by Jennie Marts
“I was thinking…” She hesitated. “Actually, I was wondering, if you might want to come down to Denver next weekend and go out on a date. With me, I mean.”
“Um, yeah, sure, okay.” Why did all of his responses make him sound like a bumbling fool? “How about Saturday night? Would that work? Pick you up at six?”
“Make it five.” She grinned.
“It’s a date.”
“Yeah. It’s a date.”
…
Reese set the paintbrush down on top of the paint can and stood back to look at the little building.
It was done. She couldn’t believe they’d finished it.
She never would have thought she could build an outhouse, and she smiled at their completed project.
Having the building finished was bittersweet though because that meant she wouldn’t see Wade every day anymore.
Wouldn’t get to start her day eating donuts and drinking coffee with him, wouldn’t get to brush up against him as they worked side by side, wouldn’t get to sneak up to the waterfall and kiss in front of the rushing water.
It was late afternoon on Tuesday, and she wished she hadn’t decided to go home on Wednesday. She wanted one more day. Hell, she wanted one more week—one more month—to spend with him.
“Nice work,” Wade said, walking past her to load his tools into the truck. “I’m proud of you.”
Her chest filled with pride. “Thanks. I’m kind of proud of me, too. I never thought I’d be able to do this.”
He grinned down at her. “You’ve done a lot of new things these past few weeks.”
A warm flush crept up her neck. “How do you know I haven’t tried some of those things before?”
He laughed. “I meant the writing and working on the novel.”
“Oh yeah, that’s what I meant, too.” She laughed with him.
“By the way, I read the new pages you gave me yesterday, and I thought they were great. I really like the plot line and where you’re taking the story. You really drew me in to the new scene, and I cracked up at that part where she told her boss to take a hike.”
The satisfaction she felt in completing the outhouse didn’t begin to compare to the pride she felt at Wade’s words of encouragement about her writing.
She’d been surprised when he’d offered to read some of her work and even more shocked when he’d actually read it and offered constructive criticism. She loved talking over the plot of the book with him. He was a great sounding board, as he listened and threw out new ideas. His encouragement gave her the confidence to keep going and filled her heart with deeper feelings for him.
“Thanks. I had a lot of fun writing that part.”
“I bet.” He set his tool box in the backseat of the truck and pulled out a package of toilet paper. “Here’s the last piece to finishing the outhouse. You want to do the final honors?”
“Sure.”
He tossed her the package, and she opened the door to the little building. A plexi-glass skylight offered plenty of light as the door shut behind her. She filled the holder with a fresh roll and put the rest of the package into the small cabinet Wade had built for supplies.
The little room smelled like sawdust and fresh paint. She looked around, happy and proud of what they’d created.
On a whim, she pulled a Sharpie marker from her tool pouch. Inside the cabinet, on an inconspicuous wall, she drew a heart and wrote “WB + RH” inside.
It was silly and juvenile, but also seemed fitting and somehow wildly romantic.
If Wade saw it, he’d probably tease her about defacing park property. But she didn’t care.
She’d left her mark on this building by drawing the heart. Hopefully she’d left her mark on the actual heart of the man whose initials she’d just written.
…
Wednesday came way too fast for Wade.
He carried Reese’s things down to her car and stood waiting while she said good-bye to his grandmother. Gram would have no trouble asking her to stay a little longer or to come back for a visit.
In fact, the reason Reese was leaving mid-afternoon was because Gram had talked her into staying for lunch. And dessert.
The screen door slammed, and Reese walked out, the chunky little pug in her arms.
He was going to miss that funny little mutt, too. With all the pampering Reese and Gram had given it, the dog’s leg had healed, and it was getting around fine now.
He reached for the dog and held him against his chest. “Take it easy, Bagel. Stay off that leg.” He smiled at Reese. “I know it sounds funny, but I’m going to miss this guy.”
A sad look crossed her face before she quickly replaced it with a smile. “He’s going to miss you, too. He’s gotten used to all the attention and affection.”
Was she still talking about the dog? “Well, keep up the writing.”
Her smile turned into a full-faced grin. “Oh, I will. I’ve already completed half the book, and I can’t wait to finish it. I think about it all the time.” She gave him a naughty smile. “Well, not all the time.”
He chuckled. “Keep me in mind if you need to work on any of those bedroom scenes. I can help you work out where your hero might put his hands. Or his lips.”
She grinned up at him. “Bedroom scenes? Don’t you mean scenes at the lake, and on the hiking trails, and in a truck?”
He grinned back. “Yeah, I can help you with those, too.”
He loved how they could so easily banter back and forth. She made him laugh like no one else did. And he loved how she looked so classy and then let dirty little jokes fall out of her mouth.
He wanted to take her in his arms and give her a proper good-bye.
Better yet, tell her to stay. Just a few more days.
“I bet your clients will be happy to see you.”
She set her purse in the front seat and reached for the dog. “Oh shoot, that reminds me. My dad planned a big thing with a couple of our clients for Saturday night. There’s no way I can get out of it. Would you be okay if we moved our date out one week and you came down the next weekend?”
