Page 16 of Stripped Down at the Fair

The good news was that some of Dustin’s guys had started going home on weekends. One of those guys was a married father of two who’d been rooming with Dustin in a double queen bed room throughout the project. When Dustin told me we’d have the room to ourselves all weekend, I’d almost jumped in the car right then and there, but I had to wait until Friday when their work was done.

I pulled into a parking lot of a large Tudor-style building just off the interstate. I didn’t know what I’d expected in a small town like this one, but I was pleasantly surprised. The landscaping was clean and impressive, and the surrounding businesses were equally charming, including a pancake restaurant next door.

I had two surprises for Dustin. One would be delivered to the room any minute. He thought we were going out for dinner, butbased on his visits to Sweetheart Bend the past six weekends, we wouldn’t want to leave bed until morning—if then.

There were more vehicles in the parking lot than I thought there would be, but one of them was Dustin’s black pickup, and that was all that mattered. I hadn’t set up a plan for getting to his room before he was off work for the day. Sure, I could have gone by the work site and gotten a room key, but I was counting on him getting off work in plenty of time for my arrival.

“Well, hello,” a woman at the front desk called out as I walked in. “You must be Cate. It’s so nice to finally meet you.”

I froze halfway across the lobby, my thumb hitched under the strap of my overnight bag. I blinked, surprised this woman knew my name. It was a small town, sure, but I didn’t live here. That meant Dustin had been talking about me, and it looked like what he’d been saying was enough to make this woman enthusiastic to meet me. I felt like a celebrity for the first time in my life.

“I’m Bobbie,” she said. “I run this place. Your boys have been great company the past couple of months. Thanks to your town for loaning them to us.”

I didn’t think of them as my boys or Sweetheart Bend as my town. Not yet. Not until Dustin came home for good and made everything feel…right.

“Anyway, your man’s up there waiting for you,” she said. “Room 243. Have fun…but not too much fun.”

She gave me a little wink, and I couldn’t help but smile as I headed toward the stairs. This place may have had an elevator, but I couldn’t see it from where I stood. It was just easier to take the stairs than wander the lobby, looking for the right signs.

My heart was racing by the time I reached the top of the steps, and not because of the exertion. It had only been five days since Dustin had headed back to Wildwood Valley after we’d spent the entire weekend together, mostly in bed. I had a feelingmy excitement over seeing him would be the same even if it had only been eight hours.

I raised my hand to knock, but the door burst open before my knuckles could even make contact. I was face-to-face with the man I loved, and he couldn’t have looked happier to see me.

“Damn, I’ve missed you,” he said. “Get in here.”

That last part sounded bossy, but it was just the kind of bossy I liked. We couldn’t do anything just yet, though. We still had dinner coming. But there was always time for a kiss.

I wrapped my arms around him, drawing him toward me. His mouth was on mine before our bodies even made contact, his tongue parting my lips. He had a way of distracting me.

When his hands began fumbling with my T-shirt, I pulled back. “I have a surprise for you.”

His eyes were heavy as he straightened. He seemed to be trying to get his bearings.

“What’s that?” he asked.

“Dinner delivered to the room.”

He frowned. “This place doesn’t have room service.”

“Right. Restaurant delivery to the rescue.”

He frowned. “There’s no delivery in this town.”

“There is when you know someone who knows someone.” I smiled. “My friend back in Springfield does restaurant delivery. She got me in touch with a friend of hers in the next town over. She’s going to leave everything outside the door.”

I turned to take a couple of steps toward the door, but I’d barely started moving when I heard three taps. Once I got to the door, I looked through the peephole and verified nobody was standing out there before lowering from tiptoe and reaching for the lock.

“Hold up,” he said. “Do you mind if I do that? Just in case, you know.”

He was protecting me. I knew there were no dangers lurking in the hallway of this charming inn, but I was so touched. Just the fact that he cared enough warmed my heart.

I stepped back just far enough to let Dustin get to the door. He grabbed everything, handing some of it off to me, and we carried it to the table together. It was small, with a big cushy chair on either side that made me feel almost like royalty as I sat.

Once that was all unloaded, Dustin crossed the room and opened the minifridge, kneeling to peer inside. When he stood, he had a bottle in his hand.

“Wine for you and beer for me,” he said.

Oh crap. I hadn’t planned on revealing my second surprise quite this early. But it looked like I’d have no other choice. He knew my favorite wine, and I definitely would have drank at least one glass any other night.

---