Channing immediately tensed up as she passed by him.
He seized her around the waist, spun her about and pressed her against the wall. Then he dropped his mouth over hers and kissed the living shit out of her. After he’d had his fill of her sweet lips, he pulled back and stared into her face.
“I ain’t gonna start nothin’ with you until I know we can finish it without gettin' interrupted. So lose the deer-in-the-headlights look. This ass is mighty fine, but I can wait a few hours yet before I make it mine.”
Channing swatted him on the butt. “You sweet talker.”
“Damn straight. I need to shower. After that you want to grab a bite to eat before we go honky-tonkin’?”
“Sounds good. I saw a steakhouse up the road.”
“A hearty helpin’ of meat and potatoes. You’re a woman after my own heart.”
Something liquid and sweet, like pleasure sparked the gold in her eyes. “Should we wait to see if Trevor and Edgard want to come along?”
He almost said “Why?” but caught himself. For the briefest minute, he hated his traveling partners and he hated that he’d agreed—hell, he’d suggested they share this woman. But after four days, he wanted Channing all to himself.
But that wasn’t what Channing had signed on for. She wanted the wild adventure of multiple partners. Even though it’d like to kill him, Colby would give her that. He suspected he’d give her damn near anything she wanted. After that, maybe he could convince her he was all she needed.
He smiled tightly. “Sure. As long as we don’t have to wait around for them because I’m starvin’.”
“I’m pretty hungry, too.”
His gaze landed on the parcel centered on the mattress in the sleeping compartment. “Close your eyes, and hold out your hands—I’ve got a surprise for you.”
For a second it seemed as if she’d argue, but she complied, although the pulse in her throat jumped. He was beginning to recognize all of her nervous quirks.
Colby reached up for the package and slid it out of the plastic bag.
Feeling a little silly, he hesitated. Maybe this hadn’t been the best idea.
“Colby?”
“Yeah. Here.” He pressed the box against her chest until her arms wrapped around it and he stepped back, ready to make a run for it if need be.
She opened her eyes and looked down at the object she held. Her startled gaze zoomed to his. “A coffee pot? You bought me a coffee pot?”
“Ah. Yeah. There should be coffee and filters and junk in the bag on the bed, too.”
“B-b-but why? You won. You scored a ninety-point ride.”
“I know. But I could’ve just as easily lost.”
“So this was just hedging your bet?”
“You might say that.”
She didn’t look convinced. “When did you buy it? Maybe I should ask, when did you have time to buy it? Weren’t you behind the chutes all day getting ready to dethrone Jace Bailey as the number one All-Around Cowboy?”
“Yeah. And I didn’t actually buy it. I gave Cash some cash and sent him to Wal-Mart after my ride with instructions for him to buy the nicest one they had for you.” He frowned. “Is it okay? You don’t hate it or nothin’, do you?”
“Omigod, it’s perfect!” Channing hugged it once more and then set it on the table before she threw herself into his arms, peppering his face with kisses. “Colby McKay, you are the sweetest man on the planet. I-I—I can’t believe it. You bought me a coffee pot! You didn’t have to.”
“I know, darlin’. But I wanted to.”
“Oh. Thank you, thank you, thank you.” Her eyes swam with tears.
“That’s one of the nicest things anyone has ever done for me in my whole life.” She kissed him with so much heart and sweetness, Colby felt himself getting choked up. If he weren’t careful, he’d find himself falling head over heels for this precious woman.
Trying to keep it casual, he nipped the end of her pert nose and retreated. “Play with your new coffee maker, darlin’. I’ll be right back to take you out for supper.”
They ended up eating dinner by themselves, a nice candlelight romantic dinner for two. Then they headed to the Wild Bronc. Colby didn’t protest when Channing danced with Cash and Trevor—as long as she danced every slow tune with him.
Edgard had opted to catch up on his sleep in the horse trailer rather than partake in the celebration, which wasn’t anything new.
Colby was having a good time drinking beer and shooting the shit with his friends. Although he was happy Channing had made new pals among the wives of the rodeo crowd regulars, he was restless.
As the night wore on he found himself getting more and more anxious. It seemed as if it’d been days since he and Channing had been alone, naked and sweaty, wrapped up together in an intimate lovers’
embrace, when in reality it’d been half a day since he’d woken up beside her.
Damn. He glanced at the horseshoe-shaped clock above the bar for the fourth time in so many minutes. Channing and Mary laughed hysterically at something and knocked back another round of kamikazes.
Cash chuckled. “She’s havin’ a good time. But you got someplace you’d rather be, kola?”
“I could be a total ass**le and point out that where I’d rather be tonight is an option that an old timer like you don’t have with a hot young thang like her. But I’m feelin’ sociable, so I’ll let it slide.”
“Generous of you, McKay.”
Colby tipped his bottle at Cash in a mock toast. “I thought so.”
A few more minutes passed and Cash sighed.
“What?”
“This ain’t like you. Usually you see something you want and you take it—be it bulls, broncs, calves or women. Whatcha waitin’ for?”
“A sign that my travelin’ partner is gonna be occupied elsewhere so he won’t see us sneakin’ away and follow us, hopin’ we’ll entertain him until the wee hours.” Colby had promised Channing he wouldn’t share her with Trevor tonight, but the logistics of getting alone time with her were making him crazy.
“Shoot, that’s easy enough. Leave him here. He’s half-drunk anyway.
He can bunk with me tonight. I got an extra bed in my room. If he acts like a jerk to me, he can sleep it off with the horses.”
“Really?”
“Yep. And like you pointed out, it ain’t like I’ll be doin’ no mattress dancin’ myself tonight.” He gestured with his head. “Go on, take her and get out of here before I change my mind.”