“Is something wrong?”
“No, for a change, I think everything is just right. You are one beautiful woman, but I suppose you’ve heard that plenty of times before.”
“Well, I guess a woman can’t hear a compliment too many times, but no, just my father and my foreman and I think they we’re prejudiced in my favor,” she said as she set their plates on the table.
“Believe them. They were right. You’re so beautiful and graceful, you take my breath away.”
“Wow! Now that’s a line! What would your wife say?” she said and then giggled as she walked to the counter, returned with their tea, and sat down.
“No line and no wife or girlfriend. Can’t find one that’ll have me with all the irregular hours I keep.” He picked up his sandwich and ate hungrily, washing it down with his tea.
“Really? What kind of work do you do?” she asked, her expression curious.
“I’m a writer,” he said, watching her closely.
She all but sputtered her food across the table.
“You’re that Spence Rafferty? The true crime writer? I’ve read all your books. No wonder your name sounded so familiar.”
Grinning at her reaction, he said, “Really? You’ve read them all?”
“All forty-two of them,” she stated.
“Soon to be forty-three. I just finished approving final edits before I left home. Would you like me to autograph your copies?”
“I’d love it!” she said. Then her face fell and the animation disappeared. “But they’re at the ranch house.”
“Well, they’re bound to clear the roads when the snow stops. How about I stop in at the ranch before heading home?” Although he dearly hoped the snow continued for a few more days. He loved being stranded with such charming company.
“Fantastic! Thank you.”
“And for being such a good hostess, how about I gift you an autographed copy of the new one when it’s released?”
Erica jumped to her feet and ran to him, throwing her arms around his neck in a big hug. “Thank you, Spence! Thank you, thank you, thank you.”
“Hey, it’s only a book,” he said, laughing as he wrapped his arms around her waist. “But if I’m going to get that reaction, I’ll gift you an autographed copy of every new release from now on.”
“You think I’m silly,” she said, her lips curled downward in a pretty pout as she leaned back.
“No. On the contrary. I love your enthusiasm,” he said, pulling her closer. “And I love the feel of you pressed up against me. I’ve been imagining you and me together from the moment you opened the door and let me in.”
“You have?”
He shifted their positions until she was sitting on his lap. “Yes, and I’ve also wanted to do this.” Very slowly, he lowered his head until his lips brushed her forehead in a brief kiss. “And this.” He nibbled on her ear. “And this.” He nuzzled her neck, sucking lightly on the exposed skin as she titled her head back.
“Yes, I’ve wanted this, too.”
The admission threw him for a minute. “You do?”
In answer, she kissed him full on the lips. It was a tender kiss, one of exploration, but he felt it clear to his toes and all points in between. He couldn’t help but deepen the kiss. This woman was HOT.
“No, for a change, I think everything is just right. You are one beautiful woman, but I suppose you’ve heard that plenty of times before.”
“Well, I guess a woman can’t hear a compliment too many times, but no, just my father and my foreman and I think they we’re prejudiced in my favor,” she said as she set their plates on the table.
“Believe them. They were right. You’re so beautiful and graceful, you take my breath away.”
“Wow! Now that’s a line! What would your wife say?” she said and then giggled as she walked to the counter, returned with their tea, and sat down.
“No line and no wife or girlfriend. Can’t find one that’ll have me with all the irregular hours I keep.” He picked up his sandwich and ate hungrily, washing it down with his tea.
“Really? What kind of work do you do?” she asked, her expression curious.
“I’m a writer,” he said, watching her closely.
She all but sputtered her food across the table.
“You’re that Spence Rafferty? The true crime writer? I’ve read all your books. No wonder your name sounded so familiar.”
Grinning at her reaction, he said, “Really? You’ve read them all?”
“All forty-two of them,” she stated.
“Soon to be forty-three. I just finished approving final edits before I left home. Would you like me to autograph your copies?”
“I’d love it!” she said. Then her face fell and the animation disappeared. “But they’re at the ranch house.”
“Well, they’re bound to clear the roads when the snow stops. How about I stop in at the ranch before heading home?” Although he dearly hoped the snow continued for a few more days. He loved being stranded with such charming company.
“Fantastic! Thank you.”
“And for being such a good hostess, how about I gift you an autographed copy of the new one when it’s released?”
Erica jumped to her feet and ran to him, throwing her arms around his neck in a big hug. “Thank you, Spence! Thank you, thank you, thank you.”
“Hey, it’s only a book,” he said, laughing as he wrapped his arms around her waist. “But if I’m going to get that reaction, I’ll gift you an autographed copy of every new release from now on.”
“You think I’m silly,” she said, her lips curled downward in a pretty pout as she leaned back.
“No. On the contrary. I love your enthusiasm,” he said, pulling her closer. “And I love the feel of you pressed up against me. I’ve been imagining you and me together from the moment you opened the door and let me in.”
“You have?”
He shifted their positions until she was sitting on his lap. “Yes, and I’ve also wanted to do this.” Very slowly, he lowered his head until his lips brushed her forehead in a brief kiss. “And this.” He nibbled on her ear. “And this.” He nuzzled her neck, sucking lightly on the exposed skin as she titled her head back.
“Yes, I’ve wanted this, too.”
The admission threw him for a minute. “You do?”
In answer, she kissed him full on the lips. It was a tender kiss, one of exploration, but he felt it clear to his toes and all points in between. He couldn’t help but deepen the kiss. This woman was HOT.