Page 9 of All Night with the Cowboy
“So?” Casey asked. “This is the guy you broke up with just before college started, right? The one you dated all through high school?”
She nodded. “Yup, that’s the one.” She’d met Casey at college, so she’d only heard about Tanner—she hadn’t been there through the whole drama.
Lauren headed for her bedroom but they followed her, and she sighed when she saw the camisole, jeans, and heels on the bed, waiting for her. They’d clearly been busy while she was out. Her cheeks ignited when she saw the lacy underwear on her bedside table, in a tiny, open black box.
“We brought you a little birthday present,” Hannah said. “Just in case you get lucky tonight.”
“Or with the sexy cowboy in Fiji,” Casey added with a giggle.
Lauren reluctantly moved closer to the open box and picked up the lacy, barely there bra and then the panties.If they could even be called that. The scrap of black lace was a G-string, and it barely looked wearable.
“Oh my god,” she whispered.
“We’ll leave you to get ready,” Hannah said. “Then we want to know everything about TannerMcSexyFord.”
Chapter 3
One Week Later
LAUREN stared out the tinted windows of the car that had been sent to get her, as they drove slowly toward the private jet waiting on the tarmac. There was another car parked close to it, the brake lights on, indicating to her that it might have just pulled up. She’d been booked to fly coach on the long-haul flight, but as soon as Mia Ford had been in contact, her journey had been upgraded every step of the way.
She gulped. Part of her had thought it would never really happen, that she would never end up on a private jet with Tanner heading to a tropical island. She’d expected him to cancel, which would mean she could legitimately say she’d behaved professionally and he hadn’t, and she’d simply go back to having the holiday she’d planned all along. Instead, his family’s private plane was all fueled up and waiting for its two passengers, and there was no getting out of what she’d agreed to now.
When the car stopped and her driver smiled at her in the rearview mirror, she smiled back, gripping the doorhandle before finally pushing it open. She knew the drill. The driver would usually open the door and pass her bags to her, but today she couldn’t wait. She needed to gulp in the fresh air and fill her lungs for a moment. This was the kind of thing she did often, traveling with the team and being ferried around in nice cars and private jets. Only the jet was usually filled with the entire team and some of the support crew, not with a single handsome cowboy who was driving her crazy just thinking about him.
Lauren fixed her smile and put on her game face.I am a professional. I am great at my job. I can do this.She’d landed one of the most coveted jobs in her industry as physical therapist for the Texas Rangers—she needed to hold her head high and treat Tanner the same way she’d treat any of the players she worked on.
Shit. There he was.
The door of the other car opened and she watched as Tanner stepped out. His cast was gone and she saw big boots, tapered jeans, and a plaid shirt with the sleeves rolled up. Followed by big shoulders, brown hair that was just a touch too long, and when he turned, eyes that made every part of her turn to liquid.
“Hey,” he called out, eyes traveling up and down her body, making her blush. Her cheeks ignited and she was certain even her scalp was flaming red in response. Her only saving grace was that he might not be close enough to notice.
“Morning,” she said, pleased that her voice sounded clear. She’d expected her greeting to sound as shaky as she felt.
“Your luggage,” a voice from behind said.
Lauren turned and took the suitcase on wheels from the driver along with her smaller duffel bag. “Thanks.”
She stood and waited as Tanner opened the trunk of his car himself, waving the driver away. He was limping slightly, still favoring his bad leg, and even though it was only natural, she could see that he was trying hard to stay upright and not show it. His shoulders were straight and his back was even straighter as he turned, suitcase on the ground.
“Ready?”
Lauren nodded. “Ready.”
She wheeled her suitcase to the stairs that lead up to the door, and when a pretty young woman dressed in uniform appeared and waved at the top of the stairs, the lump in Lauren’s throat slowly disappeared. She was going to be fine. This was just a work trip, nothing more, nothing less. This was no different than the trips she took with her team, only on this one she would have a whole lot of time for herself.
“Leave your bags there and I’ll take care of them,” the attendant called out politely.
Lauren left her case on the tarmac but carried her duffel bag with her. She had her Kindle in there, and her phone, and other bits and pieces she might want on the flight.
“Welcome, Ms. Lewis,” the attendant said, her smile warm as she touched her arm and gestured inside the plane. “It’s a pleasure to have you flying with us today.”
She smiled her thanks and chose a seat, putting her bag down and then dropping into the big, cream-leather chair. Flying coach would be awful now that she was used to private jets. She stifled a laugh. She got how stupidthat sounded and would never say it out loud, because she wasn’t the type to ever have the chance to fly private if it wasn’t for work. Her sister would smack her around the back of her head if she ever confessed her thoughts to her, and she’d deserve it.
Tanner was on board now, she could feel his presence even though she was looking out the window. His body moved past her and she heard him settle into the seat across from her. She took a breath and turned her head, saw that he’d extended his left leg out straight, the denim stretched tight across his thigh.
“Not sure if you were sent an itinerary, but we’ve got a one-hour layover in Hawaii to refuel,” Tanner said, his eyes meeting hers briefly before looking away. “We’ll be in here for the better part of fourteen hours.”
