“Must just be a coincidence.” His expression told her he didn’t buy her story. “You done in there?”
“Yep. All done. It’s yours” She stepped aside so he could pass.
“Looks like you forgot something.” Echo bent, picked up the kitten and scrubbed him behind his furry ears, then handed him over. “Probably wouldn’t want to leave the critter. He’d get stepped on ‘round here. And these.” He swiped up her boots.
Taking her cat and boots, and hiding her embarrassment, she headed toward the front door. She hoped she didn’t run into any more cowboys. She guessed that most of them were already on the land doing their chores. Her presence would be hard to explain.
Outside, she found Bear leaning casually against his truck, his arms folded over his wide chest and looking like a delicious snack. His Stetson was set lower on his forehead shading his eyes, yet she knew he was watching her walk toward him. His faded jeans fit him like a second skin, revealing the bulge behind his zipper and the length of his muscular legs to the dirty, worn boots that signified a hard worker. There was an invisible string pulling her closer to him. Outside of his rough and powerful good looks he had an energy that drew her. She’d never felt anything remotely close to how he made her feel.
Remembering her dream that morning made her blush from roots to her toes. Making love with Bear had seemed so real. Her skin remained sensitive.
Too bad her temples ached or she might just drag him back inside and show him a detailed version of her dream.
“Feeling better?” he asked.
“Define better because right now every time I try to use my brain cells I feel a stabbing pain in my skull.”
“That good, huh?” His wide grin made her toes curl.
“I need a long hot shower.” Probably a cold one would be better to rid herself of the heat spiraling in her body.
Once they were seated inside the truck, she said, “I have this vague memory that I vomited while we were kissing. How about never speaking of that?”
“I second that.” He chuckled.
The kitten settled on her lap and she rubbed his head, trying to hide her humiliation. “I was a bit…beside myself last night.”
“We’ve all been there.”
He backed out and drove down the gravel lane, hitting every bump and pothole on the way. She winced in pain. “You’re killing me.”
“It’ll pass,” he said. At least he did slow down some.
Once they were on the narrow country road, some of the pain did ease.
“So, we did make out last night, right? That wasn’t my imagination?”
He laughed. “Are you sure you want to talk about it?”
She wanted to reenact it…when she had a tooth brush and toothpaste to use. “I mean, sure. You must think I was wanting to use you…you know, to lick my wounds.”
“You weren’t?”
“No, of course not. I…well…I wanted to experience that with you. I find you appealing.”
He looked across at her. “Appealing?”
“Attractive.” She was botching the attempt at flirting.
“I find you attractive too.” He swiped off his hat and dropped it between them on the console.
Bear didn’t have what she’d call traditional good looks. He was ruggedly handsome with prominent square features and broad jaw that reminded her of a warrior ready for battle. He had thick coal black hair threaded with silver, making her wonder just how old he was. Although they’d been friends for almost six months, she realized she knew very little about him personally. They’d always kept their conversations light-hearted, or she was always complaining about Bentley. Now that she thought about it, Bear seemed to be intentionally keeping his personal life private.
Now was not the time to pry. Or maybe it was. After all, if they made out it would happen again if she had anything to say about it, and she wanted to know more about the person she would be sliding her tongue inside his mouth.
“So, Bear…if I didn’t want to call you Bear, what would I call you?”
“You did a pretty good job calling me sexy last night.” His eyes twinkled.