His smile faltered.
Was this how it was going to be? Was this her subtle way of getting rid of him? Just keep putting him off until he went away?
Bagel whined and licked his face as she took the dog from his arms.
“Sure, that’s fine.”
She set the dog in the passenger seat and turned back to him. Raising her arms, she linked them around his neck. “I’m really sorry. I could try to get out of it. I could start faking a cough now.” Her eyes shone with amusement, and she feigned a quick little cough.
“Nah, it’s okay. I’ve got stuff to do this weekend anyway.” Pulling her against him, he leaned down and kissed her gently.
She pressed into him, deepening the kiss, sliding her tongue between his lips and ravaging his mouth.
His hands slid down and cupped her butt. Her luscious round ass fit perfectly into his palms. She fit perfectly against him. Like she was the missing puzzle piece that would complete his life.
He didn’t want her to go. He wanted to keep kissing her—touching her. He wanted to lay her down on the hood of that very expensive car and make her engine purr.
She drew back, her breath ragged and her eyes bright. “I’ve got to go. But I will see you in a week and a half. And Wade”—she dipped her chin and looked up at him through her long dark eyelashes—“make sure you bring your pajamas and a toothbrush.”
She pulled away and climbed into her car.
Shutting the door, she spoke to him through the open window. “On second thought, forget the pajamas. Just bring the toothbrush.” She winked and put the car into gear.
He chuckled. “Got it.”
“See you next week.” She waved and pulled away.
He watched her car drive down the long driveway and turn onto the highway.
A heavy weight filled his gut, and he dismissed the idea that he could be missing her already.
This was no big deal. They’d see each other in a few days.
So why did it feel so final? Like this was the end of something. Something good.
Something he didn’t want to let go of.
Okay, so he hadn’t asked her to stay. But at least he knew he would see her again. That was something.
But now they would be on her home turf. She’d have home field advantage.
What if this was really just a test to see if he could hack it in her world?
Chapter Ten
The doorbell rang.
Her mouth went dry, and her pulse quickened as she tried not to run for the front door of her apartment.
She’d been thinking about this night all week and had everything planned.
They would start with dinner at a fun Irish pub downtown that served the best fish and chips in town, then head out to the sports field where she had tickets to a professional soccer game. The fans were rowdy, and she’d reserved great seats right by the field.
She couldn’t wait to surprise Wade.
She wore jeans, cute sandals, and a gorgeous emerald green sleeveless top that brought out the green in her eyes.
He’d told her once that he loved the color of her eyes. That they reminded him of the water in the lake.
Maybe that might not sound too romantic to some, but it reminded her of their night at the lake, and she got a little shiver of delight just thinking about it.
Checking her hair once more in the mirror as she walked by—she’d worn it loose and curled—she took a deep breath and opened the door.
Surprise.
The sight of Wade took her breath away. He was gorgeous.
But the surprise was on her as he stood at her doorstep holding a single pink flower and wearing a suit and tie.
His black suit fit him in all the right places, and the way he smiled at her sent little tingles of pleasure coursing through her.
Suddenly shy, she hesitated, not sure if she should hug him or throw him down in the hall and jump him right there. “Hi.”
Saving her, he leaned forward and pulled her into his arms. “Hi, yourself. You look great.”
He felt great. So solid and warm. And he smelled amazing.
She wanted to forget going out and just drag him into her bedroom and spend the weekend naked in bed. “Thanks. Come on in.”
She stepped back and let him in to the apartment. His good-natured smile fell as he appeared to take in the opulent apartment.
To her, it was just her place, but she suddenly saw her apartment from new eyes. From his eyes.
It probably did seem a little posh. Her dad had hired a decorator, and she’d let him, of course. She never felt that she needed such an elegant place and sometimes felt afraid to make a mess.
Her apartment was a beautiful mix of contemporary and chic. Decorated in cool hues, shades of blue and green dotted the room in the form of throw pillows and artwork. Thick rugs covered gleaming hardwood floors, and a large watercolor painting covered one wall.
The apartment was set up in a great-room arrangement with the kitchen and living area as one big room separated by a large island. The black countertops gleamed, and the room smelled like the vanilla scented candle that burned there.
Her kitchen was spotless, not because she loved to clean, but because she never cooked. She was terrible in the kitchen and had her three favorite takeout restaurants on speed-dial.
The apartment stayed neat due to her dad’s insistence on paying for a cleaning service once a week. She felt so bad that someone had to clean up after her, that she often cleaned the apartment the night before they arrived. They’d been a godsend this last week, though, as she’d come home from work every night and delved into her manuscript.
Thoughts of her story filled her head as she worked, and she couldn’t wait to get home each night and fill the pages with her ideas.
She’d been dying to tell Wade all about her latest thoughts about the storyline.
Except now she seemed shy, almost embarrassed at the richness of her apartment as she watched Wade eyeball the size of the flat-screen plasma television affixed to the wall.
