Redneck Romeo (Rough Riders #15)(29)

Only not as much as Rory did. “You cannot just show up at my house whenever you feel like it, Dalton McKay.”


“I texted you.”


Arms crossed over her chest, she blocked the entrance to her cabin. “You didn’t ask if you could come over. You just said you were coming over. Big difference.”


Man, her hackles were up as much as Jingle’s—not that he’d voice that comparison. “So you’re not interested in the glazed donuts and raspberry-filled bismarcks I brought?”


Her gaze moved to the grocery bag dangling from his fingertips. “That is cheating. Plying me with my favorite donuts so I forgive your breach of etiquette.”


“Then why don’t you go ahead and add this onto my list of broken rules.” He pressed his mouth to hers, intending to share a sweet kiss. But the instant her lips parted, he couldn’t help but sneak his tongue inside for a tiny taste of her, which wasn’t enough. So by the time he forced himself to back off, his cock was as hard as his breathing.


Good thing he wore a long coat.


“Not fair,” she murmured against his cheek.


“I warned you I ain’t gonna play fair.” He kissed her temple. “I haven’t seen you for two days. Which is two days too long. So you gonna let me in? Or will I be sharing these donuts with Jingle?”


“Come in.”


Dalton kicked off his boots and headed for the small kitchen.


“Sit and I’ll get plates. Would you like coffee?”


“Sure.”


Neither spoke until they were both settled at the table with food and drink. “How late did you work last night?” Dalton asked.


“Till it closed at two. The bar side was hopping so I helped out.” She ran a hand over the top of her head. “That’s why I’m a mess. I slept in.”


“You don’t look a mess to me. You look perfectly beautiful, as always.”


Rory’s green eyes turned shrewd. “Yeah, I’m some stunner today. No makeup, my hair pulled into a ponytail and I’m wearing sweats.”


Dalton shrugged. “I stick by what I said. Ain’t the clothes that make a woman sexy.”


Not sure what to say, Rory focused on demolishing her donut. “So why are you here?”


“To bully-kiss you, ’cause I know you missed it.”


She snorted.


“I thought I’d see what your plans were for today.”


“Not much. Laundry. Catching up on some reading for work. Why?”


“Because I need furniture. You’ve got great taste so I’d like your help.”


“That’s it? You’re falling down in the charming and cajoling department. Try again.”


Fishing for compliments? He could oblige her. “Rory, my stunningly gorgeous, sinfully sexy, surprisingly sweet, whip-smart and all-around perfect dream woman. If you don’t help me choose decent furnishings, I’ll buy mismatched bean bag chairs and TV trays and call it good.” Dalton leaned forward, the picture of earnestness. “Please, goddess of all that requires a shrewd eye and a deft hand, save me from myself.”


She laughed. “That’s much better. We going into Rapid City?”


“I thought we’d start in Spearfish.”


“Why? You interested in antiques? Secondhand stores?”


“No and no.”


“That narrows your shopping choices in Spearfish.”


Jingle put her paws on Dalton’s knee and he ruffled the dog’s ears. “Then let’s head into Rapid. I don’t want anything that has to be special ordered. The furniture has to be in stock so they can deliver it next week. I’m sick of sitting on the damn floor and sleeping on the floor.”


Rory drained her coffee and stood. “I’ll go get ready.”


Dalton was pleasantly surprised when Rory walked out of her bedroom about five minutes later. In his past experience with women, “getting ready” took anywhere from twenty minutes to an hour. “That was fast.”


“No need to fuss when you’ve already seen me au natural.”


He tugged her against his body. “I haven’t seen you au natural for a long damn time and I’m makin’ it a priority to change that.”


Rory twined her arms around his neck. “I half-expected your reason for showing up today was to convince me to take a tumble or ten with you, since I actually have a bed we could tumble into.”


“Tempting.” He kissed her. “Make no mistake that I want you like f*cking crazy, but I won’t rush it.”


“So if I said I wanted you to drag me to my bed and ravish me right now…?”


Dalton clamped his hands on her ass and started pushing her toward the bedroom.


She laughed. “Just checking.”


He’d always hated shopping until he’d gone with Rory.


She refused to let him settle for bachelor-bland furnishings. But the couch, loveseat and recliner she picked were comfortable and not too girly. He chose a king-sized mattress and she convinced him he needed a nightstand and a chest of drawers.