Page 33 of Overdue for a Cowboy

Her friend gave her a careful hug then spoke next to her ear before she pulled away. “Just goes to show what your life can become if you’re brave enough to take a chance.”

“Thanks for the pizza,” Dodge said, clapping his brother on the shoulder.

“Glad to help.” Ford pointed to a plastic bag he’d set down next to the pizza box. “Duke sent you along another care package. I don’t know what all’s in there, but I saw him put in a some more cookies and another clean shirt.”

“Nice. I’ll text him my thanks,” Dodge said as Ford and Elizabeth were leaving.

“Text him thanks for me too,” Maisie said after Dodge had shut the door behind his brother.

“For the cookies or for sending me another clean shirt?”

She laughed. “Both.”

Dodge gave her a side-long glance as he took a couple of plates from the cupboard. “You and Elizabeth were sure having fun in here.”

“I know. I really like her. She cracks me up.” Maisie held up her empty wine glass. “And I don’t drink often, so I’m a total light weight, which might have contributed to how funny she was.”

He laughed as he opened the pizza box, slid a couple of slices onto the plates, then passed one to Maisie. “Hope you like pepperoni.”

“It’s my favorite.” She nodded toward the living room. “You want to watch a movie while we eat?”

It took three hours, two more slices of pizza, and several cookies to get through the Avengers movie they’d agreed on watching. Maisie had finished another glass of wine, which was probably how she’d ended up with her head on Dodge’s shoulder and her eyes fluttering to stay open. She might have actually fallen asleep through part of the movie.

She only hoped she hadn’t started snoring. Or worse, drooled on the guy.

“I think it’s time to get you to bed,” Dodge said as the credits rolled on the television screen.

A thrill of heat ran through her, and suddenly Maisie was wide awake. Was he suggesting taking her to bed ortakingher to bed?

Chapter Fifteen

Maisie’s heart thumped against her chest as she pushed herself off Dodge’s shoulder and sat up. She held in a yawn as she stretched her good arm up, unintentionally flashing him a sliver of stomach as her shirt lifted with the movement. She caught his quick glance at her bare skin before he shifted his body and leaned forward, which gavehera chance to admire his strong back and muscular biceps.

Dodge hadn’t come out and said that he was staying over another night, but he didn’t give any indication of getting ready to leave. And he’d thanked Ford for the clean shirt care package, which she hoped meant he wasn’t going home.

He stood and held out his hand to help her up. Which was probably a good idea since the wine and the possible nap had her a little unsteady on her feet.

“I’ll put Moose out and feed the cat while you get ready for bed,” he told her.Hmm. Not exactly the sexy line she’d been hoping for.“Holler if you need my help with anything.”

Fifteen minutes later, she’d finished her nighttime routine, brushing her teeth and washing her face. She’d only swiped on a little mascara that morning, but she didn’t bother trying to take it off. She’d managed to change into pajama shorts, but figuring out the sling with her shirt was still tricky. She got the sling and everything else off, thanks to a front clasp on her bra, and had maneuvered into a tank top, but couldn’t get the sling back on.

She came out of the bathroom, and was surprised, and pleased to see Dodge stretched out on the chair in her room. He’d taken off his cowboy boots and untucked his T-shirt, and the cat was curled up next to his legs. He had one arm stretched up and over his head while he read the paperback in his hand.

He looked up from the book as she walked toward him and gestured toward the sling. “You need help with that?”

“Please.”

He set the book down and stood up. Even without his boots, he was still well over six feet tall, and she loved the way he made her feel small—even after the three pieces of pizza she’d eaten. He deftly maneuvered the sling around her shoulder but sent a shiver running through her when the back of his fingers brushed the side of her breast as he buckled the strap.

She couldn’t tell if he’d done that on purpose, but she wasn’t complaining. She loved having his hands anywhere on her, and he sent another surge of heat through her as his fingers brushed her neck freeing a lock of her hair from under the sling’s strap.

The overhead light was already off, and the small lamp next to her bed gave off a soft glow. Pulling back the covers, she crawled into bed and patted the spot next to her. “You don’t have to sleep in the chair again.”

He shrugged. “It’s pretty comfortable.”

“I know. I’ve taken my share of naps in it, but still, it doesn’t make sense for you to get a crick in your neck when there’s a comfortable bed right next to you. We can put a pillow barrier between us if you want.” She started to lift one of her pillows then laughed as the dog jumped onto the bed and stretched out next to her. “Or a Moose barrier.”

He drew in a long breath as his gaze traveled from her down to the bed, over to the reading chair, then back to her again. Grabbing the pink and white blanket from the chair, he stretched out on top of the comforter on the other side of the bed and covered himself with the throw.

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