Teasing Annie (The Temptation Saga 2)

She rolled over and checked her clock. 7:10. On a Saturday morning. Boy, he sure couldn’t wait to escape, could he?

Cursing herself, Annie rose from the bed and padded into her bathroom. She washed her face and hands and brushed out her unruly curls, arranging them in a high ponytail. She threw her bikinis into the hamper and pulled on a pair of sweat pants and a tank top. Her reflection in the mirror startled her. Her nipples, still dark and swollen from Dallas’s attention, were completely visible through the thin white cotton. Not that it mattered. She wasn’t going anywhere.

She puttered around the kitchen for a while, wondering what to have for breakfast. Cereal? Blah. Taylor ham and eggs? Too much effort. Toast and jelly? The toast would scrape the roof of her mouth. She hated that. Hell, she wasn’t hungry anyway.

“Hey, Doc.” A soft knock echoed, and then her door opened. He was back.

“Good, you’re up,” Dallas said, walking into the kitchen and looking tousled and sexy. Better than anyone had a right to first thing in the morning. He carried a cup holder holding two coffee cups.

“You’re back.”

“Sure I am. Where’d you think I’d go?”

“I…didn’t know. I just figured you left.”

“Without telling you? That wouldn’t be very gentlemanly would it?”

“Er…”

“I needed some coffee, and I knew you didn’t have any.” He set the cup holder on the counter and took a sip from one of the cups. “I brought you something too.” He smiled his lazy smile. “Herb tea. Rena’s special morning blend.”

As he handed the cup to her, his gaze dropped to her chest. “Wow. You do amazing things for a tank top, Doc.”

Her cheeks warmed, and her nipples tightened under his gaze. She heard him take in a sharp breath. Quickly she cleared her throat.

“Who’s Rena?”

“She runs the coffee shop on Main. Haven’t you been there yet?”

“I haven’t been anywhere, Cowboy, except on vet calls and to your brother’s house.”

“Tough week, huh?”

“Just busy.” She took a sip from her cup. “Mmm. This is nice. What’s in it? I taste mint.”

“Don’t ask me. Something called red tea, that’s all I know.”

“Rooibos.”

“What?”

“Rooibos. That’s red tea, though it’s not actually tea. There’s no caffeine in it.”

“Give me coffee any day. Got to have my caffeine.”

“I’ve nothing against caffeine, Cowboy. I just don’t like the taste of coffee. That’s the main reason why I don’t like tiramisu. Coffee’s bad enough by itself. Mix it with mascarpone, and it’s disgusting. Add soggy liquor-soaked cookies, and you’ve got something completely inedible.”

Dallas chuckled, his eyes crinkling. “I may have to rethink my stance on tiramisu, Doc. You make it sound pretty bad.”

“It’s the worst.”

“I tried to get something for breakfast, but Rena was out of scones, and the line for takeout at Murphy’s was out the door. That’s Saturday morning in Bakersville for you.”

“At seven ten?”

“We’re a ranching town. Everybody’s up with the sun or bef

ore. Sorry about breakfast.”