He mimicked her cocked eyebrow. “Why, Miss Honeycutt, haven’t you been paying attention?”
A white two-story home with an open porch running the length of the front came into view. The paint on the wooden clapboards was faded and chipped, the porch steps sagged, and one of the upstairs shutters was hanging askew.
Maybe he should challenge his guys and the fire crew to some sort of workday. Of course, getting Annie to accept would be the harder part.
Remy shut off the engine, got out of the car, and went around to the passenger side.
Sasha had already opened her door, but he offered his hand as she got out of the car. “Let’s go find Annie and get this date underway.”
Chapter Ten
Sasha had enjoyed the ride over, that feeling of being part of a couple. She hadn’t realized how much she’d missed it until Remy began teasing. She missed the shared inside jokes that came naturally to couples who’d been together for a while. A silly thing to miss but there it was.
Annie Metcalf, a petite, dark-haired woman dressed in T-shirt, jeans, and bright green Wellington-style boots, appeared in the barn’s open doorway and waved them over.
“I thought I heard a car pull up,” Annie said as she approached.
“Annie, hi, sorry we’re a little late. We made a stop.” Remy’s hand came to rest on the small of Sasha’s back.
Sasha swallowed. It was as if the heat from his palm had spread throughout her whole body.
Annie’s wide smile lit up her face. “No problem. I’m here all day, every day.”
“I’m not sure if you two have officially met.”
Sasha held out her hand to Annie. “I’ve seen you at the school, but we haven’t had the opportunity to talk.”
“Yeah, sorry. I haven’t been able to get over to the school as much as I’d like.” Annie shook Sasha’s hand, then waved to encompass the ranch. “I’d love to volunteer more, but this place keeps me busy.”
Sasha glanced around. “I’m impressed you can handle all this on your own.”
Annie laughed. “I can’t, but I have a decent ranch hand. I don’t know what I’d do without Landry. Have you decided if you want Ranger or the Gator?”
Remy glanced down at Sasha. “You still good with the horse?”
Sasha shivered in anticipation. Remy hadn’t planned a simple date like she’d expected. No, he’d put a lot of thought into it. She wasn’t sure what to make of that. Jimmy had thought dinner out at the local bar was a romantic night out. “I’m looking forward to it, but I confess I haven’t been on a horse in a long time.”
Annie wiped her hands on her jeans. “Well, good. I’ll go get Ranger saddled up.”
Remy dropped his arm from where it rested on Sasha’s lower back. “Let me do that. You two ladies can talk.”
Annie brushed hay off her jeans. “Let the big strong man take care of things?”
Remy hooted with laughter. “I know better than to pull that on either of you.”
“You’re damn right,” Annie said and balanced on her toes as if that would give her some height, and Remy laughed again.
Still smiling, Remy tapped Sasha on the shoulder. “Be right back, cher.”
Annie turned to Sasha after Remy disappeared into the barn. “So, you two, uh…?”
“No. I mean, um, I’m not supposed to date the parent of a student.” That was an easy answer, but none of this felt easy. She had thought not getting involved with another lawman would be simple. But she hadn’t foreseen Sheriff Remy Fontenot.
“…if anyone would really mind,” Annie was saying.
Sasha shrugged. What could she say? “This is the auction date I won.”
“I heard about that. Deirdre tried to intimidate Floy, and you stepped up. Go, you.” Annie raised her curled hand and did a fist bump with Sasha.
A few minutes later, Remy came out of the barn leading a brown horse with a large patch of white on his face. Sasha brushed her hand over the horse’s face and grinned when he snickered and rubbed his nose on her arm.
“I think he likes you,” Annie said.
Sasha liked him. “He’s beautiful…or I guess I should say handsome.”
“Yeah, he’s been emasculated enough.” Remy winced and patted the horse. He turned to Annie. “Did Landry take care of everything this morning?”
Annie nodded. “He sure did. You’re good to go.”
