Long Time Gone (Rough Riders #16.5)(22)
Author: Lorelei James

Kimi blushed. But she smiled—a strange mix of sly and shy. “Damn bees. Butting in when you were about to give me my very first hands-on demonstration of the birds and the bees.”

Surprisingly, he didn’t miss a step when understood what she was saying. “So all of them boys in Montana are idiots for not tryin’ to get with you?”

“They were boys. I didn’t trust they knew what to do.” She buried her lips in his neck and gooseflesh erupted. “But you’re all man and you know exactly what to do.”

“Sweet Jesus, Kimi.”

“You’d rather I pretended to act shy?”

“Hell no. I don’t know what you want from me.”

“That’s the thing, Cal, you do know. I just wanted you to understand that I want it too.”

Inside the kitchen, he set her on the table.

When she looked at him with that expectant gaze, he fastened his mouth to hers again for a very thorough kiss. “Don’t move,” he said against her lips.

Cal washed his hands and mixed a paste out of baking soda and water. Then he took a knife and spread it over the area. “That should take the sting out. Let it dry and don’t pick at it.”

“Thanks.” She pointed to the fridge. “Don’t forget about your sandwiches.”

Damn. He’d been so hungry for her that he’d forgotten about actual food. He washed his hands again and opened the fridge to find two sandwiches wrapped in wax paper. She’d speared a dill pickle with a toothpick and stuck it on top. Why that amused him, he didn’t know. “Is that pierced pickle a warning to me?”

Her eyes widened. “No! I was trying to make it look like a fancy deli sandwich.”

“I appreciate the thought. But I’m a simple guy.” He held up the plate. “You want one?”

“I already ate.”

“More for me.” When Cal sat at the small table, Kimi started swinging her legs back and forth. “Darlin’. Relax.”

“Okay.”

That lasted about thirty seconds and two bites of his ham and cheese sandwich before she was back at it.

“Kimi. Why can’t you sit still?”

“Because bein’ this close to you makes me want to jump out of my skin.”

At that point he didn’t have a prayer of keeping his hands off her. “Same goes.” He placed his palm on her left thigh and stroked the outside of her knee with his thumb. He tried to pretend he was calmly eating his sandwich, but the warm softness of her skin, and the sweet and earthy scent of her made him hungrier for so much more than just food.

Her chest rose and fell rapidly. She’d start to shake her foot, only to stop immediately.

“This isn’t workin’. You need to put that leg up anyway. So why don’t you go lie down while I finish eating.”

“Where?”

Cal locked his gaze to hers. “The couch. Or my bed. Your choice.”

Chapter Seven

She bit her lip and he had to sink his teeth into his sandwich so he wouldn’t be tempted to bite on that lip himself. Then she slid off the table and moved to the sink to wash her hands and face.

He eyeballed her ass and those shapely legs, wondering what was going through her mind.

But she exited the kitchen without saying a word or looking at him.

Don’t listen for the direction of her footsteps.

Gigi whined and he glanced over at her, sitting by the cupboard where he kept her food. “I know, girl. Gimme a sec, okay?” He tossed her a piece of crust and started on the second sandwich.

After he finished, he filled Gigi’s food and water dish and set it on the patio. He washed his hands and face. Rinsed his mouth out. Counted to twenty and went looking for her.

Cal paused in the doorway to the living room. The cushions on the couch were still askew from him tossing and turning last night, but Kimi wasn’t there.

Hot damn.

First thing he saw when he passed through the doorway of his bedroom were the bottoms of her small feet. Then his gaze traveled up her legs and holy fuck, her ass cheeks peeked out from her black panties. His eyes followed the length of her spine past the band of her bra—yep, she’d ditched her shirt too—and stopped at the smooth curve of her shoulder.

Kimi had propped her head on her hand, sending her blonde curls spilling across her other shoulder. Her eyes were wide. Her lips parted. Her breathing uneven.

“Fuckin’ hell, woman. You’re half-nekkid.”

“You’re upset about that?” Her gaze dropped to the fly of his jeans. “’Cause I’m gonna call bullshit on that, cowboy, seeing’s as you’ve got a lie detector in your pants.”