by SJ McCoy
When they’d gotten to town and gone into the grocery store, she’d commandeered a cart. That moment hadn’t been the highlight of his day. It had taken him back to grocery shopping with Josie when they were still married. He’d hated it then. Josie was the kind of person who noticed the negatives in every situation – and liked to bitch about them. The produce was never fresh enough, the canned goods had dents, she liked to gossip with her friend who worked at the deli counter. Grocery shopping with her had been an ordeal, but it was still better than letting her go alone – apparently that was tantamount to marital neglect. He’d even offered to do it alone – anything rather than endure another miserable trudge up and down the aisles with her, but the thought of him getting groceries without her had set her off on another rant – about what people would think of her. With those memories filling his head, Sierra’s grab for a shopping cart had filled him with trepidation.
However, it turned out that grocery shopping with her was fun. She flitted around – excited – and it wasn’t an act. She was genuinely excited to explore the store. To find familiar items and discover new ones – at least, they were new to her. She made him laugh when she stood in front of the butcher’s counter, reading the signs pinned to the wall.
Eldon, who’d been a year behind him in school, came out from the back and watched her. He’d raised an eyebrow at Wade when he realized Sierra was with him and gave an appreciative nod.
“It’s amazing that you can get oysters out here. I’d have thought it’d be all beef.” She pointed at the sign. “Do they come in frozen or are there special deliveries?” she asked Eldon.
He smirked at Wade. “Do you want to explain?”
“Thanks.” Wade chuckled.
“What?” Sierra looked puzzled. “Are they frozen?”
“No. They’re fresh, all right. Fresh from the ranch. That’s why people have to get their orders in the week before.”
“I don’t get it.”
He chuckled again. “Rocky Mountain oysters are not actually oysters.”
“Oh.” She looked so cute in her confusion. “What are they then?”
“Bull balls,” Eldon said with a laugh.
Her eyes widened as she looked at him and then back at Wade. “Bull balls? As in …?” Her cheeks tinged with pink.
Wade nodded, trying not to laugh at her expression. “Yep. Testicle specials.”
Her hand came up to cover her mouth as she giggled. “Wow! I had no idea.”
“You wouldn’t have unless you spent any time around here. It’s a Rocky Mountain thing. Up in Canada they call them prairie oysters.”
She’d smiled at Eldon and then turned her cart away. Wade had hurried after her, only to find her still giggling when he caught up.
“I’m sorry. That’s funny!”
He’d had to laugh with her. She apologized for so many things that she didn’t need to. She sure as hell didn’t need to apologize for laughing. The sound of it tugged at his insides.
They’d kept laughing and joking the rest of the way around the store, with Wade pointing out anything he saw that he thought might be new and interesting to her, and Sierra introducing him to a few items that he’d never noticed before.
He shook his head and came back to the moment. No matter what Ford might say, playing house with Sierra had turned out to be a lot of fun so far. And that was only while they were out and about. Now, after going back and checking that everything was okay at the lodge, he was about to find out what it would be like to play house at home – to spend the evening, and the night, under the same roof.
He pushed the cabin door open and took his hat off as he stepped into the hallway. The smell of cooking stopped him. The whole place felt different. It could just be the fact that there was someone here. He was used to the place being empty. But it was more than that. It was the smell – whatever she was cooking smelled great. And the sight of her purse on the table. The sweatshirt that he’d given her earlier was thrown across the back of the sofa. The whole scene struck him as – domestic. And he loved it.
“Hey.” She’d turned from the stove but was still holding a spatula. She looked worried. “Is everything okay? You said I could cook. Is it ... do you mind?”
He came to his senses, realizing that he’d been standing there staring and must have freaked her out. “I don’t mind. I’m … amazed.” He smiled. “It was a surprise to walk in and have the place feel so … lived in.”
She still looked worried. “I don’t want you to think I’m taking over or anything. I …”
He went to her and took the spatula out of her hand, setting it down on the counter while he talked himself out of telling her that he’d love for her to take over the cabin – and make it a home. He needed to get a grip.
“Relax.” He smiled down at her. He was standing too close, but it wasn’t close enough. “I said it was a surprise – it’s a good one.”
His gaze dropped to her lips as she rolled them together. Was Ty right? Would she want him to kiss her? Want him to … Nope. He shouldn’t even be thinking about it. He took a step back. “Have you heard anything more from home?” He needed to remember that though she might be a little lost at the moment, she already had a home. It was back in San Francisco, and it was full of people – people like her friend Amelia, who was no doubt worried about her, and Barney, who ran her family business – and since she had no family left, that meant it was her business and by all accounts it was a billion-dollar corporation. And if that wasn’t enough of a reminder that he shouldn’t be thinking about offering her anything more than friendship, there was also the small matter of the man she’d almost married just a few days ago.
His question brought a frown to her face. “I have, actually. Barney called me. He said that he’s started an investigation into Jared. It looks as though he’s been embezzling from the company.”
“Damn!”
