time to see Alex hurtling around the corner of an outbuilding, a big grin on his face, mud slopped up his shins. He ran straight at her and threw his arms around her hips, burying his face against her shirt.
She sucked in a breath, heart throbbing in her throat. The minute her hands touched his solid back, he switched to hugging Witt. Then Witt flipped him upside down and shook him by one leg until he squealed. As another peal of delight exploded from Alex, Witt hitched him up and settled him on his shoulders.
Heart bursting, choking back happy tears, she looked at the cowboy who’d somehow squeezed his way into her life. He threw her a crooked grin that made her mind whirl as much as his kisses.
“Let’s go visit, Kiser. All three of us.” He took her hand. And she let him.
Chapter Five
Witt gasped as warm, smooth hands covered his eyes. He reached to cover Shelby’s fingers but didn’t even try to pull them away.
“I have a surprise for you.” Her voice wheedled into his brain, heating him in ways he’d never known. In the week since she’d visited the ranch, he’d seen her every day. Each time, she opened the door a little wider and let him in a little more.
“What’s the sur—” His words were cut off when she shoved something in his mouth. He bit down and sweet, delicious apple spilled over his tongue. He groaned.
“Apple pie cupcake with salted caramel buttercream.” She removed her hands and bounced before him. He savored every spice in the cupcake and swallowed. Dark heat mounted in his groin as he stepped toward her.
She backed up, eyes darting as she searched for an escape.
“You aren’t getting away from me. Any woman who can make apple pie cupcakes is going to be mine.”
She laughed and ducked under his arm, putting the length of the shop between them. At this time of afternoon, the place was empty, Nell had left early for a doctor’s appointment and Alex hadn’t yet come in from school. Leaving them alone.
And leaving a helluva lot of chores undone on the ranch. His brothers were going to kick Witt’s ass if he didn’t start pulling his weight. But there was a certain attraction for him in Vixen—one he couldn’t stay away from for too long.
He stalked toward Shelby, drinking in the way she caught her lip in her teeth and her chest worked faster under that adorable red plaid top she wore.
“What will you do with me?” she asked.
“Lock you up and force you to make more cupcakes for me, of course.”
Her phone vibrated on the counter, and he laid a hand on it. She wasn’t going to pick it up until he was done with her. Without thinking, he glanced at the screen.
I’ll meet you tonight in our old booth, okay? Just say yes.
Witt’s heart dropped. He looked at Shelby and panic crossed her beautiful features. “You’ve got a date tonight.” He seemed to speak from a distance. He set the phone down and they stared at each other from across the shop, a chasm between them.
Until now he hadn’t realized how little he knew about her. Maybe he’d been fooling himself all week, thinking she liked him too. He’d talked himself into believing she’d been standing at the window when he’d come in because she’d been waiting for him.
She shook her head. “I can explain.”
“You don’t need to.” He started toward the door, confusion making it hard to draw a full breath.
“I do.” She rushed forward and grabbed his forearm. The instant her fingers wrapped around his sleeve, he felt her towing him under once more. What was it about this woman that ripped the earth from under his feet?
“Please just sit down and listen to me.” She hauled him to a wooden chair painted pink and pushed him into it. She sank to the opposite chair, hands in her lap.
“That was a text from Vonny, wasn’t it?” she asked.
He swallowed. Nodded. Give her a chance. Don’t look at the door, waiting for the angry husband to come in and kick the shit outta you.
“You’re involved
She sucked in a breath, heart throbbing in her throat. The minute her hands touched his solid back, he switched to hugging Witt. Then Witt flipped him upside down and shook him by one leg until he squealed. As another peal of delight exploded from Alex, Witt hitched him up and settled him on his shoulders.
Heart bursting, choking back happy tears, she looked at the cowboy who’d somehow squeezed his way into her life. He threw her a crooked grin that made her mind whirl as much as his kisses.
“Let’s go visit, Kiser. All three of us.” He took her hand. And she let him.
Chapter Five
Witt gasped as warm, smooth hands covered his eyes. He reached to cover Shelby’s fingers but didn’t even try to pull them away.
“I have a surprise for you.” Her voice wheedled into his brain, heating him in ways he’d never known. In the week since she’d visited the ranch, he’d seen her every day. Each time, she opened the door a little wider and let him in a little more.
“What’s the sur—” His words were cut off when she shoved something in his mouth. He bit down and sweet, delicious apple spilled over his tongue. He groaned.
“Apple pie cupcake with salted caramel buttercream.” She removed her hands and bounced before him. He savored every spice in the cupcake and swallowed. Dark heat mounted in his groin as he stepped toward her.
She backed up, eyes darting as she searched for an escape.
“You aren’t getting away from me. Any woman who can make apple pie cupcakes is going to be mine.”
She laughed and ducked under his arm, putting the length of the shop between them. At this time of afternoon, the place was empty, Nell had left early for a doctor’s appointment and Alex hadn’t yet come in from school. Leaving them alone.
And leaving a helluva lot of chores undone on the ranch. His brothers were going to kick Witt’s ass if he didn’t start pulling his weight. But there was a certain attraction for him in Vixen—one he couldn’t stay away from for too long.
He stalked toward Shelby, drinking in the way she caught her lip in her teeth and her chest worked faster under that adorable red plaid top she wore.
“What will you do with me?” she asked.
“Lock you up and force you to make more cupcakes for me, of course.”
Her phone vibrated on the counter, and he laid a hand on it. She wasn’t going to pick it up until he was done with her. Without thinking, he glanced at the screen.
I’ll meet you tonight in our old booth, okay? Just say yes.
Witt’s heart dropped. He looked at Shelby and panic crossed her beautiful features. “You’ve got a date tonight.” He seemed to speak from a distance. He set the phone down and they stared at each other from across the shop, a chasm between them.
Until now he hadn’t realized how little he knew about her. Maybe he’d been fooling himself all week, thinking she liked him too. He’d talked himself into believing she’d been standing at the window when he’d come in because she’d been waiting for him.
She shook her head. “I can explain.”
“You don’t need to.” He started toward the door, confusion making it hard to draw a full breath.
“I do.” She rushed forward and grabbed his forearm. The instant her fingers wrapped around his sleeve, he felt her towing him under once more. What was it about this woman that ripped the earth from under his feet?
“Please just sit down and listen to me.” She hauled him to a wooden chair painted pink and pushed him into it. She sank to the opposite chair, hands in her lap.
“That was a text from Vonny, wasn’t it?” she asked.
He swallowed. Nodded. Give her a chance. Don’t look at the door, waiting for the angry husband to come in and kick the shit outta you.
“You’re involved
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