Hard-Riding Cowboy (Kinky Spurs 3)

He moved even closer, the side of his mouth curving. “You know exactly what I want to hear.”

Yeah, she did. His haughty expression said it all. She rolled her eyes. “Really? You’re going to make me say it.”

He gave a firm nod. “You’re damn right I’m going to make you say it.”

She drew in the deepest breath of her entire life. After years of Nash chasing her. After this past year of him trying a little bit harder. And even after these past weeks of him trying really hard, she owed him this one. She cupped his face and stared deeply into his eyes. “I like you, Nash Blackshaw. I’ve liked you for years.” Okay, maybe more than liked, but she was so not ready to go there yet. “I’ve wanted you desperately for all that time. All right? I said it. Happy?”

“Getting there.” His eyes shone with masculine satisfaction when he sealed his mouth across hers, giving her a kiss she’d never soon forget. “I know you’re worried, Freckles,” he said against her lips. “But I’m here, totally in this with you, and things are going to work out fine.”

Now all she had to do was believe him.

Chapter 5

The next afternoon, Megan’s thoughts kept returning to the previous night. She’d spent the morning catching up on laundry and looking at baby names on the internet, a daunting experience she wasn’t sure she ever wanted to repeat. Today was her day off, and there was no way she was spending the day alone. She was stupidly, blissfully happy and couldn’t keep a smile off her face as she left her apartment and strode down Main Street. The perfect day greeted her, and damn if she didn’t want to start skipping down the road.

She’d been dreading having to tell Nash about the baby. But it’d been okay. He stepped right up, which she knew he would. Though the totally unexpected part had been how sweet he’d been. Not once had she ever seen that side of him before. She wanted to trust and believe in it, and once she let herself, everything clicked into place. He was right—they needed to give this a real shot. Because truth was, they were good together. Hell, they could even be great. What Megan felt for him was rare, she’d always known that, and she wanted to explore the intensity between them. But slowly, to make sure all of this was good and healthy and made sense.

One step at a time.

She waved to a couple who always came into the Spurs on Thursday night for dinner. Another block down the road, she reached the restaurant set in one of the historic buildings along Main Street. She passed beneath a sign that had THE KITCHEN written in iron letters on a reclaimed wood background and quickly entered.

The restaurant had been recently gutted and rebuilt. Wooden beams ran the length of the ceiling. Circular tables were spread throughout with dark gray fabric-covered chairs. Two crystal chandeliers lit up the space surprisingly well. And the back wall was a cabinet full of wine bottles.

This afternoon, the restaurant was busy but quiet compared to Kinky Spurs’ dinner crowd. Everyone talked with soft voices. Apparently, a five-star meal had special silencing powers. The only two people sitting at the dark wood bar were familiar faces, and exactly who Megan had called earlier to meet her here today. Her two best friends.

Harper, chef and owner of the restaurant, gazed at Megan with her warm hazel eyes and smiled. Megan had known Harper since they were in grade school. But since Harper was twenty-six years old, a year younger than Megan, they hadn’t become close until Harper began working at the Spurs. Harper’s recent decision to quit Kinky Spurs to open this restaurant was bittersweet to Megan, who was damn proud of her friend but missed working with her. “Well, look who it is, Miss Preggers, who forgot to . . . um . . . I don’t know . . . tell us she was pregnant!” Harper mused.

Megan laughed, realizing that when Nash went to talk with Shep and Chase last night, they must’ve spilled the news to Harper and Emma. She slid onto the stool next to Emma, feeling a relief that everyone knew now. “I figured I needed to tell . . . you know . . . the father first.”

“Wrong.” Harper grinned. “But I forgive you because I am so excited. Oh my God.” She leaned over the bar and threw her arms around Megan. “A baby!”

Emma’s arms joined Harper’s, squeezing Megan tight. “You and Nash are going to make the cutest babies ever!” Emma was naturally pretty with long brown hair and stunning green eyes that needed very little makeup to be spectacular.

“One baby,” Megan countered. “There’s only one in

here.” She placed her hands on her belly.

“Okay, the cutest baby ever, then!” Emma smiled. She worked in marketing for the Blackshaw Cattle Guest Ranch, which always meant girls’ lunches without too much grief from her boss—her boyfriend, Shep. “But you and Nash are together now, right? So that means maybe some more babies in the future?”

Well, didn’t that pique her curiosity? “Did Nash tell you we were together now?”

“Nope,” Emma said then shrugged. “But I know Nash. He’s wanted you forever. And I know you. You would want to do what’s right for the baby. So . . . am I right?”

Megan nodded. “You’re right.”

“Wow,” Harper breathed, leaning against the bar, with her chin propped up on her hand. “I’m seriously in shock. I never, and I mean never, thought you two would get together.” She laughed softly and shook her head. “I actually thought you might kill him before that could happen.”

“I wouldn’t rule out my killing him yet,” Megan said with a laugh. They had a long way to go. While gentle Nash had made an appearance last night, cocky Nash was always close by. “You should have seen him last night. He was unusually sweet.”

Harper fetched a glass of lemonade, a drink that had been Megan’s favorite lately, and set it in front of her. “Nash has got a whole lot of sweetness in him,” Harper said with a gentle smile. “He just forgets that sometimes, I think.”

Megan nodded.

Emma turned on her stool to face Megan better. “Catch us up. What all happened last night?”

Megan’s stomach rumbled loud, and they all laughed. “I really need some bad-for-me food before I have this conversation,” she said.

“A burger and salad, good?” Harper asked.