“The barn is so my style, and the size of the arena is perfect.I just need to change out the footing at some point, but that would be down the road,” I said between bites of my salad.
Dean nodded. “Sounds like the place is exactly what you wanted. I hope your offer is accepted.” He picked up his sandwich and took another bite. I couldn’t help but stare at the movement of his sharp jawline as he ate. Everything about the man captured my attention, and it was beginning to piss me off.
I felt like Dean was a test. Would I be weak, succumb, and fall back into old patterns, making my world revolve around a man yet again? Or was I stronger, wiser this time? After Noah, I came back home to do what I always planned to do—start my own business. Have my passion be my career. It had been six years since I graduated from college, six years that I could have been building my business, but instead I molded my life so it fit into a guy’s.
Ava’s comments from the other day flashed through my mind. Why couldn’t I have some fun? Dean could be a rebound. I could act on the attraction, get him out of my system, and then move on. Because let me say, the attraction was intense, it was all-consuming. I craved him. Every arch of his eyebrow, every glance, even the way he moved, turned me on.
Dean reached across the table and laid his hand on top of mine, sending a shock wave up my arm, quickly snapping me out of my daze. “Addison?” Lost in my head, I must have missed whatever he had said.
Trying not to be distracted by the calluses I felt and how his strong hand easily engulfed mine, I shook my head, tryingdesperately to clear it. “Sorry, I’m just a bit distracted today, waiting for the call from Caroline,” I lied.
Dean smiled as he sat back against the booth, taking his hand with him, my body instantly missing the connection, the warmth. “Well, I’ve got a couple of ideas of how we could kill some time and get your mind off it,” he said suggestively. I knew that it was likely just an innocent comment, but the way he said it and the look in his eye made me want it to mean more.
“Don’t you need to get back to your patients, Adler?” I cocked a brow at him.
He shook his head after looking at his watch. “Nope, I’ve got about two hours until I’m needed. Let’s go walk around Main Street.”
I nodded and smiled, trying to mask my disappointment that his idea didn’t involve us doing something of the naked variety. As if you even know how to have a rebound, Addison.
After Dean and I fought over the bill—he won—we made our way out of the restaurant. I bit down hard on my bottom lip to stifle the gasp that threatened to escape my throat when he gently placed his large hand on my lower back as we exited. Dean must have noticed my reaction because he leaned down close to my ear and spoke low. “You’re going to make this walk very uncomfortable for me if you keep biting your lip like that, James.”
My eyes widened at the unexpected comment, and I nearly tripped over my own feet going out the door, eliciting a small chuckle from Dean.Bastard. Is he fucking with me?
We meandered around Main Street, popping in and out of the little shops, killing time. The conversation was light and easy, as if our little moment leaving the café hadn’t happened. I tried not to think too much about it, and as the afternoon wore on, I was almost convinced that I had made the whole thing up in my head.
Dean had to get back to his office for his last few appointments of the day, so we headed back to where we had parked our cars. He walked me over to mine, opening the door for me after I unlocked it. Before I slipped inside, I turned around to face him. He had one arm propped on the door, the other in his pocket.
Now it was my turn. I placed my hand softly on his hard chest. “Thanks for the distraction.” I slowly trailed my hand down his chest. I felt his heart rate pick up beneath my touch and heard his breath hitch.I have the same effect on him as he does on me.
Satisfied with my discovery, I smiled, about to pull my hand away to climb into my car when Dean grabbed my hand suddenly. “Careful, James, you don’t want to start something that I don’t have time to finish.” Before I could respond, he stepped forward, tilting my chin up after releasing my hand, his dark gaze burning as it focused on my mouth. I felt like I couldn’t get any air into my lungs. I was frozen in place.Is he about to kiss me?
He leaned forward as my eyes fluttered shut, but instead of pressing his mouth to mine, he pressed it against my forehead before stepping back. It was like I had been doused in a bucketof ice water as my eyes snapped open to see him standing there with a knowing smirk on his handsome face.He knows exactly what he is doing.I narrowed my eyes at him before climbing into my car, making him laugh.What a tease.
“Today was fun. I’ll see you later. Let me know about the property when you find out,” he said before closing my car door behind me. I sat there for a minute before driving off.What the hell just happened?
As I drove off, I glanced up in my rearview mirror to see Dean still standing on the curb, watching me with his hands shoved into his pockets. I needed to be careful. As much as I wanted to have a little fun with Dean, I wasn’t too confident that I could ever get him out of my system. And that was a big problem. He had total control over me with a simple touch or a lingering gaze. I was possessed.
The sellers accepted Walker’s offer that evening, and the property would be ours in thirty days. I thought I was still in shock. It was all finally happening. The property was about ten minutes down the road from Walker’s place, fifteen minutes or so from my parents’ property, and twenty minutes from town. I couldn’t ask for a better location. Everything was falling into place. We texted the family the good news, and we all decided to meet up at our favorite bar, Hops & Hills, for a celebratory drink. The only one missing was Weston. He wouldn’t be able to come home for a visit until Thanksgiving, so I called himseparately to tell him the good news.
“Cheers to the new home of Mountain Laurel Farm,” my dad said as we all held up our beers. I chose the name for two reasons: one, the property was covered in gorgeous mountain laurels that I couldn’t wait to see blossom their purple blooms in the spring, and two, my mom’s name was Laurel, and she was the reason that I started riding horses. All of this wouldn’t be possible if she hadn’t put me in riding lessons. The name felt perfect.
We all clinked our beers together and took a sip. “Thanks, everyone. I couldn’t have done this without all of you and your support.” I leaned my head onto Walker’s shoulder. “And especially this guy for being my bank loan.”
Walker smiled. “It’s a good investment.”
“So, when will you move the horses over to the new place?” Ava asked while taking another sip of her beer.
“We close in thirty days, so probably shortly after that. I’m thinking early December,” I said while reaching across the table for a fry. I popped one into my mouth.
“We are so proud of you, honey,” my mom chimed in, and I smiled at her.
After one more round of drinks and talking in depth about my plans for the farm with the family, we decided to call it a night. Mom and Dad had a busy Saturday with a wedding happening at the vineyard. Ava wanted to head to Austin in the morning and stay at Walker’s penthouse to prepare for her interview, which she had early Monday morning—it was for a full-time associate position with the law firm where she hadinterned during the summers while in law school. Walker was training early in the morning, and I felt like I wanted to crash after the emotional and physical whiplash I had experienced with Dean earlier in the day.
Once I got home, I made my way to the bathroom, the large soaking tub calling my name. As I waited for the tub to fill, I remembered that I needed to shoot a text to Dean before I forgot…again.
Hey, bestie. Got me some new digs.
Three dots immediately appeared on the screen, causing my heart rate to kick up a notch.Get a grip, girl.
