Page 21
Author: Lorelei James
“You don’t have to do this now, Blake. ”
“Yeah, I do. Since selling the ranch I’ve felt…displaced. I didn’t know where I was going. Or what I was doing. Or if what I’d done for the last fifteen years of my life was pointless in preparing me for what comes next. ” He smiled tentatively. “Then I met you. I was totally unprepared for you, sunshine. ”
Willow didn’t say a word.
“These last four days have been amazing. ”
“For me too. ”
“You know I’ve gotta ask…why? I know why they were unforgettable for me, but why for you? Especially when yesterday afternoon you accused me of lying to you. ”
“I was mad. But I shouldn’t have said that… I…I’m sorry. ”
“Was what happened between us amazing for you only because the sex is so incredible?”
“I’ll admit that’s part of it. I’ve never…clicked with anyone the way I have with you. ”
“Yeah?”
“Yeah. I liked working with you in the bar. I liked talking to you. You make me laugh. You make me feel like I am a sexy beauty queen. You make me hot. ” She smiled. “You make me dinner. ”
Blake laughed softly.
“You make me feel all those things plus a whole lot more. After I took off and calmed down, I realized I didn’t want…”
His hopes sank. “Didn’t want what? Me?”
“No!” Willow inhaled a deep breath. “I didn’t want you to leave. I want more than four days to get to know everything about you, Blake West. ”
“Thank God. ” He reached for her hand and squeezed it. “Does that mean you’re okay with me sticking around Broward and tending bar part-time at Dave’s until I figure some things out?”
Her shocked expression was priceless. “Really?”
“Yeah. Think maybe you could help me find a place around here to rent?”
“You could live with me. ”
Blake shook his head. “I appreciate the offer. But I wanna do this right, Will. What’s started between us is too important to screw up. Seems I’ve been waiting for a woman like you my whole life. ”
“You’d better define woman like you,” she teased.
“A perfectly sweet, perfectly hot, perfectly nice woman. ” He touched the curve of her jaw. “I’m crazy about you. ”
“I’m pretty crazy about you too. ”
The moment floated between as sweetly as a promise.
“So what do we do now?”
“Think your crew could do without you for a couple days? I need to go back to Sundance and get my dog and books and stuff. And I’d like to introduce you to my folks on the way back here. ”
“You sure you want me to come?” Willow smoothed the hair from his forehead. “Won’t you be sad to leave your family and home in Wyoming?”
“But that’s the thing. I feel like I’m finally coming home. ”
“You and that sweet talkin’. I could get used to it. ”
“I sure hope so, sunshine. ”
“You know, I’ve been meaning to ask you… Why do you call me sunshine?” Her brow wrinkled. “I’m not blonde. Or even golden skinned. ”
He grinned at her. “And your disposition isn’t particularly sunny when you have a hangover either, which was why it was tongue in cheek when I first started calling you that. But now…”
“But now what?”
“Now, I call you sunshine because you light up my world. ”
Tears shimmered in her eyes. “I could definitely get used to having you around, Blake West. ”
“I have a feeling it’s gonna be one long, hot summer. ”