Chapter Seven

“You cook?” Sandi stood in the doorway of her small kitchen while a shirtless August moved around cooking the most delicious smelling things while shaking his sexy booty to…, “Country music?”

“Yes and hell yes! I wasn’t always rich and country music is awesome. You don’t know what you’re missing,” he winked and did some fancy heel-toe footwork on her linoleum.

“I’ll take your word for it. Coffee?” He turned, giving her a view of gloriously wide back, narrow waist and sexy round ass. When he turned back with a cup of steaming liquid she groaned. “After this I’ll do a naked two-step if you ask.”

His look was hot and intense. “I’m asking.”

She smiled. “And I’m drinking.” This was the second weekend in a row they’d spent together and she found that she liked it far too much. He was gorgeous and funny, sexy in and out of bed. He was smart and likeable dammit. She was starting to like him. “What are you making?”

“Buttermilk pancakes and omelets.” His gaze focused on the lips she’d just licked and he groaned. “Stop that or we’ll have charred discs for breakfast.”

She laughed and took a seat at the table, eyes fixed on the way he moved. Economical and graceful were the best ways to describe how he moved, like a big cat. He was just so much. “Do you always cook the morning after? Because a girl could be convinced to do a lot of things for this kind of breakfast.” Her voice was full of laughter but she was serious. Sandi hated to cook but she didn’t mind cleaning and for the hot sex they’d had last night and this morning and several times in between, she’d wash every dish in the house.

“I don’t do morning afters.”

She froze. Okay then, what the hell is this?

“Not usually, I mean. But if you do that thing you did this morning, I’ll cook breakfast and dinner for you.”

The blush crept up her neck, coloring her face and ears. “Right after breakfast I’m on it,” she grinned, stealing a slice of bacon from the plate he set on the table.

They were silent as they absorbed the first few bites, which Sandi moaned over after every bite. It was really good, moist and flavorful, and she moaned again. “Sandi.”

“Sorry,” she said, biting back another and then laughing about it.

“You want to get out of the house today?”

August looked…weird, maybe nervous? She couldn’t really tell and that made her nervous. “What did you have in mind?” They weren’t dating so it was strange but they were lovers so she didn’t want to reject him outright.

He shrugged. “Something called the Sunset Festival at Sundown.”

Her blue eyes went wide with surprise. “Seriously? We are definitely going. I haven’t been since I was sixteen. It’s a festival but it happens at night, which as a teenager automatically made it cooler. Anyway there are games, movies, food, bands and cocktail stands. Every business owner on Main Street competes to see who makes the best cocktails.”

He smiled. “So you want to go. With me?”

She groaned again, but not from pleasure. “What’s going on August?”

He frowned. “I don’t know. I thought maybe you’d want to do something other than stay in the house and I wanted to…do it with you.”

She smiled. He was so adorable all flustered and nervous. “You don’t like my house?” She pouted to see what he would do. It was nice to see him all out of sorts.

“I like it fine but you know women sometimes like to be romanced. I didn’t want you to get the wrong idea.”

She giggled. “First of all I don’t need romance, you give me exactly what I want. Second, what idea didn’t you want me to get, that you were using me?”

“Well, yeah.”

She laughed again. “August. We’re totally going tonight, but if I need more I’ll tell you. Trust me.”

* * *

Trust me. That was easier said than done for August, but surprisingly he found that he liked Sandi. She was easy to talk to, loved being outdoors and she blew his mind in bed. But he didn’t know if he could trust her. “What more might you need?” Women always needed something from him. Money, jewels, press coverage. Commitment.

Sandi’s gaze never left his as she dropped her fork to the plate. “If I need more from you than I’m currently getting, I will let you know. Alright?”

He nodded. “That means you’re happy with things as they are?” Her answer was nothing more than a short nod. He should be relieved because he couldn’t give her—or any woman—any more than this. Sex with the occasional morning after. Even though he didn’t do morning afters he’d done nothing but with her. He’d even cooked for her. Four times. “Good.”

“Good,” she replied. “So are you ready for me to put a down payment on dinner?” She stood and took both plates, sitting them in the sink before turning to him. Waiting.

“Sure but we’ll probably stuff ourselves full of carnival food.” There was a gleam in his eye that matched hers and August leaned back and kicked his feet out in front of him.

