hear cold showers really suck." She grinned impishly, unable to resist teasing him.
He chuckled and shook his head. "Not going there."
"Well, drat. Here I looked forward to hearing the ins and outs of men and their cold showers."
His gaze met hers, amusement flashing through his eyes. "You're fishing in an empty pond."
"Hmmm… Wonder where I can find a stocked one then?"
Pulling into his earlier parking space, he cut the engine, and turned his full attention to her. "Just what kind of fish are you looking to catch?"
Her face heated at the not so subtle innuendo. Dang it. He turned the tables on her. "I don't know?" When in doubt, play dumb.
Night stared at her for a long moment, his lips twitching. Obviously satisfied, he released her gaze, gracefully sliding out of the truck.
Summer followed suit, a bit unsettled from his intensity. It was like he could see into her deepest thoughts. A man being able to read a woman's mind could be quite embarrassing. After all, what if he stumbled across the image of her shucking his clothes off at amazing speed and hopping astride for a session of ride 'em cowgirl? Talk about mortifying.
Seconds later, he followed her up the front porch steps, both pausing to slip their muddy shoes off before entering in the house. Murphy greeted them at the door, nosing first Summer then Night.
"Hi, girl." He greeted the large dog.
She pointed out the bathroom. He followed her directions, striding quickly to the small room to his right. She heard the click of the light switch. Taking the opportunity, she dashed to the kitchen to wash her hands, then returned to the living room, arriving in plenty of time to meet Night as he emerged from the restroom. Murphy sat on the large area rug, looking from her to him and back.
"How much do I owe you?" She reached for her purse.
"Nothing."
Her back stiffened. "Yes. I do. And, I will pay you."
"No, you won't," his voice though soft, encouraged no argument.
"But, I need to pay you, do something for you. You worked hard out there."
He shrugged. "I enjoyed it. I don't get to do a lot of manual labor like that anymore. It made for a good day, an honest day's work."
"Thank you. Really. I didn't realize what a task that would be and couldn't have done it without your help. At least let me fix you something to eat."
The corners of his mouth lifted. "That I will do."
She returned his smile, already heading to the kitchen. "Any preferences?"
"As long as I don't have to kill it, I'm good." He trailed behind her.
"Okay. Let's see." She nosed through the fridge then a couple of cabinets, tossing out suggestions.
"It looks like spaghetti, grilled cheese, or white chicken chili."
Night took a seat at the small dining table, petting Murphy as she plopped down next to him. "Let's go with the chili."
"Okay." Summer grabbed a couple of cans of white beans, chicken broth, and poured them into a pan to heat. After that, she pulled out three large chicken breasts from the freezer, dropping them into a separate pan full of water. Turning the stove on high, she went about gathering spices, and setting the table. Noticing how her pet leaned and begged for attention from Night, Summer couldn't help but smile. "Animals seem to like you."
He shrugged, finding an itchy patch on Murphy's back, which sent her back foot to thumping. "Ever since I was a kid, I liked animals. Went to summer camp at a working ranch a few times."
A bit surprised, she grabbed a couple of glasses from the cupboard filling them with ice. "Why don't you have them, then? Even if you don't have acreage for large animals, you can still have a dog or a cat. Heck, I hear people keep pot bellied pigs and even snakes in the house."
"I bring a snake in the house and my mother will screech to high Heaven, proceed to kill it, then take the hoe to me." He threw his head back and laughed with genuine humor.
"I don't blame her a bit." Summer agreed, enjoying the conversation and glimpse into his life.
He chuckled and shook his head. "Not going there."
"Well, drat. Here I looked forward to hearing the ins and outs of men and their cold showers."
His gaze met hers, amusement flashing through his eyes. "You're fishing in an empty pond."
"Hmmm… Wonder where I can find a stocked one then?"
Pulling into his earlier parking space, he cut the engine, and turned his full attention to her. "Just what kind of fish are you looking to catch?"
Her face heated at the not so subtle innuendo. Dang it. He turned the tables on her. "I don't know?" When in doubt, play dumb.
Night stared at her for a long moment, his lips twitching. Obviously satisfied, he released her gaze, gracefully sliding out of the truck.
Summer followed suit, a bit unsettled from his intensity. It was like he could see into her deepest thoughts. A man being able to read a woman's mind could be quite embarrassing. After all, what if he stumbled across the image of her shucking his clothes off at amazing speed and hopping astride for a session of ride 'em cowgirl? Talk about mortifying.
Seconds later, he followed her up the front porch steps, both pausing to slip their muddy shoes off before entering in the house. Murphy greeted them at the door, nosing first Summer then Night.
"Hi, girl." He greeted the large dog.
She pointed out the bathroom. He followed her directions, striding quickly to the small room to his right. She heard the click of the light switch. Taking the opportunity, she dashed to the kitchen to wash her hands, then returned to the living room, arriving in plenty of time to meet Night as he emerged from the restroom. Murphy sat on the large area rug, looking from her to him and back.
"How much do I owe you?" She reached for her purse.
"Nothing."
Her back stiffened. "Yes. I do. And, I will pay you."
"No, you won't," his voice though soft, encouraged no argument.
"But, I need to pay you, do something for you. You worked hard out there."
He shrugged. "I enjoyed it. I don't get to do a lot of manual labor like that anymore. It made for a good day, an honest day's work."
"Thank you. Really. I didn't realize what a task that would be and couldn't have done it without your help. At least let me fix you something to eat."
The corners of his mouth lifted. "That I will do."
She returned his smile, already heading to the kitchen. "Any preferences?"
"As long as I don't have to kill it, I'm good." He trailed behind her.
"Okay. Let's see." She nosed through the fridge then a couple of cabinets, tossing out suggestions.
"It looks like spaghetti, grilled cheese, or white chicken chili."
Night took a seat at the small dining table, petting Murphy as she plopped down next to him. "Let's go with the chili."
"Okay." Summer grabbed a couple of cans of white beans, chicken broth, and poured them into a pan to heat. After that, she pulled out three large chicken breasts from the freezer, dropping them into a separate pan full of water. Turning the stove on high, she went about gathering spices, and setting the table. Noticing how her pet leaned and begged for attention from Night, Summer couldn't help but smile. "Animals seem to like you."
He shrugged, finding an itchy patch on Murphy's back, which sent her back foot to thumping. "Ever since I was a kid, I liked animals. Went to summer camp at a working ranch a few times."
A bit surprised, she grabbed a couple of glasses from the cupboard filling them with ice. "Why don't you have them, then? Even if you don't have acreage for large animals, you can still have a dog or a cat. Heck, I hear people keep pot bellied pigs and even snakes in the house."
"I bring a snake in the house and my mother will screech to high Heaven, proceed to kill it, then take the hoe to me." He threw his head back and laughed with genuine humor.
"I don't blame her a bit." Summer agreed, enjoying the conversation and glimpse into his life.
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