Chapter Twenty-One
Rohn looked around him. It was an amazing transformation. The sectional sofa in dark brown suede would be the perfect place to sit back and snuggle with Bonnie in front of the big flat-screen television that Tyler was currently hooking up to the cable.
An old wooden trunk that had been in the barn collecting dust looked great cleaned up and placed in front of the sofa. Rustic and practical, it was the perfect place for him to kick up his feet or put down his beer. He'd never done either on the glossy surface of the formal coffee table that Lila had in the room.
Colton came into the room. The motion caught Rohn's eye. So did what Colton was carryingâan old clay jug filled with brown spikes.
“What the hell do you have there?” Rohn laughed, knowing full well what it was, but not getting why Colton had it.
“I saw these cattails growing along the creek by the highway. I thought they'd look cool in here so I went out and cut a few. They match the color of the sofa.”
Remote control in hand, Tyler turned from his work on the television to frown at Colton. “Match the color of the sofa? You know, sometimes you really scare me.”
Colton screwed up his face. “Aw, shut up. You're the one who was telling us about Rohn's blue shirt that matched his eyes, dickhead.”
Justin laughed. “I have to say, between Tyler obsessing about Rohn's shirt and you whipping out your pocket knife to cut cattails along the highway . . . You're both just weird.”
Colton scowled. “Jesus, I'm not out there picking flowers and catching butterflies and shit. They're cattails. They're totally manly. Right, Rohn?”
“Yes, they are. Very manly.” Rohn grinned.
The cattails actually did match the new sofa. He couldn't say much more because he had been out picking flowers the other day for Bonnie. Hell, if it would make her happy he'd catch butterflies for her, too.
“See? You guys are idiots.” Colton frowned and shook his head.
The room was coming together nicely. He'd picked up a throw rug in a colorful Mexican pattern. He'd even bought the one thing he'd always wanted in this room but had never gotten to haveâa recliner.
A big fat one that would tilt almost horizontal if he chose to take a nap in it. And the best part was that it had a cup holder in the armrest.
He shook his head, smiling. A cup holder in the living room chair. Lila would have never gone for that.
Picking out furniture only a man could love was one benefit of bachelor life he should have taken advantage of long ago, but never had. Since he'd been sex-deprived and lonely for five years, at least he could have had a holder for his beer while doing it.
Of course, he hadn't been deprived last night, and he wouldn't be lonely tonight. He glanced at the time on the grandfather clock in the corner.
The old clock had been allowed to stay in the room. It was one of the few things he'd brought to the marriage. It had belonged to his grandparents. He loved that old thing, even if it did tick too loudly and require he wind it every week.
He'd neglected that duty for the last five years, but today, he'd done it. Amazingly, it still worked. Now that the clock was operating again, he found he'd missed the steady
tick-tick-tick
and the hourly chimes. And now the hands on that clock were telling him that Bonnie would be arriving very shortly.
“Okay, you boys about done here?”
Three sets of eyes turned to him.
“Why?” Justin asked.
“Because it's getting late and I figure you'd want to get going home.”
Tyler looked a little too interested. “I don't have to be anywhere. In fact, I think we should run out, pick up some beer and pizzas, watch a movie and break in your new room.”
He'd never once considered they'd want to stay. Rohn's expression must have reflected that thought.
Tyler broke out in a laugh. “Don't worry. I'm teasing you.”
“Jeez, did you see the look on his face? He really thought we were fixin' to stay.” Colton shook his head.
Justin moved a step closer and slapped Rohn on the back. “We're going. Don't worry.”
“I didn't mean you had toâ” Crap, he didn't want them to think he wanted them to go, but he sure as hell didn't want them to stay.
“Rohn, we know you didn't do all this for yourself.” Justin grinned. “When a man goes to this kind of trouble, it's got to be for a woman, and I figure the way you keep checking that there clock and your cell phone, that you're expecting her any minute.”
“Iâ”
Justin held up one hand to stop Rohn's protest. “It's okay. You don't have to explain. Just don't do anything I wouldn't do.”
“Say hi to Miss Bonnie for us.” Colton grinned as he headed out the door with Justin directly behind him.
Rohn could try to deny it, but he knew it was pointless. Justin and Colton had already left and there was no denying what he had planned anyway. He let his chin drop and blew out a breath. Finally, he'd gathered his composure enough to look back and meet Tyler's gaze.
Tyler was sporting a wide grin as he strode across the room toward Rohn. He handed Rohn the remote control for the television and then leaned in closer. “You need any condoms?”
Good Lord, that was the last thing he'd expected to hear from this kid. “No, thanks. I'm good.” He somehow managed to keep his voice steady so as to not let the horror he felt over this conversation show.
“A'ight. 'Cause you know, it's always better to be safe than sorry.”
“I'll keep that in mind.” Rohn nodded, doing his best to keep a straight face while being torn between amusement and embarrassment that this kid, nearly half his age, was lecturing him.
Tyler evaluated Rohn for a few seconds, as if deciding if he could trust him to indeed practice safe sex. As humiliating as this whole conversation was, Rohn held his composure until Tyler finally nodded. “See you in the morning.”
“Yup.”
“Don't bother getting up early and making us coffee. I'll tell Justin or Colton to pick some up on the way over.”
“Now why would you say that?” Rohn's annoyance with Tyler came through in his tone.
Tyler cocked up one brow. “Look around you, boss. This is a damned nice setup you got here. Good chance you might get caught up and not get to sleep until real late. You know, like watching a movie or something.”
