Page 65 of Taming I Do
“I wonder if he still has that bag of my lingerie somewhere.” The dog tilted his head to the side and swiped his tongue across my hand.
“Let’s go check.” I got up, wondering where exactly I’d left the plastic bag of underwear Jasper had accidentally grabbed the first night we spent together. He’d been so embarrassed that the tips of his ears had turned pink.
Wanting to make the night extra, extra, extra special, I located a pair of pink lacy panties and one of my matching flimsy nighties. When Jasper came home, I’d be waiting with dinner and dessert.
As I secured the ties on my hips into tiny pink bows, my phone rang. Maybe Jasper was calling to tell me he was on his way home and wanted to see me tonight.
“Hi there,” I answered, not even trying to contain my giddiness knowing I’d be seeing him soon.
“Hey, how’s your day been going?” Hearing his voice sent goose bumps racing down my arms.
“Good. But it’s better now that I’m talking to you. Are you still working out in the orchard?”
“Actually, I’m headed home now.”
Heat simmered in my belly. “Oh? Do you have plans tonight or are we going to get to spend some time together?”
“That depends.” His voice dropped, so low I had to strain to hear him. “There’s nothing I’d like better than to have you to myself.”
“Mmm. That would be nice.” I stood up and thrust out my chest.
“But . . .”
But? I hadn’t counted on a but.
“I forgot it’s my turn to host poker night. Some of the guys are coming over, and if you want to join us, you’re more than welcome to. I’d beg off but Bodie called and said he was already on his way over.”
The door creaked. I turned toward the noise as Buster trotted over to investigate.
“Delilah?” Jasper asked.
At the same time a male voice called out from the door, “Jasper? You home?”
“What was that?” Jasper asked.
I glanced toward the pot bubbling on the stove. I reached out and flipped the dial to simmer.
“Delilah? Where are you?” Jasper asked again.
Footsteps sounded on the wooden floorboards by the door. They were coming closer. Any second whoever it was would enter the kitchen and find me standing by the stove in a pink baby doll nightie and a matching pair of panties.
So I did the only rational thing I could when faced with an impossible situation. I turned toward the door leading from the kitchen to the backyard and fled.
CHAPTER 16
JASPER
I dialedLacey’s number as I paced along my parents’ front porch. I’d had it. After being thwarted multiple times over the past week in my attempts to spend some private time with Delilah, I was ready to resign as hospitality host.
I’d been biding my time, assuming I’d figure out how to balance my duty to the town with my attraction to the contest judge, but when I came across Delilah last night, sprinting back to her trailer in see-through lingerie, I’d lost it. Something had to change.
By the time I got past Lacey’s assistant, I’d almost worn a path in the floorboards from the tense pacing. I didn’t want to quit on her, but I also didn’t want to give up seeing Delilah. It had become obvious I couldn’t do both.
“Lacey Cherish speaking.”
“Mayor Cherish, it’s Jasper Taylor.”
“Hi, Jasper. How’s our resident contest judge? I heard you took her to the movie at the Hampton barn. Nice touch. I remember going out there with Bodie a few times before baby P was born.”
