Page 14 of The Christmas Cowboy

She was still asleep when they reached the cabin. Liam looked at her thinking she looked young and vulnerable. Hell, shewasyoung and vulnerable.

“Val. Wake up.”

She didn’t stir. She must be really tired. He touched her arm and repeated her name. Val opened her eyes slowly, her gaze puzzled when she saw him. “Liam? What are you—oh, yeah.”

“Did you forget we got married?” he asked, barely stifling his laughter.

“Honestly? Yes.” She looked a bit pugnacious. As if to say,what about it?She unbuckled her seat belt and got out. “What a cute cabin. It was awfully nice of your friend to let us stay here. Does he come here often?”

“I don’t think so,” he said as he got the bags out of the truck. He set the bags down, unlocked the door, and pushed it open.

Val stepped inside. “I’ve got to find the bathroom.”

“It’s attached to the bedroom.” The only bedroom and bath. As she disappeared, he stuck both bags in the bedroom and decided to worry about who slept where later.

But he continued to think about it. He could offer to sleep on the couch but when they got to the ranch they’d have to share a bed. Maybe he should reassure her that he didn’t expect her to have sex with him right away. Yes, they’d talked about it but now that the time had come, he wasn’t sure what she wanted. She’d kissed him back when he kissed her, but kissing was a long way from having sex.

They’d picked up food. Stuff that was easy to make since neither cooked much. He put away the groceries, wondering what had happened to Val. It seemed like she was taking an awfully long time in the bathroom. Maybe she was sick. He walked into the bedroom and stopped short. Val was lying on the bed, sound asleep.

She’d changed into jeans at the church. Nice, tight jeans which had him wondering—Nope. Not going there.She still wore her tennis shoes, which was interesting since he wasn’t sure he’d seen her in anything but boots. Well, okay. In the summer she didn’t always wear boots. At any rate he took off her shoes and dropped them on the floor. She didn’t move a muscle. He found a blanket and draped it over her, leaving her to sleep.

He made himself a grilled cheese sandwich, figuring he could make another for Val when she woke up. After he ate and washed up he picked up the paperback he’d been reading. One of Cici’s thrillers. Damn, she was good. Not having a lot of free time, he didn’t read much fiction. But the story caught and held his interest.

“Liam?”

He glanced up. Val stood in the bedroom doorway. “Hey, sleepyhead.”

“Sorry I conked out on you. Have you eaten?”

“Yes. Want me to fix you something? I make a mean grilled cheese.”

“I can do it. You don’t have to wait on me.”

“You’re tired. It’s no big deal. Have a seat and I’ll make it.”

The cabin’s main room was a living room and kitchen in an open arrangement. There was a small table and a couple of chairs near the kitchen. Val took one of the chairs. “What do you want to do tomorrow?”

“Do you fish?”

“Never have, believe it or not. Do you?”

“Some fly-fishing but it’s hard to get away from the ranch to do it often.”

“I get that.”

“Do you want to hike?” He started to add that they could go on an easy one but thought better of it.

“That sounds good. But not too early. Lately I’ve been spending mornings in the bathroom.”

He finished making her sandwich and put it down in front of her, along with chips. He poured her a glass of milk. He wasn’t sure she liked it, but he thought it was good for a pregnant woman.

Val smiled when she saw the milk. “Luckily, I like milk, or I’d accuse you of stereotyping pregnant women.”

He took the other chair. “Can’t help that. I know basically nothing about pregnancy in humans.”

She took a bite of her sandwich and drank some milk. “I don’t know anything either.”

“I guess we can learn together.”

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