“Okay.” She sighed. “But I really do need to close up now.”
Sterling kissed her lips. The soft kiss grew into a deeper one, and she responded by pulling her body tighter to his.
“Text me tomorrow?” Sterling asked.
“Yes. Right after I wake up.”
He kissed her again before grabbing his hat off the counter. “I look forward to it. Be careful gettin’ home, honey.”
Candy walked him to the door, and he watched as she locked it behind him.
Chapter 16
Candy had one hell of a time getting to sleep that night and then tossed and turned for most of it. Sterling wanted to take her to dinner, as in a date, and she’d tried for all it was worth to figure out a reason why she shouldn’t go.
The only one she’d landed at every time her mind ran in a circle was the rumor mill in Strawn. Fine, she’d just have him take her out of town. Breckenridge, Texas, was about forty minutes outside of Strawn and big enough that no one would know her there.
She grabbed her phone off her night table and sent Sterling a text. She was giving in, but she was doing it on her terms. Feeling pretty dang proud of herself, she got up and headed for the shower. Time to get the day moving.
As Candy wrapped her wet head in a towel, she heard a knock at the front door. Who the hell could that be? She pulled her robe from the hook behind the bathroom door and went out to answer it.
“Hey, sugar.”
“Hey there, Trudie.” Candy stepped back from the door. “Come on in.”
“I figured I should just come on over and get things settled between us. I brought donuts, too.” Trudie rushed past her, the scent of fresh donuts coating the air.
“Tryin’ to butter me up?”
“Guilty.” Trudie set the box down on the table. “G’on and get yourself finished. I’ll put some coffee on.”
Candy opened the box of baked yumminess and groaned. “I tell you what, my ass sure don’t need any of these but my tummy insists on me having one or… maybe three.”
“Don’t be silly, one or three ain’t gonna kill ya. Now, scoot and get yourself done up.”
“Yes, ma’am.” Candy stepped from the kitchen but turned back and peeked around the corner. “You know, you look like a donut with sprinkles on it today. How many colors are you wearin’ exactly? And that green satin flower you got in your hair is almost bigger than your head. Are those yellow sequins?”
Trudie guffawed. “I love it. We can count the colors and check my sequins later.”
Candy laughed and returned to the bathroom to finish getting ready. When she came back to the kitchen, Trudie had the coffee done and several donuts displayed on a plate in the center of her table.
“You just don’t play fair.” Candy grabbed a coffee mug and poured herself a cup of fresh brew.
“Sweetness, all’s fair in love and friendship.”
Candy sat at the table, picked a frosted chocolate donut, and took a bite. “I think that’s war, not friendship.” She chewed.
“Am I forgiven?” Trudie sat down and sipped her coffee.
“Only if you eat just as many donuts as me.”
“Does it count that I already had two on the way here?” Trudie patted her tummy.
Candy almost choked on the bite of donut she’d just taken.
“Aw, sugar. You know I didn’t mean it.” She rubbed Candy’s arm. “Can you forgive me?”
“I guess. I just wish you’d kept quiet. You know I had enough trouble with the cacklin’ ladies over Jared and all his bull honky.” Candy set her donut down. “I know it’s silly, worryin’ over it still. It tore me up knowin’ everyone whispered behind my back each time he’d done got his dumb self in trouble. ‘She should learn how to control her man.’ Or: ‘Why on earth doesn’t she throw his hind end out?’ I was a gullible fool. I let him treat me like trash and I put up with his nastiness, but it hurt a lot knowing people had nuthin’ better to do but gossip about it.”
Trudie slapped her hand down on the table. “T’hell with those ol’ cacklin’ ladies! When it was time to be done with him, you were. And look at you now—an independent Texas woman. I’m dang proud of you and you should be proud of yourself.” A devilish smile arched her lips. “And so ya know, I’ve punished Billy good and fierce. No blow jobs for him for a whole week!”
“Ugh, gross! Trudie, I’m eatin’ here and I do not want to hear about you giving Billy”—she paused and shivered—“blow jobs.”
