After the Sunset by Mary Calmes

long it would take for him to join me.
    It was cute that the second I got out of the bathroom, Bella was there on the other side of the door waiting for me. Her huff of breath made me smile. She sounded like she was irritated.
    “I take long showers,” I said defensively. The head tip let me know that she had no earthly idea what I was talking about.
    Minutes later I was at the top of the stairs ready to go down when Rand appeared at the bottom.
    “I wanna talk to you,” he said, smiling up at me.
    “Talk,” I told him, descending toward him, staring into his eyes. The heat that was returned made my stomach flutter.
    “I’m leavin’ in the morning.”
    “So you said.”
    “C’mere.”
    When I was a step above him so that we were eye to eye, I stopped. “Will you really be gone a week?”
    “No, four days actually. I’ll get to Zach’s place tomorrow afternoon, and then bright and early Thursday morning the guests will arrive. It’s four days there at his ranch, it’s done Sunday morning, and then I’ll be home the same night.”
    I nodded. “So it’s not like you’ll actually be working his ranch like you do yours.”
    “Ours.”
    “Ours,” I repeated, putting my hand on his cheek, liking the feel of the firm skin and stubble under my palm.
    “I’m so glad you came home early.”
    “I would’ve been here in another hour anyway.”
    “Yeah, I know,” he said as he leaned forward, kissing my cheek, the motion tender and sexy all at once. “But sooner is always better.”
    I sighed heavily as his nose brushed over the side of my neck.
    “You smell good.”
    It was amazing how smoky and low Rand’s voice got whenever he talked and kissed me at the same time. The gruff, low growl never failed to make me hard.
    “I wish I didn’t have to go.”
    I looked up into his face. “I could come.”
    He shook his head. “All the spots on the guest list are filled.”
    “No, Rand, I could help you.”
    His snort of laughter made me scowl.
    “Rand.” I lowered my voice, the warning there.
    He cleared his throat, tightening his arms around me when I tried to shove free.
    I growled at him.
    “Love,” he tried hard to stifle the chuckle. “Just because you live on a ranch doesn’t mean you can ride a horse.”
    “Rand—”
    “Stef.” His smile was big and wicked and made his eyes glitter. “Baby—”
    “Don’t call me baby, and I can ride a horse, Rand.”
    “Correction, you can ride your horse because you basically raised her after her mama passed, but any other horse would not allow you to just sit there and do nothing.”
    “What’re you—”
    “That horse does everything, Stef. You just hold the reins. She runs when she wants, she walks when she wants, rides into streams when she wants,” he chuckled, his hand sliding down my back, slipping up under the T-shirt to my skin. “She loves you, same as that damn fool dog, but any other horse and you’re gonna break your neck.”
    “Rand—”
    “I like your neck in one piece.”
    “I’m going,” I told him matter-of-factly. “Case closed.”
    “No.”
    “Yes.”
    “Absolutely not,” he said indulgently.
    I arched an eyebrow for him.
    “Baby, it’s not how you think.”
    “I’m not thinking anything, and quit with the baby.”
    “Stef—”
    “Excuse me.”
    We turned to find Rand’s cousin Ginger descending the stairs behind us. He let me go as she took the final step to the floor, but one of his hands moved to the small of my back and stayed there. Her own was instantly offered.
    “It’s nice to meet you,” I told her as we shook.
    “I feel like such an ass,” she said, biting her bottom lip, her hand squeezing mine. “What you must think of me.”
    I smiled at her.
    “I just… I didn’t know that you were living here, and when Glenn said that I should invite Lisa, I thought it would be funny.” She breathed out.
    I eased my hand from hers as Rand slid his up to the back of my neck, his fingers massaging