Taking Charge (Lone Star Burn #4)(25)
Well, at least he was only joking about it being see-through.
She stepped back into the light from the window, and her mouth rounded. “Oh no.” The material became completely translucent. She covered her suddenly hot cheeks with both hands. She might as well have been standing there in nothing but her panties. “No wonder he smiled his way through breakfast.”
Recognizing a light of passion in her own eyes, she frowned at her reflection. Don’t be stupid. No matter how wonderful sleeping with him might feel, it would only make this situation more complicated.
She told herself that even though she owed David money, she still had her pride. If I sleep with him, what’s the difference between me and any woman who accepts financial compensation for sex?
Sex. Sex. Sex. Since when is that all I think about?
I’m spending my time reading about and thinking about sex toys. That could be enough to muddle any woman’s common sense.
She ran one finger across her bottom lip and closed her eyes in pleasure as she remembered the feel of his mouth on hers. Did he have to be such a good kisser?
She turned away from the mirror, shed her nightgown, and stepped into the shower. By the end of her shower, she’d convinced herself the only reason it felt like he kissed better than any other man she’d ever been with was because it had been such a long time. By the time she was dressed and hopping into her truck, she’d put their morning flirtation behind her and was determined to focus on the day’s errands. David stopped when he saw her across the driveway, turned the tractor off, and got down. Lucy started her truck quickly and peeled out of her driveway like a criminal running from the law.
I’m not afraid I’ll melt at his feet if I talk to him again or stand there staring at him, wishing he’d kiss me again. No, I’m smarter than that. I just don’t see what we have to say to each other right now.
She glanced back in her mirror and saw him standing in the middle of her driveway, shaking his head. No matter how good he looks, he must smell like cow manure after working out there.
I wouldn’t mind washing him off.
A nasty crunching sound snapped Lucy’s attention back to driving, and she realized she’d driven right over her mailbox, which had thankfully been on a thin post.
This has to stop. I’m lucky it was only a mailbox; there will be kids here this afternoon.
Snap out of it, Lucy.
David is just a man, no different than any other. When has deciding to be with one ever made things better? Doesn’t it always end badly? I refuse to add another layer of shit to a situation that is already out of control.
Lucy kept telling herself this, and by the time she arrived in town, she believed it. She checked in with the bank. Even though she believed Wyatt would never cheat her, she needed to confirm that the money was there. Afterward, she met with the same lawyer her father had always used. He wrote up a simple loan paper for her and David without blinking an eye. In a town as small as Mavis, he’d probably heard all about David staying at her place, but he didn’t ask. His discretion was what her father had always liked about him, and Lucy was grateful for it then and now.
She was walking out of his office when she literally bumped into a friend from high school. “Michelle.”
A concerned look spread across the petite brunette’s face. “Lucy. I heard about you and Ted; are you okay?”
Lucy scanned her friend’s face and found no sign of anything but genuine worry. “I’m fine. Sometimes things just don’t work out. You know how it goes.”
Michelle Hughes nodded and gave her nearly flat stomach a pat. “I haven’t heard from you lately, so you don’t know that we’re expecting another baby.” Her expression twisted with embarrassment. “I’m sorry. This was the wrong moment to bring that up.”
Lucy took her friend’s hand in hers. “I’m okay and really, really happy for you. Ron must be thrilled. I know you both wanted to try for a boy.”
“He is, and we’re hopeful this time. The doctor thought he saw a . . . well, you know. It’s hard to say when they’re so little, but Ron already bought a football.”
“That’s great,” Lucy said, then hugged her friend. She’d known Michelle since kindergarten. Seeing her happy brightened Lucy’s mood. “I have work to do today, but I have time for lunch. What about you?”
“I’d love that.”
They linked arms and walked to the town’s diner together. I was wrong. I do have friends here. The people at the bank and her father’s old lawyer had both not only seemed to care but also sounded as if they believed she could succeed. She was glad she’d come into town.
Over sandwiches, the two women caught up with what Michelle had been doing. When they finished, Michelle sat back and took a sip of her water. “Did I mention how good it is to see you? I’ve missed you.” She put her glass down. “I was so sorry to hear it didn’t work out with you and Ted. There is someone special out there for you. My mother always says, ‘There’s a lid for every pot.’ You’ll find yours.”
Lucy twirled her straw in her drink. “I’m not focusing on that right now. I’m working on saving the ranch.”
“I’m surprised you want it. You always said you couldn’t wait to get out of here.”
“People change,” Lucy said quietly. “They grow up and realize what they thought was important isn’t, and what they tried to leave behind is really all that matters.”