Bartender's Beauty (Culpepper Cowboys Book 11) by Kirsten Osbourne, Culpepper Cowboys Page A

no one was coming, before cupping her face in his hands and kissing her until her toes curled. “I guess that will have to do.”
    She shook her head, looking at him with a dazed look. “Think we have time to get home and make some memories before you have to go to work?”
    He pulled his phone from his pocket and glanced at the time. “Probably not. Darn it. I’d call someone in for me, but they’ve all been working extra to cover my shifts for a week as I’ve followed you around like a lost puppy dog.”
    “Like you’ve ever done that. It was more like being beside me so I always had an incredibly broad, sexy shoulder to cry on.”
    “You should come dance with me tonight, though. No one will mind.” They hadn’t been apart since the wedding, and he kind of wanted to keep her with him for as long as possible.
    She thought about it for a minute before nodding. “I’ll do that.” She got to her feet. “It’s been a long time since we sat in the dirt together.”
    He grinned. “We’ll have to do it more often. Remember when we’d play with my Matchbox cars here?”
    She nodded. She’d wanted to play Barbie, but she’d never dared to ask, because she was always sure he’d never want to play with her again if she confessed to liking girly pursuits. He was her only friend, so she couldn’t care make him angry. “If I’d asked to play dolls, would you have done it?”
    He laughed. “Probably. But I would have insisted that I was the daddy and you were the mommy, and that meant I got to kiss you a lot .”
    She shook her head. “I can’t believe you were thinking about kissing when we were that young.”
    “I don’t think I would have been if you hadn’t come along.” He reached down a hand and helped her to her feet. “Let’s go home. I need to grab a sandwich before I head to the bar.”
    She frowned. “You realize that starting tomorrow, we’re going to have exact opposite schedules. I’ll be up early, and you’ll be staying up late.”
    “I hadn’t thought of that. I’ll make the day shift guy switch with me.”
    “The bar’s open during the day?”
    He nodded. “He doesn’t get a ton of business, which was why he’s been working days. He’s the least experienced bartender. He serves a few drinks and does some short-order cooking, making meals for anyone who wants one.”
    “I didn’t know you were equipped for that.”
    He shrugged. “Sure. For little stuff. He’ll make eggs or a burger or something. We’re not talking gourmet.” He glanced over at her. “I’m sure we’ll lose all of our early in the day customers to Bob’s Burger Barn as soon as it opens. Rumor has it that Bob can make a burger like nobody’s business.”
    “Are you worried about that?”
    “Nah. So much more profit in alcohol than food. It’s just a place where some of the older men in town like to hang out at lunchtime, so I keep it open for them. They don’t like how busy the diner gets.”
    When they reached the house, he opened the door. “Do you make yourself something to eat at the bar at night?”
    He shrugged. “Every once in a while, if I’m hungry. Mostly I just eat before I go.” He walked into the kitchen. “You sit, and I’ll make us some sandwiches.”
    Dallas watched him move around the kitchen, liking what she saw a great deal. “You know what it does to a woman to see her man in the kitchen? Even if he is wearing a shirt.”
    “Are you asking me to take my shirt off while I make sandwiches?” He looked at her like she’d lost her mind.
    “Well, if it’s too much trouble…” She shrugged, trying to give him an innocent look.
    He laughed, peeling his shirt off over his head. “I have a feeling I’m going to like being married to you.”
    “I hope so. Apparently it’s a dream that’s over twenty years old. I’d better make it worth having.”
    He shook his head as he finished the sandwiches. “I’m sure that life will never again be boring.”
    *****
    Dallas