Page 138 of Sharing Shane

“You snore,” Shane reminded her, and grinned when she glared at him.

“Don’t start with that.” She washed her hands briskly, jerking her chin at the turkey. “Can you put that in the oven for me?”

“Sure.” He lowered the door of the oven, spilling heat into the room, and hefted the roasting pan. “Damn, how much does this thing weigh?”

“Only twenty-five pounds.”

He bobbled the pan, nearly making George’s day, but caught it at the last second. “Twenty-five pounds? Babe, there are ten people. And one of them is a year old.”

“So? This way everyone can take home leftovers.”

He shook his head and slid it into the oven, then shut the door. “You don’t think you’re going overboard?”

“It’s our first Thanksgiving,” she reminded him. “It’s a big deal.”

“Last year was our first Thanksgiving,” he told her, and now that she wasn’t covered in salmonella, pulled her into his arms.

She snuggled in. “Last year was our first Thanksgiving together, but we were just dating. Now we’re living together, and hosting all our friends. It’s a big deal.”

He smiled at her earnestness. “You’re very cute.”

“Flattery, sir, will get you everywhere.”

“Everywhere, huh?”

She wiggled closer to nip at his collarbone. “Everywhere.”

“Will it get me a shower buddy? I didn’t take the time to clean up at Wyatt’s.”

“Hmm. I could be persuaded to wash your back.”

He started backing her down the hall. “Just my back?”

“Maybe a few other things.” Her eyes laughed up at him as he maneuvered her down the hall, through the bedroom to the bath. “Your feet get kind of stinky.”

He choked on a laugh. “Good to know.”

“Make sure you shut the door, or George is going to follow us in,” she reminded him.

He kicked it shut, then toed off his boots. “If you’re going to wash my feet, you’re going to need to be naked.”

“Well, if I have to,” she sighed and began unbuttoning the borrowed shirt.

He stopped to watch, enthralled as always by the contrast between the curves and dips of her body and the straight lines of the shirt, and by the time he remembered to take off his clothes she was already naked and in the shower. She ducked under the spray, her eyes laughing at him as steam fogged up the glass wall. “Come on, slowpoke. I have a lot to do before everyone gets here.”

“Yeah?” He got naked in short order and joined her. “Well, I have you to do before everyone gets here.”

She snorted with laughter. “That’s terrible.”

“You love it,” he told her.

“I love you,” she replied, her voice softening.

“I love you, too.” He leaned down to kiss her, loving the slide of her soft lips on his, the taste of her as she opened up to him. “Thanks for taking a chance on me.”

“You’re welcome. Thanks for dicking me down so good in Bermuda I had to come back for more.”

He buried his face in her neck, shaking with laughter. “If we ever get married, you should put that in your wedding vows.”

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