Charlie pulled to a stop near the foreman’s cottage, next to the walkway he’d put in yesterday. Some yellow-and-orange flowers bloomed by the front porch and someone had placed a hanging basket right above the railing, near the new front door. Everything looked fresh and clean with the needed repairs and new paint.
He was pretty sure Cassie was going to like it. “Okay, just stay put. I’m going to come around the truck.”
“Hurry. I’m really getting a little claustrophobic over here.”
He jogged around the truck and opened her door. “Don’t look yet. Let me get you down.”
She’d already unclipped her seat belt, so he scooped her up and walked to the edge of the stepping stones. She slid down his body until her feet touched the ground. “Okay, open your eyes.”
She pulled her hands away as he turned her shoulders slightly so she faced the house. Her petite body nestled right up against him.
“Oh, Charlie, it’s so cute!”
“Welcome home, darlin’,” he said, leaning down to kiss the top of her head.
She turned and smiled up at him, and he knew then that all the hard work this past week had been worth it. “Thank you. It’s great. But where are we?”
“We’re on the Lazy Y. This used to be the foreman’s cottage. No one’s lived here in years, so it needed lots of work.”
“I remember that house! It looks so different now. I hope you got help.”
“Lots of help. You know all those ladies who were helping you? Well, their husbands were out here helping me.”
“I’m not surprised. They’ve been great, haven’t they?”
“Yeah, we had the equivalent of a barn raising, right here in Brody’s Crossing.”
“A wedding and house raising.”
“That’s right. Come on inside.” He took her hand and walked beside her as she stepped from one concrete stone to another on the walkway. Two steps up to the porch, and she reached for the doorknob.”
“Ah, not yet.” She gasped as he scooped her up again.
She laughed. “You’re going to hurt your back, carrying me around.”
“I’ve known feed sacks bigger than you.”
“Let’s see if you say that in six months.”
“Push that door open, darlin’,” he said, leaning down so she could turn the knob.
The door swung open and he carried her across the threshold. “I hope you like our new house.”
“It’s…wow, it’s great!”
He let her slide down his body again. Holding her so close was having a powerful effect on him. He hoped she didn’t want to spend too much time exploring the house because he had some exploring he wanted to do in their new bed.
She hurried across the living room, through the dining area and into the kitchen, flipping on light switches. “Everything’s new! It’s beautiful.”
“It’s not the biggest kitchen in the world, and we had to go with stock cabinets instead of custom, but I think it turned out great.” The maple cabinets were stained cherry, and Leo had ordered prefabricated granite countertops that came in sections and could be cut on-site. “Toni said we had to go with stainless appliances.”
“Oh, she’s right. These are great.” Cassie pulled open the refrigerator and gasped. “It’s full!”
“I guess people brought out casseroles and so forth so we’d have something to eat. You can’t cook on your honeymoon.”
Cassie ran across the room and into his arms. “This is the best wedding present ever!” He bent down and kissed her, pulling her tight. He felt her excitement over the house radiate through her body, but he was a little more focused on his own pleasure at having her alone. Finally.
She drew away. “Wait! Where’s your wedding present?”
“What?”
“The one I got for you. I gave it to Colby to take care of.”
She grabbed his hand and led him into the living room. “Oh, there it is.”
Sure enough, a big flat-screen TV he hadn’t noticed when they first walked in was on the wall across from the couch. “Hey, that’s nice. Thank you, darlin’. I love it.”
“I knew you would. Boys and their toys.”
“Huh?”
She chuckled. “Just something we girls were talking about. Come on, show me the rest of the house.” She tugged him toward the short hallway.
“Glad to.” Since the bedrooms were back there, he was more than willing to explore that space.
The remodeled bathroom was to the left, with the small bedroom across from it. Toni and some of the other ladies had come out and decorated it for the baby. They’d painted it yellow and green, since they didn’t know the sex yet. A white crib and changing table, plus a rocking chair, took up most of the space. A small chest of drawers fit under the window.
“It’s beautiful. I love the butterfly theme.”
“You can change it if you want to once we know whether it’s a boy or a girl.”
“No, it’s fine just like this. I won’t have to do a thing. They were so thoughtful.”
“Come on. I’ll show you our room.” The nursery was nice, but they wouldn’t need it for months yet. On the other hand, he wanted to get her into that queen-size bed as quickly as possible.
“Okay.” She held his hand as they walked down the hallway.
“I hope you like it. This was the only space they let me have my say in decorating.”
She looked around, taking in the blue and brown color scheme. He’d chosen it because it wasn’t too girly. He didn’t think he’d be able to relax under a blanket of flowers or a bunch of frilly ruffles. This comforter had a few swirls and curlicues, but wasn’t too feminine.
“It’s nice. You did a great job. I had no idea you had a knack for decorating.”
“I don’t, but I told those women I wanted some say in my own place.”
“I understand.” She turned to him and put her arms around his waist. “This past week must have seemed out of control to you. Other people making all these decisions, and with the wedding…I hope you don’t feel as if you were caught up in a tidal wave.”
