Branded as Trouble (Rough Riders #6)(77)

India ran her fingers through his damp hair. “You okay?”


“Never been better.”


She smiled. “Will you stay over?”


“I’d like to, but I can’t because I have to be up early.”


No bullshit excuses, just the truth.


“Too bad. I was gonna bake caramel rolls for breakfast.”


He snorted. “You don’t cook.”


“Does that bother you?”


“Why should it?”


“I don’t know. I’m not good at the sorts of things women around here are good at.”


“Such as?”


“Ranch stuff.” Wife stuff.


Stop that, India.


“Don’t matter. You’re good at all sorts of other things.”


“But I wanna learn…”


“What?”


“The normal stuff,” she blurted. “Will you teach me?”


“Be my pleasure.” Colt kissed the tip of her breast and then her mouth and hopped up.


India watched him get dressed.


He sat on the edge of the bed beside her. “I’ll see you tomorrow. Ladies’ choice, remember?”


“I’ve already decided what we’re gonna do.”


“Yeah? What’s that?”


“Two-step.”


“I’m hopin’ that’s a sex position we haven’t tried.”


“No. This is the normal stuff I’m talking about. I want you to teach me how to cowboy dance. In private, where no one can see my two left feet and my inability to keep time.”


Colt’s eyes searched hers. “Why do you wanna learn to dance?”


“Don’t you love to dance?”


“Well, yeah, but that don’t mean I expect you to take it up just to please me.”


“And if I want to please you, Colt? What then?”


“Indy—”


“Forget it. Stupid idea.” She peered at her fingers gripping the edge of the sheet, feeling the sting of embarrassment. She never should have suggested—


He tipped her chin up. “If you really wanna learn, I’d be honored to teach you.” His thumb swept over her bottom lip. “You constantly surprise me, India Ellison. Goddamn. You have no idea how much I—” He kissed her with such emotion she felt a lump rising in her throat.


“Sleep,” he said gruffly and left her staring after him.


Three days later, Colt laid on his back staring at the wispy fabric draped above India’s bed. While relaxed from a round of fast and fun sex, and content to just be around India, naked or not, he was tired of looking at the back of his eyelids. He sighed.


“Stop sighing like a teenage girl.”


“Are you done yet?”


“No.”


“Can I move now?”


“No.”


“I just wanna peek at what you’re doin’.”


“No.”


“Please?”


“Dammit, Colt, sit still.”


“I hope you’re drawin’ me with a really big dick.”


India peeked over the edge of the sketchpad at him. “You don’t need me to embellish that appendage, McKay.”