He whistled as he took in the rooms and tugged uncomfortably at his tie. “Pretty swanky place you got here.”
She shrugged. “It’s okay. My dad brought someone in to decorate. Personally I love the shabby chic feel of the bed and breakfast more.”
He raised a questioning eyebrow at her. “Yeah, I bet you do.”
He handed her the flower. “This is for you. Gram told me to pick the prettiest flower in her garden for you.” He reached into his suit jacket pocket and pulled out a slim rawhide. “And this is for Bagel.”
Awww. He’d handpicked a flower for her and brought a gift for her dog.
Her heart melted.
Wade looked around. “Where is the little guy?”
“I left him at my dad’s for the night since I didn’t know how late we’d be staying out.”
Although now all she could think about was how soon they’d be getting in. To bed.
Wade eyed her outfit. “Am I early? Did I not give you enough time to change?”
“No, you’re great. You’re right on time. I just got off work late. It won’t take me but a few minutes to change.” She pointed to the fridge. “Grab yourself something to drink. I’ll be right back.”
Shutting the door of her bedroom, she shimmied out of her clothes as she scrambled for a new plan for the evening.
Who knew Wade would show up in a suit? She was expecting his normal jeans and cowboy boots.
Not that she was complaining.
Ranger Wade could rock the hell out of a suit.
She scanned her closet and grabbed a turquoise blue summer dress, a short cotton number that hugged her figure. It was a little sexier style than she normally wore, but she’d bought it on a whim last week when she’d seen it at the mall.
Throwing caution to the wind, she stripped off her bra and shimmied the girls into the halter-style top of the dress.
She was probably a little too busty to go braless with this dress, especially with its deep plunging neckline, but hey, this was the new Reese. The one who didn’t conform, who dated park rangers and went out to dinner without a bra.
Sliding her feet into a pair of strappy high heels, she fluffed out her hair and was glad she’d decided to wear it down and loose.
“Okay, I’m ready.” She stepped out of her room, a little nervous about her bold wardrobe choice.
Brock would never let her wear anything that even hinted at sexy. He wanted her looking respectable and chaste. Like a good country club girl.
Respectable and chaste could take a hike.
She had the figure to wear something sexy, and she’d enjoyed the last few weeks in Cotton Creek where she could dress however she wanted. She’d had fun wearing her clothes a little more on the racy side as she’d tried to win over the ranger.
But this was the city, and they were going out.
She looked up at Wade and was rewarded with a wide-eyed ogle.
His eyes roamed from her bare legs to her eye-popping cleavage, and his Adam’s apple bobbed in his throat as he swallowed. “Wow. You look amazing. I’m not sure it’s safe for you to go out like that. You could stop traffic in that dress.”
She loved the way he eyed her, not with scorn for not dressing proper enough, but with a greedy look of hunger like he wanted to devour her.
He casually leaned against the counter, holding a can of orange soda, and she had a fleeting thought of how easy it would be for Wade to peel off her dress and take her against those spotless kitchen counters.
A blush crept up her cheeks, and he grinned as if he read her mind.
She swallowed and grabbed her purse, knowing that if they didn’t leave now, her willpower would crumble, and they wouldn’t make it out of her kitchen.
The lone pink flower sat by the sink in a tumbler full of water, and a goofy grin crept across her face at the tou
ching gesture of Wade picking out a flower for her. “Thanks for the flower. I love it.”
He hoisted the can up and offered her an easy smile. “Thanks for the orange soda. It’s my favorite.”
“I know. That’s why I got it. I paid attention to what you like.”
His smile turned naughty, and he drawled, “You do a lot of things that I like.”
Her insides did a little tumble at the way he smiled at her, and his deep, low voice swirled around her like a warm cloak.
She loved that she knew one of his favorite things and that he’d noticed and thanked her. Unlike Brock, who’d expected her to detail and catalogue all of his wants and needs.
It was much more fun to surprise someone with a thoughtful gesture than be expected to do one.
In fact, just about everything seemed more fun with Wade. And she couldn’t wait to start their date.
Actually, she couldn’t wait to end their date, in her bed.
Before another blush could grab her, she reached for her scarf and busied herself with arranging it around her shoulders. “We should probably head out. Where did you park?”
Wade left his soda can on the counter and sidled over to her. Yeah, even in the suit, he still had the swagger of a man used to wearing cowboy boots. “I’m in the lot down the street.”
“We should probably take my car then. You may never find another spot later tonight.” She pushed the intercom button next to her front door. “Don, will you have someone bring my car up? We’re going out to dinner this evening.”
A man’s clipped voice responded. “Of course, Ms. Hudson, right away.”
Wade raised an eyebrow, but said nothing as they exited her apartment and headed for the elevator. The car was empty, and Wade placed a hand on the small of her back to guide her into the small space.
The warmth of his hand against her back sent a delicious shiver through her, and her inner minx came alive.
She tipped her head up and gave him her best seductive look. “You know you haven’t kissed me hello yet.”
A surprised look crossed Wade’s face, followed by a wicked grin. “Then I should remedy that right now.”