“I, uh … I have a question for you.” Christ, I sound like a nervous teenager working up the courage to talk to my crush.
She cocks a playful brow and glides a hand up my chest until she curls her palm around my shoulder, squeezing. And then she’s up on her toes, brushing a soft kiss to my cheek before whispering in my ear, “I’m waiting.”
I run my hands up her arms, feeling goosebumps spring up on her skin. I dip my head low, murmuring the words against her cheek, “Was wondering if you’d be my girlfriend.”
Holly pulls back with a hand still gripping my shoulder. There’s a mix of excitement and confusion on her facebefore her mouth twists in a wry smile. “I don’t think anyone has ever asked me that question.”
It’s my turn to be confused, and I move my hands down to grip her hips, pulling her to me. “I don’t know what kind of boys you’ve been hanging out with, Hols, but I can assure you, a real man should ask the question, not assume.”
She closes the gap between us, brushing a soft kiss against my lips. “I’ve never once questioned whether you were a real man. I knew from the moment I met you that you were different.”
“So, that’s a yes?”
She pulls her bottom lip in between her teeth before grinning. “That’s a hell yes.” Then she crashes our mouths together. I wrap my arms around her as my heart pounds in my chest at the thrill of being able to call Holly mine. I pour everything into this kiss, promising her, in a way, that I won’t ever let her down like so many others have. It’s a simple title to some, but one I plan to take very seriously.
I deepen the kiss, and Holly moans a sultry, sexy moan when my tongue traces her bottom lip, and I nearly come undone at the sound.
We both pull back, chests heaving, as we take in our surroundings and reality sets in. She turns away, runningher tongue over her lips and my stomach clenches, wishing my mouth could trace that same path. I rub a palm up and down her back, leaning in to plant a more chaste kiss on her temple. “I’ll let you get back to work, baby.”
With my arm still casually draped over her shoulder, we walk the few steps to my truck. I open the door and start the engine, letting the cool air run for a second before climbing in.
Rolling down the window, I sling my elbow out to rest on the edge, and Holly’s eyes fall to my forearm. “When do I get to see you again?”
“I’m free Sunday; can I come over and see you?”
I put the truck into reverse, peeking over my shoulder to check the blind spot. “Sunday it is. I’ll tell Maple you’re ready to ride her.”
I put my truck into drive, ready to wave a final goodbye to Holly when I see her stepping off the curb. “Don’t you dare, Grayson Hart, I’m nowhere near ready to ride that horse!”
A snicker bubbles out of me, and I spin the wheel, winking as I drive off. “We’ll see, baby, we’ll see.”
Chapter Fifteen
Holly
Do the chickens miss me?
Grayson: Absolutely. And Maple. She’s sad you won’t ride her.
I’ve never ridden something that big, I couldn’t even imagine.
Grayson: It’d be good practice for you…
Chapter Sixteen
Holly
“So, you swear you’re not mad at me?” Piper leans her hip on the corner of my desk with her arms crossed over her chest as she asks me for the hundredth time today if I’m mad at her. We haven’t worked together since the week Grayson came in with his arm cut, and besides a few superficial texts, we haven’t had time to talk about it.
I take my time typing out my notes on our last patient and click save before pushing back in my chair, doing my best to keep my expression neutral. “Mad at you for lying to me about Grayson’s possible infection, so I’d drive seventy-five miles into the middle of nowhere on a Sunday night, crash a family dinner, all under the ruse that a patient I was only supposed to see one time needed my help?”
She winces, her expression falling the more I go on, and once I’m satisfied that she feels at least somewhat guilty, I let my smile crack.
“I was mad for like thirty seconds, probably. I cursed your name a few times, but then Grayson chased me down and now he’s my boyfriend, so I’d say we’re okay.”
She pushes out a rattled breath, raising a hand to shove my shoulder. “You should really be thanking me, you bitch, not making me nearly pee my pants! I know it was awkward, but once Harper and I realized the connection, that you were the woman he hadn’t shut up about for months, we had to do something about it.”
I bite down a smile, still having a hard time believing it myself.
