way into the T-shirt he’d worn under his plaid shirt. The navy cloth fell like a final curtain over his abs.
Would he want her like that again?
* * *
Bumping along the highways, then dirt roads, to the ranch was mighty uncomfortable. Especially when a man’s jeans were too damn tight in a particular area.
Having Maya beside him wearing a dress so thin he could see the tawny glow of her skin was giving him a bad case of blue balls. Add her hair and dress hem fluttering in the light breeze, and he had to consciously grip the wheel with two hands to keep from touching her.
As soon as he got her settled, he was going to throw himself into good, old-fashioned hard work to slake his lust.
Maya released a low sigh as they rounded a bend and the house came into view. Pride swelled in Cash’s chest. He’d been plenty of places in his life, but none was as beautiful as Paradise Valley to him.
Reaching across the truck, he rested a hand over hers. She looked away from the house and valley and met his gaze.
“If you agree to be my wife, part of this will be yours. And your father will always have a place on it with us.”
Tears lit her dark chocolate eyes. One clung to her lashes for a heartbeat before tumbling down her cheek. Cash brushed his knuckles lightly over it. Wetness trickled between his fingers.
“Thank you,” she choked.
“No need to thank me. Besides, you haven’t accepted my proposal yet.”
She swung her head back to the window. He took her hand again, refusing to let her forget how good he could make her feel. Her response to his kisses and caresses weren’t something to toss away. Rarely did people experience such a physical connection—he never had until now.
Miles of fence stretched from one end of the valley to the other. The grasses were getting high and were almost ready to cut. Haying season would soon be upon them, and they hadn’t gotten Hank and Charlotte into a house yet. When would they ever have time for Cash’s?
If he needed one, that was.
Prince came bounding across the field like a small black deer. The old hound kept the arthritis from his joints by running everywhere.
Maya released a snuffling laugh. “Is that your dog?”
“Yes’m. Prince is one of the best cattle herders we’ve ever had. He’s also got a sweet tooth.”
“Really?”
His breath caught at the joy on her face. The pinched, worried expression she’d worn when he first saw her had vanished. He squeezed her fingers. “Yes, he likes to steal cookies. One time he jumped up and tipped the cookie jar over. Momma was livid. Not only did he eat an entire batch of sugar cookies, but he broke the crockery lid. And Prince was sick for days. We had to send him to the barn.”
Her grin lit her from the inside out. Cash’s heart did a small flip, and he applied the brakes. The truck rolled to a stop and Prince bounded up to the side, but Cash had eyes only for the woman in the passenger’s seat.
He slid his pinky along the white gold band of her engagement ring. Back and forth, holding her gaze. He wasn’t going to ask again. It was time for her to answer.
Her breathing came in harsh rasps. After a solid minute, he feared she may hyperventilate.
“I like you, Maya. In time, I have a feeling that will grow.”
Her throat worked.
“You’re beautiful even if I haven’t seen you smile enough yet.”
As she bowed her head, the corner of her mouth twitched upward.
He worked the diamond back and forth under his finger, wishing it was her taut nipple instead. Since morning, it was practically all he could think of. “You can’t deny we have chemistry.”
Her gaze snapped to his. Eyes darkening, she released a breath she must have been holding. Something passed between them, leaving Cash feeling as if he’d held onto the electric fence too long.
He barely registered driving the rest of the distance to the house or parking the truck with the other vehicles by the barn. He felt giddy, like a kid who’d
Would he want her like that again?
* * *
Bumping along the highways, then dirt roads, to the ranch was mighty uncomfortable. Especially when a man’s jeans were too damn tight in a particular area.
Having Maya beside him wearing a dress so thin he could see the tawny glow of her skin was giving him a bad case of blue balls. Add her hair and dress hem fluttering in the light breeze, and he had to consciously grip the wheel with two hands to keep from touching her.
As soon as he got her settled, he was going to throw himself into good, old-fashioned hard work to slake his lust.
Maya released a low sigh as they rounded a bend and the house came into view. Pride swelled in Cash’s chest. He’d been plenty of places in his life, but none was as beautiful as Paradise Valley to him.
Reaching across the truck, he rested a hand over hers. She looked away from the house and valley and met his gaze.
“If you agree to be my wife, part of this will be yours. And your father will always have a place on it with us.”
Tears lit her dark chocolate eyes. One clung to her lashes for a heartbeat before tumbling down her cheek. Cash brushed his knuckles lightly over it. Wetness trickled between his fingers.
“Thank you,” she choked.
“No need to thank me. Besides, you haven’t accepted my proposal yet.”
She swung her head back to the window. He took her hand again, refusing to let her forget how good he could make her feel. Her response to his kisses and caresses weren’t something to toss away. Rarely did people experience such a physical connection—he never had until now.
Miles of fence stretched from one end of the valley to the other. The grasses were getting high and were almost ready to cut. Haying season would soon be upon them, and they hadn’t gotten Hank and Charlotte into a house yet. When would they ever have time for Cash’s?
If he needed one, that was.
Prince came bounding across the field like a small black deer. The old hound kept the arthritis from his joints by running everywhere.
Maya released a snuffling laugh. “Is that your dog?”
“Yes’m. Prince is one of the best cattle herders we’ve ever had. He’s also got a sweet tooth.”
“Really?”
His breath caught at the joy on her face. The pinched, worried expression she’d worn when he first saw her had vanished. He squeezed her fingers. “Yes, he likes to steal cookies. One time he jumped up and tipped the cookie jar over. Momma was livid. Not only did he eat an entire batch of sugar cookies, but he broke the crockery lid. And Prince was sick for days. We had to send him to the barn.”
Her grin lit her from the inside out. Cash’s heart did a small flip, and he applied the brakes. The truck rolled to a stop and Prince bounded up to the side, but Cash had eyes only for the woman in the passenger’s seat.
He slid his pinky along the white gold band of her engagement ring. Back and forth, holding her gaze. He wasn’t going to ask again. It was time for her to answer.
Her breathing came in harsh rasps. After a solid minute, he feared she may hyperventilate.
“I like you, Maya. In time, I have a feeling that will grow.”
Her throat worked.
“You’re beautiful even if I haven’t seen you smile enough yet.”
As she bowed her head, the corner of her mouth twitched upward.
He worked the diamond back and forth under his finger, wishing it was her taut nipple instead. Since morning, it was practically all he could think of. “You can’t deny we have chemistry.”
Her gaze snapped to his. Eyes darkening, she released a breath she must have been holding. Something passed between them, leaving Cash feeling as if he’d held onto the electric fence too long.
He barely registered driving the rest of the distance to the house or parking the truck with the other vehicles by the barn. He felt giddy, like a kid who’d
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