“Darlin’, all I’m feelin’ right now is that I’d like to peel off this little sundress and see what you’ve been hiding from me these past three months.”
Her eyes widened as he pulled her tight against the front of his jeans. “Oh.”
He grinned. “Yeah. Oh.”
She returned his smile slowly. “Okay, but can you get my suitcase out of the truck?”
“Is there anything in there you need in the next ten minutes?”
“Um, no, I don’t think so.”
“Then I’m gettin’ it for you later,” he said before he leaned down and kissed her hard. She seemed surprised, but then her lips parted and she kissed him back. Hot, hungry kisses. He walked her backward until her legs touched the bed.
Raising his head slightly, he looked into her dazed eyes. “I’m going to apologize in advance for rushing you, but this first time might be a little fast.”
“I, um, understand,” she whispered. “For me, too.”
That’s all he needed to hear. A pull on the straps and the sundress came untied. He kissed her shoulders before pulling the top down and exposing her breasts. “You are not wearing a bra, Mrs. Yates.”
“Built-in bra,” she said. “The dress—”
“Yeah, let’s get rid of this dress.” He tugged it past her waist and her rounded belly, which he couldn’t resist kissing while she stood here leaning back against the bed. She smelled and tasted so good he about lost it right then.
“Charlie,” she whispered, sexy and low, and he pulled the dress and her panties off in one tug.
“You look really good, darlin’,” he growled, “but I’d like to see you on our bed now.”
“I’d like to see you without so many clothes on,” she countered.
“Whatever you want, as long as it’s fast.” He popped the snaps on his shirt, never so thankful for that modern convenience.
His buckle came loose with a jerk, and then Cassie reached down to help with the jeans. Her fingers and hands all over him just about did him in again, but finally she got the buttons undone.
“I really missed you,” she said, stroking him through the thin cotton of his boxers.
She was killing him! He lifted her beneath her arms and lowered her to the center of the bed, then leaned down and pulled off his boots and socks. His jeans seemed extra stubborn, probably because he was so swollen he had to take time not to hurt himself. He finally kicked them off and placed his knee on the bed.
“I missed you more,” he said, holding himself above her, leaning down to kiss her. His arms, hell, his whole body shook from restraint, but then she pulled him lower and kissed him hard, and he forgot to try to go slow.
“Next time we’ll dally more,” he whispered as he parted her legs and made sure she was as ready as she seemed. Yep, she was. He positioned himself and slid home.
Nothing had ever felt so good.
Cassie arched and moved against him. He thought about mentioning that she might want to slow down, that she was going to push him right over the edge, but she felt so damn fine.
His wife. He was making love to his wife in their bed in their house. His hands snaked under her shoulders, holding her tight, as he moved with her.
“Oh, Charlie,” she cried out, convulsing, and he gave himself up to the release that had been building all day.
He wasn’t sure when sanity returned, but slowly he realized they were both still breathing hard, both damp with sweat. He brushed her hair aside and kissed her shoulder.
Cassie didn’t move.
“Darlin’, are you okay? I didn’t hurt you, did I?”
She turned toward him slowly and smiled. “No, cowboy. You didn’t hurt me or the baby.”
He breathed a sigh of relief. He hadn’t thought about the baby at all. There had been just the two of them in the room.
“You know how I wanted my suitcase?” she reminded him, drawing patterns on his back with one of her short nails.
“Oh, yeah. I’ll—”
Her arms tightened around his back. “You can get it later,” she said before she kissed him.
BEING MARRIED, CASSIE decided, was the greatest thing ever.
Well, except that she was a little sore, kind of sweaty, and ravenously hungry.
“Anything good in there?” Charlie asked, walking up behind her. His bare feet made no sound on the kitchen’s tile floor.
“Um, I’m looking. Do you want something in particular?” The refrigerator contained at least five casseroles, fresh fruit and vegetables, eggs, bacon, milk and orange juice.
“Other than you?” he asked, kissing her bare shoulder. “Nope. Whatever you want is fine with me.”
She shivered. Mostly she wanted Charlie, but they had to keep up their strength. The sun hadn’t set yet; the night was ahead of them.
Still, this was going to be a really short honeymoon since her aunt and uncle were in town, plus Charlie’s parents.
“How about King Ranch Chicken Casserole?” she asked, pulling out a plastic container with a label on top.
“That’s fine with me.”
She opened a drawer and found a complete set of stainless-steel flatware inside, all neatly arranged. Her friends, she thought, shaking her head. They’d thought of everything.
She dished servings into two stoneware bowls and placed them in the microwave.
“What do you want to drink?” Charlie asked.
“I’d love a glass of white wine to celebrate, but I can’t,” she answered. “Do we have any iced tea?”
“Let me check,” he said, opening the refrigerator.
The microwave dinged while Charlie filled glasses with ice. They were working well together in the kitchen, she thought. And they were definitely on the same wave length in the bedroom. She paused while stirring the casserole to make sure it was warm all the way through. She’d always thought honeymoons were for visiting exotic locations together, but now she understood the real purpose: lots of private time together in bed.
He set the table while she finished warming their dinner, then she brought the bowls over. “Do we have plans tomorrow? I really want to see my aunt and uncle, but I’d also love to stay here and pretend we don’t have family visiting.”