“Thanks.”
“I’ll leave you to it. I have chores to finish. Great talking with you, Sasha,” Annie said and disappeared into the barn with a wave.
“Let me help you up, then I’ll get up behind you.” Remy grabbed Sasha by the waist and hefted her and settled her onto the saddle.
Sasha peered down and her stomach flipped. “Wow, I forgot how high up this is.”
He chuckled and swung himself onto the horse. “Don’t be nervous. I’ve got you.” Remy secured an arm around her waist. “I won’t let you fall off. Of course, I can’t guarantee you won’t be walking a little funny tomorrow since you haven’t ridden in a while.”
She angled her head to meet his amused gaze. “So, let me get this straight: you’re telling me I might be walking funny the day after our big date, the date everyone in town knows about?”
“That’s what I like about you, cher. You always see the bright side of things.”
“Gee, thanks,” Sasha answered dryly. But she was enjoying herself. She felt carefree for the first time in forever. There were many reasons against getting involved with Remy, but she didn’t want to remember what they were right now. She’d always done what she was supposed to, what was expected of her—until she’d made that bet and kissed Remy.
Leaning closer, he gave her a quick kiss, then continued to ride the horse across a large pasture and into the woods at a leisurely pace. The sun was high overhead but the lower-than-normal temperatures and humidity made for a pleasant ride. Sasha even relaxed against Remy’s hard chest and enjoyed the delicious warmth his arm around her waist generated.
“You still haven’t told me where we’re going,” she reminded him.
“You’ll see in a moment,” he said next to her ear, his breath disturbing the wispy hairs there. He breathed deeply. “Mmm…why do you smell like a cucumber?”
She brought a hand to her nose, sniffed, and then laughed. “That would be my body lotion. It has cucumber water in it.”
“Tell me more about this body lotion.” He urged the horse forward when he started to slow down to sample the grass.
“There’s not much to tell. I put some on after my shower this morning.” She felt like she was playing with fire…and she liked it.
He groaned and muttered something in French.
She turned her head. “What?”
“I’m picturing you naked and spreading that cucumber stuff all over you,” he said in a gravelly voice.
The fire had consumed her, and she’d lost all ability to breathe. C’mon, you’ve been doing it all your life…just pull air in, hold, let it out. That’s it.
“Sasha?”
“It’s not cucumber stuff…just lotion…it happens to smell like cucumbers. That’s all. I doubt if very many cucumbers went into the production of my lotion.” And this is why you needed to breathe? So you could babble like an idiot?
He chuckled, low and sexy. “From now on, I’ll think of you every time I eat a cucumber.”
Remy’s husky tone went straight to her belly, but she clamped her mouth over any other response. Stringing meaningful words together was beyond her.
They came into a clearing, and Remy stopped the horse. She gasped. Spread out in front of them was a field of red, orange, and yellow flowers. The meadow looked as if someone had tossed a brightly colored woven blanket over the field. A light breeze blew, and the colors rippled like someone snapping a piece of fabric before laying it out.
She turned her head so she could look at him. “Oh, Remy, it’s spectacular.”
His Adam’s apple bobbed whe
n he swallowed. “I’m glad you like it.”
“It’s absolutely beautiful,” she whispered, awed by not only the field before her but the fact that Remy chose to bring her here. “Don’t you think so?”
“Mm-hmm,” he murmured, his gaze on her.
“You’re not even looking.” She pushed her shoulder against his chest, but her heart fluttered.
“Oh, I’m looking all right. I’m seeing the beauty in front of me, cher.”
His words knocked the air right out of her. When she recovered, she asked, “What kind of flowers are they?”
A breeze lifted her hair and he brushed the strands off her cheek, tucking them behind her ear. “They’re called Indian blanket.”
She met his gaze, and her chest filled with painful sweetness at the soft gleam in his eyes. “Amazing. I’ve never seen anything like it.”