“There’s my girl. I knew that one would get ya. Aw, sugar. C’mere.” Trudie leaned over and tugged Candy into an embrace. “You gotta let that old stuff go, darlin’.”
“I reckon I do. Sorry I got so mad.” Candy patted Trudie’s back.
“It’s okay. You know I love ya, sweetheart.”
“I love you, too. Now eat a damn donut with me.”
“You got it.” Trudie grabbed a donut and took a bite.
Chapter 17
Sterling pulled his car onto the highway, heading back toward Strawn.
“Had you ever been to that restaurant before?” He placed his hand on Candy’s thigh.
“No, just billboards I’ve passed, the few times I’ve ever gotten a chance to get outta town.” She shifted in her seat to sit closer to Sterling. “Cracked me up how they had so many crazy pictures all over the walls.”
“I know.” He chuckled. “Gotta be a good place if they have a velvet Elvis on the wall.”
“And what was with our waiter’s sideburns?” She placed her hand over his. “He looked like he stepped right out of a fifties movie.”
Sterling checked his mirrors and changed lanes. There were few cars on the road due to the late hour, and he was grateful. He could pay more attention to the beautiful woman next to him instead of complaining about traffic. Many times during their meal, he had found himself dumbstruck and unable to speak.
Completely captivated by Candy agreeing to go to dinner with him, it was everything he could do not to stare in awe when he picked her up at her trailer. She wore a dress fitted perfectly to her hourglass shape, and her hair framed her face with thick curls. All this and a personality to go with it—how did I get so lucky?
“All he really needed was a pack of Lucky Strikes rolled up in his shirtsleeve.” He glanced over to see Candy smile. “Maybe a leather jacket, too.”
“The Marilyn Monroe look-alike was sumpthin’ else, too.” Candy pulled one foot under her thigh.
They had about a forty-minute drive back to Strawn, and Sterling couldn’t be happier about it. Driving wasn’t exactly his favorite pastime, but with Candy right next to him, the time disappeared. Their conversation was light and playful, flirting and joking the whole time. Not once did it ever seem forced or awkward. Even the times they sat in silence, he was happy and comfortable.
After a quiet couple of miles, Sterling squeezed Candy’s thigh. “You know? This was like our first date.”
“Is that what this was? And here this whole time I thought we were just hungry.”
“Ha-ha.” He glanced over to her. “I’m serious. I think it’s kinda cool. Especially since you turned me down so many times.”
“Well, cowboy, if this is our first date, how come I didn’t get any flowers? Huh?” She rubbed his hand.
“Baby, ’cause nothing could compare to how beautiful you are tonight. I didn’t want the flowers feelin’ outclassed.”
“Oh… Nice line.” She pinched his arm. “Been savin’ that one up? Or you just use that on all the girls?”
“Nah, came up with that one just for you, sweetness.” Sterling flipped on the turn signal as he approached their exit.
“Well, don’t I feel special?” She placed her hand over her heart to emphasize her playful sarcasm.
“Okay, okay. I’ll work on some better ones for next time.”
“Lines like that and you think you’re gettin’ a next time? Pretty sure of yourself, ain’t ya?”
“Confidence goes a long way,
baby.” Sterling winked at her and pulled his car down the gravel drive to park behind Candy’s car. He released his seat belt and got out to walk around the car and open the passenger door for her.
Sterling took her hand as she stood and thanked him.
“Walk you to your door?”
“Aren’t you the gentleman?” She kept ahold of his hand. “Why, yes, please.”
Sterling closed the car door behind her after she stepped to the side. Walking hand in hand to her front door, he was floating more than taking actual steps.
“I’d ask you in, but I’m not sure it would be appropriate.” Candy bit her bottom lip.
“A cup of coffee with a beautiful woman would be nice right about now.”
“Ah-ah-ah… Not on a first date. I’m not that kind of girl.”
“Never!” he gasped, playing along in her game. “I’d never think such a thing.”
Sterling pulled her into an embrace and she started giggling. He wrapped his arms around her tiny waist, and Candy put both hands on his chest, pretending to stop him.
