Apologize to her, Wade.
Her demeanor doesn’t change. It’s almost as if she thinks there’s going to be a gotcha or something at the end of my sentence, but there’s not.
I hear the bell ringing outside the main house—Mom’s signal to let everyone know it’s lunchtime. I can’t apologize right now because to do so would take time, and Mama doesn’t tolerate people being late for meals. I know that’s a bullshit excuse, though, so I turn around and look at her.
“Listen, I owe you an apology. I shouldn’t…I shouldn’t have jumped to conclusions and judged you as harshly as I did. I was an absolute ass to you and you didn’t deserve it. I accused you of betraying your family when I know damn well you sacrificed everything for that ranch. I remember you being so sick during one of the tropical storms, like you had mono or something and could barely stand up, but you were outside battening down hatches and making sure your family didn’t lose anything. You’re as loyal as they come, Sutton. I’m sorry.”
She doesn’t reply, just stares back at me with those doe eyes. She opens her mouth but no sound comes out. I turn on my heel and walk out of there. I said what I need to, and that’s enough.
I pass Benny on my way out of the barn. He raises an eyebrow at me, and I keep walking.
“Hey, Doc. Miss Elena has chow ready,” Benny tells her.
“I forget that Mrs. C’s first name is Elena,” I hear her say.
“She’ll be offended if you don’t come in for lunch,” Tommy adds.
“She did mention something about an apple pie,” Sutton replies.
I continue walking and try not to focus on how hard I am listening to whether she is coming in for lunch.
When Sutton walks into the house, she’s like a pod person compared to who she is around me. That rough demeanor is gone as she offers to help Mom in the kitchen. Seeing how much my mother adores her is different as well. Mom loves everyone, but there’s something special about the way she and Sutton interact. It’s almost like Mom sees her as a daughter.
Mom catches me staring and she gives me a grin before tilting her head in Sutton’s direction. I shake my head and focus on eating my lunch.
I don’t have time to think about any woman, especially not Sutton Bishop.
I keep my head down, picking at my food while the ranch hands chat around me. Sutton sits across the table, her no-nonsense demeanor somehow commanding attention even when she’s not trying. Jared, Tommy, and Benny are doing their best to charm her, throwing out jokes and half-flirtatious remarks, but she’s not having it.
“So, Doc,” Jared says, leaning back in his chair with a grin. “What’s the verdict? Are our cows gonna make it, or should we start looking into goat farming?”
She raises an eyebrow, her fork poised in midair. “Goats? Sure. If you’re ready to milk them every morning and fend off coyotes twice as often.”
The table erupts in laughter, and Jared holds up his hands in mock surrender. “All right, all right, point taken.”
“What about chickens?” Tommy chimes in. “I hear they’re low maintenance. And the roosters—”
“I always thought you liked cocks,” Sutton shoots back, her tone dry but her lips twitching with the hint of a smile.
Benny throws his head back and laughs, as does my mother.
“It sure is nice to see someone keeping these boys in line,” Mom interjects from the kitchen.
I catch myself almost smiling at her quick wit, but I stop short, glancing down at my plate instead. Out of the corner of my eye, I see my mom watching me, a knowing look on her face. She’s been on my case about settling down for years, and I can practically see the wheels turning in her head. I avoid her gaze, focusing on my food.
Lunch wraps up, and everyone starts to scatter, heading back to their tasks. I step outside, needing some air. The sun beats down on the barn as I make my way toward it, my mind still on the conversation at the table.
Inside the barn, it’s cooler, the scent of hay and leather filling the air. I’m not expecting to see anyone, so we nearly collide when Sutton rounds the corner at the same time I do. Her shoulder brushes against mine, and I instinctively reach out, my hand catching her elbow to steady her.
The moment my fingers touch her skin, it’s like a jolt of static electricity shoots through me. Sutton freezes, her wide eyes meeting mine, and neither of us moves. My eyes go down to those kissable lips, and it’s all I can think about.
Before I can stop myself, I lean down, closing the distance between us. My lips meet hers, soft and warm. Everything else fades away. She doesn’t pull back, her hands coming up to rest lightly on my chest, and I deepen the kiss, losing myself in the feel of her.
It’s like nothing has changed since that night in Texas.
My cock stands at attention, twitching to be released, to fill her. I push her back against the wall. Her hips thrust upward to meet mine.
Her hands go up to the back of my head, her fingers threading through my hair. My hand goes up to her breast, groping her. She moans against my mouth; a needy little whimper escapes, too.
