stuck it on her own. “Now I’m a cowgirl instead of a princess.”
A cowgirl. He wondered if she intended him to note the sexual connotation of that phrase, which now had his jeans feeling too damn tight. He needed to dump her at home quickly and head back to the bar.
“One more block, that way.” She pointed up ahead. Ten seconds later, she asked, “Trip?”
“Yeah?”
“Do you really think men like Wade would like me more if I were less nice?”
His grip tightened around her thighs as he frowned. It was rare—hell, never—that he had a girl wrapped around his body and all she could think about was other men. He set her down in front of her building.
He wouldn’t have responded except she looked up at him with pleading, amber puppy-dog eyes. “It’s not about being nice. You’re just too eager. It’s written all over your face, and most guys aren’t ready for all that so soon.”
“So my being open and thoughtful means I’m too easy?” Her brows drew together. “I’m not that easy. Jeez, it’s been like . . . a while since . . . you know.” Even in the dark, he could read embarrassment all over her face. Boy, tomorrow she was going to regret drinking all that champagne if she remembered everything she’d admitted tonight.
But right now she was suddenly looking at him in a way that set off his radar, because at that moment she was thinking about sex and him, not other men. He liked that idea way more than he should.
The conversation had veered into awkward territory, so he did what he did best. Flirt. “I’d be happy to remedy that particular problem for you. You shouldn’t go too long without. Consider it a birthday present.”
She tipped her chin up a bit, studying him. “You would, wouldn’t you? Just sex and nothing else. And that’s good enough for you? You don’t get lonely?”
“I’m not lonely.” He inched even closer, lowering his voice. “I get what I need. I don’t hurt anyone. And I have a damn good time in the process.” He peered down at her, insanely hoping she might surprise him and take the bait. “You should try it sometime.”
The air seemed to crackle and he realized he’d been holding his breath. Would she actually accept his offer? One night in bed with her would mean he’d deal with the stalker otherwise known as Boomerang for weeks or months. But he already knew it would be worth it. At least, that’s what his body was shouting.
He inclined nearer to her, finding it hard to breathe while she stared at his mouth for several seconds.
Then she shook her head as if waking from a strange dream, and straightened. “Guess it’s something to think about. Thanks for the ride home, cowboy.”
Kelsey turned, shoes in her hand, and scampered down the walkway to her building. She glanced back over her shoulder and gave a little wave. “Good night.”
It wasn’t until a block later that he realized she’d never given him back his hat—one of very few mementoes he had from Poppy. He stopped for a second, but then kept walking. If he’d turned back, he might’ve done or said something really stupid. He’d get Poppy’s hat tomorrow when she came to work on the website.
Right now he needed a cold shower or a woman, but he couldn’t be with some other woman if he was just going to be picturing Kelsey’s pouty mouth. Man, he hated cold showers.
Chapter Four
Kelsey peeked out from beneath the pillow and popped one scratchy eyelid open to find a vintage brown Stetson beside her on the bed. The throbbing in her cotton-stuffed head intensified as she scowled and peered under the covers. Whew! Pajamas. Her nightgown and the empty, neatly made sheets to her left thankfully answered her prayer that she hadn’t done anything too stupid with Trip.
She rolled onto her back and sighed. Self-restraint was a good thing. Of course, being naughty might’ve also been a good thing, at least in the moment. Glancing back at Trip’s hat, she pictured him lying
A cowgirl. He wondered if she intended him to note the sexual connotation of that phrase, which now had his jeans feeling too damn tight. He needed to dump her at home quickly and head back to the bar.
“One more block, that way.” She pointed up ahead. Ten seconds later, she asked, “Trip?”
“Yeah?”
“Do you really think men like Wade would like me more if I were less nice?”
His grip tightened around her thighs as he frowned. It was rare—hell, never—that he had a girl wrapped around his body and all she could think about was other men. He set her down in front of her building.
He wouldn’t have responded except she looked up at him with pleading, amber puppy-dog eyes. “It’s not about being nice. You’re just too eager. It’s written all over your face, and most guys aren’t ready for all that so soon.”
“So my being open and thoughtful means I’m too easy?” Her brows drew together. “I’m not that easy. Jeez, it’s been like . . . a while since . . . you know.” Even in the dark, he could read embarrassment all over her face. Boy, tomorrow she was going to regret drinking all that champagne if she remembered everything she’d admitted tonight.
But right now she was suddenly looking at him in a way that set off his radar, because at that moment she was thinking about sex and him, not other men. He liked that idea way more than he should.
The conversation had veered into awkward territory, so he did what he did best. Flirt. “I’d be happy to remedy that particular problem for you. You shouldn’t go too long without. Consider it a birthday present.”
She tipped her chin up a bit, studying him. “You would, wouldn’t you? Just sex and nothing else. And that’s good enough for you? You don’t get lonely?”
“I’m not lonely.” He inched even closer, lowering his voice. “I get what I need. I don’t hurt anyone. And I have a damn good time in the process.” He peered down at her, insanely hoping she might surprise him and take the bait. “You should try it sometime.”
The air seemed to crackle and he realized he’d been holding his breath. Would she actually accept his offer? One night in bed with her would mean he’d deal with the stalker otherwise known as Boomerang for weeks or months. But he already knew it would be worth it. At least, that’s what his body was shouting.
He inclined nearer to her, finding it hard to breathe while she stared at his mouth for several seconds.
Then she shook her head as if waking from a strange dream, and straightened. “Guess it’s something to think about. Thanks for the ride home, cowboy.”
Kelsey turned, shoes in her hand, and scampered down the walkway to her building. She glanced back over her shoulder and gave a little wave. “Good night.”
It wasn’t until a block later that he realized she’d never given him back his hat—one of very few mementoes he had from Poppy. He stopped for a second, but then kept walking. If he’d turned back, he might’ve done or said something really stupid. He’d get Poppy’s hat tomorrow when she came to work on the website.
Right now he needed a cold shower or a woman, but he couldn’t be with some other woman if he was just going to be picturing Kelsey’s pouty mouth. Man, he hated cold showers.
Chapter Four
Kelsey peeked out from beneath the pillow and popped one scratchy eyelid open to find a vintage brown Stetson beside her on the bed. The throbbing in her cotton-stuffed head intensified as she scowled and peered under the covers. Whew! Pajamas. Her nightgown and the empty, neatly made sheets to her left thankfully answered her prayer that she hadn’t done anything too stupid with Trip.
She rolled onto her back and sighed. Self-restraint was a good thing. Of course, being naughty might’ve also been a good thing, at least in the moment. Glancing back at Trip’s hat, she pictured him lying
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