Single-Dad Cowboy by Vicki Lewis Thompson
Chapter Thirty-Two
After staying awake into the wee hours drinking and commiserating with Val the night before, exhaustion had propelled Nell to bed at nine. Evidently she was overtired, though, because sleep refused to come.
The longer she lay in the dark tossing and turning, the more she wanted to punch something. Damn Zeke Lassiter! She’d found the perfect town, the perfect job, the perfect little bungalow and the perfect best friend. Then that sexy cowboy had to show up and ruin everything.
She was a mess—tired, cranky, sexually frustrated. Yep, that, too. What a disaster. How could an intelligent woman get herself into such a fix?
Wait—she was intelligent. And she hadn’t taken all those psychology classes for nothing. What techniques were good for letting off steam? Physical exercise, but she wasn’t about to go running around the neighborhood at… what was it? Ten-thirty-seven. She’d been trying to sleep since nine.
Damn Zeke Lassiter. What else released tension? Well, besides that.
Oh, yeah, beating on something soft with a baseball bat. Too bad she didn’t have one.
She had a broom, but that would be too long and awkward. Bounding out of bed, she flipped on lights as she roamed the house looking for a bat substitute.
The plastic extension for the vacuum cleaner head was about right, but what if she broke it? She was in the mood to hit something hard and breaking her vacuum attachment would just make her mad at herself. Counterproductive.
She opened her coat closet. Not the umbrella. She’d break that for sure. But the wooden closet rod might work. Thank goodness for old houses that still had wooden rods.
This one was thick and about the same length as a bat. And—hallelujah—it was removable. Unhooking the hangers that held her parka, her raincoat and a denim jacket, she dumped them on the end of the couch.
The rod came out like a dream. She piled two large throw pillows on the other end of the couch, lifted the rod over her head and whacked the top pillow. Yes!
“Take that, Zeke Lassiter!” She pounded the pillow as hard as she could. “And that, and that, and that! You suck! You suck, suck, suck!” Panting, she paused to catch her breath.
What was that noise? She turned toward the door. Someone was tapping on it. Better not be him. “Who is it?”
“Me.”
Perfect. Her evening was complete. “Go away!”
“Nell, please let me—”
“I’m busy!”
“I know. I heard you whaling away in there.”
His voice still had the power to make her stomach flutter. “I’m not having sex with you. Not ever. I don’t care if the world’s coming to an end.” She moved closer to the door. “I don’t care if you just discovered you have a terminal disease. You can just—”
“I don’t want to have sex with you.”
“Ha! That’s a likely—”
“But I’d sure like to make love to you.”
“I knew it! Claire’s with her grandparents again tonight and you’re lonely.”
“Both things are true, but I—”
“You think just because we had such a good time in bed I won’t be able to resist your sexy self, but I can and I will. Go away.” She was close enough to touch the door. And weakening, damn it.
“Please let me in.”
She swallowed. “No.”
“Then I’ll have to say this out here. I was hoping I could say it to your face, but—”
“Say what?” Her heart stuttered.
“I love you.”
Oh, and he thought that would get him through the door. “Nice try. I already knew that. But you don’t have the courage of your convictions.”
“I do, now.”
She gulped. His tone had changed. He did sound more sure of himself. “What do you mean?”
“I love you and I’m asking you to share a guest cabin at the ranch with me and Claire. I’ve been an idiot. I hope you can forgive me for that, because—”
She flung open the door, heart hammering. “I’m listening.”
He glanced at the rod in her hand. “Would you… uh… mind putting that down?”
“Oh.” She tossed it away and it clattered to the floor. “I was using it to get out my frustrations.”
“Because I suck.”
God, he was adorable, standing there with his Stetson shoved back and his hopeful expression. “You do suck.” She paused. “But that’s not always a bad thing.”
He grinned, relief in his gaze. “You wouldn’t make that joke if you were still mad.”
“Oh, I’m still mad.” She reached for his arm and tugged him inside. “Mad because you put me through hell, mad because it took you so long to figure this out.” She gazed up at him. “I’m also mad about you, cowboy.”
His breath caught. “Does that mean—”
“That I love you? That I can’t wait to move into that guest cabin with you and Claire? Yes, it does.”
“Thank God.” He kicked the door shut and pulled her into his arms. “Thank God I didn’t completely blow it.”
All the tight knots in her body loosened. She wrapped her arms around his neck and snuggled in. “You came close.”
“Too close.” He tightened his grip. “It’s scary to think I almost lost you. And by the way, your ringtone is I Need You.”
“Oh.” She melted against him.
“I need you so much, Nell.” He lowered his head.
“Wait.”
He paused.
“What changed?”
“Everything.” Love shone in the depths of his gaze.
“Like what?”
“Can I explain later? I desperately want to—”
“But I—”
“Just take my word for it. Everything changed.” He leaned closer. “Except this.” His mouth settled over hers.
As his kiss deepened, as the warm rush of desire mixed with love swept her away, she took his word for it. Everything had changed. Except for this. Which made anything possible.
* * *
Coming Soon!
A premature proposal leaves Teague Sullivan and Valerie Jenson in a faceoff in MARRIAGE-MINDED COWBOY, book nine in the Buckskin Brotherhood series!
