Page 18 of Texas Christmas

He nodded shyly. “It’s just beef stew, biscuits, and salad. I wasn’t sure how late you’d be, but I figured I could leave it in the slow cooker, and it would be good no matter when you got here.”

A man who’d cook for me? I liked that. Maybe Peter didn’t expect his wife to be an obedient Suzie Homemaker after all.

I strode over and gave him a smacking kiss on the lips. “Remind me later to thank you.”

He looped his arms around my waist, holding me close. “How you gonna do that?” he asked, a twinkle in his eyes.

I slid my hand between us and cupped the bulge in his pants. “Oh, I’ve got an idea or two.”

Honestly, I didn’t even recognize this flirty and confident Abby, but I liked her.

As we ate dinner, I was struck by how domestic it all seemed. We worked together to clean up the dishes, then Peter suggested that we take a walk. The temperature had warmed up throughout the day and while it was still a bit chilly for Texas, it was much warmer than it had been.

“Oh, our snow angels melted,” I said sadly.

“Someday I’ll take you somewhere snowy and you can make all the snow angels you want,” Peter promised.

I wrapped my hand around his elbow, wanting to touch him while we walked.

“I didn’t think you were much of a traveler.”

“I’m not,” he said. “But I’d do it for you.”

I pulled us to a stop.

“Peter, I don’t know what’s happening between us or how long it will last, but I need you to know that you don’t need to change yourself for me. And, as it happens, I’m not much of a traveler either. Other than the occasional trip to Dallas or Austin, I’ve only left the state a few times, and I’m perfectly happy with that. I’m more of a homebody anyway.”

“You are?” His eyes searched my face.

“Yes.”

On the way back from our walk, we stopped in the barn to say hello to Peter’s cow, Annabelle. She was a beautiful animal, but I’d already seen that she was jealously protective of Peter. Every time we were around her, she’d try to push me away and get between me and Peter.

“Aww, don’t worry Annabelle, you know you’re still my best girl,” he crooned, rubbing her head. The cow was practically purring like a kitten.

“You two are so cute together,” I said, snapping a quick picture with my cell phone. If this thing with Peter didn’t last, I wanted to remember this moment.

He snatched my phone, pressed his cheek against mine, and took a selfie of the two of us together.

“There, that’s better,” he said, handing my phone back while I tried not to swoon like a romance heroine.

Peter got an expression on his face I’d never seen before. It seemed...mischievous.

“Hey Abby, have you ever had sex in a barn?”

My eyes widened, and I looked around. We were alone, other than the animals.

“No, have you?”

He nodded.

“I lost my virginity in this barn,” he said proudly. “I was seventeen years old and dating one of the neighbor girls. She was an older woman, all of eighteen. She had to help me figure out how to get the condom on, because I’d never used one before. That was embarrassing.”

I couldn’t help but laugh. “I’m betting you recovered though?”

“Yeah, she had a great rack. She took her shirt off and I forgot all about my condom problems.”

I lifted my fingers to my shirt.