Page 45 of Owned By The Cowboy

“Dance over already?”

“Annalise is showing off her moves to some of the other girls. Figured I had a few minutes before she notices I’m gone. They have like fifty chaperones in there.” I laugh a little, and he studies my face in the dim light. “You okay? You look like you’re thinking hard.”

“Just processing. Tonight is… a lot.”

“Good a lot or bad a lot?”

“Good. Definitely good. She’s having the time of her life.”

“So am I, baby.”

We sit in silence for a moment, and I’m very aware of how close he is, how good he looks with his shirt, how good he smells…

“You know Jennifer Patterson is probably composing her gossip newsletter as we speak,” I say.

“Let her. People are gonna talk no matter what we do.”

“Doesn’t that bother you?”

“Should it?”

Before I can answer, his hand finds mine on the bench between us, his fingers intertwining with mine.

“Reggie,” he says quietly. “What we’re doing… it’s working for me. More than working.”

“Blayne…”

“I should go get Annalise. But later tonight, after she’s asleep and dreaming about being a princess…” His thumb traces over my knuckles. “I wanna see you.”

“My kids will be at home.”

“So we’ll be quiet.”

Heat floods through me at the suggestion in his voice. “You want to sneak around my house like teenagers?”

“I want you. However I can get you.”

The honesty in his voice makes my heart drum like crazy. “That’s a terrible idea., handsome”

“Probably.”

“They might hear us.”

“Then we’ll have to be very, very careful.”

I should say no. I should be responsible and mature and think about what’s best for everyone involved.

Instead, I lean closer and whisper, “My bedroom window faces the backyard. There’s a tree you could climb.”

His eyes widen. “Jesus, woman.”

“What? I’m just providing logistical information.”

“You want me to break my neck.”

I laugh. “Now go dance with my daughter before she sends out a search party.”

Blayne stands, but before leaving, he leans and presses a quick, hard kiss to my lips.