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One pole class and snack date together and I’m ready to make us friendship bracelets.
“Brody is all bark and no bite. Don’t worry about all the scowling.” I highly doubt that, but instead of saying exactly that, I look at Brody and smile saccharinely. My next words just explode from my mouth before I can think twice about them. “My sister’s a vet, so I’m not afraid of rabid animals.”
“You’ve known me for five seconds.” “I only needed three.” My fingers curl as my lips twitch. “To finish? And that’s something you’re proud of?”
I drag my eyes down the curves of her body, gritting my teeth as I’m reminded how outrageously beautiful she is. Brown eyes aren’t usually my thing, but hers aren’t simply brown. They’re warm and soft,
Moving on from heartbreak is never easy, but surrounding yourself with people who care about you and want to see you happy sure does make it easier.
he’s attempting to move past me. I slide into his way and plant a hand to his chest. His eyes widen before dropping to where I’m touching him and then crawling back up again. That stupidly good cologne fills the air between us. The hard muscles beneath my fingers thump harder and harder, and I realize with a start that it’s his heartbeat. As quickly as I’ve touched him, I retract my hand, dropping it to my side.
The appreciation shining in her eyes as she stares up at me is almost too much. The brown is even softer now than before, warm like melted chocolate. My chest is twisted up, and before I notice what’s happening, I’m grinning at her.
The reminder of why I’m here has my eyes darting to the coat on my passenger seat. I searched my closet high and low for one that wouldn’t either drown her or cover her in dirt before finding that one.
It must be my manners. I was raised to put women first always, regardless of who they are to me.
The drive is as quiet as every other I’ve taken before today, and I find myself missing her chatter the entire time.
“This is the furthest thing from what I expected from the two of you,” Poppy says. “And just what did you expect?” I ask. She hums. “I was picturing something out of one of my favourite romance novels. An enemies-to-lovers storyline that had you at each other’s throats until you couldn’t deny your feelings any longer and fucked like crazed animals.” I choke on a laugh, thankful there wasn’t a mouthful of pop in my mouth. “Your imagination is fascinating.”
I can take care of myself, but I also deserve to be taken care of if I wish to be. Truly taken care of.
“You didn’t have to come to my door,” I tell him, only half meaning it. It was thoughtful of him to come up. “That’s not the way I was raised, Buttercup.”
He’s protective of people. It must be a deep-rooted instinct for him to fall into the role of protector so naturally. Never mind that it’s an incredibly attractive instinct as well.
I turn into town and get hit with a mix of feelings. I’m . . . excited to see Anna. To see her smile and listen to whatever she wants to talk about. But at the same time, I want to continue this phone call. Is that messed up? Fuck, I can’t even tell anymore.
I sling my arm over the back of her seat and look over my shoulder while reversing the truck out of the parking spot.
Even with my legs half-numb, I feel my knees shake when he slides his arm around my waist and carefully tucks me into his body before leading us up the sidewalk.
I don’t consider pulling away. Not even once.
The pull I feel for her doesn’t make sense. It’s concerning that my first instinct is to drop my duties and responsibilities for a woman I’ve known just shy of a month. Her distress is cutting, a shake to the ground beneath my feet.
She’s got her hands on her hips in a sassy stance, and I bite back my laugh at the effort to intimidate me.
Not quite there yet, sweetheart.
“Oh, absolutely not. Be as awestruck as you want, just don’t act like this in his presence. He’ll never let anyone hear the end of it.” I lean forward again with my hands fisted on the table, my next words coming out far throatier than I mean them to. “Plannin’ on bringin’ me home to the family, Anna?”
woman.” I can’t ignore her stare any longer. The moment I find those brown eyes glistening with grief for me, I turn over my hands and sandwich hers between them. My touch grows brave when she doesn’t pull away. Pointer finger exploring, I trace over a small line of raised skin. A scar on the inside of her middle finger. Something restless settles inside of me. Maybe we’re not that different after all.
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?”
“If I was trying to seduce you, Anna, you wouldn’t be thinking so hard,” he coos.
It makes me sad to see you so at odds with your grandfather, but I’ll always urge you to do what will make you happy, my love. If that means you going back to Nashville, then I’ll understand. However, I will also want you to stay.”
