Page 78 of Welcome Home, Cowboy
“You mean after you undress me and find the surprise I have waiting for you?” she asked.
He pulled back and looked at her, his blue eyes darkening. “For me?”
“Let’s just say I’m wearing layers,” she said, biting her lower lip.
He groaned. “You don’t play fair, Ms. Chandler. Here I am doing my best to make you feel special.” He ran a soft finger along her cheek. “Now it’s going to be torture to sit through a candlelight meal.”
“Aww. You bought candles?”
He smiled. “I also made dessert. It involves chocolate.”
“You do make me feel special, Lawson.” Julie held her tongue from saying what she wanted to say next. That she loved him. Loved him so much it felt like she might implode with all the warm, snuggly, hot and bothered feelings she had coursing through her. She wanted those words to be part of her surprise.
“Good. And I’m glad everything went okay in Charlotte today. I was worried about you.” Something shifted in his expression.
He wouldn’t have to say he loved her back. She didn’t need to hear it to know it was true. Here he was cooking for her, treating her like a queen. He’d worried about her today. His actions spoke volumes. He loved her, too.
“I’m sorry I worried you. I needed to do this on my own, though.”
He tipped her chin toward him and kissed her mouth again. “I’m proud of you.” Then he turned back to the stove and continued cooking, dancing slowly to the soft music she hadn’t even realized was playing in the background.
Her throat was suddenly tight, thinking about what she’d done earlier. She was proud of herself, too. Damn proud. Nobody’s doormat anymore. This was how she deserved to be treated from now on—like she mattered.
“Thank you,” she said, staring at Lawson’s back. Her words were so soft that she doubted he could hear her over the sizzle of the frying pan and the vent above the stove. “I love you,” she added quietly. Then she sipped her wine and let her eyes continue downward, back to those low-riding jeans with the silky black boxers playing peekaboo.
—
Lawson lit the candle on the table between them and sat. “This is about as romantic as this cowboy gets.”
“It’s nice. Thank you.”
“Anytime.” He lifted his fork and started to cut his steak, his hands a little shaky. He was out of his element here. A date for him usually consisted of going to a restaurant and paying the bill. He’d put in extra effort here, buying candles and groceries. He’d spent an hour cleaning his home before she’d come over, too.
So this is what it felt like.
“It’s good,” Julie said.
“You wouldn’t let me go with you today, so I wanted to do something. To show you that I was thinking about you. You’re sure he didn’t hurt you?” He ran his gaze over her one more time.
Julie smiled softly, her colors beautiful against the glow of the candle. “I’m fine. Daren said he’d give me a good reference when Mr. Banks calls him.”
“How’d you manage to get him to agree to that?”
Julie shrugged. “I turned the tables on him.”
“Well, let Mr. Banks call me and I’ll talk his ear off about all your positive qualities.”
“Thanks. I know Allison wants me to have the job, but I think I could still be a hard sale to Mr. Banks.”
Lawson looked up. “Why is that?”
“The whole yoga thing. He still doesn’t exactly seem impressed with the idea. Even if he does think coming to my class that night saved his life.”
Lawson reached out and stroked her hand on the table. “Well, he’s as big a fool as I was when I first joined your class.” The simple touch made him want to feel more of her in his arms. “You won me over. I’m sure you’ll do the same to Mr. Banks. Well, not exactly the same.”
She lifted a brow. “Did I mention that I have a surprise for you?”
He was only halfway done with his meal, but he set his fork down. The huskiness of her voice told him her surprise wasn’t wrapped in paper. Even Lawson Junior had a sense of what her surprise was. “What kind of surprise?” he asked.