“The flowers are quite something to look at, too.” His dark eyes now held a glint of mischief.
She turned back to the flowers in order to catch her breath. “They look like they go on forever.”
He hugged her closer. “Everything’s bigger and better in Texas.”
She laughed and arched an eyebrow at him. “Including egos?”
“You’re always trying to crush mine.” He shook his head but grinned. “Twenty dollars? You realize I’ll never live that down with those guys.”
“Ha! I’m sure the story will get embellished as time goes on.”
He dismounted from the horse and reached for her. “That kiss doesn’t need embellishment. You can’t improve on perfection, and that’s what you were that night…right up until you disappeared on me.”
She swung her leg over the horse. “I was drunk is what I was.”
He reached up and gripped her firmly around the waist. “Should I be plying you with alcohol?”
“No way am I doing anything like that again,” she said as he lowered her to the ground.
He kept his grip on her waist. “If you’re talking kissing strangers, I concur.”
“Is that right?” Desire started to burn in her belly.
“Mmm. Good thing we’re not strangers. And before you start in on your can’t-date-a-parent argument, remember this date was sanctioned. It has Mr. Drake’s seal of approval.”
She turned away from his intense gaze before she acted on her desire. “Did someone plant them here?”
“No, they’re wildflowers.” He sighed and turned to look at the field.
“This place is a hidden gem. I’m surprised everyone isn’t talking about it, but I’m glad they’re not, because it was such a sweet surprise. Thank you for bringing me here.” His thoughtfulness touched her, and for a moment she thought she might weep, but she blinked and drew in a breath. Weeping over wildflowers would be silly.
He turned back to her. “The flowers remind me of you.”
“Me? Why?”
“Your perfume that night in New Orleans kept reminding me of something. Took me a while but I finally figured out it was this place.” His smug smile told her he was pleased to have solved it.
“I-I was wearing Sunflowers by Elizabeth Arden.” She applauded her choice of perfume if this was the result.
“That probably explains it. Indian blanket—gaillardia—are part of the sunflower family.”
“Look at you,” she teased. “Do you have an interest in botany?”
“Not really.” He shrugged, but a fleeting sadness passed over his features. “My mother loved Texas wildflowers and studied up on them when we moved here. I guess some of her knowledge rubbed off.”
“Thank you for bringing me here. It’s not someplace I would just stumble on, and these flowers are gorgeous.” She hugged her arms, relishing the feeling he’d created.
“Good thing I got the scent right, or I’d be looking foolish about now.” He flicked a finger down her cheek. His sexy grin had replaced the sadness.
Her lips twitched as she tried not to laugh. “I’m glad I wasn’t wearing my body lotion that night. We might have ended up in a cucumber patch today.”
He laughed. “I’m glad, too, not because of the cucumber patch but because I might not have thought to bring you here today.”
“What if I hadn’t placed that winning bid?” No matter what happened between them in the future, she would recall this day with fondness.
“I would’ve had to find some other way to get you here.” He glanced around. “Speaking of which, Landry was supposed to get things set up for our picnic. Ah, over there.”
He pointed to a large rolling cooler and a blanket folded and laid on top. “My sister came in from New Orleans today and brought some local favorites for our picnic.”
“Wow, you really put a lot of thought into this. Would you have brought Deirdre here if she’d won the bidding that night?”
“No. This is just for you, cher.” He gave a mirthless laugh. “She wouldn’t have considered this a date. She would have insisted on a dinner at the most expensive restaurant in town. I doubt if she’d consider wildflowers romantic.”
Her insides melted. So he’d wanted this date to be romantic?
“I think they’re beautiful.” And she loved that he’d brought her here, cared enough to go out of his way because of the perfume she’d worn in New Orleans.
They made their way over to the cooler with the horse trailing behind them. When he stopped to sample the flowers, Remy clicked his tongue and urged Ranger to stay with them.
