West’s eyes darken. “Do you want to be on that list?”
I chew my bottom lip, loving the way his gaze tracks the simple motion. “It depends on what happens to naughty girls.”
He chuckles then, the sound rough and dangerous. “You’ll have to come back to my place to find out.”
“I packed a bag,” I admit, my cheeks growing warm. I left halfway through the event when everyone else was distracted to pack an overnight bag. Mom and Dad know where I’ll be tonight, so they won’t be up late worrying.
“I like the way you think.” He presses a kiss to my nose and holds out his hand. “Come on. Let’s get out of here.”
The entire ride back to West’s place, he holds my hand. We’re silent as he navigates his aging truck through the slick, snow-covered roads. But it’s not an awkward silence. It’s a comforting one. We know each other so well that we don’t have to talk when we’re together.
“You need lights on the front porch,” I finally tell him when he pulls into his driveway. There’s nothing sadder than coming home to a dark house. I always hated that when I was a foster kid. “You need something warm and welcoming.”
He squints up at the dark house, as if seeing it for the first time. “Then you should pick something out and I’ll install it.”
“It’s your house. You need to do stuff that you like. But maybe a garden out front. Ooh, and a little wishing well.”
“It’s not my house anymore. It’sourhouse,” he answers.
My heart warms at the words. This thing between us is still so new that I haven’t spent a lot of time thinking about our future together. But now that we can be out in the open, all of the possibilities are right there. “You want me to move in here with you?”
“I want everything with you, Cassie. I want the house and the wedding and the kids and your crazy hissing cat.”
I chuckle. “Snowball likes you.”
“Well, she has good taste.” He takes my hand and tugs me from the warmth of his truck. “Come on. You’ve been on your feet all night, taking care of everyone else. Let me take care of you now.”
He guides me to his bathroom where he has an oversized tub and walk-in shower. Pretty sure Micah was the one who told him to do this. He probably told him it would drive the value of the property up.
He’s always looking toward the future, always trying to take care of everyone. One day, I hope he finds a woman who takes care of him.
West starts the water and adds bubble bath with a lavender scent. I never imagined my grumpy cowboy would have a supply of bubble bath. Or that he could simply look at me and I’d feel myself melt.
While he busies himself gathering towels, I gather my hair into a hot pink scrunchie and peel my clothes from my body. By the time he’s back, I’m standing naked in the warm bathroom as the floral scent fills the air.
“Fuck.” He drops the towels and grabs the center of his jeans. “That’s a hell of a sight to walk in on.”
I shake my head at him even as I light up under his praise. There’s something special about knowing the man I’m with finds me irresistibly sexy. “You’re still wearing too many clothes for a bath, Mr. Kringle.”
He glances between me and the filling tub. “I said you were going to take a bath.”
I fake a pout. “You won’t join me?”
“Hell yeah, I will.” He’s out of his own clothes before he’s even finished talking and for the first time, I’m seeing my brother’s best friend naked. The sight makes my mouth go dry. All of that beautiful golden skin exposed to me and those tattoos that start on his forearms trace all the way up to his broad shoulders.
His pecs are dotted with dark hair that I can’t wait to run my fingers through. His stomach is flat but there’s no six-pack here and I love that. My man is at a healthy size and glancing down further, that’s not the only thing that’s a healthy size. My gaze widens when I see his cock with his big hand wrapped around it.
I gulp at the sheer size and his chuckle has me dragging my gaze back up to his face. “We’ll figure it out.”
I nod because I trust him. West always looks out for me. He’s always doing what’s best for me and sex won’t be any different. He’ll put me first. It’s what he does.
He helps me into the tub but not before I displace a lot of water. He just laughs it off and settles into the tub beside me. I don’t know if it’s the warm water or the trust between us, but I love the feeling of being squished up against his big, naked body.
“Now, it’s my turn to play.” I reach for his silky shaft just beneath the water. I move my fingertips up and down it, studying his body.
He swears again under his breath. “Love the feeling of your fingers touching me.”
“I love touching you.” I squeeze him lightly, remembering the way he squeezed himself earlier. “Does that feel good?”