Page 19 of Soldier Cowboy
Winona shook her head and laughed. “Women? Moving here forme?”
“They moved here forSean.” Bonnie ruffled Sean’s hair.
“Or to be on TV.” Sean shoved in a helping of cheese grits.
“It was the best idea I’ve ever had,” Beulah said. “And it worked. Just because the town’s going to change a little, well, that’s the price you pay for a few good women. We need to make room for them.”
“Here, here,” said Delores.
“And if we could get a spa or hair salon in here soon, that would be good,” Bonnie said.
“Hush up! Your cousin’s going to do your hair just fine for the wedding,” Beulah said.
“Oh, I know, but not everyone has unlimited access to my cousin like I do.”
“So, it’s just the Stephens family building these units? Beau and them?” As Colton asked, he suspected he knew the answer. “Or are we going to have more stragglers hanging around?”
Beau and his father operated a large family-owned construction company, but they hired on workers all the time. Mostly these were cowboys who were looking for a little extra cash, but with the added need, he worried they would be hiring from all over. More strangers who would blend in easily. And one of them could be Jennifer’s stalker.
“Oh, don’t worry none.” Maybelle waved her hand dismissively. “They’re just workers coming through for the job and moving on when it’s done. Besides, at least you don’t have to worry about more competition for our few women.”
Colton couldn’t care less about the men-to-women ratio. But a job that transient and temporary was perfect for men with a record. And men trying to blend in, too. He had to force himself to think about these things now. Here, on their ranch, they were safe.
When Riggs and Winona gave each other a goofy smile and Sean and Bonnie kissed, Colton knew he had to dosomething. But a kiss? Now? He was supposed to be a man in love. If he was actually engaged to this woman, he wouldn’t keep his hands off her. They’d be sleeping together, oh hell yeah, and that kind of intimacy wouldshow.
Jennifer bumped his knee, but he didn’t know if that was a prompt or an accident. She wasn’t making any moves, simply holding her fork poised over the grits and staring at Sean and Bonnie.
Well, when in Rome…
Taking her free hand in his, he brought it to his lips and brushed a kiss across her knuckles. In what he assumed was her knee-jerk automatic reaction, she pulled her hand back.
He met her eyes and something in them switched and clicked into place.
“Oh,” she whispered and didn’t give him any more resistance. “Right.”
He kissed her wrist, then lowered his lips to her neck, spending a little time there, breathing in her sweet flowery scent. He brushed a kiss to her neck, just under the fleshy soft skin behind her ear. There. Good enough.
When he finally came up for air, he figured he’d done his job. If the rest of them didn’t fall for his display, he didn’t know what else he could do.
Jennifer stared at him, her eyes soft and…surprised.
Hopefully because he knew how to appreciate a woman. How to make her want more. She probably thought he’d been in the desert too long. Much like his family. Well, he was here to prove to everyone he’d come back whole. He could do relationships. He could handle commitment and a family.
When he turned to face the table, all eyes were on him. Sean and Bonnie were grinning. Riggs and Winona had moved on from kissing and were trying to stop their children from starting a food fight. Delores beamed. Beulah and Maybelle silently nodded and clucked their approval.
Yeah, this was going to be a good thing for Jennifer and him both. It suited two purposes.
Now, no one would worry about him adjusting back into small-town life after fighting a war for several years.
“And on that note, we have an announcement to make!” Sean stood and offered Bonnie Lee his hand.
“We know, we know. You’re finally getting married,” Winona quipped.
“Not that.” Sean shook his head. “Bonnie and I decided a month ago after a lot of thought and prayer. We’re officially applying to be foster parents right after the honeymoon. After what Cal and Marge Henderson did for me and my brothers, it’s the least we can do.”
“Oh, Sean,” Delores said, hand to her heart. “That’s beautiful. Your parents would be so proud.”
Riggs stood up to shake Sean’s hand, and then so did Colton. The thought that they would continue the family tradition of giving stray kids a home—the same that had been done for them —was a nice welcome.
