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Back To Country (Country Love #4)(16)

By:Vicki Green


Setting down the spray and cloth on the glass, she walks over and puts her arm around my shoulders, smiling even bigger. "Then you'll just whip up an amazin' dinner and take it over to his house." Oh. Oh! What a great idea!

"He does love my cooking," I murmur.

"He'll love a home-cooked meal. I don't know any bachelor who can cook worth a damn. You are an amazin' cook and you can score more points makin' enough for his friend too." She gives me a wink. I normally cook enough for a small army, which would pretty much feed all the guys who work on his ranch.

After that we talk all things "taking dinner to Nash". Our plan is set in motion!

The next day is long. No word from Nash but I'm on cloud nine thinking about taking dinner over to him in a few hours. I'm a wreck! The anticipation is overwhelming. Misty and Pam have been working the shop while I prepare not only dinner in the back room but getting the dough and everything ready for tomorrow so they don't have as much to do after closing tonight. Misty told me I didn't need to, but it's the least I can do. They're both excited for me to go over to Nash's, and I'm a nervous fumbling idiot. I had to scratch two batches of dough, not paying attention and putting in too much salt and not enough flour. Both times!



       
         
       
        

"Girl! Go upstairs and change. Your dinner smells amazin'! We can handle everythin'. Go get dressed!" I look up from the preparing table when Misty walks in to the back room. "Lord, howdy! You're a mess!" I look around at all the flour covering the table, on my hands, up my arms, and I can only imagine how much is on my face and in my hair. "Mercy me! Get upstairs and take your shower." She laughs.

I do as she says, the entire time my hands are shaking and my heart is about to take off in flight. So, I do the only thing I can do.

"I'm a wreck," I say into my phone.

"Aw, sweetie. You'll be fine. Just be yourself and let everything else happen naturally." Sadie's voice is a little comforting. Although it's hard to hear her over the wailing of one of the babies.

"Who's upset there? Do I need to come over?"

Loud shuffling comes through the phone and more baby wailing. "Oh, it's Jared. He's not happy today. All he wants to do is be carried around. Memphis is dealing with Evie while I cart Jared all over the house." I smile thinking about her babies.

"Maybe I should just come over. I can take care of Jared." I'd love to hold him and walk him around the house. I should stop by on my way to Nash's. No. The food will get cold even though I'm taking the hot meals over in Pyrex with a warmer in their carrying cases. I could put them in her oven to keep warm! Yes!



 "No." My brows lower. Did I say all that out loud? "I know what you're thinking." She's always been able to read my thoughts. She knows me too well. "Jared will be fine. He's just being fussy as lots of babies do. You go and have a great time, Bestie. Go. Be with the person you're supposed to be with." Am I? So far it feels as if the universe doesn't think so. "Trust me. Nash is a good man and you two are supposed to be together."

"Thanks, Bestie."

I hang up feeling a bit better but as I drive to his house, I'm still a nervous wreck. The drive is so much longer, going past Shiloh and Colby's house, then past Sadie and Memphis', and my stomach is tied up in knots. By the time I get to Prie and Trevor's house, I feel like I might be sick and have a death grip on the steering wheel. Then I start wondering if Prie ever told Trevor about the baby so by the time I'm pulling into the drive of Nash's ranch, I almost forgot where I was going. ADHD much? Not really, but my mind does seem to wander sometimes. 

His drive seems to go on forever. I'm okay with that since my heart is now lodged in my throat. I'm never gonna be able to utter a single word. As the tree lined drive opens up, his huge house appears. Oh, my God! It's beautiful, if you like a mansion/plantation kind of thing. I'd seen it from afar but being in front of it is almost intimidating. Stopping the car in front of the house, I can't move. I'm frozen. My hands won't let go of the death grip they have on the wheel. I'm scared. I'm nervous. I'm going to be a bumbling twit. There's tapping on my window, and I jump. It's a  –  cowboy. Not strange for these parts but why is he tapping on my window? Slowly, I release the wheel with my left hand and push the button to lower the window.

"Uh  –  Miss? Are you lost?" I tilt my head at him. He's really nice looking. Looks to be a bit tall. Nice hat. "Ya all right there?" I must look like a scared deer caught in headlights.

