by Dylann Crush
The rough log walls and dark green and navy quilt agreed with him. This was a man’s room. A flat-screen television sat on a dresser across from the bed. The nightstand and lamp were the only other furniture. The absence of a woman’s touch made her heart skip a beat.
She thumped her chest with her fist. It shouldn’t matter that there were no obvious signs that a woman had been there. Whatever heat had passed between her and Jasper had to end with that kiss.
That toe-curling, goose bump–producing, panty-melting kiss.
She flung herself down on the bed and pulled a pillow to her chest. What the heck did the man bathe in? One whiff of his pillow, and her hormones leapt to high alert. It was like he’d covered everything in his bedroom in pheromones.
The clock on his nightstand told her it was way too late to engage in her favorite game of what-if. What if she and Jasper had a fling while she was in town? What if he laid another one of those kisses on her? What if she went out into the living room and curled against him on the couch?
Groaning, she reached for the switch on the lamp and flicked it off. With the room shrouded in darkness, his scent grew even stronger. She inhaled, pretending the shirt she’d wrapped herself in was his embrace instead.
* * *
* * *
Light filtered in through a crack in the curtain. Delilah woke to something warm and wet slathering her face. She tried to swat it away, but it kept coming back. She cracked her eyelid just in time to catch a slobbery swipe of tongue to her cheek.
“Buster!” Jasper’s voice came through the doorway and the dog stopped, cocked its head, and jumped onto the bed.
“Good morning, Buster.” She pulled the cotton blanket up to her chin, trying to protect herself from the onslaught of doggie love. His entire backside wagged back and forth with his tail. “Are you supposed to be in here?”
He turned a few circles on top of the quilt, then collapsed into a heap against her side. The door creaked open and Delilah glanced over. Jasper peeked through the crack in the doorway.
“Buster, get out of there,” he whispered.
Buster looked at him, lifted his leg, and licked at his privates. Delilah stifled a giggle.
“You awake?” Jasper asked, swinging the door wide.
“Your dog woke me.” She squinted at the clock. Eleven o’clock? Flinging the covers off, she swung her legs over the side of the bed. “Why in the world did you let me sleep so late?”
His gaze raked over her bare legs, reminding her of the events of the night before. Her stomach clenched, her core warmed. She pulled the covers against her chest.
“It’s okay. You missed church, but you don’t have to be anywhere until this afternoon. I checked Lacey’s binder.”
That should have made her feel better. But all it did was make her think of obscene ways they could pass the time. She’d hoped a good night’s sleep would cure her of her attraction. But as she swept a finger across her lips, she could still feel the way his lips had pressed on hers the night before.
“If you want to get dressed, we can pick up breakfast on our way over to take care of the cricket situation.” His lips curved up.
“Sure. Just give me a few minutes?” He looked like he’d already showered and shaved. For a split second she let herself remember the way his whiskers had felt against her skin.
“Take as long as you need. Do you want me to get him out of here?” He gestured toward the dog, who’d spread out from his initial tight circle and now sprawled across half of the king-sized bed.
“He’s fine. I didn’t notice it last night, but what happened to his ear?”
Jasper tilted his head as his smile faded. “He’s a rescue. Zina thinks he might have been part of a dog-fighting ring at one point. A lot of the pit bulls she gets at the rescue come from that kind of background.”
Her brow furrowed and her lips turned down. “That’s awful. Why do so many dogs seem to come from dog-fighting rings around here?”
He ran a hand over Buster’s belly. The dog flopped over on his side and let his tongue loll out of his mouth in pure ecstasy. “Deputy Phillips has been tracking a mobile dog-fighting ring for a couple of years. Every time they think they’re getting close, it moves out of the area and pops up somewhere else.”
“That’s terrible.” Delilah ran her palm over the dog’s stomach, earning her a series of tail whaps.
“He likes you.” Jasper grinned, his smile warming her soul.
She scratched a little harder and Buster moaned. “He doesn’t know any better.”
“He’s actually a really good judge of character.” Jasper retreated through the open door and back into the hall. “I’m going to run up to the house to see if my dad’s got anything to take care of your crickets. I set a clean towel out for you on the bathroom counter, and coffee’s on.”
“Thank you.” Delilah wasn’t used to anyone catering to her. Usually she was the one trying to make things easier for Stella, always soothing her mother’s rattled nerves. It was nice to be on the receiving end for a change.
Jasper pulled the door closed behind him. She stretched her arms over her head as her gaze traveled around the room. It had been dark last night, but now, with the soft light coming through the curtain, she could get a better look. She’d been right about there not being any sign of a woman’s presence. It shouldn’t have made her feel better, but it did. After that blistering kiss last night, she was going to have a hard time thinking about Jasper Taylor in a strictly platonic fashion. Her pulse kicked up as she remembered how his lips had felt on hers.
Getting involved with the hospitality host wasn’t a good idea. She’d only be in town for a month. And she wasn’t about to throw herself into a no-strings-attached fling. She’d be better off bottling up all that heat and saving it for when she got back to Dallas and got settled. Then she’d have plenty of time to find someone who checked off all her boxes.
