Through the Dust (Black Springs Ranch, #2)

by Amber Palmer

“I’ve been wanting to punish that fucking mouth all night,” he said breathlessly, pulling away only to trail kisses down my neck. “Christ, you drive me nuts.” “Maybe you should shut me up then,” I challenged, panting as hard as he was. There wasn’t a single thing he did that didn’t absolutely consume me. I was always searching for some reason to get his hands on me somehow. “You’d like it too much,”

For the first time, it didn’t scare me. It didn’t make me want to run for the hills and never look back. If anything, I wanted to shout it from the rooftops for everyone to hear. I wanted to claim him, to give him the comfort he was desperately searching for. I just hoped he felt the same because I wasn’t sure how to return to a world where I didn’t love Bishop Bryant.

“Y’all want a beer or anything from the garage?” “Hell yes I do!” Dad called, rubbing his hands together. “Make it a double. I got two hands for a reason.” “You’ll get water, and you’ll like it,” Mom said, coming around with her hands on her hips.

lol

“Eyesight not what it used to be? Should we get you some glasses?” I patted my thigh, and that was the only invite she needed. Lennox crawled into my lap, resting her head on my shoulder as I wrapped my arms around her. “I already have some.” “What?” she asked, looking around. “How come I’ve never seen them?” I shrugged. “I don’t wear them much. They get in the way at work.” “Why don’t you use contacts then?” “Never much liked the idea of putting something in my eye,” I admitted. “It kinda freaks me out.” She pulled back, scrunching her face. “You’re a cowboy.” I waited for her to elaborate, but she didn’t. “And?” “So you can stick your hand up a cow’s vagina to check their cervix while they’re calving, but you can’t put a contact in your own eye?”

I may not have known much, but I knew one thing. Lennox Hayes was mine, and I wanted to make sure she stayed that way.

“Who are you, and what have you done with Bishop Bryant?” “Dunno,” I said, ducking my head so I didn’t have to look at her. “Heard he went and fell in love.”

Kissing Lennox Hayes for the first time had been life-altering. It made me want things I’d only dreamed about. It’d given me hope for a future—a better one where I could move away from my past and do something for myself.

“I want you to listen to me when I say this, killer…” She nodded, and I continued. “I am so disgustingly in love with you that nothing could change that. You could tell me to fuck off, and I would, but nothing can change the way this stupid thing in my chest beats for you.”

I wasn’t quite sure where this life would take me, but there was one thing I knew for certain. “All I see is you, sweetheart.”