Page 45 of The Cowboy's Miracle Baby

Her pulse jumped a little. And she hesitated for a second before answering. “I-I would love to,” she said. “Tonight was… more than I even expected and well, thank you. Not only for the wonderful dinner, but for letting me tag along on your emergency. Getting to watch you save that cow and calf, it was amazing. And I like you, Gus. I really like you. But… you’re… you’re leaving soon and I’m staying here. Maybe we should just leave it at one missed chocolate cake?”

A mixture of disappointment and amusement crossed his expression. “So,” he said, leaning closer. “So… you like me?”

“That’s beside the—I mean, ofcourseI like you. But I—”

“I like you, too,” he said. “A lot.”

“Oh.” Cami took a deep breath. She was suddenly conscious of how close he was standing. They’d stopped under the porch light, by the evergreen wreath hung on the door, and red and white string lights that still twinkled, awaiting her return. “That’s… good… at least. Because it would have been super awkward if I was the only one who was—”

“You’re not.” He braced his hand on the doorjamb above her head, leaning closer.

“So,” she said, “I’m just saying we definitely shouldn’t be lured into a huge mistake over chocolate cake.”

“It’s not about the chocolate cake, Cami.”

“No?” She bit her lip.

“No. And that definitely wasn’t what’s been on my mind tonight. And, in fact, since I first met you.”

“And—wh-what’s that?”

He leaned closer, his gaze locked on her mouth, letting her know exactly what he was thinking. Waiting for her.

He lifted his gaze to hers. “Just that life is short. I’ve learned that much. And it’s almost Christmas and I want to kiss you good night.”

He was already kissing her. She could almost feel his lips on hers as he watched her. Her thoughts tilted.

“No?” he asked, with the slow shake of his head.

She did the same without any conviction as steam began fogging up her vision. Heat rocketed through her, making her dizzy. He still smelled… impossibly good, considering the night he’d just had. “I-I mean—”

Amusement curved his lips as he watched indecision scroll across her common sense. “Yes?”

“As long as it’s not just about the chocolate cake…”

“Definitely not.” He dropped his mouth on hers and kissed her—softly at first, tasting her, then kissed her again like he meant it, pressing her back against the wreath on the front door with its fragrant evergreen scent.

It wasn’t a good-night kiss. It was more of a pent-up,finallykind of kiss that made her knees nearly buckle. And she kissed him back, opening her mouth to him when he urged her, sending a riot of sensations through her that she had no control over, apparently. Particularly the needy sound that seemed to come from somewhere deep inside her.

He pulled her up against him, his big hands scrolling across her spine and lower back. The top of her hip.

Oh, she loved his kiss. Loved the taste of him. And wanted more.

Somehow, she dredged up enough restraint to keep from wrapping herself around him like a koala, from the long, long lack of such a mind-bending kiss. Instead, she flattened both her hands against his muscled chest in a push-pull sort of motion.Stay. Go. I want you. I shouldn’t.

Finally, he broke the kiss, his breath coming as fast and hard as hers, but he stared down at her under the Christmas lights with what might be described as restrained resolve. Or barely leashed hunger.

He pushed a fallen lock of hair off her face. “G’ night, Cami.” Then, he turned and took her porch steps two at a time, tossing one more look back at her with that grin that made her toes tingle.

“Night,” she called after him, pressing her back up against the door for moral support.

He hopped in his truck and pulled down her driveway and was gone.

Good grief, Cami. What in the world have you done?

She stood in the dark another few moments before a sound to her left made her jump, and Ryan appeared in the darkness, coming from the barn. He looked as startled to see her standing there as she did to see him.

“You just about gave me a heart attack. It’s late,” she said. “What are you doing up? And why are you out here?”

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