Page 68 of Fixing to Be Mine

She shrugs and doesn’t even try to hide her smirk. “I earned it.”

“Twenty thousand dollars does buy a certain level of comfort.”

She rolls her eyes, but can’t stop grinning. “You kissed me and put on a show for everyone.”

“You kissed me back.” I take a long sip of my coffee, fighting a grin.

“I wanted to.” She huffs a laugh and pushes her shoulder into mine when I step closer. “I couldn’t deny myself.”

I move closer and brush a kiss along her jaw, like it’s something I do every morning.

Her breath catches.

“You keep doing that,” she says, “and I might not leave.”

“Counting on it.” I watch the smile curve at the edges of her mouth.

She sips her coffee, but watches me over the rim of the mug.

Whatever this is, whatever we are now, it’s intense and full of possibility.

“We need to run into town,” I say, still watching her. “We should make the donation official.”

“Perfect. I have the cash in my car.”

“Cash? Please tell me you didn’t drive across the country with twenty thousand bones in your car.”

“Uh, actually, it was fifty thousand, stuffed in a leather bag in my trunk.” She says it like it’s normal. Like keeping that much money on hand is another Tuesday.

My mouth falls open. “You sound like a mobster.”

She lifts one shoulder. “Maybe I am.”

I stare at her … stunned. Not because she has money. I figured that out by her clothes, her attitude, and how she carries herself in every situation. It’s formal training that a person doesn’t learn on a ranch.

“You know normal people carry debit cards, right?” I ask, still trying to piece together what I know about her.

She grins. “There’s nothing normal about me, Colt.”

“You’re living a full-on outlaw fantasy. Guess you stayed at roadside motels that took hundreds under the table?”

“Yep. But I like your bed better than any of them,” she says, lifting her mug for another sip.

That one lands harder than she probably meant it to.

She knows exactly what she’s doing to me.

“You want to take your getaway cash to the shelter after I feed the horses?” I ask.

“Sounds good. I need to change clothes.” She hops down from the counter and brushes past me. “If anyone asks about the money, I won it in a poker game.”

“I’m not sure that’ll help the rumors that are undoubtedly floating around.”

She glances back at me, eyes sparkling. “You didn’t seem too worried about that when you slid your tongue in my mouth last night.”

I smirk and lean against the counter again, watching her move through my kitchen like she owns it. “Keep it up, and I’ll do it again.”

I take a moment to drink in her long legs, messy hair, and the way she wears my T-shirt like it was made for her. If I’m not careful, I’m going to fall madly in love with this woman. I currently am.

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