Strung Along (Cherry Peak, #1)

by Hannah Cowan

“Are you up for learnin’ how to boost your car?” Her answering grin strikes me so deeply I’m thankful to be sitting down. “Yes, please.”

“Fair enough. What have you brought me, Oh Mighty One?” The serious shift in his expression has me sobering. “You can’t be driving without an emergency kit, especially in the winter. This has everything from flares to an emergency blanket. Never take it out of your trunk unless you need to use it.” He waits for me to nod before continuing, lifting the shoulder with the yellow cord slung over it.

“Where are your exterior plug-ins?” “I don’t know.” It’s the truth. I’ve never looked. His smile starts small before growing. The first look at the dimple in his right cheek has me swallowing a swoon. “Let’s have a look, then.” “Why are you smiling like that?” I blurt out. “Like what?” The fucker somehow grins impossibly bigger. “Like you know exactly how good-looking you are, especially when you smile like that. Are you trying to seduce me or something?” His laugh is pure sin.

“If I was trying to seduce you, Anna, you wouldn’t be thinking so hard,” he coos.

She laughs, and some of my tension drains. “Are you finally going to tell me why you’ve been sneaking off every day like a naughty teenager?”

“Not yet.” “Fine, don’t tell me. But a word of advice: maybe resist carrying the smell of her perfume into the house if you want to keep me from asking,”

Bo: What are three things you would want with you on a deserted island? Me: Why am I going to a deserted island? Bo: Your plane went down.

The similarities between him and Brody have also become harder to ignore. After the day Brody showed up to help with my car, I’ve been curious. Possibly too much so, given the slim amount of proof I have that they may be one and the same.

If he truly was Bo, wouldn’t he have told me the day he swept in to save me like some rough and tough cowboy remixed Prince Charming? If it wasn’t pure coincidence that Brody showed up right when I needed him and instead, he knew where I’d be and that I needed help because I had told him—told Bo—then clearly, he would have already pieced together that I’m Banana.

It’s even started to smell like my perfume to the point I tried not wearing it for a couple of days to see if it helped. It didn’t, and when I apologized, offering to buy some air fresheners, he waved me off, admitting that he liked the smell. I’ve returned to using my perfume like normal.

“Did you at least try and pawn off the ring?” he asks sternly. The bluntness of the question surprises me even more than the question itself. My laugh comes right from my chest, and I let it flow, not daring to trap

“Not since I moved back. I don’t know if I’m hurt that he didn’t care enough to try and win me back or if I’m relieved he let me go without much of a fight,” I admit. “Not only did he not deserve you because of what he did, but a real man fights for his woman regardless of whether she’s going to hit you in the crotch with a baseball bat while you try to or not,” he says, firm and final.

The confidence he exudes has always had a strong effect on me. It’s as natural for him as breathing is. I’ve only been around one other man who carries himself with that sort of confidence before—my sister’s husband—and I most definitely did not have the same reaction to him. Ew.

Lol maddox

“No, it didn’t. And while I’m sorry that jackass hurt you, I’m glad you wound up here,” he says, and the genuine words are enough to snap me out of my thoughts.

“Happy I wound up in Cherry Peak or right here?” I whisper. His eyes turn from soft to sharp so quickly I stop breathing altogether. I wouldn’t mind if he cut me with that stare as long as he kissed the wounds afterward. “Both,” he says, voice low and deep.

The idea springs to life so quick I almost miss it. “What’s what?” My lips pull into a mischievous grin. “Take me to work with you.”

As if I could turn Anna down when she flipped those damn doe eyes on me. I think I’d give her just about anything she wished for if she looked at me like that again. I’m so fucked.

“Is that him?” Anna asks. “Yep,” I mutter. “Seems like you’ll get a sooner introduction than I planned.” She doesn’t appear put off by that. No, her excited grin is anything but put off. “Let’s go,” she urges, clapping her hands on her thighs. I bite back a smile and do as she says.

“Your grandma was right” is all he says before taking another look into the truck and adding, “Go on, then. Don’t leave her waitin’.” It’s only then that I realize Anna’s waited for me to come open her door. Pride swims in my chest at that, even if it’s more likely that she simply waited for me to open the door to avoid another one of my scoldings. It still fills me with a strong sense of male satisfaction.

