One Night Rodeo (Blacktop Cowboys 4)

Then she rearranged the few knickknacks displayed on the shelves. Messed with the pillows on the couches. Kyle finally told her to quit fussing while he set up the electronic equipment for the TV.

After taking a shower, she checked the pork roast. It’d be another hour before supper was ready. Celia rested against the doorway separating the kitchen and living room. Her gaze landed on Kyle. Sitting forward on his knees as he fastened cords behind the DVD player. His T-shirt rode up, exposing the lower section of his back. Even that part of him was muscled.

He rolled back until his butt met his calves, keeping his back to her as he wrenched on some piece of equipment. “Still rearranging furniture in your head, kitten?”

“No. I like it the way it is.”

“You did a damn fine job picking stuff for this room. Ain’t too girly. I won’t be afraid to sit on my own couch. It looks like a real home now. Like our home.”

Right then, she’d lost any chance of not falling completely in love with Kyle Gilchrist.

Right then, she needed her hands on his body to cement this connection between them.

Celia crossed the room and dropped on her knees behind him. She slid her hands beneath his shirt, greedy to touch all that smooth muscle.

Kyle froze.

She put her mouth on his ear. “I want you.”

“Now?”

“Right now.”

“Hang on. Lemme put this down.” His screwdriver fell to the carpet with a muffled thud.

Then she yanked his T-shirt off and spun him around, pinning him to the floor.

He wrapped her braid around his fist. “What’s gotten into you, little wife of mine?”

“Seeing you all manly, wrenching on shit, turns me on.”

He laughed. “Evidently. So what are you gonna do with me now?”

“Strip you. Use your body to christen our newly improved living room.”

“Good plan. I surrender…on one condition.”

“Which is what?”

Kyle tugged her closer by her hair. “Can we postpone this for a little bit? I think I’ve finally figured out hooking up this TV and I need to finish it before I lose my train of thought. ’Cause seeing you naked? It rids my brain of all coherent thought.”

Celia sighed. “All right. Gun me down. But it was worth a shot.”

He rubbed his nose to hers. “Can I just say for the record I love that you aren’t afraid to take the lead when you want me? It’s very sexy.” Kyle pushed up, slipped his shirt back on, and returned to muttering at the cords coming out of the back of the TV.

She rearranged the shelves she’d rearranged three other times, just to be near him. After about five minutes, she said, “So. What else do you love about me?”

“I’ll tell you if you tell me,” he teased.

“Okay. You first.”

“I love that you’re learning to cook more stuff. Not because you’re bored with the dishes you can already make, but because you love to challenge yourself.”

She hadn’t expected him to say anything like that. She’d figured they would exchange sexy banter, then clothes would fly and they’d start putting carpet burns on their bodies. But Kyle was serious, so she seized the chance to be honest with him. “I’m glad you appreciate it. Sort of strange to admit that I finally understand why some women like to cook.” A huge part of her motivation in learning new dishes was seeing that smile on his face as he cleaned every bite of food off his plate.

“Your turn,” he reminded her.

“Okay. I love the serious look on your face in the morning when the ag report comes on the radio. I’ll bet that after only a few weeks you know more about it than I do.” Celia dusted the same section of shelving over and over, practically holding her breath as she waited on his response.

Kyle chuckled. “I’ll admit hearing about the prices of hog belly futures still confuses me.”

“Me too. But it’s a reminder that I’m so glad we’re not raising hogs.” She shivered. “Nasty, smelly things.”

“Would you have stuck around if Marshall had left me a hog farm instead of cattle?”

“Not a chance. Not even your handsome face and smokin’-hot body could get me to slop hogs for you.” Now there was a lie. Good thing he couldn’t see her eyes. “Your turn.”

“I love watching how fast you can saddle a horse.”

Celia whirled around and looked at him. “Seriously?”

“No lie. It’s so automatic for you. I have to keep a mental checklist whenever I do it to make sure I ain’t doin’ something wrong.” He wore a goofy smile. “I timed you once last week.”

“You did? How long did it take me?”

“Two minutes and you were off to chase cows.”

“I can do better than that,” she scoffed and then laughed. “It’s funny. Now I have no need to try to beat the clock since I’m not barrel racing, but I still do everything as fast as possible. Like I’m still being timed.”

“I hope you didn’t take that like I’m judging you, Celia.”

“I didn’t. It’s just crazy how life on the road changes you. Know what I mean?”

He nodded. Then he got a pensive look. “Do you miss it?”

“Not at all. I never understood how lonely it was until I had to travel by myself all the time.” She cocked her head. “And what about you?”