Shit Kickers & Stilettos (Heiresses In Aprons) (15 page)

They had spent most of the afternoon in bed. Every time she tried to get out he pulled her back in and made love to her again. Neither of them had said much unless you counted the moans, grunts, and shouting of each other
’s names. Still Rosie wasn’t really in a rush to leave. Lying in his arms she felt content, which was totally at odds with the urge raging through her to jump his bones again. The problem was that she was starting to get a bit hungry.

“You’re thinking about bolting again.” It wasn’t a question, more like he was reading her mind.

“I’m hungry.” And maybe a change of venue would encourage him to get back to their earlier conversation.

Dade rolled her to face him. “How about we take a shower then I’ll take you out for a nice dinner?”

It was a nice offer, but her stomach growled shooting it down. “How about we just hustle on down and raid the fridge?”

She shifted to move out of his embrace, but he didn’t let go. “Is there a reason you don’t want to let me out of your bed?”

“I’m afraid I won’t get you back into it.” Though he smiled she sensed he was being totally serious.

“We can talk about that after we eat.” She shifted again and this time he let her go.

She grabbed his shirt from the floor and put it on as she darted out the door. Rosie heard Dade fumbling around for a minute before his footsteps followed her. She went straight for the fridge and yanked it open. It didn’t take her long to find something. She pulled out the airtight containers with leftover chicken and roasted potatoes. She glanced over at Dade who stood in the doorway. Bare feet and chest wearing unbuttoned jeans he casually leaned against the wall and watched as she popped them into the microwave.

She cocked her hip against the counter and stared right back at him. Dade slowly approached her and Rosie refused to run. He reached her and put his hands on the counter on either side of her. Without her shoes on she had to tip her head way back to look at his smiling face. She loved that sexy grin almost as much as she loved the man wearing it.

Sometime during their lovemaking —probably one of the five or six times when she was lying there trying to catch her breath— Rosie realized that leaving Dade wasn’t an option. At least not without a fight. Only she wasn’t sure how to fight for his love, and she wasn’t about to accept anything less than that. Dade was about to find out that when she wanted something she could be relentless when she went after it.

His lips touched hers, but he pulled away much too quickly. Rosie would have grabbed his shirt and pulled him back, but since he wasn’t wearing one she was out of luck. He leaned in again and she raised her hands. Dade grabbed her arms at the wrists and pressed her palms down on the counter. She looked up and he winked as he slid his hands down and covered her fingers with his.

This time she had no choice but not to touch him as he once again brushed his lips across hers. Over and over he teased her lips with his. There was enough room to fit another person between their bodies and Rosie wondered if he knew that would only make her want the contact all that much more. The microwave dinged and Dade let her go and stepped away. She blinked a few times.

Dade tipped his head toward the table. “Go sit down and I’ll see to the food.”

When she didn’t move he tugged her from the counter and gave her a gentle shove. She walked over to the table and sat down. As she watched him ready their plates it occurred to her that even in his death her uncle had been trying to give her what he thought she needed. No, not needed, but deserved. In this case it was Dade. Teddy had been right too. As her parents had pointed out Dade wasn’t a lot of things.

He wasn’t famous, and he didn’t spend his time trying to get his name in front of all the right people. Dade didn’t need that kind of success. Rosie figured if he did want it he could have had it. None of that mattered to her, because he was perfect for her. The question was did he think she was the one for him?

Dade joined her at the table and slid a plate in front of her. Rosie picked at her food even popping a few pieces of chicken into her mouth.

“For someone who claimed to be hungry you’re not eating much.” He reached across the table to her plate and stabbed a chunk of potato with his fork.

Rosie moved her plate further from him. With that one bite he stole she decided she needed food more than she wanted to talk. Dade laughed as she dug in. He got up and went to the fridge. Rosie reached over and took a few pieces of broccoli off his plate and put them on hers. He came back with a soda for each of them. Dade settled into his chair and leaned back. Rosie looked up to find him staring at her. She slid the fork out of her mouth and chewed as she waited for him to say something. Instead he just winked at her.

Fine, she’d take the lead. “So the painting—”

“I’ve decided we’ll hang it in the living room.” She wondered exactly when he reached that decision.

Before she could ask he suggested they invite her friends over for dinner next week. A little thrown by his sudden change of topic she sat there and listen to him rattle on about things he wanted to change around the house. He thought they should spruce up the bathrooms and guest bedrooms. When she finally gathered her wits enough to speak she asked why he wanted her friends to come to dinner.

He just smiled at her. Rosie was irked that once again Dade seemed to be up to something. Neither of them spoke for a few minutes, which pushed Rosie to do something drastic. She laid her fork on her now empty plate and moved it aside.

“Ready to head back upstairs?” He waggled his eyebrows at her.

