He bit his lip. “Dinner every night for the rest of the time you’re here. If you can’t keep up with me on the trails, you cook. Sound fair?”
With a wide grin, I nodded and lifted my hand. I was planning on doing that anyway. “Deal. And if I win, you have to wear a pair of Mexican pointy boots for an evening out on the town.”
He shook my hand. “I guess this would be part of my payback?”
“Some of it. But your boots need to be a pair that I pick out,” I added.
“Oh hell,” he laughed, letting my hand go. “That’s not going to happen.”
I turned back around, hiding my smile. He was going to lose. Taking a deep breath, I closed my eyes and waited for his fingers to touch me. When they did, I didn’t want him to stop. They were warm and gentle as he spread the cream over my skin. Goosebumps fanned out across my body and a deep chuckle vibrated in his chest. My eyes shot open. Fuck, had I moaned out loud? Thankfully, he couldn’t see my flaming cheeks.
“Are you about done?” I asked, feigning impatience.
“Almost,” he replied. I could hear the smile in his tone. “Just a little more.” As soon as he was done, he tapped my side. “You can lower your shirt now.”
I dropped it and quickly moved to the edge of the couch. “Thanks.”
“Want something to drink? After breaking out in hives and demolishing the waffle batter machine, I’d say you need one.”
Groaning, I covered my face. “I will never forget that as long as I live. But a drink would be great. I don’t care what kind.” He tossed me the cream and I applied it to the rest of my body as he rummaged around the kitchen.
He came back into the room with an apple cider beer for each of us.
“Interesting,” I said, taking one of the chilled bottles.
“Not exactly the champagne you’re used to getting, but they’re really good.”
I threw a couch pillow at him and he dodged it, chuckling. “Whatever, jackass. I don’t even drink champagne.” We laughed together and it felt good to joke around. It made the whole situation more endurable.
He finished off his beer and lounged back on the couch, his gray gaze on mine.
“Who’s the girl with you in that picture in your room?”
Jaw tense, he looked away. “Someone from my past.”
“Okay . . . care to elaborate?”
“Not really. But if you must know, she’s the first and last girl I ever gave a damn about.”
“Where is she now?”
“Out in California with someone else. We parted ways a long time ago.”
“Do you miss her?”
“Not in the way you think. We’ve both moved on.” His phone rang and he pulled it out of his pocket. “Robert, what’s going on?”
Heart thundering, I sat up. Blake’s expression hardened and I knew whatever he was hearing wasn’t good.
“Are you fucking kidding me? That’s ballsy. What the hell is he doing there?”
I heard Robert’s voice on the other end, but I couldn’t tell what he was saying. Blake hung up and blew out a frustrated breath. “What happened?” I asked.
He clenched his phone. “The surveillance cameras picked up an intruder at your house. When the police showed up, he fled.”
Gasping, I threw a hand over my mouth. “Was he trying to come after me again?”
“I don’t know, but if it’s the same guy, at least we know he’s not here. You’re safe for now.”
Yeah, but how long was that going to last?
Blake
“What made you want to sing?” I asked, pulling into a parking spot in the middle of downtown. It was our first venture into Jackson Hole.
Hadley turned to me and smiled. “My mother. She sang to me every night before I went to bed. Granted, it was always Christmas songs, but she had the most beautiful voice.”