Page 54 of Flirting With Fire

Chapter Fifteen

Meyer

Iwoke up in my new home to what sounded like a calf protesting and possibly her mama bellowing back. It made a change from sirens and car horns which normally awoke me back in Chicago. A smile curved my mouth as I contemplated the fact that not far from me, Dex was curled up asleep in his own bed. I wished he was next to me, but we weren’t at that stage in our relationship yet. Then I turned to squint at the clock on the nightstand and gave a wry snort. Eight o’clock. My cowboy had probably been working for hours so he’d be ready for our trail ride today.

About that. I loved the sound of a trail ride, just him and me. It sounded perfect. Apart from one small, real small if I thought about it, thing. There was just the nagging question of the horseback ride.

I hadn’t exactly ‘fessed up to Dex how rusty I was on a horse. Okay, I’d been on a horse since my return to Charming, but that was only for a short while, and Dex had been in control of Juniper. I’d only been on the backseat. As a kid I rode horses, often here on Dex’s ranch, but not since I left for college. I snorted. I swiftly discovered I preferred riding men to horses.

I winced. I could imagine how that revelation would go down with Dex. Maybe I’d keep that one to myself. Anyway, it was like riding a bicycle, wasn’t it? I’d pick it up soon enough…if it didn’t kill me first. I hoped he’d chosen a quiet horse for me.

Dex had said he would be over about ten, so I took a leisurely shower, dressed, and with a bowl of the Lucky Charms I’d snagged from Mom, and a fresh cup of coffee, I made my way onto the porch to enjoy the morning which was one definite advantage of living away from the city. I leaned against the railing as I drained the coffee, ate my favorite cereal, and contemplated a second bowl. I’m a big guy, it took a lot to fill me up. Shivering a little, I was glad I’d flung on a thick hoodie.

I sucked in a deep breath of the chilly morning air and instantly regretted it as I inhaled familiar farm smells and gagged. Definitely not the coffee, takeout, and fumes I usually smelled on the way to work.

“Suck it up, man,” I muttered. “You’re going to have to get used to this if you live here.” Mom would die laughing if she could hear me now.

“Talking to yourself, Jones?”

I looked down to see Dex grinning at me at the bottom of the stoop, dressed in flannels and sinfully tight jeans. Could I ask him to turn around and show me his ass?

“Morning,” I said, returning his smile. Just the sight of him made me happy.

“Morning,” he said cheerfully. “You’re up…finally.”

I was indeed up, but I don’t think that was what he meant. “I’ve just woken up. It’s my day off.”

He smirked at me. “I thought I was going to have to wake you up. Instead, I find you deep in conversation with yourself.”

“I was talking about the fragrant aroma.” I waved at the fields.

Dex inhaled as deeply as I had. “Isn’t it wonderful?”

I grimaced. “If you say so.”

He snorted. “You live on a farm now, city boy. You should be here when we spread manure. Then it’s really ripe. It’s not the season now.”

“I hope I am here,” I said mildly because I wasn’t planning to go anywhere.

He dipped his head as if acknowledging my point. “I’ll find you a clothespin.”

“Thanks.” I grinned at him. “I might be used to it by then.”

Dex laughed, but I had a feeling by the way his cheeks pinked that he was pleased by my declaration that I wanted to stay. “I’ll get you muck spreading next year.”

“I don’t think so.” There were limits to my boyfriend duties. “Wanna coffee? I’m going back for a refill.” I held up my cup.

“Yeah, why not,” Dex agreed. “I was just going back to make our picnic, but I need a drink.”

Back in the kitchen, I filled two clean cups with the last of the coffee, and eased my way through the door, going backward so I didn’t spill a drop.

“Nice view,” Dex murmured.

“It is,” I said, only to realize his gaze was locked on my ass. I raised an eyebrow, and he flushed.

“The landscape’s not bad either,” he chuckled, tearing his eyes away and accepting one of the cups.

“I thought that earlier,” I stared out at the nearest field. “They look hopeful,” I said, pointing at the horses staring over the fence at Dex.