Page 61 of Flirting With Fire
I bumped our shoulders together. “I like the way you convince.”
He arched his eyebrows. “You do, huh?”
We stared into each other’s eyes for a moment, then leaned in for a kiss at the same time. With his soft lips moving against mine and his strong hand at my waist, gripping me in a way that said I was his, I released my uncertainty. I had to. Beginning the next phase of my life with Meyer at my side wouldn’t work otherwise.
I pulled back and rested my forehead against his. “Sorry I’ve been moody. I’ve kept to myself for so long that everything seems overwhelming. I’ve turned selling salsa at a local fiesta into an international incident.”
Meyer framed my face with his palms and locked eyes with me. “Am I moving too fast for you?”
I covered his hands with mine. “No.” I sucked in a breath, still afraid, but ready to jump off that cliff. “Not fast enough.”
This time, when Meyer claimed my mouth, he pushed me onto my back. He used one hand to undo my belt and unbutton my jeans while the other slid beneath my shirt. I writhed beneath him, kissing him back and shoving my hand down his waistband to cup that amazing ass.
Funny thing. I was no longer worried about salsa, fiestas, or whether I’d disappoint the town. It was time to finish growing up. I’d figured out how to run a ranch. Surely I could handle a booth at the fiesta. Plus, I wouldn’t be alone.
I’d have Meyer.
Chapter Seventeen
Meyer
After all the planning, following Dex’s orders, and losing my palms to prickly pear pads, the day of the fiesta had finally dawned. Despite the fact we both had an early start, Dex and I talked into the night, wrapped naked around each other in his bed, one of his legs trapped between mine. I can’t even remember what we were talking about, it was just comforting running my hand down his side to cup his fuzzy warm butt.
Now, it was the morning, and I did not want to move. Maybe a little cuddle with Dex was the way to start the day. I reached out to the other side of the bed, but the sheets were cold. I grumbled under my breath. He could have at least kissed me before he rolled out at o’dark-thirty to start his day. Still, I could snuggle under the covers for more sleep and smooch my man later.
Was he my man? Kinda, not sure, maybe. I thought so. But we spent so much time talking about other stuff, we never really clarified our status.
“Wakey wakey, big guy.”
I cracked open one eye to see Dex holding out a cup and glared at him. “Why are you so cheerful?”
“You’re naked in my bed. Why wouldn’t I be cheerful?”
I grumbled but not too much. He’d just been nice to me, he looked freakin’ amazing, and he had coffee. I sat up and held up my hands for the cup. “Gimme. It’s still early.”
Dex leaned over and kissed my forehead. “It’s cowboy time. I’ve got work on the ranch before we head to the fiesta.”
“But I’ll see you there?” It wasn’t really a question. Obviously, I’d see him there. I’d promised to help with his salsa stall when I could.
“You bet,” he promised and blew me a kiss as he backed out of the bedroom.
I leaned back against his headboard and sipped at my coffee. I moaned as the coffee hit my tastebuds, then burned through my system, waking up every part of me. Dex knew just how to make a man happy.
“I want to marry you if you’ll make me coffee like this for the rest of our lives.”
Dex poked his head around the door. “Getting a bit ahead of yourself there, aren’t you?”
I sighed. Of course he had to hear me. “Maybe, maybe not.”
He smirked at me and disappeared, leaving me to finish the cup. I dressed in the sweats and T-shirt I’d worn the previous night. I should have remembered to pick up clean clothes, but we’d been too busy getting busy. It was my turn to smirk as I remembered last night.
I wasn’t surprised to find another pot of coffee brewing in the kitchen. I refilled my cup and topped it off with creamer, then headed to my cottage. I waved at Diego on my there. All the ranch hands seemed to be used to me now and never commented about the fact I spent more time in Dex’s home than my own.
I felt more at home here than I had in my last apartment with my ex. I wasn’t stupid. I knew I had feelings for Dex. But Ididn’t want to rush into anything. My heart had been battered by the end of my relationship with Tom, and I was nervous about handing it to anyone else, only to get bruised again. I really did like Dex.
In the security of my cottage, I shut the door on the world and prying eyes, leaning back against it as I closed my eyes. I needed to make a decision.
The Dancing Chiles Food Fiesta was one of the annual events in Charming Butte. It was a small town that used any excuse to party, and hot chiles were as good a reason as any.