Rohn didn't miss Tyler's smirk or his insinuation. He hated that Tyler was right, but there was a damn good chanceâat least, he hoped there wasâthat Bonnie would still be here in the morning.
She might not appreciate three cowboys being in the kitchen at the crack of dawn after her first overnight stay in his bed.
Hopefully, the first of many nights.
If everything worked out as he planned, he'd convince her it was crazy for her to sleep on her father's old, uncomfortable couch.
Once she'd agreed to stay at his place, he'd get her used to the lack of privacy. One hurdle at a time.
Rohn watched the boys' trucks pull out of the driveway and breathed in relief. At least Bonnie wouldn't have to face their teasing and suggestive glances tonight. She might not handle the embarrassment as well as Rohn did.
It turned out the boys had left just in the nick of time. Rohn had just gotten to the kitchen to work on dinner when he spotted Bonnie's car in the drive.
Even just the sight of her damn car put a smile on his face. He had it bad and damned if he didn't love every minute of it. He felt like a teenager, reliving that feeling of falling for Bonnie all over again.
Hopefully this time would end a little better than last time had.
He was a different person than he'd been the first time she'd left him for Arizona. He wasn't letting her get away from him this time.
Unlike twenty-five years ago, he wouldn't hesitate to go after her and convince her, with any means possible, to come back to him.
He strode to the screen door off the back of the kitchen, opened it, and stepped outside into the glare of the sun riding low in the sky as evening fell.
When she got out of the car and saw him, she donned a small, tentative, almost nervous smile and lifted one hand in a wave. She moved closer and cringed. “I didn't have time to stop and pick up anythingâ”
Rohn didn't wait for her to finish. She looked so pretty in her sundress and heels with her hair falling around her face in soft waves, that he reeled her in with one arm around her waist and kissed her hard.
Bringing one hand up to cup her face, he pulled away just far enough to say, “I don't want or need you to bring anything. You're the only thing I need.”
She smiled. “Okay.”
He pressed one more hard, quick kiss to her lips and then grabbed her hand. “Come on. I've got something to show you.”
“All right.” She took quick steps to keep up with him as he pulled her inside. Down the hall, he paused in the doorway of the living room. “Look.”
She seemed confused at to what he could be dragging her to see, until she got a look at the room, then her mouth dropped open. “Wow. When did you do all this?”
“Today. And last night.”
“That's what your secret errands were about?”
“Yes.”
She turned to him, frowning. “Why did you do all this?”
“Because it was long past time I made this house my own. The way I want it. The way I'd use it. Why have a stuffy room I never sit in when I could turn it into a man cave. You know, football, beer, hot wings . . . all the makings of heaven for a guy.”
“Yes, I see.” Smiling, she turned back. “It's really beautiful.”
“Well, I don't know if I'd go that far.”
“No, it is. It looks like you. The leather. The wood. You thought of everything. Right down to the cattails.”
Rohn had to laugh that she'd noticed them. “Colton gets the credit for those. Poor guy took a hell of a razzing from the other kids when he walked in with them and declared they'd match the sofa perfectly.”
She smiled. “I bet he did. He was right, though.”
“Yes, he was.” Rohn wrapped his arms around her from behind as she stood facing the room. He leaned low, near her ear. “So, do you like it?”
“I love it.”
“Wanna take the room for a test drive and watch a movie with me tonight?” He couldn't help but remember how their movie watching had gone in the old days. They'd spend as much time making out in the darkened theater as they did watching the action on the big screen. He could only hope for the same tonight.
“Yeah, I could do that.”
“Good.” He dropped his hold from around her waist and grabbed her hand again. “Come on. There's more.”
“More?”
“Yup.” He grinned and led her to the staircase. “I redecorated both my bedroom and the guest bedroom. New beds. New mattresses. And I added a couple of pieces of furniture from downstairs. This is my room.”
“Nice.” She glanced up at him with uncertainty in her eyes.
He pulled her to the next doorway and watched for her reaction as they moved inside the room next to his. “And this is the guest room.”
Her gaze moved from the new bed and bedding he'd bought, to the antique desk he'd moved in. “Wow. It's beautiful.”
Excited that she thought so, he forged ahead. “So, no pressure, but I was thinking you should quit being stubborn and sleeping at your place where there aren't even any beds, and just stay with me.”
“Here in the guest room?” She raised her gaze to his.
“Yeah. Or in the master bedroom with me.” Rohn shrugged. “Or I was thinking maybe I could sleep in the guest room with you.”
She smiled. “But no pressure.”
“Nope. Not one bit.” But if she said no, he was driving over to her place and sleeping on the damn sofa with her. He'd waited too long for this woman to let her get away.
She turned away from him and looked back at the guest room. He tried to see it as she would. The vase of daisies he'd put on the antique desk. The delicate white lace curtains that would let the morning sunlight in. He'd bought them to replace the heavy ones that had been there for years. There were new sheets, a comforter, and a duvet that he'd purchased, even though until today he'd had no idea what exactly a duvet was.
It was a bright, happy room, and he could see Bonnie being happy in it, waking up to the light of the morning sun rising in the east.
“Okay.”
“Okay?” His voice rose in surprise. “You'll stay here?”
“Yes, in the guest room.” He waited and wondered until finally Bonnie put him out of his agony and added, “With you.”
He laughed and spun her to face him, as gleeful as a kid. “You got it.”
Hell, he'd sleep with her in the barn if it meant being able to wake up next to Bonnie in the morning.
The look in her eyes as she gazed up at him made him forget all about dinner and the movie. He wanted nothing more than to break in that new bed.
When she wrapped her arms around him he decided that maybe dinner could wait a little while.