She shook her head. “Not just yet. I think it’s time to talk about something I want.”

His smile faltered for just a second. “Okay, shoot.”

“Well I’ve been thinking, and I know this might not be the right time to say this,” Dade didn’t tense up yet like she thought he might so she went on. “I need to find a pair of fabulous white stilettos, sparkly with a good four inch heel.”

Dade’s eyebrows lowered making a deep V crease between them. “I thought you wanted to talk about us. What does your wanting new shoes have to do with us?”

Rosie didn’t give him a direct answer to his question. “Well
… I’m not sure I’ll be able to find them locally so we might need to take a couple of trips. I mean I’m going to need them for the wedding. I have no idea how long it’s going to take me to find them, but I’m guessing I should be able to do it within six months.”

“Wedding?
Who’s getting married?”

Once again she ignored his question. “Of course I’ll keep my place in the city, but I’m going to have to move the majority of my stuff out here.”

“You’re going to move in here?” He leaned forward resting his arms on the table.

She nodded.
“Unless you don’t want me to.”

“No. I do.” He paused. “There are a few things that have to change though.”

“Such as?” She asked relieved he seemed to be playing along.

“Well to start with you’ll be moving into my bedroom permanently. We can redecorate it and make it ours.” His cocky smile made her stomach flip.

“Permanent is a mighty strong word.” She tipped her head a little and tapped her chin with her index finger. “I’m not sure I see the benefit of that.”

“Other than lying in my arms every night I can guarantee hot wild sex at least five nights a week.”

“Only five.” She asked with a smile.

“Okay. I’ll kick it up. Promise to stay with me forever and I’ll buy you a new pair of shoes every month.” She laughed and he reached over and grabbed her hand. “Rosie I’m not kidding.”

She linked her fingers with his as she slowly got to her feet. Rosie rounded the table until she was standing beside him. Dade scooted back and turned his chair. Rosie slid onto his lap and wiggled into a comfortable stop. She stilled when she felt him harden beneath her ass.

She leaned in until her breasts were firmly pressed against him and her mouth was near his ear. “Dade, just for the record I was never joking.”

She pulled back and looked into his wide eyes. Before he could respond the puppies, which had been quiet until then, started barking and jumped on the gate. It crashed to the floor as Dade mouth covered hers. The pups ran over and started bouncing around Dade’s chair. Dade was too busy kissing Rosie to reprimand them. Realizing they weren’t getting the attention they wanted they ran out of the room. Rosie started to get up and go after them, but Dade pulled her back down.

Dade wasn’t ready to let her go yet. He plied her with more kisses and slid his hand up under his shirt. His hand slid up her leg and he found out she’d left off her panties. If he had known that before he was pretty sure neither of them would have eaten yet. He probably would have taken her right there on the counter or floor. She moaned against his mouth as his finger dipped into curls finding the soft wet slickness he craved. Her moan suddenly turned into a scream and she pushed herself off his lap and out of his embrace.

“Oh. My. God.” Rosie moved from side to side looking like she didn’t know which way to go.

“Did I hurt you?” He shot to his feet and reached for her, but she shifted the other way.

She dove under the table and Dade got a glimpse of her perfectly rounded bare ass sticking out from under his dress shirt. He ducked to see what she was doing when Zsa Zsa came lumbering into the room dragging one of his boots along with her. He lunged for the puppy, but she was just far enough away that she managed to keep out of his reach. Rosie swore behind him he turned to see Ava dart by him. Rosie’s shiny emerald stiletto was hanging from her mouth.

Dade decided he was going to get his commitment before this debacle came to an end. He dove on top of Rosie and pinned her under him. She looked up at him with a mix fury and confusion.

“What are you doing?”

“Will you marry me?” He asked wanting a firm response no joking around.

“Do you love me?” She asked.

“Yes. I think I have from the minute I laid eyes on you all those years ago.”

She smiled up at him. “Good, because I love you too.”

“So you’re going to marry me?” He asked again, and would keep doing it until she said yes.

“I am.” She pressed her hands against his chest and shoved hard. “Now please rescue my shoe.”

Somewhere
the puppies where no doubt chewing on his shit kickers and her stilettos. His boots may survive at least enough to be worn when he worked in the barn. As for her shoe he feared unless she wanted to hop around on one foot they were goners.

“I’m sure it’s too late,” Dade said with a smile. “I’ll buy you new ones.”

Then he proceeded to make love to his fiancée right there on the kitchen floor.

About Rita Sawyer

Rita Sawyer writes contemporary romances. Her stories vary in heat level from sweet to sizzling, but hopefully all have a hint of humor.
She grew up in Massachusetts, where she lives with her husband, three kids. More information about Rita and her books can be found at
www.RitaSawyer.com
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Readers can contact her at
[email protected]
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