“No coffee for you tonight.” She rose up on her tiptoes and kissed him.
“I wouldn’t think of offending you in such a way.” He pulled her tighter to his chest, and she wrapped her arms around the back of his neck.
Sterling kissed her, his tongue tasting her lips as she opened for him.
Candy closed her eyes and let out a breath as their lips parted.
“Thank you, Sterling.”
“You’re welcome, baby. But for what?” He pulled his head back slightly to look into her eyes as she opened them again.
“For dinner. For our date. For everything.” Her cheeks flushed pink and framed her perfect mouth. “I had an amazin’ time, cowboy.”
“Then I am a happy man.” Sterling kissed her gently. “But I better get goin’ before I try to violate your first date rule.”
Candy wrapped her arms around his waist as she settled back down off her tiptoes.
“Call me tomorrow? Maybe we can do somethin’.” She turned to walk up the steps to her front door.
“Absolutely.” Sterling watched her open her front door and drank in the vision of her framed by the light cast from her trailer. “G’night, Candy.” He ran his palm over his head and headed for his car.
As he backed out of her driveway, Candy stayed in her doorway, watching him till he pulled out on the road. Wild horses couldn’t keep me away from that woman.
Chapter 18
Candy hurried out the door the next day to pay Sterling a surprise visit. She’d come real far in the last few weeks, opening herself up and enjoying her time with him. She was rather proud of herself. Dinner with him the night before had turned out better than she’d thought it would. She wasn’t sure why she assumed it wouldn’t be good, since every time she’d been with him, he’d made her laugh and they’d had a great time.
She parked her car in front of his single-story motel and stopped by the office to get his room number. Nice thing about small towns, she knew the kid working the desk; he gave up Sterling’s room number, no questions asked.
Candy walked down the sidewalk past the twenty rooms the front side of the motel housed until she arrived at his door. She stood there for a moment, adjusting the straps on her pale green tank top. As she was about to knock, a case of the nerves hit and butterflies flitted around in her stomach. Why in the hell was she nervous? She wiped her hands on her jeans, mustered up her courage, and knocked on the door. She heard some rustling inside and waited.
The door swung wide, and a bare chest and a pair of jeans greeted her.
“Wow! What a nice surprise.”
Her gaze roamed up his body to his face and then his cornflower blue eyes. “Hey, yourself.” My Lord, he was a sight. Heat spread along her chest and up her neck. The urge to lick every inch of his skin had a whole new set of butterflies swarming in her tummy.
“Come on in.” Sterling stepped to the side, allowing her room to pass him. “ ’Scuse the mess, I wasn’t expectin’ company.”
“It’s fine.” Candy looked around. There were some clothes scattered about, but for a guy’s room, it was dang organized. “You look… nice.”
“You’re lookin’ at me like I’m a meal.” He hooked his finger in her belt loop and pulled her close. “I kinda like it.”
She rose up on tiptoes and kissed him. “You got any plans today, cowboy?”
“No, ma’am. I’m all yours.”
“Would you like to accompany me to the Livestock and Craft Fair that’s in town for the week?” Her prior feelings about being seen in public with him felt like a distant memory to her. She wanted to go out with him and let the whole world see. To hell with the gossips of the town; they could all go bowl there. Candy wanted to have fun. And Sterling was the one she wanted to have it with.
He raised both brows. “It’d be an honor to accompany you, darlin’.”
“As much as I hate to say it, you probably oughta put a shirt on.” She ran her hands down his smooth-as-silk chest.
“Oh, damn. You sure about that? I heard that walkin’ around Livestock and Craft Fairs shirtless is a thing nowadays.” He placed his hands on her hips.
“Ya know, I’ve heard that, too. I was debatin’ takin’ my top off, but figured the gray-haired ladies wouldn’t appreciate it.”
“Miss Candy, your breasts are so perfect, I’d be tripping over myself. So you best save that treat for later.”
