Cowboy Crazy(35)

Great, more customers. A full house, with two waitresses run ragged. At least she’d get some decent tips for her efforts. More money to move on to another town as soon as she could.

When she returned with the hot sauce, she stopped dead.

Blinking, she focused on the man seated at the counter, a few feet away.

Hot and cold washed over her. There sat Hank, all manly muscle in a plaid shirt, his hat tipped oh, so low. She tightened her hold on the bottle of sauce, fighting the desire to tip his hat back and look into his hazel eyes.

She drifted near. “What are you doing here?” Her voice was small, weak.

Hadn’t this been her wish in calling the ranch? That Hank would get word of her whereabouts and come for her?

He did that swiping motion, knuckles over jaw. The rasp raised every hair on her body. Or was that imagination? It was awfully noisy in here.

He waved a hand at her, gesturing for her to come to him. Should she? He had travelled all this distance for her.

She moved close enough to wrap her arms around him. The scents of soap and leather filled her with longing. More than anything, she wanted to rest her head on his chest and listen to his heart. She had no clue how it had happened, but in a few shorts weeks she’d fallen in love with him too.

He reached for her, and she went into his arms with a sob of relief.

“You don’t hate me for leaving?”

“I could never hate you, sugar.” He burrowed his face in her curls and dragged in deep breaths. His hands were unsteady on her waist, revealing how shaken he was.

She withdrew enough to stare into his eyes. “I’m so sorry, Hank. Until I left, I didn’t realize what I wanted. Actually, until I saw you just now, I didn’t admit it to myself.”

His face was calm, expectant. He’d spilled his guts to her, and it was her turn.

She set aside the hot sauce and trailed her fingers over his cheek and jaw. Searching his eyes, she tried to make him understand how much she’d missed him. “How did it happen?”

“You broke down.”

“And you helped a stranger.”

“You baked good cookies.”

She laughed, her heart lighter than it had been for too long. She threw her arms around him. Several patrons cheered, and Hank, showman as always, lowered his head and kissed her.

She curled her toes into her flat shoes and parted her lips for his tongue. Happy memories mingled with fiery need. When he lightly covered her burn with his hand, she understood what her future held.

Pulling away, she met his gaze. “Is there room on that ranch for me?”

“Sugar, my family has done nothing but harass me about bringing you back. There’s room enough in the house, and Momma could still use the help. But I don’t want you to get too comfy there, because I’m going to start work on our house as soon as possible.”

Her eyes blurred with tears. “I love you, Hank Dalton.”

“Good, sugar. Because you’re the world to me. Now what do you say you finish your shift and hand in your notice? I’m takin’ you home tonight.”





THE END