I pinch the collar of my jacket and lift it to my nose, breathing in the mix of lavender and coconut that I’ve quickly come to recognize as Anna. The scent has begun to linger in my truck and, now, my clothes. I’m content to let it.
The confidence he exudes has always had a strong effect on me. It’s as natural for him as breathing is.
Our gazes lock, holding for longer than normal. The sparkle in his pretty blue eyes makes my stomach flutter. How exactly am I supposed to keep from developing feelings for him when he treats me the way he does? Even as just friends, he’s made me feel more important and cared for than I ever have before. God, he’s dangerous. Brody Steele is a land mine hidden in plain sight. I never stood a damn chance in avoiding him or the damage he’s sure to do to my heart when he leaves.
there’s a genuine excitement to experience what I do every day in her attitude that I’m floored by. I’ve never taken a girl home to the ranch before, and I’m more comfortable with the idea of Anna there than I thought I’d be. I want her to get to know me more, and this might be the best way to make that happen.
“It doesn’t matter to me when I meet everyone. I’m just happy to be here with you.” With me.
I shift our hands to the centre of my chest and hold her stare, grateful for the first time that she opted not to put her mittens on. I like the feeling of her bare skin against mine, the softness far too addicting.
So why can’t I stop touching her? Why does her goddamn presence make me feel more awake than I have been for the past few years?
I want banter and new adventures and thoughtful gestures that have my cheeks burning from smiling.
He stands right behind me and reaches beside my head to grip the steel handle. With a white-knuckled hold on it, he pulls it open with little effort, the bicep at my ear flexing in the most delicious way.
“If you don’t want me in here, please just say so,” I tell him, wetting my dry lips. “I don’t want to overstep.” 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.”
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.
Her hands find the front of my jacket, taking two fistfuls of it and using it for leverage so she doesn’t lose balance. I know I need to pull back, but it takes every ounce of willpower to do it. Dragging the tip of my nose up the length of hers, I inhale the sweet scent of her perfume. She pants against my lips, and I do the same. “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.”
One kiss, one taste of her was all it took. Fuck, I’d let her string me along forever if it meant I’d get another one of those.
It’s almost hard to look at him for too long without risking getting stuck in his trance. So handsome it hurts. It should be a warning given to every person that gets too close.
He turns back to face me, and I’m not anywhere near prepared to see his blown black eyes taking in the sight of me in this dress. I was hoping he’d like it, but he’s already seen it, and I won’t lie and say that thought hadn’t been messing with my head all day. “Beautiful, Anna. Fuckin’ prettiest thing I’ve ever seen in my entire twenty-eight years of living. A far cry from just fine,”
“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.
“Don’t rush me. Want to explore you and learn what makes you scream. What will have you drippin’ down my wrist.” “Brody.” It’s the most beautiful my name has ever sounded. “Been a long time comin’, baby. I want to devour you.”
“You’re the most handsome man I’ve ever laid eyes on, let alone had as my own.” “Now you know how I feel every time I look at you. Come here,” he orders softly.
“It’s too late to worry about turnin’ out as fools. Been thinkin’ about you daily for weeks now. Either way, I was fucked. I don’t want to focus on the after right now. Not when I have you in my arms like this for the first time. Maybe that’s not a fair thing to ask of you. But all I know is that you’re my woman now, and I don’t give a shit what anyone else thinks about it.”
“I’ve never cared much for the opinions of others. Not those outside of my family, and in case you haven’t noticed, Buttercup, my grandparents would damn near adopt you if given the damn chance. They like you nearly as much as I do, and that’s sayin’ somethin’.”
I bury my face in Anna’s hair and sweep my thumb over the ridge of her belly button through the silk dress. She leans further into me and rubs her cheek against my forehead, letting me soak her up for as long as I want to. Fuckin’ hell, I could stay here forever.
Life is too short to pick apart every possible bad outcome.
Even as I pull up in front of her house this morning, I’m desperate to see her. See her and feel her and kiss her. It’s like I’ve gone back in time and become a teenage boy again with a crush to end all crushes.
