Page 22 of Wannabe in Wyoming
Fighting a blush, she poked his bicep. “Smart ass. All right, favorite color?”
“Orange. You?”
“Orange? Really? I don’t think I’ve ever met someone who answered orange for their favorite color. Mine is purple. Favorite song?”
“‘Back in Black.’”
Rolling her eyes at him, she checked the meat mixture and saw it was cooked enough to drain. “That’s such a typical guy answer.”
“Maybe, maybe not, what’s yours?”
“Are you going to keep asking me the same question I ask you?”
“It’s not your turn to ask a question, Wannabe. I let it slide earlier, but this time you forfeited your turn.”
Her mouth dropped open, and she teasingly smacked his arm. She wasn’t normally so touchy-feely, but the man was a dream and she couldn’t help it. “That’s not fair!”
“Them be the rules. So, you owe me two answers. Favorite song and favorite flower.”
“Fine, jerk,” she huffed with a smile. “I’m not a huge fan of flowers, but I like succulents, and my favorite song is a toss-up between ‘Break Stuff’ by Limp Bizkit and ‘Hurt’ by Johnny Cash.”
“Those are two very different songs. They’re not even in the same genre.” He let out a snort. “And what the fuck is a succulent?”
“Ah, ah. Not your turn to ask. I get two questions now.” She shook her finger at him before opening the jar of sauce and adding it to the meat she’d drained. “Okay, let’s see. Um, how do you take your coffee, and what’s your favorite comfort food?” Putting a second pot into the sink, she began to fill it with water for the pasta.
“Black with a little sugar, and macaroni and cheese, nothing too exciting there.”
“Nothing wrong with a classic. Unless it’s AC/DC—there is such a thing astooclassic.”
“Blasphemy!” Shooing her aside, he lifted the heavy pot out of the sink and onto the stove for her before turning on the burner. “You’re supposed to be letting me help, remember?”
“Yeah, but I’m perfectly capable of lifting a pot of water.” She added salt to the water and then put the lid on, so it would boil faster.
“Of course you are. Just like you’re perfectly capable of uprooting your life, moving cross-country, and starting over on a ranch. Doesn’t mean I don’t want to do things for you. My folks raised me to be a gentleman after all.”
“Hopefully, not too much of a gentleman.” The words were out of her mouth before she could censor herself. It was official, Nathan had broken what little filter she had. She slapped her hands over her mouth—something she seemed to be doing a lot with him.
He flashed what was quickly becoming his signature leering grin but said nothing as he stared down at her. Once again, his blue eyes seemed to bore into hers. Men like him weren’t real, were they? When something seemed too good to be true, it usually was. Right? She liked him,a lot,and just hoped he was everything he seemed to be and wasn’t just another illusion she’d regret down the road.
They finished making dinner together and sat down to enjoy the results of their labor. She admitted it was nice—more than nice actually—cooking with him and teasing and joking back and forth. They both relaxed more as the evening wore on, and Willow was struck by how natural it felt having him in her home. After cleaning up the dishes together and putting the leftovers away for lunch tomorrow, she took his hand and led him out to the side porch, grabbing the throw off the couch on the way. It was time to show Nathan one of her favorite things about living in Wyoming.
Chapter Seventeen
Nathan clungto Willow’s hand as she led him outside, a soft, dark-blue blanket over her other arm. “Where are we going?”
“The porch swing. It’s getting cooler at night, that’s why I grabbed the blanket.”
“You want to snuggle on the porch swing?” He grinned in delight. He’d hoped this would be one of the things they’d do together this week, after she’d told him it was her favorite spot to sit and unwind. Giddy didn’t cover how he was feeling about being with her right now.
“Of course.” Glancing at him over her shoulder, she smiled sweetly, and his heart skipped a beat. This woman was something special, and he was the luckiest bastard on the planet, getting the chance to be here with her.
As she sat on the swing, his attention was drawn away from her to the multitude of colors painting the sky. Oranges, yellows, reds, deep blues, and white from a few clouds created one of the most spectacular sunsets he’d ever seen in his life. Stunned, he just stared a moment and the only word to pass his lips was, “Wow”. It was obvious why they called this Big Sky country.
Willow tugged on his hand, urging him to sit next to her. “Didn’t I tell you the sunsets here were to die for? I’d never seen one like this before moving here. It’s one of the reasons I don’t think I’ll ever leave. Somehow this city girl became a wannabe rancher. Even if actual ranching turns out to not be for me, I don’t think I could give up Skyview for anything now. I’d find something else to do with the land.”
Settling in beside her, he put his arm around her shoulders as she spread the blanket over their laps. “I don’t blame you. It’s gorgeous.”
They sat there in a comfortable silence for a little while, watching the ever-changing colors swirl around the sky as the sun seeped lower into the horizon, leaving dusk in its wake. The frogs and crickets serenaded them as the glow from hundreds of fireflies randomly illuminated their little corner of the universe. A gentle breeze caressed Nathan’s skin, almost like a lover’s touch. The balmy scents of clean air, hay, and wildflowers surrounded them.
