Total pages in book: 69
Estimated words: 65156 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 326(@200wpm)___ 261(@250wpm)___ 217(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 65156 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 326(@200wpm)___ 261(@250wpm)___ 217(@300wpm)
And as much as I hate to admit it to myself, it turned me on in a way I hadn’t expected. I was surprised by just how much I wanted him. Not just in that kiss, but now, even in this moment, as I stand beside him in the dirt and sweat of the ranch. There’s something primal between us, something neither of us has dared to fully acknowledge.
I glance at him again, and his eyes meet mine, locking in a way that sends a shiver down my spine. My breath hitches as I wonder if he’s thinking about it too—if he’s remembering how our bodies fit so perfectly together, how the heat between us felt like it could consume us both.
I try to shake the thought, to focus on the task at hand, but it’s impossible. Every time he looks at me, it’s there, simmering beneath the surface. This tension, this unspoken desire that’s slowly growing between us.
By the time we finish the section of fencing, the sun is higher in the sky, and we’re both covered in sweat and dirt. Callum wipes his brow with the back of his hand and looks at me with a satisfied grin.
"Not bad for a city boy, huh?" he asks, his tone light but there’s a hint of pride there too.
I smile back, feeling more connected to him than I expected. "Not bad at all."
And as we walk back toward the house, side by side, I realize that maybe this whole arrangement—this marriage of convenience—might not be as inconvenient as I once thought.
Although, I suppose we’ll see how camping goes before I make that determination.
"Have you ever been camping?" I ask as we walk into the house to grab breakfast.
Callum chuckles, moving effortlessly to the fridge, pulling out the eggs like it’s the most natural thing in the world, like this place is truly his home, and he’s done it a thousand times. "Of course I have. Have you?"
I hop up onto the counter, grinning. "Not only have I been camping, but I’ve got my own tent."
"So do I," he says, a little pride creeping into his voice as he cracks the eggs into a bowl.
"I can help with that," I offer, watching him get things together.
He turns and locks me in with that intense gaze of his, making my breath catch. "Violet, you’ve been cooking since I moved in. I really appreciate it, but let me take over today. I’m actually a pretty decent cook."
There’s something about the way he says it, the casual sincerity, that warms me in ways I wasn’t expecting. It’s such a small thing—him making breakfast—but it feels like more than just eggs and bacon. It feels like a moment. Something domestic. Something I could get used to, which is dangerous territory.
He breaks the quiet. "So, back to camping. Do you have an air mattress?"
I can’t help the giggle that escapes me. "No, I’ve got a sleeping bag."
He freezes, eyes wide, spinning around to face me like I’ve just told him something scandalous. "What? You sleep directly on the ground? Just a sleeping bag between you and the hard earth?"
"Yep." I shrug, my gaze fixed on his. His reaction is so exaggerated, but there’s something behind it that makes my heart skip. The more time we spend together, the more I see layers of him I never expected. He’s surprising me, and that’s unsettling in ways I didn’t think this arrangement would be. "I’ve even slept under the stars with nothing but a blanket before."
Callum sets the whisk down and crosses the kitchen, his eyes locked on mine with a look that sends shivers down my spine. He plants his hands on either side of me, caging me in. His body is so close that I can feel the heat radiating off him, his scent enveloping me like a warm, masculine embrace. My pulse races, and I have to fight the urge to lean into him.
"We’ll be sleeping on an air mattress inside my tent," he murmurs, his voice low, gravelly. "As badass as it is that you can rough it, I’m all about comfort."
It wasn’t meant to sound seductive, but the way his words hang in the air has my mind spinning. The air between us crackles with tension, and suddenly, I’m not thinking about camping at all. I’m thinking about what it’ll be like being alone with him in the woods. I imagine the two of us, side by side in that tent, maybe closer than either of us planned.
He smirks, clearly enjoying the effect he’s having on me, then casually turns back to the stove like nothing just happened. Meanwhile, I’m left on the counter, still breathless, my mind racing with possibilities.
Oh, this camping trip might be more exciting than I originally thought.
Chapter 16
Callum
I don’t know what came over me when I told Violet she’d be sleeping in my tent. The words just slipped out, but now that it's out there, I can’t very well take it back. It wasn’t even a conscious decision. It was like some deep, primal possessiveness took over, something I’ve never felt before. Odd, considering this is a marriage of convenience. But the thought of my wife sleeping anywhere other than beside me, even on a camping trip, didn’t sit right with me. The idea gnawed at me until the words spilled out.