She gave Buster a final scratch on his stomach, then rolled out of bed. The day had already gotten away from her. She had places to go and people to see. Not to mention an attraction to squelch.
* * *
* * *
Jasper wasn’t sure what to expect when he entered his place again. When he left, Delilah had been curled up in his bed, snuggling with his dog. It didn’t surprise him that Buster had taken to her right away. As far as he could tell, Delilah had spent her whole life winning people over. It was literally her job. He’d best remember that and not try to find any deeper meaning in that kiss she laid on him last night. He wasn’t about to get used by another gorgeous woman with an ulterior motive. For a half a second, he thought of Adeline. She couldn’t have been responsible for the crickets in Delilah’s trailer, could she?
He knew from experience that Adeline wouldn’t let anything stop her from getting what she wanted. And she wanted the title of most romantic small town in Texas. But sabotaging the judge’s trailer wouldn’t win her any points. Besides, Adeline didn’t do bugs. Someone else had to be behind it. Whoever it was, they’d better stop at a relatively harmless prank. Keeping Delilah safe fell under his umbrella of responsibility. For better or for worse, she was in his care, and he’d make damn sure no harm came to her under his watch.
“I’m back,” he called out as he opened the front door. The last thing he needed was to surprise her and find her walking around naked. Seeing her in that flimsy, see-through nightie had already ensured he’d never be able to look at her the same again. Not now that he had a pretty good idea of the curves underneath those fancy skirts and dresses she seemed to favor.
“In the kitchen,” Delilah answered.
Buster bounded over to greet him. “Hey, boy. Have you been good for Delilah?”
She stood in the doorway that led from the living room into the kitchen, a spatula in her hand. “He’s been fabulous. I wish he could talk though. Would h
ave saved me some time trying to figure out where you keep everything.”
“Are you cooking?” So that’s what he smelled. He’d noticed it when he came in the door, but figured she’d sprayed some sort of perfume or air freshener.
“Pancakes. Would have cut up some fruit to go along with it, but your refrigerator is empty.” She turned to head back into the kitchen. “Time to flip. You want any?”
He glanced down at Buster. “What’s going on?”
The dog didn’t answer, just cocked his head one way and then the next.
“I couldn’t find any maple syrup so you can have peanut butter or honey on top.” With her back to him, she stood at the stovetop and worked the spatula in her hand.
“You didn’t have to do this.” He leaned against the counter, enjoying the way her hips moved as she flipped flapjacks.
“I know you said we could go out but look at me.” She turned, pointing to her clothes. “I hope you don’t mind I borrowed a shirt and some shorts.”
He hadn’t even noticed when he walked in, but she was wearing one of his college T-shirts and a pair of his athletic shorts. “Where are the clothes I grabbed for you?”
Her face flushed before she twirled back around to face the stove. “I’m not sure it would be appropriate for me to go out in public in any of them. Seems you were in a hurry and only grabbed things from my lingerie drawers.”
Shit. He scrubbed a hand over his eyes. The image of Delilah’s lacy underthings had been seared on his brain. And now she knew he’d had his hands in her drawers. Dammit. Her dresser drawers. “Sorry about that.”
“It’s okay. I figured breakfast was the least I could do to thank you for your late-night rescue.” She opened the cabinet next to the stove. “Where do you keep your plates?”
He moved to her other side and pulled two plates from the cabinet. “Here you go.”
“Thanks.” She piled a tall stack of pancakes onto a plate and handed it to him, then flipped one onto her plate before walking over to the table.
“Is that all you’re having?”
She rubbed a hand over her stomach. “I ate way too much last night at that restaurant.”
“Yeah, Ortega’s does an amazing job.” He pulled up a chair next to hers. “There’s another place over past Swynton that has the best cheese enchiladas. I’ll have to take you there while you’re in town.”
“I’d like that.”
“Me, too.” Before he drove himself crazy trying to figure out if he’d just asked her out on a date or if she’d accepted as a friend, he slid the first bite of pancake into his mouth. Delicious. “This is great.”
“It would be better if you had a stocked pantry. Don’t you ever eat at home?”
“Not often. I usually grab dinner up at the house or stop and pick something up. Do you like to cook?”
She cut off a small bite with the side of her fork. “I love it. But I haven’t had very many opportunities lately.”
“That trailer doesn’t have much of a kitchen.”
Nodding, she slipped the bite into her mouth, and for a moment he focused on those soft, full lips.
“Well, you’re welcome to cook in my kitchen whenever you want.” He shrugged. “I’ll even stock the pantry if you tell me what you need.”
Her eyebrows lifted. “Careful what you offer. I might just take you up on that.”
“I hope you do.”
A look passed between them that made his pulse tick up. A hint of heat sparked in her eyes, making him want to pull her into his lap and pick up where they’d left off the night before. He forced himself to shut it down.
“You’re on. I figure I owe you something for taking care of the cricket problem. If you’re serious about letting me use your kitchen, I’d love to make you dinner one night this week.”
