what’s in my mind, Goldilocks. Especially right at the moment.”
She ducked her head and bent to her work, her hair drifting forward.
Whit sipped his coffee and watched her through narrowed eyes. He liked looking at her when she was unaware. At times like this, there was a sweetness, a serenity about her that had him smiling.
She looked up. “I guess, from that smug smile, you’re enjoying this.”
“You’ll never know just how much, Goldilocks.”
She laughed. “At least all that soap and lotion keeps you from smelling like Papa Bear.”
“That’s good.” He took another long sip of coffee laced with whiskey. “Because right now I’m not feeling much like a bear. But I am feeling like a king in his castle.”
“Just so you realize I’m not the king’s wench.”
That had him laughing out loud. “Damn. And I was so hoping I could get you to do my bidding.”
“You’ve got about five more minutes of pampering, Your Majesty, and then your bubble is about to burst.”
“Have you forgotten my back rub?”
It was clear, from the look on her face, that she had completely forgotten.
To her credit, she bit back the words that sprang to her lips and merely gritted her teeth in silence.
Whit gave a sigh. “My feet feel as soft as a newborn calf’s hide.”
“And that’s no bull.”
At her little joke, he huffed out a chuckle before allowing his head to fall back.
Soothed by the feel of her hands on his feet, and completely relaxed from the warmth of the fire and whiskey, he dozed.
Cara felt the change in Whit as he slipped ever so slowly into sleep.
Her hands slowed their movements. She studied his face. He had the rugged good looks of a man who labored outdoors. Tanned skin. A firm jaw. Straight nose. Perfectly formed mouth.
She allowed her gaze to roam that face, those lips, and her heartbeat suddenly quickened at the thought of that mouth on hers.
That surprise kiss hadn’t been at all like most kisses. But then, she thought, Whit MacKenzie wasn’t like most guys she knew. Even though he was handsome, he didn’t seem aware of his looks. And though he’d caught her in a very vulnerable situation, he hadn’t used it against her as some might have.
Not that this cowboy was any kind of saint. But at least when he’d realized that his kiss had been out of line, he’d had the decency to step back and give her some space.
He may not be a saint, but he was fun and easy to be around. And that couldn’t be said for every guy she knew.
Speaking of fun…She had a sudden thought. What would Whit MacKenzie’s reaction be if he awoke and found his toenails painted candy-apple red?
She crossed to the hooks by the door and dug through her purse until she found the small bottle of polish. She worked quickly, eager to finish before he awoke.
When she was done, she returned the bottle to her purse and took her seat at his feet, just as she felt him beginning to stir.
Chapter Seven
O kay, Goldilocks.” Whit’s eyes blinked as he struggled to wake. “I guess I’ve had enough. Now it’s time for that back rub.”
Cara let his feet drop to the floor.
He crossed to the bunk and slipped off his plaid shirt before stretching out on the blankets.
Cara squeezed lotion into her hands and began smoothing it over his skin. The minute her hands touched his flesh, she felt the heat rise to her cheeks. She was grateful Whit couldn’t see her face. This was infinitely more awkward than she’d expected.
Determined to keep things light between them, she muttered, “I hope Your Majesty approves.”
“Mmm.” It was all he could manage.
When the silence stretched out, Cara glanced at his face. “Are you asleep again?”
“Hmm?” Whit feigned sleep, though in truth, the feel of those hands on his bare flesh was sending shock waves coursing through him. He may have been nearly comatose earlier, but now he was suddenly, shockingly awake and alert.
“There’s something wrong with this
She ducked her head and bent to her work, her hair drifting forward.
Whit sipped his coffee and watched her through narrowed eyes. He liked looking at her when she was unaware. At times like this, there was a sweetness, a serenity about her that had him smiling.
She looked up. “I guess, from that smug smile, you’re enjoying this.”
“You’ll never know just how much, Goldilocks.”
She laughed. “At least all that soap and lotion keeps you from smelling like Papa Bear.”
“That’s good.” He took another long sip of coffee laced with whiskey. “Because right now I’m not feeling much like a bear. But I am feeling like a king in his castle.”
“Just so you realize I’m not the king’s wench.”
That had him laughing out loud. “Damn. And I was so hoping I could get you to do my bidding.”
“You’ve got about five more minutes of pampering, Your Majesty, and then your bubble is about to burst.”
“Have you forgotten my back rub?”
It was clear, from the look on her face, that she had completely forgotten.
To her credit, she bit back the words that sprang to her lips and merely gritted her teeth in silence.
Whit gave a sigh. “My feet feel as soft as a newborn calf’s hide.”
“And that’s no bull.”
At her little joke, he huffed out a chuckle before allowing his head to fall back.
Soothed by the feel of her hands on his feet, and completely relaxed from the warmth of the fire and whiskey, he dozed.
Cara felt the change in Whit as he slipped ever so slowly into sleep.
Her hands slowed their movements. She studied his face. He had the rugged good looks of a man who labored outdoors. Tanned skin. A firm jaw. Straight nose. Perfectly formed mouth.
She allowed her gaze to roam that face, those lips, and her heartbeat suddenly quickened at the thought of that mouth on hers.
That surprise kiss hadn’t been at all like most kisses. But then, she thought, Whit MacKenzie wasn’t like most guys she knew. Even though he was handsome, he didn’t seem aware of his looks. And though he’d caught her in a very vulnerable situation, he hadn’t used it against her as some might have.
Not that this cowboy was any kind of saint. But at least when he’d realized that his kiss had been out of line, he’d had the decency to step back and give her some space.
He may not be a saint, but he was fun and easy to be around. And that couldn’t be said for every guy she knew.
Speaking of fun…She had a sudden thought. What would Whit MacKenzie’s reaction be if he awoke and found his toenails painted candy-apple red?
She crossed to the hooks by the door and dug through her purse until she found the small bottle of polish. She worked quickly, eager to finish before he awoke.
When she was done, she returned the bottle to her purse and took her seat at his feet, just as she felt him beginning to stir.
Chapter Seven
O kay, Goldilocks.” Whit’s eyes blinked as he struggled to wake. “I guess I’ve had enough. Now it’s time for that back rub.”
Cara let his feet drop to the floor.
He crossed to the bunk and slipped off his plaid shirt before stretching out on the blankets.
Cara squeezed lotion into her hands and began smoothing it over his skin. The minute her hands touched his flesh, she felt the heat rise to her cheeks. She was grateful Whit couldn’t see her face. This was infinitely more awkward than she’d expected.
Determined to keep things light between them, she muttered, “I hope Your Majesty approves.”
“Mmm.” It was all he could manage.
When the silence stretched out, Cara glanced at his face. “Are you asleep again?”
“Hmm?” Whit feigned sleep, though in truth, the feel of those hands on his bare flesh was sending shock waves coursing through him. He may have been nearly comatose earlier, but now he was suddenly, shockingly awake and alert.
“There’s something wrong with this
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