Page 377 of Steamy Ever After

“I’m looking forward to it.”

“Get comfortable. It’s a long book.”

“How long?”

“A lifetime’s worth, I would think.”

Whoa!

People talk about feeling butterflies in their stomach; I’ve got a herd of elephants flying around in mine.

A lifetime?

That should scare me, but honestly?

It feels about right.

“You certainly don’t mess around.” I shift in my seat, aroused, cautious, and confused.

What is it about this man that hits all my buttons? It’s like Drake’s got a checklist, crossing off each and every point as he goes down the line. This is far more than country charm.

It’s magic.

“Why should I?” He adds a log to the fire and sparks fly up in the air. “I’ve found the one I want sitting in front of me.”

“You don’t know anything about me.”

“You’re fierce. You stared down those wolves.”

“I didn’t have much of a choice.”

“You’re adventurous.”

“How so?”

“You picked up your big city life to start over in a small town. That takes guts.”

“It’s a bit more complicated.” He doesn’t know about Scott.

I ran from Redlands. Scott may think I’ll come crawling back to him, but that’s never going to happen.

“You’re smart. Like not just a little smart, but doctor smart. I respect a woman who takes the world by the horns and isn’t afraid to put herself out there. You’re not afraid to go after what you want.”

“You got all of that from one night?”

“That and more. You’re a fighter. Got grit.”

“Grit?”

“Yeah, when things get tough, you do what’s necessary. Not many chicks would’ve done what you did without a whole lot of bitching and complaining.”

“It’s not like that would’ve helped.”

“It wouldn’t have, but you figured that out all on your own. You know when you need help, and you’re gracious in accepting it. You don’t come off as entitled.”

“Wow. I’ve never really thought about any of it like that.”

“It doesn’t take long to figure out what a person’s like, especially when they’re under stress. As for me, like I said, once I know what I want, there’s no reason not to go for it. And if there’s any question about what I want…” He leans toward me and lowers his voice to a near whisper. “I’m very interested in you, city girl, but if that’s too scary for you and you need to pump the brakes, we can do that.”

---