She nodded. “Apparently, no one has seen him or Lori since they left Utah. I kind of hope that he stole enough money from the company to disappear to Mexico or somewhere and that’ll be the end of it.” She blew out a big sigh. “I know that probably makes me pathetic, but I’ve never been one for lots of drama or to want revenge. I just want it all to go away.” She gave him a sad smile. “I talked to Amelia. She thinks I need to hire investigators to hunt him down and …” She shrugged.
“What do you want?”
Her gray eyes were like liquid silver when she looked up at him. “What I want, what I need more than anything right now, is a hug.”
His breath caught in his chest.
“My dad and my brother were both huggers. At least, they were for me. I don’t think either of them ever really understood me or knew what to do with me. They were both smart, strong, silent, logical types, and I’m more well … creative, I guess. They didn’t know what to do with me, but they loved me so much. They rarely knew what to say when I was sad, but they both knew that a hug always helped.”
Wade held his arms out to his sides and jerked his head to the side in invitation. “I know I can’t be a stand in for them, but I’m a bit of a hugger myself. You’ll have to ask Janey how good I am.” His heart hammered when she stepped closer, and his arms closed around her of their own accord. She rested her cheek against his chest and slid her arms around his waist and relaxed.
He closed his eyes and rested his cheek on top of her head. She fit perfectly. She felt perfect against him. He held her a little closer, and her arms tightened around his waist. Damn! He was lost. He breathed in the scent of her. It’d driven him nuts yesterday whenever he’d gotten close enough to smell her – she smelled of him. It was only his shower gel, but it’d done something strange to him. Made him feel like she was his. That he’d somehow marked her with his scent. Today she smelled of something prettier, something very feminine. And standing there with his arms around her, she still felt like she was his.
~ ~ ~
Sierra clung to him. He was so big and solid. Yet
so gentle. She closed her eyes and nuzzled her cheek against his hard chest. She knew that asking for a hug hadn’t exactly been what Cassidy meant when she’d said to tell him what she wanted. But it was a big step for Sierra. She couldn’t remember ever asking a man for anything, at least not anything physical. She let them take the lead. This was new, but she was very pleased with herself – and with her reward. She couldn’t help smiling when he swayed her from side to side.
“Are you okay down there?”
She chuckled against his chest. “More than okay. I hope you don’t mind being my hugging post.”
He stiffened at her words, and she wondered what she’d said wrong.
“Post?” He relaxed again and she felt rather than heard him chuckle. “You mean you see me like … say … a scratching post for a cat? I’m your hugging post?”
“No!” She had to lean back to look up into his eyes, but he didn’t loosen his arms around her. “I don’t mean it that way at all. I chose the wrong words.” She smiled. “Hugging buddy?”
The lines around his eyes creased a little deeper, but he didn’t look amused. He looked – pained? “Buddy?” He nodded and smiled, but it didn’t reach his eyes. “I can be your hug buddy.”
Sierra’s heart sank. He made it sound like something else. She knew that some of the girls at the office had what they called fuck buddies. They didn’t want a boyfriend, just someone they hung out with – a friend – who they also had sex with. When she looked up at him again, he was watching her face.
“Is that what you want?” he asked.
“No. I have to tell you.” Her heart hammered even faster, but she was going to say it. “I … I find you very attractive. And not just physically. I feel a draw, a connection to you. I want …” Her cheeks must be bright red, they felt so hot, but she needed to be honest. “I don’t know what I want. I don’t think I’m in a position where I should want anything from you. But I do.”
Her tummy flipped over when his hand came up to cup the side of her neck. His fingers slid into her hair, sending shivers chasing each other down her spine. His gaze dropped to her lips and then came back up to meet hers. “I feel drawn to you, too, Sierra. I sure as hell shouldn’t ask anything from you. But I want to kiss you.”
She stared back into his beautiful, green eyes until it hit her that he was waiting for her answer. She nodded and rolled up onto her tiptoes, bringing her lips closer to his. “I want to kiss you, too.”
He lowered his head, holding her gaze until his lips brushed over hers, and then her eyes closed, and she sagged against him. Her whole body quivered when his fingers stroked the nape of her neck. His other arm tightened around her, holding her closer against his hard, muscular chest. Then his tongue traced the seam of her lips and she opened up to him. It was a good thing he was holding her up because she felt as though she’d melt into a puddle at his feet if he let her go. She brought her arms up around his shoulders, pulling him closer, needing him to take the kiss deeper, and he did.
His kiss was just like him. Strong but gentle. She couldn’t help but compare him to Jared. His kisses were aggressive, as if he were taking what he wanted with no thought for her. Wade kissed her slowly, deeply, gently but oh so thoroughly. He made the world fade away. He made her body melt against him as he held her closer.
His hand slid down her back until it closed around her butt and held her closer against him there, too. She moaned into his mouth. She could feel him through his jeans; he was hot and hard – and big.
He brought his hand back up between her shoulder blades. Her breasts were pressed against his chest, and she pressed closer and rocked her hips, wanting to feel him closer there again.
His tongue swept deeper and then he lifted his head and looked down into her eyes. His breath was coming hard and fast – matching hers.
“Sorry. I …”
“No! Please don’t say you’re sorry.” She reached up and traced her finger down his cheek.
