Total pages in book: 102
Estimated words: 100367 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 502(@200wpm)___ 401(@250wpm)___ 335(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 100367 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 502(@200wpm)___ 401(@250wpm)___ 335(@300wpm)
“Now you can let me know if you need anything,” she says.
“Thanks. Same goes.”
She nods and lets out a long breath before she yawns hugely and then chuckles. “I think the bath made me sleepy.”
She’s fucking adorable.
“I’ll walk you back.”
“It’s a few yards, Tucker. I’m sure—”
Before she can argue any further, I simply take her hand in mine, lace our fingers, and walk her out the door.
The fact that she doesn’t jerk away from my touch makes me stupidly happy.
“Are you always bossy?” she asks as she walks beside me.
“I’m the oldest of five. What do you think?”
“Bossy,” she confirms. “Just like Holden. And, if I’m being honest, me.”
I glance down at her and lift an eyebrow. “No way.”
“I hear the sarcasm, Mr. Hendrix.”
“Don’t know what you’re talking about.”
“Mm-hmm,” she returns as we get to her door. She unlocks it and pushes it open, then turns to me. “Thank you. Really.”
“You’re really welcome. I’m going—”
“You can just touch me, Tucker.”
I slowly raise my hand and brush her hair back and over her ear. She’s so fucking soft. So sweet.
Leave the poor woman alone, man.
“Get some sleep.”
“I’ll try.” She steps inside, and before she closes the door, she says, “Hey, Hotshot.”
“Yeah?”
“I’m not interested in other dates. Just tossing that out there, for what it’s worth.”
She smiles softly and then closes the door, and I push my hand through my hair as I turn back to the house.
“I’m getting the hang of it,” Darby says with a proud smile on her perfect face as she rides Ellie through the pasture. It’s been a few days since that first time she rode, and we’ve been out here each day, getting her into the saddle.
She’s a damn natural. And the fact that her father kept her and her sisters off horses is a fucking shame. The man should be flogged.
“Christ, that’s pretty,” I say, unable to help myself, and she looks down at me, quirks her eyebrow.
“What is?”
“That smile on your face.” Everything about you. “You like this.”
“I actually do.” She rubs Ellie’s neck and gives her a little pat. “I should have taken lessons a while ago, but I just never did. Hell, my brother has dozens of horses. He and his wife have a rescue.”
“I heard,” I reply with a nod. “I think that’s awesome. Do you help him with the horses?”
“No.” She nibbles her lower lip and leads Ellie to the left. “I have a firm belief that I shouldn’t work for my brother. He and I are too much alike, and we butt heads. I want to keep liking him.”
I smirk at that. I get it. “Yeah, I’m close with my family, too, but we don’t work or live together.”
She nods, and then to my surprise, she leans forward and presses her cheek to Ellie’s neck.
“You’re such a wonderful girl,” she croons, and holy shit, I think my heart just swelled in my chest. “Thank you for going easy on me.”
I’ll go easy on you.
Jesus, I’m going to hell.
“Tomorrow, I’ll saddle up and ride with you, and we can go out and check some fence line together, if you’re up for being in the saddle for a couple of hours.”
“Sure, that sounds fun. I bought stock in ibuprofen, so I should be fine.”
“Just come up to the house and soak in the tub at night, Darby.”
She wrinkles her nose as I lead her into the barn. “You shouldn’t give up your tub for me every day.”
“I’m not giving up anything. I’ve never used that tub.”
Her eyes go round as she stares down at me. “Never?”
“Nope.”
“That’s a crime,” she replies and goes to swing down off the horse, but she catches her foot and starts to fall. I rush forward and grab her, holding her flush against my chest as she lowers to the ground. “Whoops.”
“I’ve got you,” I murmur, my eyes falling to her lips. She’s pressed against me and feels like she was made for me. She’s not too short, but still several inches smaller than my six foot three. Her dark hair is up in a ponytail, and I want to press my lips against the skin of her neck. I want to wrap that hair around my fist, tug her head back, and feast on her mouth.
Christ, I want her.
She doesn’t immediately step out of my arms, so I don’t pull back.
I want to see what she’ll allow.
Her gaze bounces over my face, and to my utter shock, she reaches up and brushes my hair off my forehead.
“You have good hair,” she decides and then pats my chest, and I take that as my cue to back away.
So, I do. I move back, putting a couple of feet between us, and Darby exhales, as if she’d been holding her breath.
“I have to go into town for a meeting with Dr. Fisher, and my sister is coming to town.” Her brows pull together, as if she doesn’t know why she told me that much.