Since she’s still sleeping, I stay still, listening to her breathe.
It isn’t long before she’s stirring. “Morning. How long have you been awake?” She shifts away from me.
“Not long. Sleep okay?”
“I slept great. The room was stuffy when we got here, and I think I turned the AC down too far because it got cold in here. But you’re warm. I hope you didn’t mind.”
“Snuggle away. That’s why I’m here. To keep you warm and happy.”
After an eye roll, she gets out of bed. “You make it sound awful, like I’m just using you.”
“I think we’ve established that I’m here willingly. No one twisted my arm.”
“Okay. Give me a few minutes. Then the bathroom is all yours.” She tugs at the hem of my T-shirt as she leans over and fishes clothes out of her suitcase.
I’m not the only one adjusting to married life. “Take your time.”
She isn’t in there long, and then I hop in the shower. And because she requested that I sing, I belt out Brett Young’s “In Case You Didn’t Know.”
Maybe she’ll get the hint.
Chapter 17
Bluebonnet
Parker holds open the door of the shop, and I step out onto the sidewalk.
“Where to next?”
“The place at the corner, the one with all the flowers around it.”
“Sounds good to me. Let me know when you’re hungry.”
I laugh. “We finished breakfast less than a half hour ago.”
We cross the street and head down the block. When I spot a cat, I stop and squat down. The kitty cautiously inches closer. “Hey there, little cutie.”
Parker turns around, realizing that I’m not beside him. “Careful. They have claws.”
I give the kitty a quick scratch, then run to catch up and loop my arm around his. “Tell me something I don’t know.”
He smiles down at me. “I think you are the most beautiful woman in the whole world.”
After poking him in the ribs, I shake my head. “You don’t have to pretend now. No one is watching. It’s just us. Or are you just practicing for when we’re back at the ranch?”
“What makes you think I’m pretending?”
I lean my head on his arm. “I’m having fun. The idea of a honeymoon kind of worried me because I wasn’t sure what you were thinking in terms of... you know.”
He flashes a mischievous grin. “I don’t know. What were you nervous about?”
“Parker Fields, you know exactly what I’m talking about.”
His laugh rings out, and he drapes an arm around me. “I’m glad you’re having a good time.”
We spend the next hour popping in and out of shops. In a small antique store, I meander my way down the cluttered aisles, and Parker stays beside me. He doesn’t seem interested in shopping.
The sweetest pair of sapphire earrings catch my eye. They are vintage for sure, but so pretty.
