Beneath the Stetson(39)
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Bailey didn’t have much time to dither over her wardrobe. But she did intend to prove to Gil that she wasn’t all business all the time. He had used the word comfortable. Men, however, were clueless at times about what was appropriate. If Bailey and Gil were picking up Cade at the home of a family friend, there was a good chance Bailey would be meeting someone. And she didn’t plan to do so in old jeans and a T-shirt.
The outfit she picked out was one that packed easily, but was comfy and fashionable at the same time. The short-sleeved, burgundy knit shirtdress was striped with navy and ended several inches above her knees. She paired it with navy leggings trimmed at the ankle with lace. Black espadrilles matched the black headband she used to push back her unruly hair. When she looked in the mirror after changing clothes hastily, the woman staring back at her definitely looked in the mood to play hooky.
Throwing a few things into a black tote, she gave her hair one last brushing and a warning to behave. Gil had seen her plenty of times with her hair confined for work. But because today he wanted her to let down her hair and goof off, she decided to indulge him both literally and metaphorically. The only thing left was to grab up a black cashmere cardigan in case the weather turned colder later.
Gil was right on time. No surprise there. She walked down the wide front steps of the ranch house and tried not to bounce like a giddy teenage girl. The prospect of a few hours away from work—in the company of the man with whom she had shared such dizzying intimacy—made her happy. A profound emotion, but one that was at its core plain and simple.
He helped her into the front seat of the truck and went around to the driver’s side. “There’s a belt in the center,” he said, his lips quirking in a mocking smile.
Bailey smoothed her skirt over her thighs and put her tote at her feet. “I’m fine right here,” she said, staying well toward the passenger door. Midland was fifty miles away. Boundaries had to be observed if they planned to make it on time.
As they pulled out onto the highway, Gil shot her a look, his expression amused. “You look cute today, Collins. I like it.”
She rummaged in her tote for a water bottle and took a long drink. “As much as I appreciate the compliment, I do want to point out that you promised to feed me.”
“Patience, woman. The hamper’s behind us, filled with all sorts of goodies.”
She peered over her shoulder at the small space behind. Cade’s little booster seat occupied one corner...a large rattan picnic basket, the other. “And how long do I have to wait?”
“There’s a spot about twenty miles down the road where Cade and I like to stop. The property actually belongs to me, but I’ve never done anything with it. A tiny wet-weather stream cuts in in half. I thought you might like to have lunch beneath a little copse of cottonwood trees.”
“You do know it’s January. And all the leaves are gone.”
“Use your imagination. I have a quilt.”
“And sunscreen?”
“I’ll cover you with my body.”
Her jaw dropped and her face flamed. She’d been holding her own until that last comment. Now she lapsed into silence, her blood pumping with excitement. Surely Gil was joking.
Without asking, she reached forward and turned on his satellite radio. Picking an upbeat contemporary channel, she hummed along, relieved to have something to fill the silence. At times like this she realized that Gil was a man with one thing on his mind.
The turnoff to Gil’s property was unmarked, nothing more than a narrow, rutted side road. The big truck handled the terrain comfortably, though Bailey was jostled rather more than she expected. If not for the seat belt, she would have ended up in Gil’s lap.
When he finally stopped, at least four or five miles down the road, he rolled down the windows and cut the engine. “This is it.”
The scene was peaceful, though remote. No one would disturb them. If another vehicle did approach, they would hear it coming long before it arrived. Above, puffy white clouds scudded across a sky the color of a robin’s egg. A light breeze stirred the occasional flurry of dried leaves. With no power lines to mark the landscape, it almost seemed as if they had been transported back in time.
Bailey pressed her knees together, her hands clasped in her lap. “Very pretty.”
Gil slung an arm across the steering wheel and turned to face her. “You look like a scared rabbit.”
Bailey lifted her chin. “You flatter yourself.”
His lopsided smile reached inside her chest and squeezed her heart. “I won’t apologize for wanting you, Bailey. You’re a very desirable woman.”