Sandi took off the oversized t-shirt she wore and tossed it at him. “There’s always dinner tomorrow night.” Then she padded back to her bedroom with August hot on her tail.

An hour later they lay in a heap of slick limbs, sated and breathless. “Damn Sandi, that is so hot!” His body still trembled, connected to hers by his mouth and his cock. He loved that she so willingly took him in her mouth, deep and sweet and eagerly.

“That was magical,” she said on an exhale.

August totally agreed. That had been even more intense than any sex he’d ever had with her or anyone. She took him so deep into her mouth he saw stars. With a groan he turned so they were face to face. “I don’t think there’s a word to describe what I’m feeling right now.” It was true. He felt entirely too much to even divide it up and figure it all out. He felt sated yet still turned on, but there was something more he couldn’t name.

She stretched, arching her back and squealing when his mouth curled around her sensitive nipple. “Don’t name it, just enjoy it.”

That’s exactly what he did for another hour. Slow and hard and deep until she cried out and scratched her short nails down his back. “How’s that for enjoying it?”

Sandi gave a sleepy laugh and yawned. “That was perfect August. Utterly…perfect,” she said and drifted off to sleep.

* * *

The festival was in full swing by the time Sandi and August strode through the entry banner on the east side of the town square. Lights flashed and bells dinged, while children played all over and adults laughed over a variety of cocktails. It felt good to be back here in Sunset. She’d run so fast from this town, from her troubled home life, that she’d forgotten all that was great about the place. “I can’t believe they still do this!” She heard the childlike wonder in her voice and cringed inwardly.

“Want to play a game?” She could hear the amusement in his voice and bumped against him.

Sandi looked around at all the people and noise with a smile. “Sure, let’s play.”

He pulled her over to the shooting gallery. “It’s filled with water, but I’m up for the challenge if you are.”

She saw the amusement sparkling in his eyes and laughed. “Bring it on. I grew up in Alaska so I can shoot just about anything.” It wasn’t just her bragging either. Between bears, moose and the military, she could shoot just about anything with a trigger.

August looked down at her with a smile. “That sounds like a challenge.” He pulled the hand he held up to his lips and brushed a kiss against it.

“Take it how you like. Just know that I’ll win something adorable for you.” She winked and took her lucky seat, number five. “Come on hot stuff, show us what you’ve got.”

He laughed and sat next to her, using his body and his scent to distract her. “I would show you now, but then I’d have an unfair advantage.” He brushed a kiss along her jawline and moments later the bell sounded.

The race was on. She had a great lead thanks to her steady hands, her horse was a full length ahead of August but he quickly caught up. “Better hurry,” she taunted as her horse moved closer to the finish line. Then the lights and bells went off signaling her win. “Yes!” Sandi stood and shook her booty in celebration, when August gave her ass a smack. “Hey!”

“Sorry I see that ass moving and I want to spank it.” He laughed at her shocked look.

“Choose a prize ma’am,” the moody teenager mumbled.

Sandi walked up and down the stand, looking at all the stuffed creatures on offer. Then she spotted it. “That one right there,” she said with a smile, hugging it close before handing it over. “For you. Honey.” August frowned and she laughed.

“Thanks.”

She couldn’t help but double over with laughter. The sight of August, tall and sexy and all man, holding a three foot orange bunny with the largest and floppiest ears she’d ever seen, was hilarious. “Sorry,” she told him about ten seconds before he cradled her face and kissed the hell out of her. Right there in the middle of the festival, and all of Sunset. Sandi didn’t know what to think about the kiss. Well it was hot and all-consuming, but did it mean anything that he’d kissed her publicly?

A few whistles and catcalls sounded around them and they pulled back, staring at each other with wide eyed wonder. “Damn,” he grunted and leaned in for another.

“I guess she takes after dear old mom after all,” sneered Kenny Dahl.

Sandi froze at the familiar voice and pulled back from August, who quickly stepped up until he was face to face with Kenny. Well, not exactly face to face because he had a good five inches on Kenny. She pushed on his chest and he took a few steps back. “Thank you,” she smiled and turned to Kenny. “You think I’m so much like my mother. My dead drunk mother and that makes me wonder.” She tapped her chin thoughtfully. “Are you a pencil dick loser with a thirty second hang time like your old man? Because I’ve heard stories,” she trailed off wiggling her pinkie finger while the crowd that had gathered began to laugh.

