I speak, my lips touching hers with each word. “We, Lola-Mae. We’re together now.”
“Together,” she whispers.
I figured it was pretty clear that we were together when we slept together and then woke up in that same bed, but apparently, I haven’t been as clear as I wanted to be. I shift my head back slightly, and my gaze finds hers. I want to make sure that she can see just how serious I am about this.
“Lola-Mae,” I begin, loving her name.
I don’t know if it’s because it’s sweet rolling off the tongue or if it’s simply because she, herself, is sweet, but I love saying it, so I’m going to continue to say it. Although the way she looks at me when I call her darlin’ comes in close second.
“I don’t know how to do relationship shit, but I like you, and if you want to go out and meet some of the people I’ve known my whole life at a bonfire, then I’ll be at your side when we do it. Not because I’m being controlling, but because I’m proud to have you on my arm.”
Confession: I am, in fact, being a bit controlling. I don’t want Beckett Cooper to get any fucking ideas.
Chapter Fifteen
LOLA-MAE
“C’mon.We’re having lunch together,” Harlan calls out.
“Lunch together?” I ask
I wonder if it’s another sandwich in the dining room. I kind of hope it is, because when I went shopping for myself, I didn’t buy any chips, and I love the ruffled chips he has. I don’t get the chance to ask him what or where this lunch is, because he walks past me to the door that leads outside and just keeps going.
My body jumps, and before I realize what’s happening, I’m on my feet and running after him, leaving my phone on the desk. My focus is on the back of this man, and his backside at the same time.
How Harlan was able to find jeans that mold to his thighs and ass to perfection is beyond me. He doesn’t seem like the kind of guy who has blue jeans specially made. But maybe he is, because they really look like he had them made for him and only him.
He disappears inside the barn, and I stand a few feet away, waiting for him. I’m not sure what’s going on. He mentionedlunch, but then he walked out of the house, so I’m confused and also a little hungry.
A few moments later, I hear the engine of his quad as he rides out of the barn and stops in front of me. “Hop on. We’ll go for lunch.”
“Go for lunch?” I ask.
He hums but doesn’t offer any explanation other than a head jerk toward the back of the quad. I’ve done nothing but throw caution to the wind these past few weeks, so why would I stop now?
Walking around the back of the quad, I throw my leg over the side and climb on behind him. Then I slide my arms around his waist and glide one of my hands up the center of his belly and stop at his chest as he drives. I can feel his heart slamming against my palm, and I wonder if he can feel mine where my chest is pressed against his back.
Closing my eyes, I don’t even watch where we’re going. I don’t care. He’s driving this quad, and I’m along for the ride. I would be okay with always being along for the ride when it comes to Harlan, though. So far, I haven’t been disappointed.
When the quad comes to a stop, I sit back slightly, opening my eyes as my hands fall to my sides from around him. Climbing off the machine, I look around the area. I can’t even see the house from here, but that isn’t what has me staring in awe.
What has me slack-jawed is that while it’s an open field—a beautiful open field with tall grass and a cluster of trees in the distance—it is otherwise completely and totally isolated. I don’t know what I expected to see, but I thought there would be cows and buildings, maybe something in the distance, but all there is are trees, grass, cacti, and rocks.
Harlan is moving around behind me, but I can’t look anywhere else. I’m mesmerized by what I’m seeing. It’s nothinglike West Texas, nothing I’ve ever seen before, and then I’m hit with something else.
He’s rich.
He comes from money. I mean, I’ve been doing the books for his business, and I knew he had something, but I assumed it all just went back into the cattle ranch.
But seeing it like this, I realize it’smoneymoney.
I grew up in a single-wide with no electricity and holes in the floor. Living in his ranch house is the best place I’ve ever lived in my whole life. I haven’t even allowed myself to think about the main house.
Harlan clears his throat, and I spin around to face him. He holds out his hand, and I look down to see that he’s placed a blanket on the ground along with some containers of what I assume is food.
“Join me?” he asks.
Nodding, I slip my palm in his, and together, we lower ourselves down onto the blanket. Crossing my legs, I place my hands in my lap, suddenly feeling very unsure about myself and us. I bite the inside of my cheek and work the skin there.
