“That’s right.”
As I turn it over in my fingers, it takes me a moment to realize there’s a lump in my throat. The Band-Aid needs to be pulled off at some point.
“I should probably go back into the city for a few days,” I say. “I still have a job there, an apartment.”
He doesn’t say anything for a while. I slide my touch along his forearm to the underbelly of his wrist. His pulse is a little faster than normal.
“That alright?” I whisper.
“Yeah,” he says finally. “I get it.”
I leave the bench and sink down between his boots, my back to him. My cheek rests against his knee, comforted by the wornfabric on my skin. With gentle fingers, he tucks my hair behind my ear. His touch rests on the side of my throat, not holding me down, not keeping me anywhere.
And yet, I feel the pull.
Just as I knew what I wanted the night we slept together, I know what I need now. Whatever happens in the city, I’ll figure it out and be back soon.
CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE
BITTERN
I didn’t like that she was talking about needing to return to the city. I mean, I get it, but God, I’m getting pretty used to having her in my bed, even though it’s been less than a week. That night, after we talk by the lake, after the chores are done, I hope she comes to my house. The clock ticks, it’s dark, and the stars are all out. The night is balmy. Finally, I put my pants and shirt on and leave, heading towards her parents’ place.
I know which window is hers. Gathering a handful of little stones, I chuck them up at her windowsill.
It takes less than ten seconds for the window to rise. I smile—she was waiting on me.
“What are you doing?” she whispers.
“Coming to get my girl.”
She bites her lip. “I’ve been coming to you. Thought you might want to come to me.”
“Well…I’m not trying to get my ass kicked by Andy. He is my boss.”
She considers it, head cocked. “Stay there. I’ll come down.”
Her blonde head disappears. I wait, keeping to the shadows of the porch just in case anybody is inclined to take a look outside. The front door creaks open, and she appears, looking like a million and one dollars in her nightshirt and shorts that show a little bit of her ass and a whole damn lot of her gorgeous legs. She comes down the steps, and I wrap my arm around her waist, bending to kiss her. A little moan works its way up into her mouth. I kiss it free, biting her neck to let it out.
“God, you’re so fucking pretty,” I whisper.
Her nails scrape down the back of my neck. “So are you.”
She wriggles free and takes my hand, tugging me down from the porch. We run, down the hill, but we don’t stop at my house. Instead, we keep going past the dark barn, down the driveway, to the gravel road that leads to Ryder Ranch. I stop, pulling her to a halt.
“Where we going off to?” I ask.
She’s smiling, looking up at me as her hair glints in the moonlight.
“Just away so we’re alone,” she says, breathless.
“Why? Nobody’s awake.”
“The wranglers are burning trash to the west of the employee housing,” she says. “Listen.”
I cock my head, concentrating. My hearing isn’t all that great—the doctor said it retained some damage after the collapse—but I can make out the faint sound of music coming from way back beyond the houses. It sounds a little bit like bluegrass. Somewhere deep inside, a place in me that’ll always wish for the mountains back home, wakes up.
“I hear it,” I say.
