Spurs and Heels(Divine Creek Ranch 5)(23)
to feel like I was too busy for you.”
“I’d do the same for you, Juliana. I know how it can get.
Sometimes my hours are long and unpredictable. I’m glad that you’re
willing to carve out time for a life outside the store.”
Ash took her home and stayed to watch a movie, but he left after it
was over and he’d tucked her into bed. She’d taken a shower, and
he’d applied a fresh dressing so he knew she was well prepared for
the morning. Juliana had assured him she would be fine and agreed
readily when he offered to bring her lunch.
“Is there anything else you need before I go, darlin’?”
The small lamp by her bed provided the only light, and he waited
as she looked at him from her pillows. Her eyes traced over his
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Heather Rainier
handsomely chiseled face and his firm jaw, covered by his sexy
muttonchops sideburns and moustache. She nodded as she hooked a
finger in the neck of his shirt and pulled him to her. When he realized
what she wanted, his eyes crinkled at the corners, and he smiled as he
lowered his full lips to hers.
He braced his weight on his arms so that he didn’t press her into
the bed at all, and gave her a gentle but searing kiss that curled her
toes. Juliana laid an arm over one of his shoulders to keep him close,
and he deepened the kiss, skimming the recesses of her mouth and
dueling unhurriedly with her tongue. He backed off to trace his lower
lip across hers and tickled her with his moustache, making her shiver
and giggle, then he plunged in for another intense kiss. They were
both totally absorbed in the other and breathless when he finally sat
up.
“Now why in the hell have I not done that sooner?” Ash muttered.
“Because I was too busy being a heinous bitch, remember? Damn,
if I’d known you kissed like that, I would have been kissing you the
moment I hung up the phone with Lawrence on Christmas night.”
“Why, thank you, darlin’. You’re sweet as honey yourself. I’d
better go now so you can rest.”
No, stay and don’t let me rest.
* * * *
On the way home, Ash had a weird, unsettled feeling. He didn’t
like leaving her to fend for herself. He felt a burden of guilt for the
condition she was in because of his lack of forethought the day
before. She needed to get her rest, and he needed to be at the ranch for
work early the next morning. Leaving her warm in her bed and going
home alone to his empty, cold bed was depressing.
He should feel happy that she wanted to spend time with him and
give the attraction between the two of them a chance to grow. Even
walking into the house the ranch hands shared didn’t cheer him all
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67
that much when they all greeted him from the kitchen or living room
where they were watching ESPN. After making small talk and
answering their inquiries about Juliana, he went on to his bedroom,
showered, and went to bed. As he stripped off his robe and settled
naked under his sheet and blankets, he wondered if she was already
asleep and hoped she was comfortable.
He lay there with the light from the moon shining on his bedroom
window and remembered his encounter with the fair queen
contestants earlier that afternoon. They’d flirted with him harmlessly,
and one of them had asked him if he was married. Right about the
time the young woman asked, he’d spied Juliana. He’d pointed her
out to the girls and said, “You see that redheaded beauty over there?
She’s my wife. She just doesn’t know it yet.” They’d all giggled and
sighed telling him how romantic they thought he was. He’d meant
every word of it.
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Chapter Seven
Early Friday evening, Juliana took out her cell phone and dialed
Ash’s number. Her stress level was going straight through the roof.
“Ash?”
“Hey, darlin’, what’s up?”
“I’m sorry, but I’ve got to work late tonight if I want to be off for
Teresa’s wedding tomorrow. More freight came in, and they aren’t
done rotating the Valentine’s Day stock out onto the sales floor. Two
of my stockroom employees are down with the flu.”
“I’ve got two down with it here, too. Makes for a long day when
that happens. I’m done for the day. Would you like me to come and
help you?”
“It’s thoughtful of you, but if you came to help me, I’m not sure
how much actual work I’d get done,” she replied with a chuckle.
“But I get brownie points for being willing?”
She smiled at the relaxed good humor in his sexy voice. “Big-time
brownie points. Thank you for understanding.”