Wyatt (Lucky River Ranch, #2)

by Jessica Peterson

This hug is fierce—her face buried in my shoulder, her arms clasped around my neck. I can smell the flowery scent of her lotion, the same kind she’s used for as long as I can remember. Anyone else hugged me this way, it’d be awkward. With Sally, it’s just what I need.

I picture a literal sun bursting to life inside me. That’s how it feels, being touched by Sally. Laughing with her. Being loved by her.

“I do miss you,” I blurt. “All the fucking time, Sally. I worry you’ll forget about me. I’m happy you’re living your dream—don’t get me wrong. But life…it’s suddenly all so different, you know? My parents died. And right now, with you, is the first time I feel like I might not die too.”

Everything inside me melts. I squeeze her harder, resisting the urge to press my lips to her throat. “You’re like sunshine, you know? Sounds cheesy, but it’s true. I always feel so much better when you’re around.” Her swallow is audible. “I’ll be your sunshine anytime, Wyatt.”

Really, Wyatt got this sunshine thing all wrong. He’s the one who’s the sun. The rest of us just float in his orbit, waiting our turn to bask in his warmth and attention.

I glance at the tattoo of a sunrise on my left forearm. Sally’s remarked on it in passing, but she doesn’t know I got it for her. She also doesn’t know about the other tattoo I got for her, the one on my leg. That one, more than the sunrise, is a dead giveaway of how obsessed I am with my best friend.

“Daddy is fine. Dad is not.”

“Your calluses.” She runs her thumb over the top part of my palm. “They’re insane.” “Too rough?” Her brown eyes glitter. “Yeah. But I think I like it.” “Do not elaborate.” I bite the inside of my cheek.

Being with Wyatt always feels like coming home.

“You really don’t have to.” “I know. But I will. For you.”

“Hell, you’d better hope I don’t ruin you for everybody else, Sal, because I’m real good at this shit.” That’s exactly what I’m worried about.

I got no choice when it comes to Sally Powell. If she’s unhappy, I’ll move heaven and earth to make her feel better.

Sawyer peers at me. “Isn’t your nickname for her ‘Sunshine’?” I scoff. “Ha. Hadn’t thought of that.” “Move toward the light, brother. That’s all I’m sayin’.”

Wyatt smirks, his blue eyes going dark. “Ain’t nothin’ little about me, sugar. If the sound of that scares you, you’d better find yourself another fake date.”

Choose me. Goddamn, Sunshine, I’m dying for you to choose me.

“Don’t make me say it. You know, Sunshine. You know I wanna be your guy.”

“I…want to feel something. I want to feel like time has stopped and I’m exactly where I’m supposed to be. Like I don’t want to be anywhere else, with anyone else, because the experience of the kiss is so freaking delicious. I want to fall into it. I just…yeah, I want to feel.”

“Lucky for you”—oh God, oh God, Wyatt is slipping a hand onto my face, using his palm to angle my mouth up toward his—“I’m tight with God, and I’ll have you saying his name often. Eventually though, I’d like you to say mine instead.”

Wyatt’s body and his kiss are hot as hell. But I think his concern for me—for others in general—might be the sexiest thing about him. He’s not afraid to show he cares tonight, and that display of vulnerability is the biggest turn on ever.

“Because—” A beat passes. Another. “Bein’ around you—makes it hard to think—sometimes.”

Her eyes flick to meet mine. “Ready?” I’ve been ready my whole life to be loved by you this way.

“Not quiet at all, actually,” I say, grabbing her hand and placing it over the bell. Sally’s eyes go wide as she listens to the way she’s made my heart pound. “This is what you do to me,” I whisper. “If you ask me, we make a mighty fine mess, Sunshine.” Then I press my lips to hers, and she smiles when my heart beats even faster.

He’s wearing his cowboy hat, because Wyatt is always wearing his cowboy hat.

All I can promise is that I’ll do my best to make the most of every second I get with you, whether that’s a month, a year, whatever.”

“I want you to be my guy. Not just the guy I have a good time with. But the guy I call, and confide in, and come home to.” “I want you to stay.”

“I hope you know I would never limit Sally or try to tie her down. I respect the hell out of her talent. I also respect her opinion. She knows what she wants, John. We have to trust her to make the right choices for herself. You and I, we don’t have any business meddling.”

“But it’s not about Dad, is it? This is about you and what you want to do with your life. It’s okay to disappoint him so long as you’re not letting yourself down.”

But what would Mom have to say about my fears of letting my guard down? Take your head out of your ass and realize not every relationship ends in tragedy.

“It’s gonna force each of you to make a decision about your priorities. And maybe that’s a choice you need to make before you can live the life you want. The universe is telling you something here, Wyatt. Listen.”

“Your feelings don’t scare me. You know what does? You keeping everything bottled up in here.” I tap my finger on his breastbone. “So talk to me. I’m listening.”

“Totally. Cowboys cry, too, especially when they talk about their feelings.”

“Lose your voice from yellin’ my name so much last night?”

“Make one fucking sound,” he whispers. “I dare you, Sunshine. I dare you to get us caught. What do you think your daddy would do if he saw us like this? His sweet little girl being fucked hard by her real daddy and liking it.”

“What higher calling could there be than to serve my community? Than to feed my soul by doing work that’s meaningful, alongside people I love?”

“Trust me when I say that just because we live in the same place doesn’t mean we’re going to have the same life.”

“That day you picked me up, you said you’d be my sunshine anytime.” He searches my eyes. “What do you think about being my sunshine forever?”