“I wouldn’t trade it,” I admitted. “No small-town livin’ for you?”
She shook her head. “Not unless Houston counts as small.”
I didn’t say anything immediately. I didn’t know if Amy had meant to tell me something so personal. She’d been careful not to talk about herself and I'd been careful not to pry.
“Well, I’d say Embers Ridge is much smaller than Houston.”
“I like it here.”
“What do you like most?”
“I don’t know.”
“The people? The pace? The eggs at the diner? Or maybe seein’ the cattle graze alongside every road that goes through town?” I smiled at her, then cocked an eyebrow. “It’s the donuts, right?”
Honest to God, I had never seen someone react to donuts the way Amy had the day Lynx brought them into the shop. It was as though she’d been deprived of them her entire life. And that beaming smile was the very reason I had gone forty minutes out of my way to get donuts this morning.
Another laugh from Amy and I felt the tension in my spine ease. Being around her felt right, but every time I was, I was apprehensive. Not necessarily because of any tension between us, either. My problem came more from the fact that I didn’t want to intrude on her. I liked that she was opening up to me slowly. We were becoming friends, as she’d said. And yes, I wanted to get my hands on her, but that was something I could wait for.
“You,” she said softly.
My head jerked toward her. “What about me?”
I noticed the blush that colored her cheeks. “That’s what I like most about this town.”
“Is that right?” I couldn’t deny my ego swelled from that knowledge.
“And Rhys.” She grinned. “And maybe Reagan and Lynx, too.”
Laughing, I turned the truck down the dirt road that led to the lake. “Aww, come on now, girl. Why you wanna wound my pride like that?”
“I seriously doubt anyone could wound your pride.”
“Why do you think that?” It was probably true, but I still wanted to hear her take on it.
“I’ve seen you, Wolfe. The way all those cowboys look at you. They’re intimidated, but it’s like they can’t let anyone know it.”
“Naw. They’re intimidated by Lynx.”
Amy giggled. “Yes, I’d say they are. But also by you.”
Silence descended as I steered the truck down to the edge of the water. I parked beneath a tree. Although it was only nine in the morning, it was already ninety degrees.
“You ready to do this?” I asked, noticing Amy was wringing her hands in her lap.
She peered over at me from beneath her lashes, a small smile forming on her lips as she reached over and unbuckled her seat belt.
Her smile widened. “Last one in’s a rotten egg!”
I roared a laugh as Amy launched herself out of the truck, running full out toward the lake.
It took a second for me to toe off my boots, but I was right behind her.
Jeans and all.
Rhys
When I arrived at the lake, I found Wolfe and Amy already in the water. She was splashing him and attempting to get away while he was laughing and swimming circles around her.
