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Chapter Twenty-Five
Nash cuddled Emily next to the bonfire. Her hair was still wet, though she’d changed into her sweats and a baggy tee shirt. Lizardman ran between her and Dakota, sniffing at their hot dogs. Apparently, the pup held no hope that Nash might share his food.
He sure had that right!
Emily shook her head when Nash tried to give her a third hot dog. “No, I couldn’t possibly swallow another bite.”
Nash supposed that he could sacrifice then. Taking a deep breath, he bit into the meat. Immediately his insides rebelled, and he choked. Emily’s eyes widened. “Is that your fifth hot dog?”
“Well, yeah, I had to finish off the bag,” he said.
She nudged him with her shoulder. “Give that to Lizardman. He’s been begging one off you for an hour.”
Grunting out in reluctance, Nash offered Lizardman the final roasted dog. The puppy leaped at the charred meat, like he was afraid that Nash might change his mind. He wasn’t wrong. Maybe Nash could force one last mouthwatering morsel into his belly…
Dakota sat on the edge of his lawn chair, dragging a burnt stick through the dirt. Millie had gone in a half an hour earlier, telling Nash and Emily to send him in if he got too hard to handle.
Lizardman was making short work of the hot dog. “Buddy, slow down,” Nash said. “Take some time to enjoy it.”
Emily giggled. “Maybe next time you’ll take your own advice.”
“Oh, I enjoyed my food.”
Though he knew what he liked more.
He kissed her hair next to her ear. She smiled. He loved that she seemed to be as into him as he was her. Emily was warm and responsive to his every touch. He couldn’t get enough of her.
Lizardman swallowed the last of the hot dog, and went after Dakota’s stick next. Yowling, Dakota took off running for the house. He noticed that the kid dragged his stick as temptingly close to the dog’s jaws as he could. It was enough incentive for the puppy to run after the boy into the house.
“Hmm.” Emily leaned against his chest. “I think he officially stole your dog.”
Nash was just happy to get her alone. “I guess that’s fair. I stole him from West first.” He ran his hand down her arms, noticing that they were still cold from their water fight. “Girl, you’re hard to keep warm.”
She peeked at him over her shoulder. “I guess you have your work cut out for you then.”
“I sure do.” Seeing the blanket that they’d tossed to the side earlier, he wrapped it around her shoulders.
She huddled into it while he held her close.
Emily had a way of throwing all his troubles out the window. He’d come back after a long day on the ranch, his worries gnawing at him from his earlier talk with West, only to see her disappearing into the gully with her super soaker. He’d followed her to offer his services. Everything else just kind of happened.
“What did you work on today?” he asked.
She pressed her lips together while she thought it over. “Just a lot of practicing, but I also wrote something. It’s calledDown by the Waterhole With You.”
Immediately his mind went to their swim in the lake. He held her tighter. “You definitely need to sing this for me.”
“Without a guitar?”
He pressed his cheek next to hers. “Sing me to sleep, baby.”
She let out an amused sound, shaking her head. He hadn’t expected her to humor him, but then she began to hum, in a low, soothing tune that sounded like a lullaby. “You’re unforgettable,”she sang.Her melodic voice reminded him of that afternoon when she’d accidentally serenaded him at the orchard. Back then, he’d listened to her from a distance, but now he was where he belonged, right next to her.
“Cold water lapping at my toes.
“Nature’s gonna do what it’s gonna do.
“Making me fall in love with you.”
