Shane (Remington Ranch Book 2) by SJ McCoy Page B

girl?”
    “That’d be her.”
    His dad gave him a puzzled look. “Oh. Okay.”
    “You don’t like the idea?”
    “No, it’s not that at all. I just thought your mom…” He shook his head. “Never mind. You get on. Have a great evening. My memory’s getting even worse than I thought. Say hi to Cassidy for me. She’s a real firecracker that one. I like her. But I wouldn’t go thinking you can get away with your usual tricks with her.”
    Shane laughed. “I don’t think I can get away with a thing with Cassidy. I’ve been asking her out for ages, and I’m lucky she agreed to see me tonight. Don’t worry, I’ll be on my best behavior.”
    “You’ll need to be, if you want a second date. And I have a feeling you will.”
    Shane took a deep breath. “So do I.”
    “Get going then. You don’t want to blow it by being late.”
    ~ ~ ~
    Cassidy kept popping her head into the back room. She’d told Shane to park in the alley behind the gallery and come to back the door, but it was taking her longer than she’d expected to get everything set up out in the gallery. Once she had everything just as she wanted, she stood in the doorway between the two spaces so she could keep an eye on the front and an ear out for Shane in the back.
    She heard him knock and pulled the gallery door closed behind her before going to let him in the back door.
    She caught her breath at the sight of him. Damn, he was a good-looking guy. A denim shirt stretched across his broad shoulders, his muscular thighs were encased in work worn Wranglers, which she just knew would showcase his great ass perfectly.
    “Evening, pretty lady.”
    He caught her off guard by presenting her with a bunch of flowers from behind his back. Roses! A dozen of them! She hadn’t expected that. She felt a moment’s hesitation. She didn’t have to do this to him. She looked up at him. His sandy hair was perfectly tousled, making him look more like a surfer than a rancher. His strong jawline twitched as the corners of his mouth turned up in a smile. As she met his gaze his hazel eyes glimmered with amusement. He was gorgeous!
    “Are you ready for this?”
    Was she? Was she really going to do it to him?
    His smile turned into that infuriatingly cocky grin of his as he stepped closer, crowding her, drowning her senses. His words sealed his fate. “Do you think you can handle this?”
    She pulled herself together and stepped neatly aside as he tried to put his hands on her waist and draw her closer. Arrogant prick! She sure as hell could handle it. “Oh, I can Shane. We’re going to find out if you can handle it. But, as per our bet, I need you naked first.”
    He seemed oblivious to any tension as he grinned and started to unbutton his shirt. “Anything you say, sweet Cassidy. Anything you say.”
    She nodded grimly. “That was the deal, and you are a man of your word, right, Shane?”
    He shrugged out of his shirt and stepped toward her again. She took a step back. She couldn’t afford to let him get too close. She was already covered in goosebumps. Her heart was pounding, and she could easily forget all her plans for this evening and go along with his instead. Before she realized it, she’d backed herself all the way up against the counter. He’d matched her step for step and now stood before her, his broad chest at her eye level taunting her to touch. Her fingers twitched to be allowed to do just that.
    He placed a hand on the counter on either side of her hips and lowered his head to hers. Oh, God! If he tried to kiss her now, it would be game over, and she would not be the winner.
    “So, what do you want me to do next?”
    His cocky grin saved her again, giving her the strength to put a hand to his shoulder and push him back. “Get your pants off.” She picked up a towel and thrust it at him making him grasp it in surprise. “Then wrap that around your waist and come on through. “I’ll be in the front.”
    She fled for the door while she still