Page 17 of His Virgin Woman
Running a hand over his face, he blew out a breath, and Peyton climbed back into the truck.He turned toward her, and for a second she stole his breath.The smile she had given to Wade, and he had seen her show to many of her customers, was staring right back at him.
“It’s so cold out,” she said, rubbing her hands together and blowing on them.“I think fall is my favorite time of year.”She wriggled her shoulders.
Did she even realize she had smiled at him?
He put his truck in reverse, pulled out of the main parking lot of the elderly home, and made his way toward the ranch.
“What’s your favorite time of year?”she asked.
This made him frown.“I don’t think I have one.”
“Come on, I bet you’re a summer guy.Throwing your t-shirt off, letting all those women see you naked.”
He glanced over and saw her smiling back at him.“You’re teasing me now?”
“No, not at all.Come on, I love fall, the leaves, the threat of snow.Halloween.Pumpkin and apples.”She let out a gasp.“Come on, apple pie is like heaven.”
He loved this, her relaxing enough to talk to him.It had only taken a few weeks, and they were doing a lot of stuff to one another that wasn’t sex.
“Or, are you more for the ice-cream?”she asked.
“I like summer, but it’s too damn hot.Spring is okay, but there is always a lot of work to do.There is always a lot of work to do all the freaking time.”He ran a hand down his face.He’d never taken time to think of his favorite time of year.Glancing over at Peyton, he saw she meant what she asked, so he answered.“I think winter is my favorite time.”
“Winter?”
“Yeah, I love the snow.Always have, even when I was a little kid.”
“I can’t imagine you as a boy,” she said.
He laughed.“Trust me, I was a boy for a little time.Now I’m a man.”
She chuckled.“What else do you love about the winter?”
“I love Christmas.”
“You do?”
“Yeah, I do.When my mom was alive, every December she would make these chocolate-and-cinnamon cookies.They were so good.”He smiled.“Always makes me feel like Christmas when I smell cinnamon.She also made good cinnamon buns.Not as good as yours.”
“I never met your mom.”
“She’d have loved you.”
“She would?”
He nodded.“Yeah, you both have similar interests.Mom loved to bake and cook.She loved keeping house.Dad always wanted to hire a chef so he could have more time with her, but Mom insisted on taking care of the ranch and feeding the ranch hands.She was good like that.”
“Wow, I had no idea.She sounds amazing.”
“She was.”He had lost his mother many years ago to cancer.It had broken his father’s heart, but his dad hadn’t given up.He never remarried, nor did he take any lovers.His heart and soul were for his wife.
Arriving at the ranch, he parked his truck and made his way around to help her out of the truck.He couldn’t resist grabbing her ass and pulling her in close.
“You did that on purpose,” she said.
He took possession of her lips.“I know.”And he went in for a second kiss.
