Total pages in book: 29
Estimated words: 26859 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 134(@200wpm)___ 107(@250wpm)___ 90(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 26859 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 134(@200wpm)___ 107(@250wpm)___ 90(@300wpm)
“Don’t; I want to keep touching you.” My stomach tightens, enjoying him saying that way more than I should. Of course, my body decides to betray me. “Why were you so quiet?”
“When?”
“When we ate.”
“Maybe I’m always quiet.”
“Not what your mom said when you left the table.”
“It’s nothing.” I glance back toward the front door to see if anyone is watching us.
“Show me around.” Luka keeps holding me by the wrist as he leads me down the stairs.
“Is this your way of holding hands?” I laugh. He shrugs like he really doesn’t know. It makes me wonder, and God and everyone else knows I can’t help myself. If I want to know something, I'm going to find out. “Have you held hands with anyone before?”
“No,” he says simply. I thought it might embarrass him to admit it if it were true, but it doesn’t. I soften toward him.
“Like this.” I go to take his hand. He allows me to, but then he ties our fingers together.
“Now tell me why you were quiet.”
“Maybe it was because you were there.”
“It wasn’t.” He calls me out right away.
“You know you look kinda funny walking around on a ranch in a suit.” I try to steer the conversation in a different direction.
“I’ll manage.” He had taken off the jacket and rolled up the sleeves of his dress shirt. “Now stop changing the subject.”
“I didn’t have anything to add. Mom and Paisley were doing their thing.”
“You don’t want to help plan the wedding?”
“I don’t know.” I give a small shrug. “I’m happy they are getting married. That means my best friend will be sticking around, and I get my brother back too.”
“But things are changing.”
I nod. I suppose they are changing, just not for me. And that’s the problem I’m having with it all.
“It would be nice to be asked for my opinion.” The words tumble out of my mouth. I’m not sure where they came from, but they’re true. I know Paisley and my mom are not intentionally doing it, but I can’t help but feel left out. It’s really silly because I know it’s not their intention at all.
“You could help me pick out a suit,” he offers with a smirk.
“I think you have that covered.” I laugh. We come to a stop when we reach one of the fences that stretches along the south side of the property. I release Luka’s hand to climb up and sit on top of it. I’m actually eye level with him now.
Luka rests his hand on my bare thigh. I lick my lips. “I was sure you didn’t like me.”
“Why?”
“You kept calling me kitten and bossing me around.”
“What’s wrong with calling you kitten?”
I chew on my bottom lip. “I don’t know,” I huff when I can’t come up with a reason.
“Maybe because you like it?”
“I do—” I cut myself off. “Maybe a little bit.” Luka lets out a low chuckle that’s sexy as hell. I don’t think I’ve heard him laugh.
“I’ve never given someone a nickname before,” he admits. Okay, now I might love that he calls me kitten, but I’m not admitting that. I’m still not sure what is going on here, but more than that, I don’t think Luka does either.
I don’t think he’s cold and bossy because he’s not trying to be a dick anymore. I’m starting to see that maybe it’s all he knows.
“That first day we met.”
“When that vet was drooling all over you?”
“Vet?” I swear, I never know what Luka might say. I really like that about him. “Oh, Doc Baxter.” How is that the first thing that comes to his mind out of everything that happened that day?
“He wants to fuck you.” Luka’s mouth forms a straight line. He’s not doing so well with hiding his emotions anymore.
"No, he doesn’t.” I shake my head. All the girls in Cottonwood want Baxter. He could have his pick. I saw Cara hitting on him a few days ago, and she won Miss Colorado two years ago. She never lets any of us forget it.
“He does. Trust me.”
“We’re kinda friends.” I try to explain.
"No, you're not.” He runs his hand through his hair, frustrated. “At least not anymore, you’re not.”
“What the hell?” I punch Luka’s shoulder. It doesn’t faze him. “He’s the new local vet. He helps with my horses.” Luka’s expression tells me he’s not buying it.
“That’s not all he wants to help with. He wants to fuck you.”
“Will you stop saying that?!” My cheeks are starting to warm thinking about fucking. Not that I’ve ever done it, but now I’m thinking about it, and it’s Luka who is with me. And no matter how much I make fun of his suits, I can’t deny for a second how hot he looks in them.
“It’s true.”
“How do you know?”
“Because I want to fuck you too.” My mouth falls open. Holy crap. Did he really just say that?