I didn’t know how to talk to my dad anymore—especially when I didn’t even miss working at his accounting firm. And I couldn’t sit through another of my mom’s endless apologies, listening to her drone on and on about how terrible she thought life out here must be. Because the truth was, things had changed, and I was beginning to love it here.
“I told them Tripp and I could handle the ranch on our own for one Saturday.”
“Oh.” My stomach sinks. I didn’t want to go back and face them. Not yet.
“So, if you wanted to get back to the city for the day...” he trails off.
“Hmph.” My phone vibrates a third time from my pocket.Jesus Christ.
“I’m sure it would mean a lot to your mother if you made the short trip,” he presses.
I slide the phone from my pocket and freeze at the photo on the screen.Why wasshecalling me? Again?Ever since her call had spooked Luci, she'd been calling me daily. I never answered. I didn’t want to talk to her. Not here. Not now. I silence it for the third time.
I heave a resigned sigh. I wouldn’t hear the end of it if I missed Mom’s party. “I’ll go for her birthday.”
“Good.” He nods, a furrow in his brow. “Good,” he repeats.
I’m sure he’s wondering what the hell is wrong with me. To be honest, I don’t know enough to tell him, but the idea of leaving at all right now makes my stomach turn and my chest go tight.
I head for the stairs, my feet dragging as the exhaustion from the last couple of days settles on me all at once. My boot hits the top step, and I hear Pops call out from the kitchen, “Invite Sawyer to go with you. I’m sure your mother would be pleased to see you enjoying yourself.”
Whatever tension I was carrying from Pops telling me about Mom’s birthday party melts away at the thought of having Sawyer by my side the whole time.
Man, I have it bad.
Already.
How long have I been here? Four weeks? Five?
And yet, the idea of being away from Sawyer has my entire body rebelling. It's crazy how quickly I’d let this woman past all my defenses,insane that what was meant to be a little fun to pass the time had turned into something that felt so much bigger.
I had no clue if Sawyer felt the same way. For all I knew, she would be totally unbothered when I went back to the city. But that wouldn't stop me from wanting to drag her back home with me.
Home.That place was beginning to feel less and less like my home the more time I spent on this ranch. But the city is where I belonged.
My gloomy disposition brightens at the idea of showing her around the city and having her officially meet my family. I couldn’t quite grasp what it would be like to have her there, to integrate her into my life like I’d assimilated into ranch life, but I was eager to find out.
The Old Frontier
Sawyer
I’m in the middle of tacking up Dolly when I see the old blue Chevy pulling up the drive. My heart skips a beat like some stupid cliché.
Why does Wes Dawson have this effect on me?
The sex is good. Okay, it's more than good. It's amazing. It’s exactly what I needed, but it doesn’t justify the reaction I have whenever I see him. The giddy anticipation and the warmth that floods my cold, dead heart the second he walks into the stable and greets Luci—who I now refer to ashishorse—is Exhibit A.
He’s wearing a worn black work jacket and with the new beard and that Stetson on his head, he looks like Rip Wheeler fromYellowstone. My heart stutters to a stop in my chest for a brief moment before taking off into a wild gallop against my ribs.
I chalk it up to the newness of this thing between us and refuse to entertain the possibility that I have genuine feelings for him that go beyond the good sex and friendly affection.
He’ll leave just as quickly as he came once his eight-week stint is up. But there’s nothing I can do if he decides he’s ready to hang up his Stetson for good.
Wes’ steady gaze drinks me in and a slow and sultry smile curves his full lips as he pats Luci’s neck. The sight makes my knees weak, and I idly wonder if we can put off whatever he wants to show me so we can deal with the throbbing that has now started in my clit.
He leaves Luci in the stall and greets Cash with a click of his tongue and a scratch behind the ears. “We should get going. I want to get there before the sun sets," he says, stashing a paper bag in his saddlebag.
Well, that answersthatquestion. My throbbing clit will have to wait.