AHHHHH I LOVE IT

“It doesn’t matter to me when I meet everyone. I’m just happy to be here with you.” With me. I don’t let myself think twice about my next move. Covering the hand she has placed on my bicep with mine, I give it a squeeze before linking our fingers. I shift our hands to the centre of my chest and hold her stare,

The corners of her lips tug into a delicate smile. “You should probably let go of my hand first, though. You’ll be introducing me in an entirely different way if you don’t.” “One introduction would probably be better than two,”

“What you should have done was taken her out this morning and bought her her own pair of boots,” she sasses. I swallow a laugh at the ease with which she scolds him. “I don’t think I’d get enough use out of a pair of my own.” She gapes at me, offended. “Nonsense.” Flitting her eyes to her grandson, she adds, “Tell me she’ll be here often. Don’t you tease me, boy.” “Don’t look at me. It’s Anna you should be threatening.” Brody’s fingers slip beneath the bottom hem of my jacket, tracing the waistband of my leggings. The shiver that racks through me is immediate, and one sneaking glance up at him exposes his smirk.

woah handys brody i like

The next few minutes are spent with me sitting on a long bench and Mrs. Steele shoving old cowboy boots into Brody’s arms as he kneels in front of me and slips them on one by one. My cheeks grow hotter with each brush of his fingers against the arch of my foot—which I happen to think he’s doing intentionally now—until I’m positive they might very well catch on fire. His stupidly handsome smirk has never been more prominent as of right now. I’m close to giving him a mouthful of old leather.

Once Brody’s handed me a thicker jacket and we’ve stepped outside, I say, “I expect the best Steele Ranch tour that was ever given while you tell me all of your deepest and darkest secrets.” “You don’t hold punches,” he replies. “Nope. The old Anna did, but not this one. I think I’ve about had it with holding my punches.”

Brody keeps his expression deceptively blank as he takes my hand and helps me down the porch steps. I didn’t need the help, but I don’t think that matters to him.

“You sure you don’t want to see anythin’ else first?” “Are you allergic to horses or something?” I ask, narrowing my eyes. “No. God help a rancher who’s allergic to horses.” “Soooo?”

did his mom die from a horse???

“Does that mean your horse is inside? You do have one, right?” “Yes.” It’s a stiff word.

The brim of his hat falls to cover his brows, and I don’t think twice before reaching up and pushing it out of the way, admiring the velvet feel of it between my fingertips. His breath catches, and a breath later, he grabs my waist, simply holding me there. I stay still, not wanting to spook him again. His fingers flex a second before I’m tugged a bit closer, our bodies nearly flush. “Meetin’ the horses will make you happy, right?” “Yes,” I whisper, the moment too delicate for anything louder. “Then that’s what we’ll do.”

Appreciation fills me. It’s like this man wants nothing more than to see me smile. How was I ever supposed to keep him at a distance? It almost feels like a trick question.

“I’m actually allergic to most animals, dogs and cats especially, but my parents didn’t want to risk horses either.” “You’re allergic to animals, and you insisted I take you here?” I jerk my head back and try to pull her away from Sky, but the stubborn woman shakes her head and plants her feet to the ground.

“Would you like a full list of employees, sweetheart? I can name all the women for you,” I purr. She scowls and swats at my arm. “You’re an ass.” “Yet you like me enough to get jealous.” “Nobody said anything about jealousy. I certainly didn’t.” “You didn’t need to. It was all in the tone.”

Before she can finish ripping me a new one the way only she seems able to, I’m turning her to face me and taking her cheeks in my hands, placing my mouth on hers. She stands frozen for a heartbeat, but then she thaws for me.

woahhhh ahhhh

“Better?” I murmur. “Better?” she echoes. “Are you still jealous?” Her eyes snap open, and I chuckle when they roll. “You couldn’t help yourself, could you?” “When it comes to you, that’s the one thing I can’t seem to do.”

Having Brody around on the regular has also all but completely cut off my conversations with Bo. It didn’t take me long after spending the day with Brody at his family ranch to confirm my hunch, and I refuse to keep up the ruse. The two men are one and the same, but for some reason, he’s known and hasn’t made an effort to tell me.

lol so they both know!!

