One Night Rodeo (Blacktop Cowboys 4)

“You weren’t meant to hear it. For God’s sake, Kyle, cover yourself.”

He didn’t. He rummaged in his duffel bag for clean clothes. Celia averted her eyes pretty damn fast when he turned around. “Need to do anything in the bathroom before I shower?”

“No. Since I’m decent and you’re not, I’ll head down to the complimentary breakfast.”

While he was shaving, trying to get his head in the right place, he realized he hadn’t verified with Celia whether she planned to go to the lawyer’s office with him. He stepped out of the bathroom, in his jeans, his shirt unbuttoned. “I forgot to ask if you wanted to come with me this morning. I’d understand if you don’t, since—”

“God, Kyle, do you have to walk around half freakin’ naked all the time?” Celia marched up to him and started snapping the buttons on his white western shirt. “I swear you’re just strutting around like this to test my willpower.”

Willpower? What the hell? He tried to read her expression, but she was too busy smoothing out wrinkles and straightening the piping alongside the buttons, just like a wife would.

She is your wife.

Feeling an odd sense of possessiveness, Kyle put his finger under her chin, forcing her to look at him.

Pure heat shone in her eyes, turning the soft gray the color of steel. He held her chin, uttering a gruff “Stay still” when she tried to jerk it away.

Celia went motionless and kept her eyes on his.

Interesting how well she responded to commands.

Kyle ran his thumb over her bottom lip. “Little wifey mine, you like what you see when you look at me, don’t you?”

Again she tried to jerk out of his grip. Again he didn’t allow it. “Stay. Still.” Another teasing stroke across her lips. “Answer the question.”

He expected her to lie. To utter a cutting comment. He didn’t expect her to say, “Yes, you are gorgeous and built like a goddamn dream, Kyle, but you don’t need me to tell you that.”

A compliment? That threw him off.

“I’m sure all the bunnies lined up after an event always tell you the same thing,” she added.

And there was the snark. But her sarcasm was covering up something else. Fear? Interest in getting naked with him? Regardless, Kyle wouldn’t let her get away with it. He leaned close enough to feel her breath on his lips. “Makes me all tingly that you see me that way, kitten. Anytime you wanna do more than look? Alls you gotta do is ask.” He smooched her nose and stepped back to tuck in his shirt. “Now back to the other question.”

“Umm. What other question?”

He’d completely flustered her. Good. “Do you want to go to the lawyer’s office with me?”

“I thought I would. Unless you don’t want me to go.”

“I want you to be there. I just didn’t want to assume.” He slipped on socks and his boots. He grabbed his coat and gloves off the chair. “Since my mother told the attorney we recently strapped on that ole ball and chain, we’re gonna have to act like this marriage is real, okay?”

Celia studied him. “Just for today?”

Kyle said, “Yes,” even though he wanted to say he wanted longer than just a damn day with her.

“Deal.” Then she bestowed the sneaky smile that charmed the hell out of him. “But I do believe it’s your husbandly duty to warm up the truck so I don’t catch my death of cold.” She batted her eyelashes.

He laughed. “Nice try. But I’ll make you a deal. If you get overly chilled, I’ll show you all the ways I can heat your body back up.”

Kyle paced like a caged animal before they were called into the lawyer’s office.

“Kyle?” A woman approached. “I’m Stacy, Bill’s assistant. He’s ready if you’d like to follow me.”

He looked over at Celia. She took his hand and didn’t let go until they were ushered into a good-size office lined with books.

A tall, thin man, probably in his early sixties, offered his hand across the enormous mahogany desk. “Kyle? Bill Ruttan.”

Kyle made introductions. “This is my wife, Celia.”

“Pleasure to meet both of you. Please have a seat.”

They settled into comfortable leather chairs that sat a good foot lower than Bill’s desk.

“I’ll admit this case is out of the ordinary. I’m sure you have many questions, so let’s start with the basics. Were you aware Marshall Townsend was your biological father?”

“No, sir. Not until my mother called me on Sunday.”

“Did your mother tell you about the DNA test, confirming you are Marshall’s son?”

Confused, because it was the first he’d heard of it, he said, “What DNA test? When did she…?”

“The timing of the test was fairly straightforward. Evidently you were in a serious motorcycle accident when you were almost eighteen?”

Celia muttered, “I’d forgotten about that.”

Kyle remembered that after he woke up from surgery he’d asked the doctor if he’d be able to ride bulls again. The rest was a blur. “I was in a lot of pain. They kept me drugged up, and some nurse was always poking me for a blood sample or making me pee in a cup.” He frowned. “That’s when Marshall came forward and demanded a DNA test?”

“Only at your mother’s urging. She wanted to ensure that you received the best medical care, so she contacted Marshall for financial help. He insisted on a paternity test first.”