Page 10 of A Rancher's Vow
He met Charity’s gaze evenly. “Why are you drinking water?”
Her cheeks heated. She wasn’t about to admit there had only been two beers left in the fridge. Shopping for treats was reserved for the start of the month. “Hydration is important.”
Dustin’s expression tightened. “We could have shared.”
She snorted. “It’s fine. Drinking water for a night isn’t going to kill me.”
“No. But neither would have pouring two beers into three glasses.” He grinned. “I’d have lifted my pinkie in the air like I was fancy. Fern would have loved it.”
Embarrassment fading as he joked, Charity nudged him back to the couch. “Okay, next time I forget to buy beer, I’ll insist we share.”
He didn’t say anything, and he was a few steps behind her when she settled on the couch.
Dustin sat, picked up his beer, and began pouring into the glass he must have grabbed from the cupboard. “There we go. Just like we tell my nieces and nephews. Sharing is caring.”
Good lord. “You did not just do that.”
He paused with the glass held out. “Pour without spilling?”
“Pour from the bottle you were already drinking from.” Charity gestured at it. “Germs, dude.”
A snort escaped him. “Really?”
“Really.”
He calmly put the glass on the table then turned toward her. He leaned in.
She leaned back. “What are you doing?”
“Trying to figure out if you’re serious.” He was right there in her face, expression somewhere between amusement and concern. “I’m healthy. I brushed my teeth recently. Any germs in your beer are less than you’d get from a kiss.”
A shiver raced up her spine as if a finger had trailed over sensitive skin. How did she get out of this situation without doing what she wanted, which was to grab him by the lapels and kiss his brains out?
She went for an easy shrug. “Yeah, but we don’t kiss.”
“We could.” Dustin planted a hand on the armrest of the couch which meant he was now leaning over her, smile in full force as he teased. “Then you’d be able to drink the beer I so gallantly acquired for you.”
“That’s how it works? Like a pre-germ load up makes them not exist anymore?”
“Exactly.” He was close enough to lean his forehead against hers. “It’s science. It’s…”
His words trailed off. His smile slipped, gaze dropping to her mouth.
Curse words flew through her brain, but none escaped her lips. She was too busy trying to find the one solution that would fix—
“Tee—Damn it, tell menoif you don’t want this.” His voice was dark chocolate, raspy and deep.
“Want…what?”The words were a whisper. He remained over her, and despite what she knew she needed to do, her hands rose to capture his torso. Sliding over his waist and up until she had rock-solid biceps under her fingers.
He groaned at her touch. His eyes closed briefly before meeting hers again. “I’m going to kiss you, and it’s not for any reason other than I fucking want to. Okay?"
She could have sworn she nodded. Her head bobbled—it must have.
But he didn’t move. Waiting, motionless.
Damn it. He wanted her to say it. “Yes. Kis—”
His mouth was on hers, sweeping away the rest of the words. She wrapped her hands around his shoulders and pulled him closer.