“I thought I could keep it … low key? I thought I could kiss you in a way that’d make you feel better. But that connection between you and me? It’s quicksand, darlin’. Once we’re in it, it’s going to be tough to get out. And I don’t want to take more than you want to give.”
Sierra’s heart hammered. Was he talking about kissing her so thoroughly – or about taking more?
“You’re in a bad place. You’ve had an emotional time of it. I don’t want to take advantage of that, and I don’t want you to regret getting carried away by the moment.”
He still had his arms around her, and she pressed herself closer against him. “The way you kissed me did make me feel better – better than …” she probably shouldn’t say it, but she was going to, “better than Jared ever did. I won’t deny that I’m in a state. But I want to go wherever this takes us. I won’t regret it. I promise you.”
He dropped his head and brushed his lips over hers again, making her cling to him and hope that he was going to take her back to where they’d been. But he lifted his head and shook it. “I want you to think about it, Sierra.” He gave her a rueful smile. “It smells like you’ve made us a great dinner. We should get to that first.”
She stepped away from him and blew out a big shaky breath. “You’re right. But I’m not going to change my mind. I understand if you want to, though.”
His arms snaked back around her and pulled her against him before she even knew what was happening. She was crushed against his chest, looking up into his eyes. They seemed to dance as he smiled down at her. “I’m not going to change my mind darlin’. I’m trying to look out for you, that’s all.”
She had to smile back at him. “And I appreciate it. You’re a good man, Wade. I know you don’t want to take advantage of me. But please don’t hold back on me. It’s taking everything I have to be this … brazen and tell you what I want.”
He chuckled and tucked his fingers under her chin, tilting her head back and dropping a kiss on her lips. “You are far from brazen, Sierra.”
She chuckled with him. “I’m trying my best, darn it.”
“You don’t even curse, do you?”
She shrugged. “I don’t. I tried it out when I was a teenager, but Seb and Dax teased me mercilessly. They thought it was hilarious. So, I stopped. And the circles I move in, it’s just not seemly for a young lady, you know?”
He chuckled again as he shook his head. “I can’t say as I do know.” His smile faded. “We don’t exactly move in the same circles, do we?”
Sierra’s heart sank. He was right. And it was a reminder that she’d only be here for a couple of weeks at the most. Then she’d go back to her world, and he’d stay here in his. She didn’t want to get bogged down in thinking about that. What she needed to do was make the most of the time she had with him. “Well, I’m in your circle for now. So, maybe I should learn to curse a little, dammit.”
He stroked his hand over her hair, and the look in his eyes sent a rush of warmth spreading through her chest. “Nah. Don’t do that. It wouldn’t suit you. You’re perfect just the way you are. My world’s a rough and busy place; you’re like a soft, sweet breeze blowing through. Don’t try to change to fit in. Be yourself and let your sweetness soften this place up a bit.”
“Aww.” She put her hand over her heart. “What a lovely thing to say.”
He rolled his eyes and gave her a rueful smile. “Sorry. My brothers tell me I’m the romantic in the family.”
“They’re right. But now it’s my turn to tell you not to apologize. I love it!”
“Okay then. Note to self. She likes the mushy stuff. So, don’t hold back.”
“It’s not mushy!” She stepped away from him and reached for the spatula. “You’re right, though. We shouldn’t let this dinner spoil.” It was safer to get back to making dinner than to tell him how happy she was to discover that he had a romantic side. She’d told Jared early in their relationship that she needed him to give her a little romance. He’d insisted that real men di
dn’t do romance. Wade was a much more real man than Jared would ever be, and he’d just restored her faith.
He came to stand behind her as she stirred the pasta, which was probably going to be too soft by now. She closed her eyes and smiled when he slid his arms around her waist and rested his chin on her shoulder.
“What freaked you out?”
She turned her head and he met her with a peck on her lips. “Yep, I know what you’re thinking – can he read my mind? And the answer is yes.” He laughed. “Nah. It’s not really. But your face gives you away. I’m guessing you don’t play poker?”
“No.”
“Good. You’d lose a fortune. But go on. Something about me saying that you like the mushy stuff was a problem for you.”
“No. Not really. It’s just that you’re right, and I do. But I’d been told that …”
“Let me guess. Jared told you that romance is bullshit, and you shouldn’t expect any.”
She let out a short laugh. “Pretty much. Yes. But you also managed to prove him wrong. Because he said that real men don’t do romance.”
He nuzzled his lips into her neck. “We do.”
“So I’m discovering.”
He straightened up and put his hands on her shoulders. “You know. I’ve been second guessing myself. Thinking that we should go back up to the house and stay there and just be friends. But I think Jared has done me a favor.”
“How?”
“His take on real men and romance has given me an idea.”
“What?”
“I think that while you’re here, I’m going to make it my mission to prove to you just how wrong he was.”
She turned to look up at him. He was smiling, but he was serious. “And what exactly would that look like?”
He chuckled. “I don’t exactly know yet. But I’ll make it good. If you like the sound of it?”
This handsome cowboy proving to her that he was a real man and that he did romance? Heck yes! She nodded. What girl wouldn’t like the sound of that?