Page 75 of Soldier Cowboy
He would be whatever Jennifer needed. A distraction, and the release of the sexual tension sparking between them. He’d be anything she wanted him to be because he was falling in love, or maybe he’d already been there from the very first time he laid eyes on her. In that moment, he had been thunderstruck.
Not enough of a romantic to believe in first love lasting forever, he wasn’t sure it made sense to believe in love at first sight, either. But this was different, and if there was anything to that term, if it ever existed, it would have to be something like this. Similar to this sensation that she knew him inside and out and possibly understood him almost better than he understood himself. It didn’t quite make sense logically, but yet felt real.
If this was true love, then he understood all those sappy love songs for the first time. He suddenly appreciated Ed Sheeran songs. He understood why people got tied up in knots over the future. Because his own prospects didn’t look as bright when he pictured Jennifer walking away. Funny how that worked. He’d come home to start over, with a fresh new plan that had never included a woman.
Hours later, he disentangled himself from Jennifer, pressing a kiss to her temple. He hadn’t eaten, or even noticed they’d missed dinner, until his stomach became a hollow cavern.
“Wait. Where are you going?”
He slipped on his black boxer briefs. “We need to eat.”
“Right. But then after that, back to bed with you.”
“Yes, ma’am.”
She rolled over, twisting the sheets, showing him her bare bottom. He was almost sure she hadn’t intended that but he licked his lips anyway. Her insatiability was gratifying. More gratification had come in the way she cried out his name when she came to her own release. She was incredibly responsive and, like her, he wondered why they weren’t doing this all along.
Because, genius, this is supposed to be fake. Pretend. You’re not supposed to fall for her.
Yeah, the only problem was this farce had become real, at least for him. He hadn’t expected this to happen at all, even with the initial gobsmacked feeling. He’d hoped that was lust and nothing more. Something temporary. Not the case. This thing with her, whatever he wanted to call it, was far more. She was everything he’d ever wanted in a woman, in a partner, in a best friend to grow old with.
But she wasyoung. He couldn’t ignore that fact. Maybe too young to be ready to settle down with anyone, least of all this cowboy. With a hint of despair, he wondered how in the world he was going to be able to say goodbye to her. He couldn’t think about that now, not when she was in his bed bare naked, waiting for him.
Enjoy this. Stay in the moment. No regrets.
Cooking always relieved him of stress and it was a godsend when it came to the nightmares. He hadn’t had one of those in a few days. It might be the clean air, or all the coping strategies he’d learned, but he saw himself on the other side of the bad times. One day the memories wouldn’t rise as close to the surface but be buried below along with other painful ones.
He chopped onions and threw some butter in the pan, knowing the scents would entice her. Then he found some ground beef and made two thick patties. Nothing smelled better than a fried burger.
“Don’t think I can’t see you over there,” Colton said.
He’d heard and then spied her sneaking into the kitchen from down the dim hallway, carrying her camera.
“This is so much better when my subject is unaware he’s in the limelight.” She snapped and moved closer.
He groaned to see that she wore his blue chambray shirt, falling to her luscious thighs.
“Please. Go on, chef. Pretend I’m not here.”
“That’s going to be pretty impossible.” But he flipped the burger and tried his best not to smile.
She didn’t lower the camera but kept playing with the lens, taking a photo, then looking in the digital window to admire her work.
“Oh my, look at you. I could sell these to some porno site and be like, a multigazillionaire.”
“Don’t even think about it.”
She laughed. “God, you’re so sexy when you cook naked.”
“I’m notnaked.”
“Close enough. Seriously, you could have your own cooking show on YouTube. We could call itRaw and Naked.”
“Where I cook raw food while naked? Not interested. Don’t forget, I’m a cowboy. This is just for fun.”
“But it would be a shame to deny the public your unique mix of food and naked.”
“Stop.” But he laughed.
