“Fuck!” I groaned, digging my fingers into his hips as my orgasm tore through me. I thrust up into him, emptying myself inside the condom as waves of pleasure crashed over me.
For a long moment, we stayed frozen like that, both of us panting, bodies slick with sweat and cum. Hayden’s eyes were closed, his chest heaving as he tried to catch his breath. The hat had finally slipped, hanging off one ear in a way that made me smile despite my exhaustion.
“Holy shit…” he began, then shook his head, seemingly at a loss for words.
“Yeah,” I agreed, reaching up to remove the hat completely and set it aside. “My thoughts exactly.”
Hayden carefully lifted himself off me, wincing slightly as my softening cock slipped out of him. He collapsed beside me on the narrow bed, one arm thrown across my chest. I removed the condom, tying it off and tossing it in the general direction of the trash can. I’d deal with it later if I missed.
“You know,” Hayden murmured against my shoulder, “I think I might stick around Sagebrush a bit longer than planned.”
My heart skipped a beat. “Yeah?”
“Mmm,” he nodded, his fingers tracing patterns through the mess on my stomach. “I’ve got this annoying cowboy who keeps looking at me like I’m something special. Might be worth exploring.”
I turned to face him, unable to hide my grin. “Is that right? And what about California? The modeling? The ocean?”
Hayden shrugged, a small smile playing at his lips. “The ocean’s not going anywhere. And honestly? I never planned on going back to California, anyway. But I’m starting to think Texas has more to offer.”
“Oh? Like what?” I asked, pulling him closer.
“Well,” he said thoughtfully, “there’s that Christmas tree we just decorated. And Dolly’s pie. And this really hot ranch foreman who fills out his jeans in ways that should be illegal.”
I laughed, pressing a kiss to his forehead. “Good answer.”
“What about you?” he asked, suddenly serious. “Still planning to move on come spring?”
I stared at him for a long moment before I shook my head. “I don’t think I could leave now. It terrifies the shit out of me, but I’m too in love with a grumpy city boy to go anywhere else.”
Hayden smiled up at me, his eyes bright even in the dim light of his apartment. “You’re really going all in on this, aren’t you?”
“Apparently,” I admitted, running my fingers through his hair. “Didn’t really plan on it, but here we are. I can’t help how I feel and I’m tired of fightin’ it.”
He pressed a kiss to my chest, right over my heart. “I love you too, Diego.”
We lay there for a while, our bodies cooling, neither of us eager to break the connection. His bedroom was sparse, just a bed, a nightstand, and a small dresser, but somehow it felt more like home than anywhere I’d been in years. It felt like home because ofhim.
“So, what happens now?” Hayden asked, his voice soft against my skin.
I traced patterns along his spine, connecting his freckles like constellations. “Well, first I think we should shower. Then maybe order some food from the diner. After that...” I shrugged. “We’ve got all the time in the worldto figure it out.”
“All the time in the world,” he repeated, as if testing how the words felt. “That’s a pretty big promise from a drifter.”
I tilted his chin up so I could look him in the eyes. “Not a drifter anymore. Not if you want me to stay.”
The vulnerability in his expression nearly broke me. I could see him wrestling with hope and fear, wanting to believe but afraid to trust. Tommy had really done a number on him.
“I want you to stay,” he whispered finally. “I’ve never wanted anything so badly in my life.”
I nodded, kissing him softly. “Then I’m yours.”
Chapter 22
Hayden
Iremembered getting cold at some point during the night and curling up tightly against Diego. By the time the light of early dawn began streaming through the window, I was wrapped in hunky cowboy blanket of muscle and warmth that drove away all thoughts of the frost clinging to the edges of the windowpanes.
I stretched slightly, careful not to move too much and disturb Diego’s embrace. His arm was heavy across my chest, his breath warm against my neck, and one of his legs was thrown possessively over mine. It was like being pinned beneath a very attractive, very affectionate bear.
