Wild Cowboy Ways (Lucky Penny Ranch #1)(91)

“Thank you,” Allie said.

“Weatherman says that it’s supposed to let up by midnight, but I wouldn’t bank on the roads being cleared tomorrow. Y’all want me to pencil you in for another night?”

“Yes, please,” Allie said.

“Will do. If you need anything I’m right here all night.”

“What was that all about?” Blake asked.

“Deke has Shooter at his place. Evidently he found out from Mama that we’re in the motel in Archer City and got the number to call here so you wouldn’t be worried,” she answered.

“Hungry?” he asked.

“Me or Shooter?”

“You.” He grinned.

“Yes, but not for food. I’m reversing the order of the evening. First it’s making love, then food, and then we’ll talk about the rest. And Blake, I love you, too,” she said. The words came out so slick that she didn’t realize she’d said them until his lips were on hers.





Chapter Twenty-six



Blake could hardly believe it was already February. Allie had said that she loved him and things had been good since those three wonderful days in the motel when they’d lived on vending machine food, takeout pizza, and lots of sex. Two weeks had passed since then and their relationship had grown deeper with the passing of each day. The next step was to pop the question and open a pretty red velvet box to reveal a ring, wasn’t it?

All those sparkling diamonds displayed in a jewelry store window had always made Blake shield his eyes and hurry across the street. But now a ring was all he could think about. He wanted to spend the rest of his life with her, but was he rushing things? Buying the ring didn’t mean he had to give it to her before summer. Six months seemed like the appropriate time to wait after the “I love you” to the “Will you marry me?” He would have months to plan the perfect setting and the ring would be ready for that magical moment.

The plan had to be right because thinking the words didn’t give him hives. Only the online jewelry stores had so much to offer that he couldn’t choose, and then he worried that he might select something similar to her first wedding rings. He worried with it all afternoon and finally decided the only thing to do was ask Lizzy and hope to hell she didn’t pull out the gun from under the counter and start shooting.

“Hey, gorgeous!” he yelled down the hall toward Allie as he and Shooter came through the kitchen door. “I’m going to Lizzy’s store. You need me to pick up anything?”

Allie’s head bobbed down from an exposed rafter in the living room ceiling. “Not a thing. Lizzy is lonely with Mitch away. Want to ask her to join us for supper at Nadine’s tonight?”

“I’ll ask her. See you later. Be careful up there.” He blew her a kiss.

Luck was with him. No one was in the store when he arrived that chilly February afternoon.

Lizzy looked up from the counter and smiled. “Fence posts?”

“Wedding rings,” he said.

“I don’t sell those things.”

“Lizzy, I love Allie and I want to spend my life with her.”

“Don’t tell me. Tell her.”

“I need rings and I need help before I do that.”

Lizzy smiled. “I can’t believe I’m saying this but I believe you and I’m happy for you both. Now what can I do?”



Allie sat between Blake and Deke in the back pew at the church on Sunday morning. One arm around her shoulders pulled her close enough to hear the steady rhythm of his heartbeat. His fingers interlaced with hers shot delicious little tingles throughout her body. This was the man she’d fallen in love with, part dependable and the other part pure sexy pleasure.

The preacher took the podium, opened his Bible, and looked out over the congregation.

Blake squeezed her hand. “Bet he speaks from that love chapter in Corinthians. Valentine’s Day is a week from today.”

“As all you folks know, Valentine’s Day is next Sunday,” the preacher said.

“Glad I didn’t make that bet,” Allie whispered.

“And the ladies tell me that we’re having a potluck in the fellowship hall immediately after church that day. Everyone is invited and I’m sure there will be plenty of food. Nadine has said she’s not opening the café that day so y’all best plan on having dinner here with us.” He chuckled. “And now if you will open your Bibles to the love chapter in Corinthians and follow along with me while I talk to you about what all love can do in your lives, both in relationships and friendships…”

“Two for two.” Blake kissed her on the earlobe and the tingles turned into hot little sparks.

Allie wished they were anywhere but church. But then the pews were wider than the backseat of his truck and longer than the kitchen table and she was still a church pew virgin. She blushed and Blake chuckled.

“Thinking something that will bring down lightning?” Blake asked.

She brought his ear close to her mouth. “More like it would rain hellfire down through the roof. You ever had sex on a church pew?”

“Pick one out. I’m game if you are,” he said.

The preacher finished his sermon by saying something about love and then said, “Don’t forget the social potluck next Sunday and now I’m going to ask Blake Dawson to end our service with the benediction.”