"Oh! Um. Sorry. I'm here to see Nash. Is he home?" Oh, my God! What if he isn't home? What if he needed to go into town and I'm here. That would just be like every time we've tried to get together. The universe hates me!

He smiles, and I gotta say it's a great smile. Really lights up his gorgeous face. And is he gorgeous? "Ah! I see. Well you must be Tina?" What? Nash has said something about me? Oh, my God! I nod, not sure what to say. I mean, what do you say to that? "He'll be happy to see you." Without another word, he opens my door. Chivalry is not dead! Although, I'm finding out more and more that cowboys just seem to be that way naturally. Sigh. He holds his hand out to me, and I place mine in his. Wow! Once I've stepped out onto the paved driveway, I turn and look into my back seat.

"I  –  um, brought dinner?" I look up at him. Yes, up. And give him a small smile. Why am I stuttering already and why in the hell did I say that like a question? Shit, I'm already screwed.



He chuckles and opens the back door of my car. "That's mighty nice of ya. Lord knows we could use a good home-cooked meal." We? He starts taking out the dishes in their Pyrex carriers, stacking them on top of each other. Well, I did make enough for a small army. Bad habit when I cook. "Now, Nash. He can grill up some decent grub but other than that, Manuel did most of the cookin'. Of course...." He turns around with arms full of Pyrex. "Well, you know that he's laid up for a spell." I nod shakily. Since when did my dinner for two turn into a dinner for....? I don't even know how many!



 "Well, uh  –  thanks." I guess?



He turns and I start following him up the porch steps. "I mean. It's not like we're starvin' or anythin'. I can make omelets and Sam can make toast and bacon. Luis  –  well, he can make a salad." Oh, my God! I'm walking into a bachelor's pad! These guys don't know how to cook!

I move around him quickly, opening the door for him. He walks inside and I hesitate. Now's the time to "woman up" or head back to the coffee shop defeated. Taking a deep breath, I square my shoulders and walk inside, closing the door behind me. "What am I walking into?" I whisper, watching him walk away. "Should I follow or do I run?" My thoughts start ping-ponging around in my head.

"Tina?"

My eyes snap up at the winding staircase to my right. Nash. Good Lord, he's shirtless! Walking down the steps, shirt in hand, a look of surprise on his face, his green eyes glaring into mine. His jeans ride low on his slim waist. He's barefoot. Oh, good God! Even his feet are sexy! He's the epitome of sex. I lick my lips at the sight of his taut nipples, the build of his broad chest, his very large shoulders, and the sculpture of his abs. Being a redhead, his skin is very fair, making the definitions over his ribs and abs stand out even more. He's like  –  a Greek cowboy. What in the hell does he see in me? He could have anyone on the planet. Why me?



       
         
       
        

"Tina," he says with a smile as he takes the last step and walks toward me, putting his muscular arms through the sleeves of his shirt. Oh, don't feel you have to put that on because of me. "What a nice surprise." He walks over until he's standing in front of me, pulling his shirt down, in my personal space. He makes me nervous in my space. I can already feel the heat of the blush working its way across my cheeks. "And what do I owe the pleasure of this unexpected visit?" What a smooth talker! Don't blow this when you open your mouth, Tina! Be calm. Pretend you're one of those girls who can handle being around a sexy ass cowboy. Pretend! You can do this! "Just be yourself." Sadie's voice rings in my ears. Yeah, I shouldn't do that.



I smile and take a deep breath, pushing back my internal dialog. "I just thought you would like a home-cooked meal." There! That wasn't so bad. I'm kinda proud of myself. His eyebrow raises. "I mean  –  not that you can't cook. Uh, I'm sure you all eat just fine here." Oh, my God! Stop talking!

He chuckles as he places his hand on my arm. His touch is electrifying, sending bits of magnetic charges through my shoulder and arm, down to my fingertips. I let out a small gasp as I look up and into his widened eyes but purse my lips quickly. That was weird yet amazing at the same time. He smiles and my panties are soaked. "That's mighty kind of you. Some of us cook, but it's nothin' as amazin' as your cookin'." Now, my blush is spreading across my chest. "I'm honored you brought us some of your delectable food." The color of his green eyes seem to darken. I pull down on the hem of my shirt. Is it getting warm in here?