lifted the shirt she wore to bed up over her head, turning to grab her bra and shirt. I could hear nerves in her voice as she only became more vulnerable, but she was trying so hard to be brave with me, something I would never take for granted.
Her shirt had been long enough to brush her thighs, and now that it was gone, I forgot how to breathe. The graceful line of her back, the curve of her hips—it all hit me at once, a rush of desire I fought to keep steady.
The nerves in her voice made her voice crack, which snapped me out of the trance I was in.
“Ranger?”
“I'm so sorry, Sunshine. I didn't hear what you said.”
“Oh. You said ‘yes’ to one of my questions. What was the last thing you heard?”
I chuckled out of embarrassment. “Honestly, I don't even remember you asking me a question. I'm so sorry, I got lost in...Well—” I motioned my hands to her. All of her.
Sounding a bit shyer, Rae asked, “In what?”
Hoping my confession hadn't made her uncomfortable, I replied with another one, figuring I was already in deep. “My mind got lost while watching you. Gosh, you're beautiful, Rae.”
Thirty seconds passed. Thirty seconds that felt like an eternity. “I'm sorry, I hope I didn't make you uncomfortable.”
Turning a deep shade of red, Rae stared back at me. She opened her mouth and then closed it, not knowing what to say. She picked up her regular bra and changed into it instead of the sports bra.
“Rae, I...”
“I'm not uncomfortable. I'm sorry. I...” She let out a nervous, breathy giggle.