“You bitch!” He snarled and leapt for her, only to find himself on the wrong end of August’s giant fist. He stood and glared at her before walking away.

Sandi shook it off because it was nothing she hadn’t heard before and because Kenny really was a loser who derived great pleasure from embarrassing other people. Soon she and August were walking through the festival grounds, sampling everything from the blackberry margaritas to deep fried mac & cheese on a stick. “Goodness I’m stuffed,” she told him hours later.

August swiped a thumb across her upper lip. “Powdered sugar mustache,” he told her with amusement.

She shrugged. “Might as well leave it, I feel a funnel cake in my future. With extra chocolate sauce.”

His gaze darkened and he licked his lips, eyes never leaving her lips. “A lot of extra chocolate sauce. I feel it in our future.”

Sandi shivered and they stopped at the funnel cake stand and ordered extra chocolate sauce.

To go.

* * *

August woke up feeling that, for once, his life was fully and completely perfect. He’d spent a night doing small town things with a small town badass he’d completely misjudged. Then he brought her home and he’d thoroughly pleasured every inch of her delectable body. All. Night. Long. They’d made love everywhere, starting with a frantic coupling on the floor in the front hall. A smile crossed his face as she snuggled closer. Much later they’d finally put the chocolate sauce to use.

His body had never felt more relaxed and sated than it did this morning, and his smile hadn’t come so easy in years.

“No breakfast this morning?”

He laughed and looked into those glittering blue eyes, still heavy with sleep. “You’ve gotten pretty greedy, haven’t you?”

Sandi stretched languidly against him and his body immediately responded. “Hell yeah. After last night I have to replenish like two thousand calories.”

He laughed and pulled her close, dropping a kiss on her mouth that quickly heated and turned to more. Later he lay with her in his arms again and August knew what he wanted. Who he wanted. “What do you think about doing this, us, for real?”

Sandi didn’t speak for a long time. “What do you mean by, for real?”

He sighed. “What I mean is that I like you Sandi. You’re different and fun and sexy as hell. I want us to do this for real, dating and all that.”

“You don’t date.”

He smiled. “No I don’t but that’s because of the women more than my preference.” Most women wanted him for his money and connections, and he’d yet to come across anyone who wanted something else. Other than Sandi.

“We went out on a date last night, August.”

Was she being purposely obtuse? “I know and I had fun, before and after. I’d like to keep doing it.”

Sandi sat up, completely comfortable with her nudity while he couldn’t tear his gaze from those glorious breasts. They were a perfect handful. More than a mouthful, he thought and licked his lips. “To what end?”

He groaned, how the hell should he know? “Well let’s date and see. We might become serious and we might not.” He shrugged because that was his best guess.

She looked right into his eyes, gaze penetrating deeper and deeper with every passing second. He wondered what she saw when she looked at him, did she feel anything? “What about when you move on to the next Wilde Adventures?”

Easy. “I’m not planning to expand for at least two years. I’ve been pretty aggressive so now it’s time to let it all work. By the time we’re even thinking about expanding you’ll be so in love with me you’ll be ready to go.”

That made her laugh. “Awful sure of yourself aren’t you?”

Not even a little sure, but still he smiled. “No but you drive me crazy. I can’t stop thinking about you or wanting to see you when you’re not around.” He heard the agony in his voice and stopped talking to release a long, stressed out, breath. “Yeah.”

He waited for what seemed like forever for her to respond, holding his breath the entire time. “Okay.”

He blinked. “Okay? That’s it?”

She shrugged. “What else do you want me to say.” Sandi clutched her chest and looked up to the ceiling. “Oh August you’ve made all my dreams come true, I would love to be your girl.”

He rolled his eyes and laughed. “Okay the southern belle voice is a little much,” he pinched her side until she squealed and swatted his hand away.

“Is okay not enough, do you need a term paper too?”

He pulled her down on top of him and kissed her, hot and hard and long. “Since we’re dating maybe you should make me breakfast, prove you can cook.”

Sandi’s husky laugh echoed in the room. “Very funny. Maybe you should teach me to cook something you like. That way I can.”

He felt something break free in his chest, leaving him feeling light and something else. “Deal. But first,” he pulled her down for another kiss that set his whole body on fire.

By the time they made it to the kitchen, August showed her how to make his favorite lunch.