“I know what you mean,” Charlie said. “I guess we can compromise. Colby’s taking care of the parents, keeping them entertained. Toni and Wyatt are officially in charge of your aunt and uncle, but Clarissa, Bobbi Jean and Ida all volunteered to show them around.”
“Aunt Helen will want to make sure I’m happy and Uncle Jim will want to grill you,” Cassie said, taking a bite of the casserole. “He’ll feel it’s his responsibility.”
Charlie shrugged. “Why don’t we call and see if our families want to come for lunch tomorrow? We have enough food to feed an army. That way, they can see where we’ll be living.”
“Good idea!”
“Mom and Dad saw the outside of the house last night. The last time anyone lived here was a few years before Dad retired and Colby took over. The foreman was a single man and this place was very plain. I don’t think it had changed since it was built in the early 1970s.”
“Let’s call them in the morning,” Cassie suggested. “If we call them tonight, they’ll wonder why we’re thinking about them instead of focusing on each other.”
“Yeah,” he said with a grin. “Why are we talking about them instead of eating as fast as we can so we can get back in bed?”
Cassie smiled. “Because I’m hungry and we’re sweaty and I thought we should see if we can both fit in that newly tiled shower.”
“Excellent idea, Mrs. Yates.” They ate in silence until the casserole disappeared, then Charlie reached for the empty bowls and forks. “You find the soap and towels while I do the dishes.”
“Don’t wait too long. I might use all the hot water.”
“Don’t you dare. I’m not taking any cold showers tonight.”
“And I wouldn’t want you to,” Cassie said with a flirty lilt to her voice as she hurried to the bathroom.
CASSIE COULDN’T REMEMBER the last time she had felt so relaxed. Being with Charlie, just the two of them, in their perfect little house, was more than she could have expected. She stretched, pointing her toes to the footboard and fingers to the headboard, careful not to awaken Charlie. Today wouldn’t be so relaxing if her family and in-laws were coming over for lunch.
She turned her head and looked out the window. Bright sunlight streamed in around the curtains and natural woven blinds. She should get up, but she was so comfortable she wanted to stay here all day.
She sighed and eased her legs from beneath the sheet. Somewhere on the floor she’d dropped her robe. She found it beside the chest of drawers, pulled it on and tied the belt. Charlie would want coffee when he woke up. She remembered that from their one weekend together, three months ago. The man liked his coffee strong, with two sugars and no cream.
“Cream in coffee is for sissies,” he’d told her with a grin as she’d added a healthy dose to her own cup. He’d gone on to tell her that he knew a lot more uses for cream than wasting it in coffee.
She shook her head. I’ve got to stop thinking about him all the time. About us. About what we did together. I have things to do. Invite the family. Get the house picked up.
After checking the clock on the stove and discovering she’d slept until almost ten, she put on coffee for Charlie and searched the cabinets for decaf for herself. There, Toni’s favorite brand, Cassie thought with a smile.
While the coffee brewed, she got her cell phone, sat in one of the chairs in the living room, and called her aunt and uncle.
“Hi, Aunt Helen. Did you get settled with Toni and Wyatt?”
“They’re wonderful!” her aunt exclaimed. “I had no idea you had such interesting friends. I mean, I knew you worked for Mr. McCall’s company in California, but I had no idea he was right h
ere!”
“Yes, I know, and his wife is my boss.”
“I know. Have you seen this house? Oh, of course you have. I’ve never seen anything like it before.”
Toni and Wyatt had built their modern house into the butte behind the water tower, where she’d proposed to him. There were many levels to their home, lots of glass, and every modern convenience that Wyatt could find. Being a billionaire made him a little spoiled when it came to material comforts, but he was one of the nicest, most generous men Cassie had ever met.
“Would you and Uncle Jim like to come for lunch? We have more food than we could eat in a week.”
“Er, are you sure? I mean, you got married yesterday.”
“I know, but you just got here yesterday, too. I want to have time to visit with you. Charlie wants me to invite his mom and dad also.”
“I met them yesterday. They live in Florida, don’t they?”
“No, Harlingen. That’s on the South Texas coast.”
“They seem very nice. Had you met them before?”
“They retired from the ranch before I moved here. I met them briefly at the reception yesterday.”
“I can see how Charlie would want to spend time with his parents if they haven’t visited in a while.”
“So, you’ll come? About noon?”
“Well, if you’re sure you want company so soon. Of course we want to see you and spend more time with your…er, your husband.” Aunt Helen laughed nervously. “That sounds so odd, you know. Your husband. Such a surprise.”
“Yes, isn’t it? But when it’s right, it’s right.”
“I’d better go tell Jim. He’s probably out in the garage, looking at all of Mr. McCall’s cars and motorcycles and who knows what.”
“Wyatt and Toni can give you directions. Bye for now, Aunt Helen.”
Cassie disconnected the call and smiled at her phone. She could imagine her uncle trying not to look too amazed at whatever Wyatt had in that gleaming multi-car garage.
The Texan and the Cowgirl Page 13