His stomach rolled as he thought about Delilah moving around his kitchen with the same kind of ease she’d shown this morning. So much for keeping his distance. He could do it, though. She might look like a goddess, but he could keep himself under control.
“That sounds great. Now what do you want to do about your wardrobe?”
“You don’t think I should go out in public like this?” She laughed as she looked down at his Gig ’Em shirt.
“I think you look great.” He wasn’t lying about that. Her hair was piled on top of her head, still damp from her shower. She didn’t have a trace of makeup on her flawless skin, and if he’d run into her in public, he never would have guessed she was the reigning Miss Lovin’ Texas. “You should wear makeup less often.”
“I’m not sure how to take that.” Her fork stabbed another bite. “Are you trying to say I look bad with makeup on?”
Now he’d stepped in it. “No, you look just fine with makeup.”
“I must not do a good job with it though if you think I look better without it.”
“That’s not what I meant at all. I was trying to pay you a compliment. You don’t need all of that crap on your face or those sparkly, glittery dresses to look beautiful. I think you’re gorgeous just the way you are. Right here. Right now. With me.” He let his fork clatter to his plate.
Her eyes went wide. “I was just teasing, Jasper. Thank you for saying that. Most people forget there’s something beyond the Miss Lovin’ Texas sash. I appreciate you noticing.”
He didn’t want to acknowledge the vulnerability. “I grabbed some stuff from my dad and I’m going to run over to the trailer now. Do you want to come with me so you can pick out some clothes?”
“Yes, thank you.” She gathered their empty plates and took them to the sink.
“I’ll clean up when we get back. Come on, I’ll run you by the house and you can borrow something more appropriate from my mom or sister.”
“Oh, I couldn’t.” Her mouth twisted into a frown. “Can’t we just sneak back so I can grab something quick?”
“Not on a Sunday. Helmut does a full brunch buffet at the Burger Bonanza. You show up looking like that and tongues will start wagging.”
“Okay then. I guess I don’t have much of a choice.”
* * *
* * *
Less than fifteen minutes later Jasper finished introductions. His mom had been in a flat-out tizzy since he’d walked through the door with Delilah on his heels. But then she and his twelve-year-old sister, Abby, took Delilah upstairs and promised they’d find her something appropriate. At least something she could wear long enough to get back to the parking lot and pick up some of her own things.
“She spent the night at your place?” his brother Lucas asked.
“That’s what I said.”
“Anything happen?” Lucas arched a brow.
“Nothing like you’re thinking.” Jasper settled onto the couch while he waited for the women to finish upstairs.
“You had a woman like that at your place last night and nothing happened?” Lucas bounced his daughter, Maggie, on his hip. He and Maggie had been living at the house for the past two years. Ever since Lucas’s one-night stand, aka Maggie’s mother, took off.
“Out of all the people in this family, aren’t you the one who should be cautioning me about getting carried away?” Jasper held out his arms and Maggie launched herself at him. His niece might not have a mother in her life, but she was absolutely cherished by her daddy, her grandparents, and the rest of the family.
“I miss women,” Lucas admitted as he lowered himself into their dad’s favorite recliner.
“You’re not dead, you know. You should ask someone out.”
“Who? Nobody I know wants to go out with someone who comes with a built-in family. Not at my age.”
Jasper held on to Maggie’s hands as she sat on top of his boot and commanded him in her giggly two-year-old way: “Bounce.”
He grinned as he gently bounced his leg up and down. Sh
e laughed, the high-pitched giggles like music to his ears. Lucas was trying to make the best out of a rotten situation. A one-night stand that left him with a lifelong commitment to an adorable little girl.
“Don’t give up. There’s someone out there for you.”
“You ever listen to your own advice?” Lucas’s gaze shot to the steps. “She’s here for what? A month?”
“Not going to go there.” Jasper shook his head.
“Sounds like a wasted opportunity if you ask me.”
“Good thing no one’s asking.” Jasper bounced Maggie high enough to grab her in his arms. “Don’t you have to work today?”
“I’m going. Hey, are you really trying to get Dad to turn the big barn into some kind of wedding place?”
“I sure am. He said if we could win the title of most romantic small town in Texas, he’d give me his blessing. We’ve got to do something to keep our heads above water until we can plant and harvest some new trees.” He hoped his dad would keep his word.
Lucas shifted to the edge of his seat. “If we do, does that mean I can give up my job in town and come back to work here?”
“Hopefully.”
“Well let me know if you need help. I’ll do what I can to make sure I don’t have to leave Maggie for so long every day.”
“If you have any ideas on how to make things romantic, feel free to share. Mayor Cherish needs me to plan some big event before the judging period is over. So far all I’ve got is an idea to work on something around the Fall Festival.”
“Apples and pumpkins aren’t romantic.” Lucas slapped his baseball cap against his leg as he stood. “If only Colin were here . . . he was always the ladies’ man.”
Jasper tried not to react. Everyone seemed to think Colin was the answer to their prayers. It wasn’t his place to tell them the truth. “Yeah. If only . . .”
“Hey, can you keep an eye on Mags until Mom’s done? They’re going to the apple orchard later on today.”
