Page 154 of Rocky Mountain Home

Once they’d moved out of the way, the men took over. Daniel escorted her back to the kitchen where he insisted she sit down while he brought her a drink and slid a second chair closer so she could prop up her feet.

“You’re just as bad as the rest of them,” she complained. “I’m not breakable.”

“No, you’re not,” he agreed. “But if you think I’m not going to treat you extra careful right now, you haven’t spent enough time around my ma and dad yet.”

She would give him that much. “Mike and Marion have made quite an impression on me. They did a good job raising you boys.”

Daniel was the brother she’d spent the least amount of time around, but she liked him. Dare admired that he’d picked his own path, even though his woodworking was different from what the rest of his family loved.

He offered a smile. “They’re still doing a good job, even when they’re not handing out advice. You wouldn’t believe the number of times I’ve caught myself asking, What would Mike do? He’s got big boots for us to try and fill.”

“Well, from what I’ve seen whenever your sons have been around, you’re doing a great job.”

Jesse’s brother grinned harder. “I hope so. Beth has a lot to do with it as well. She’s pretty damn amazing.”

They visited until the workmen announced everything was set up and then Daniel gave her a farewell hug. “Bring Jesse over on Saturday night. The boys want to teach him some new game, and Beth has some fun things put aside for you to peek at for your blog.”

Then she was alone again, hurrying to get everything done before Jesse showed up. She cranked up the music and sang along as she settled into a comfortable groove, making beds and fluffing pillows.

She was even good and avoided dragging furniture around.

Well, she was mostly good, just wiggling one dresser until it rocked itself into the spot she needed it.

By the time Jesse returned, she’d had time to make up the bed and arrange some extra decorations. The guest room looked shiny as well, ready for when her family from Heart Falls stopped by.

Now she had other plans for the rest of this day.

Jesse shot into the room as if he were jet-propelled.

She looked him over carefully. “How many cups of coffee did you and Joel have today?” she asked with a laugh.

He turned his gaze on her, and like a predator with its game in sight, stalked closer. “Just one.”

Whatever had come over him, she had zero objections. Jesse’s fingers cradled the back of her head, his fingers tightened on her hair and he adjusted the tilt of her head until her mouth was within easy reach.

The kiss he laid on her was scalding hot.

His other hand dropped to her lower back, supporting her as he kissed her until she was breathless. Pulling away just far enough to stare into her eyes, the beautiful blue reflecting there mesmerizing her.

“Well, hello,” she murmured happily, wondering what had put this kind of energy into his entire body.

“Did you have a good day while I was gone?”

He brought her to vertical and she nodded. “There’s a surprise for you in the bedroom.”

Instantaneous grin.

Dare rolled her eyes. “I’m not talking about sex. Well, I could be talking about sex, but that’s not the surprise.”

Jesse slipped his fingers through hers, walking slowly down the hall at her side. “Right. The decorating.”

He stole a glance into the room that had been set up as a nursery, his mom and Jaxi and Vicki and all the girls coming over to get it ready a week ago. A flannel quilt made of dozens and dozens of squares hung over the edge of the crib—the one the family had started the day Dare went into the hospital. His fingers squeezed hers for a moment before he moved on to the guest room.

He paused in the doorway. Dare looked at it with new eyes, smiling at the little things that had been brought from the cottage down at Silver Stone.

“It looks great, but where did you get the bed?” he asked.

“It’s the old bed. I bought a new one for the master bedroom.”