“You have to promise that you won’t be weird.” “I promise.” “Do you know who Brody Steele is?” A pause. She blinks slowly, lips parting and closing before she manages a nod. “You’re kidding.” “I’m dead serious.” “How?” My heart skips a beat. “He’s from Cherry Peak. We met at a bar and got off on a very wrong foot,

“You know, I waited three years to hear that emotion in your voice when talking about Stewart, and I never did. We have one conversation about Brody, and it’s already there. That’s all I need to know.” “It’s not that easy, and you know it. It was never that easy with you and Maddox,” I argue. “Maddox and me were different, and you know it.”

Her smirk is devilish, and my stomach drops. “Didn’t you know that he’s performing at the wedding tonight?”

ahhhhhh

“Good. I hate introductions, and I’ve had to do enough of them today,” Walker says. “It’s all worth it, though, yeah? All of the stress of a wedding?” “Without a doubt. Was worth it from the moment I saw her walking down the aisle.”

Once I’m alone in the room, I pull my phone out and instinctively open my text conversation with Banana. The last text was from over a week ago. It’s safe to say that the cat is out of the bag for the both of us. I’ve been contemplating how I’m going to bring it up to Anna for too long.

lol girl tell each other

I met my dream woman twice and still took this fucking long to make a move.

“Before I get to see you give your man an ass beating? Not allowed,” Maddox argues. I scowl. “He’s not my man.” “Does he know that?” “I’d figure so, considering we’re both here dateless.” Braxton tries and fails to hide her giggle in her husband’s bicep. “She’s going to be beating your ass instead if you keep arguing with her.” He smiles sympathetically. “Sorry, Anna, that’s Braxton’s job.” I scrunch my nose in disgust. “And she can keep it.”

lmao

I flush from my forehead to my toes once I lift my eyes and find him watching me, a little slip of a smirk transforming his features into something devious. Like he knows something I don’t. Arching a brow in defiance, I mouth, “You are in trouble.” That smirk transforms into a smile that’s as close to shy as a guy like Brody is capable of, and then he’s mouthing two words back. “I’m sorry.”

The sign for the bathrooms appears when I turn the corner, but then I’m being tugged toward one of the two bathrooms, a hand on my waist and another wrapped tight around my front. I’m pulled against a hard body, but before panic can sluice through me, I take a deep pull of woodsy cologne and melt in the arms around me.

This is the second time you’ve grabbed me like this. Some would say that’s a bit of a creepy habit to have,” I say, rolling my lips to hide a smile. Brody’s chest shakes against my back, his laugh vibrating beneath my skin and damn near into my bones. “Only have a habit of grabbin’ you like this, sweetheart.” “If you’re trying to suck up right now, you’ve gotta try harder than this.”

“Beautiful, Anna. Fuckin’ prettiest thing I’ve ever seen in my entire twenty-eight years of living. A far cry from just fine,”

You aren’t allowed to make me cry from your pretty words when I’m upset with you,” I whisper.

“I didn’t tell you I was Bo because I was scared. Scared of what it would mean to open up that final door between us. I thought I needed more time to keep my secrets and hide behind some metaphorical wall of privacy. But you were already knockin’ down those walls plank by plank with every one of your sweet smiles and understanding touches. Even that smartass mouth that I want to kiss more often than not had me all twisted up inside. It was only wasted time not takin’ that step sooner, on my own. I knew you’d accept me for all I am long before tonight, Anna. You’re too good a woman not to.”

“And tonight? You could have asked me to come with you. I would have. I’m pretty sure I’d go anywhere with you,” I admit, not ashamed of my vulnerability.

“And I’d go anywhere with you. Should have asked you to be my date. I’d have arrived with the prettiest one out there. I’m sorry I didn’t. I just knew that if I brought you with me, I would have blurted out the truth without collectin’ my thoughts the way I wanted to. It’s been torture enough not kissin’ you since I watched you handlin’ my horse with more care than I’ve ever seen anyone do other than me. You’re a gentle soul, and even Sky knew it. Recognized it on first glance the way I wish I had. I wouldn’t have lasted five minutes with you on my arm here without taking your mouth again, and you deserved this moment first. These answers.”

“And what am I?” he asks, nearly groaning the question. Digging into the well of my confidence, I answer, “My man.” He answers me by pressing me flat up against his chest, our hearts beating perfectly in time, and kisses me so hard I see stars.