Page 23 of A Baby for the Texas Cowboy
He wouldn’t be sleeping with her on a mattress—king or queen.
“Oh. Of course.” Jeff flushed to the roots of his colorless ash-brown hair. “Didn’t…ah, you know…ah, Anders, that you are…you know…together.”
“We are.” Anders wrapped an arm around Tinsley’s waist and pulled her close against his very fit, very hard body. It was a hold that said belonging, and for a moment, Tinsley relaxed.
What was wrong with her?
She pulled away. She wasn’t going to be that girl again, the weak one, dependent on someone else’s opinion, fulfilling their needs, not hers. She’d played that pleaser role before—the perfect daughter, the perfect girlfriend, the perfect fiancée. It had consumed her soul, nearly extinguished her spark.
“We want top of the line,” Anders added.
That sounded like something John would have said. Definitely her parents—always the best.
“No need to be extravagant,” she hissed and wondered if he’d still have the hint of a smile on his oh-so-firm-and-beautiful lips if she stomped on his toe.
Why had she agreed to this detour when they’d been heading out to his family’s ranch with the intriguing name of Ghost Hill? Anders was trying to take her over. He’d hijacked her bike and now her plans.
And she needed to put a stop to it.
Easier thought than accomplished. She’d never seen this roll-over-everything-in-his-path side of him. It was fascinating and infuriating.
“I want us to be comfortable.” He smiled down at her like he cared. “Especially you. With the baby coming, you will need your rest.” His hand rested on the back of her neck and his thumb stroked her skin. She used to love that when he did it before, but now she wanted to slap his hand away.
He had no right to talk about the baby in public like this. And by the way Jeff’s overt interest in her fizzled and he stared briefly at her still-flat stomach in horrified fascination, Tinsley felt Anders had done it on purpose.
“This way,” Jeff said quickly and walked to the side of the display room. “We have our higher end, luxury mattresses on this side of the store.”
“There is no us,” she told him.
“Definitely an us,” Anders whispered, his palm sliding from her hip to low on her abdomen.
She yipped and nearly jumped out of her skin.
His laugh tickled her cheek and warmed her body even as she tried to stomp down on her reactions.
“What’s next? Are you going to publicly pee on me to declare me off limits?” she said in a soft, mock-sweet voice. What was he thinking—that he’d go ride off on the tour and take his pleasure with any buckle bunny in line while she’d wait around pining?
Not that she had any interest in men at the moment and hopefully never again. Too much trouble.
“Tinsley, I had no idea you were into kink.”
Her mouth dropped open, and she had a sudden image of her walking in on John during a party they were hosting. He’d been sexually engaged with two women in what would soon be their marital bedroom…. And then later she’d walked in on him with another woman at his office. She scrunched her eyes shut as if that could scrub the images off her retinas for good.
“No worries, Tinz, I’m up for trying anything you want,” he said easily.
“Thanks. No.”
His smile lit his eyes and feathered laugh lines down his cheeks. His mouth quirked up in a sexy, I-know-you-want-me smile. “Sure about that, baby?”
“Mattress.” She walked toward the salesman with her best I’m-going-to-close-this-deal smile. She could play his game and beat him at it. “Top of the line.”
Once, long ago, she would never have had to think about price, but she liked her new normal—or she had before the bluepregnantword had busted it wide open. Still, with her new job and her savings, she did want to get a comfortable mattress.
She plopped her butt down on the mattress but kept her feet on the floor. No need to roll around in front of two men. She bounced a little. Buying a mattress shouldn’t have to be so awkward.
“Give it a spin,” Anders encouraged.
She blinked, and he laughed and mouthedkinkat her, which should not make her nearly laugh.