“If you buy me a funnel cake, you can have anything you want later.” Candy giggled and stepped back. “Light a fire under it. Time to show your New Mexico butt how the Texans do fairs. Plus, I wanna get there before all the good winter quilts are gone.”
“My New Mexico butt, huh? All right, I’m on it.” Sterling put on his shirt and grabbed his cowboy hat. “Lead the way.”
* * *
Sterling had only ever been to county fairs in Las Cruces, and they were nothing like the one in Strawn. They were bigger, impersonal—full of rides and games, and more of a carnival atmosphere. This was smaller, almost intimate, in comparison. Everyone knew each other's names and acted like this was the biggest deal of the year. Hell, for all he knew, it was.
Candy was anxious to get to the area for the homemade quilts. She grabbed his hand and dragged him from booth to booth, stopping to point out the intricate designs that she liked and running her fingers over the texture of each one.
Sterling paid attention and hung on every word. He loved to watch her eyes light up as she described the colors that would match her bedroom or couch. He offered to buy one of the quilts she particularly liked and she swatted his shoulder, making him laugh. Candy was more than capable of taking care of herself and had no problem explaining that to Sterling, in her own way.
Quilts gave way to hobbies. They walked through rows of everything from stained glass window hangings to miniature town models that needed a magnifying glass to see the details. As they reached the livestock area, Sterling commented on several of the prized Thoroughbreds.
He made good on his promise to buy Candy her funnel cake while he chose Indian fry bread. Delicious deep-fried bread batter smothered in honey and powdered sugar, which threatened to drip on his clothes as they walked and ate. The mechanical bull ride stopped him short, and he stared as half a dozen people stood in line to give it their best shot.
“What in the world are you thinkin’, cowboy?” Candy raised an eyebrow.
“Nothin’ foolish if that’s what you’re guessin’.” He took another bite of his fry bread.
“Then what? Come on, I wanna know.” She looped her arm in the crook of his elbow and leaned into his body.
“Honestly?” He glanced down into Candy’s eyes then back to the bull. “I was thinkin’ about Fort Worth and how I’m gonna prove I still got it.”
“You bet your ass you are.” She pursed her lips. “I have no doubt.”
Sterling’s heart leapt at Candy’s faith in him.
“You’re pretty sure, ain’t ya?” He tilted his head to the side as he gazed at her.
“You have to ask?” Candy pulled his arm tighter to her body.
“Nope, I guess not.” Sterling kissed her. When he pulled back, he worried for a moment that she would be upset about his blatant public affection. When she didn’t frown or scold him, he released the breath he’d been holding.
Sterling looked at his food and tossed the remainder of it in a nearby trash can.
“This stuff is good an’ all, but I’m up for some real dinner. How ’bout you?”
“Yeah, I think you’re right. Let’s get outta here.”
“You got any good ideas?” Sterling took her hand as they started toward the parking lot.
“I think we should go back to my place and I’ll cook. I know you’ve been eatin’ out a lot since you’ve been here. Let me do a good home-cooked meal for you.”
“Hard to say no when you put it like that.” He pulled her in for another quick kiss as they walked.
“You can keep that up when we get to my place.” Candy bumped his shoulder with hers.
* * *
Candy swore there was nothing hotter than a man who wasn’t afraid of household chores.
Sterling stood at her kitchen sink, washing the dishes, and she couldn’t keep her eyes off him. His ass was damn near perfect, but then again, so was just about everything else on him. Long legs, strong back, chiseled chest, and a gorgeous face. It was enough to make parts of her body she didn’t even know she had tingle and pulse with awareness. And she thought she was going to stay away from him? Yeah, right. Nice try, girl.
“You sure you don’t want me to dry or somethin’?”
“Nope. I got this, sweetness. Why don’t you pick out a movie for us?”
“A movie, huh?” She couldn’t help the disappointment that rose in her belly. Here she was undressing him in her mind and picturing all the things she wanted to do to his body and he wanted to watch a movie? Men are so strange.
“Yes, ma’am. We can cuddle on the couch.” Sterling looked over his shoulder and blew her a kiss.
Spare Hearts Page 10