Chapter 18
I Can’t Help Falling in Love with You
Duke
I think I’m falling in love with this wild, happy, sunshine woman. And it scares the actual shit out of me.
If I wanted to create the perfect woman for me, it would be her. She challenges me, demands more from me, surprises me every time she’s with me. And the feeling of her wrapped around me as she comes is the most amazing thing I have experienced in my life.
I watch her as I pull up my jeans and rebuckle my belt, then pick up her clothes, turning her pants right side out. I take her little lace panties and shove them in my pocket. She gives me a shy smile.
Her pink cheeks and freshly fucked hair are already making me hard again.
I swipe up my undershirt, using it to wipe the mess I made on the floor before I put my outer shirt on, buttoning it.
She dresses slowly, only heightening my further interest in her body, as she re-covers it in layers of cotton.
She should be in my bed, her skin wet from my kisses.
Kissing her gently, I unlock the door, walking toward my office. I toss my dirty shirt in there before pointing her toward the bathroom.
“I’ll be better prepared next time, Sunshine.” I give her ass a hard smack. “I think you look absolutely edible right now, but if you don’t want the whole bar to know I just fucked you, you might want to visit the bathroom.”
She giggles in response and saunters away.
Heading back out to the bar, I check my reflection in the mirror hanging by the bar door.
Wiping my hand over my face and chin, I shove my hat on my head and push the door open.
I head straight to the sink and wash my hands, looking up at the television.
I missed Cash’s ride, but I think he would understand.
“Cash had a spectacular ride. Sorry you missed it,” Sadie says it in an entirely too knowing tone and earns a side-eye from me, which makes her laugh.
Caroline comes through the door a little hesitantly, just as Cash comes on the screen. I can barely take my eyes off her as she watches.
As he stands there, a new buckle held aloft, he says right into the camera, “I’m coming home, baby, and I have a brand-new buckle for you, Hurricane.” He is so lost for this new girl he’s talking to; it makes me chuckle.
I look at Caroline and take in her pink cheeks and the weird expression she’s wearing as she watches him. Something about her look sets off an alarm in the back of my mind, but I can’t figure out why.
She looks over at me and smiles, but it’s different from before. Her phone rings from her bag on the counter and she silences it before looking back at me.
“I have to go,” she tells me simply. Something happened between the stockroom and now, and I can’t figure out what it is.
“Are you okay? Did I—hurt you or something?” I whisper to her.
She shakes her head no, grabs her bag, and almost runs from the bar. Sadie looks at me oddly, like she is trying to figure out what’s happening. I just shrug. I might think she is the perfect woman but she’s confusing the hell out of me right now.