Sasha took the blanket and spread it on the ground while Remy opened the cooler and pulled out two bottles of Italian blood orange soda and a giant round sandwich wrapped in white paper with bright red lettering. “I had Charlotte get these from Central Grocery before she left the city this morning.”
She sighed and dropped to her knees on the blanket. He’d truly put a lot of thought into this entire date. “Is that a muffuletta?”
“It sure is. Are you a fan?” He grinned as he set up their lunch on the blanket and sat next to her.
“Absolutely. I tried one that weekend and loved it.”
He considered her, his expression neutral. “So you were all about new experiences that weekend?”
“If you’re asking if I make a habit of kissing strange men in bars, the answer is no.” That weekend in New Orleans had been exactly what she’d said…an aberration.
“Hmm, are you calling me strange?” He bumped shoulders with her.
She laughed. “I meant strangers. Although…”
“Hey.” He reached over and pulled her close. “Strange or stranger. I’ll take either label if you’ll kiss me again.”
She glanced around.
“There’s no one here to see us, cher.” His shoulders shook with laughter. “Except the horse.”
“Maybe that’s what I’m afraid of…” She nibbled on her upper lip with her bottom teeth.
“I have it on good authority that Annie’s horses don’t gossip.” He ran a finger down her cheek. “And you have nothing to fear from me.”
“It might not be you I’m afraid of.” Ain’t that the truth. Her body had awakened from a five-year slumber and was clamoring for his touch.
“Ah, so all your protestations about dating are just a smoke screen?”
“No, it’s true I’m not supposed to date a parent of a student.”
“We’re just sharing a sandwich and…”
“That and is what I find so concerning.”
…
Remy couldn’t take his gaze from hers. She was so damn gorgeous. But it wasn’t just the physical or the strange erotic chemistry they shared. He liked Sasha, really liked her. Admired her beauty, her strength, her vulnerability.
He leaned forward until his lips touched hers. There was the slightest resistance at first, then she made a noise in her throat and opened her mouth to his probing tongue. He didn’t waste any time, and soon his tongue was dueling with hers. She tasted like peanut butter and chocolate. She must’ve sampled Mrs. W’s buckeye cookies, which
was the last coherent thought his brain processed. He angled his head closer, but their lips and tongues continued to be the only parts connected. If he touched anywhere else, he might explode, so he closed his eyes and continued the exquisite torture that was their kiss.
Something pushed against his head, forcing him to break contact with her lips. His eyes flew open, and his gaze collided with her startled one.
“What the…?”
The horse snorted and wedged his head between them.
“That’s definitely a first,” he said, trying to gather his wits. His thoughts scattered like buckshot.
Sasha laughed and patted the horse’s head.
“Don’t encourage him,” he told her, but the interruption might’ve been a good thing. He may have told her no one could see them, but this spot wasn’t remote enough, private enough for what could’ve happened if Ranger hadn’t gotten between them.
She laughed again. “I think he wants some of our lunch. Maybe we’d better eat.”
Remy shook his head at the horse. “Considering your ill-timed manners, I shouldn’t give this to you, but I will in the hopes you’ll be more respectful next time.”
Remy pulled an apple from the cooler and began to cut it up for the horse.
Sasha opened their giant sandwich and divided it between them on the plastic-coated picnic plates.
They stretched out on the blanket and ate their sandwiches.
Sasha wiped crumbs off her shirt. “I see why you thought my perfume reminded you of these flowers. I love them, by the way.”
“I was going to buy some cut flowers but knew these would last longer.”
“These will last forever in my memory,” Sasha said. “When I didn’t want something to end, my mother used to tell me to close my eyes and picture in my mind what I’d just seen. She said that way it would become mine forever. So if I close my eyes, I can make this day last forever.”
He smiled. Yep, that was the plan.
Chapter Eleven
Sasha checked her front pockets again even though she’d done so twice already. Damn. Where could those keys be? She checked the back pockets of her jeans again. Nothing.
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