Total pages in book: 31
Estimated words: 29436 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 147(@200wpm)___ 118(@250wpm)___ 98(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 29436 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 147(@200wpm)___ 118(@250wpm)___ 98(@300wpm)
She bites her lip. “Uh, yeah, well sort of. My father is Pastor Blake. And I play the piano.” She blows out a breath. “And I just came home from college, so I haven’t started a job yet.”
I’m taking her all in, every blink of her eye and hesitant breath she takes. We have a connection, but I don’t know if she realizes what’s happening between us. She’s young; just graduated college, so she’s probably twenty-two or twenty-three. I’m twelve to thirteen years older than her. I should hand over the nails and walk out of here... but I can’t.
She tucks a loose piece of hair behind her ear and looks away embarrassed. “Uh, I’m sorry, I ramble when I get nervous. You didn’t ask for my life story.”
I almost reach for her and pull her against me. I want to... I want it more than my next breath, but I don’t. She’s skittish around me, like a just born baby foal. I put one hand in my pocket while the other one clenches on to the package of nails. “Honey, I want to know everything there is to know about you.” Her eyes widen at the husky tone of my voice. I don’t say it out loud, I wouldn’t dare right here in the middle of the co-op, but I want to know everything—and I mean everything about her. The sound she makes when she comes, the feel of her bare skin against mine, her tight nipples against the hair of my chest, and the way her body expands around my hard cock. Fuck! I’m starting to sweat, and I rub a hand across my brow. This isn’t good. I’m about to be caught rock hard, right in the middle of the store with the preacher’s daughter.
I shouldn’t push, but I have to ask. “Do you have a man?”
She blinks and squeaks out a laugh. “A man? Like a husband?”
I reach for her then, grabbing her hand and lifting it up for inspection. I run my thumb across the bare knuckle of her forefinger. No ring. Thank goodness, because I don’t know what I’d have done if she was married. I move closer to her, and I know it’s too much when her eyes start to panic. I gently let her hand down and step back again.
She stutters the words. “No, I’m not married.”
But that’s not what I asked. Not specifically. “Boyfriend?”
She shakes her head.
I start to breathe normally after that. “Okay. What’s your name?”
She laughs and tilts her head to the side. She grabs on to her long ponytail, pulling it over her shoulder as she runs her fingers through the strands. “Do I know you?”
“Carter Grant. I work out at the Yates Ranch.”
I put my hand out, hoping that she’ll let me touch her again. She does, but hesitantly. “I’m Janie Bradshaw.”
“Janie.” I breathe her name out.
She goes to pull back, and I squeeze it before letting it go. “Well, thank you for getting the nails down for me. I appreciate it.”
Anything you want, I’m going to give it to you. That’s what goes through my head, but I don’t say it. “Yeah, sure, it’s no problem.”
She nods and almost gets to the end of the aisle before I stop her. “Oh, and Janie.”
She turns quickly as if she’s been waiting for me to say something. I keep my feet firmly planted where I’m at. I’ve already gone out of my way to touch her. There will be plenty of time for that in the future. “I’ll be seeing you.”
Her face lights up, and my heart starts to thump erratically in my chest. I’ve never responded to another woman like I am now. She nods and walks off.
I bend over, hands on my knees as if I’ve been sucker punched. In a way, I guess I have been. I never would have imagined walking in here and meeting someone like Janie. There’s so much I don’t know about her, but we live in Whiskey Run. It will be easy to find out.
I grab the items I need, but by the time I make it to the front, she’s already gone. “Did you find everything?” Ranger asks.
I nod, looking out the front windows, hoping for another glance.
“Don’t do it,” Ranger says.
I turn. “Don’t do what?”
He laughs as he bags my items and I sign the slip to add it to the Yates Ranch tab. “Don’t even try it. She’s Pastor Blake’s daughter... young daughter.”
I snarl my nose up at him. “What’s that got to do with anything?”
He hands me the bag. “All I’m saying is she’s not the play-around type. Don’t mess with her. Miss Janie is a good girl.”
I take the bag. “Yeah, got it, thanks,” I tell him and stomp out the door. I about trample Drew, another friend of mine, on the way out the door. I nod my head at him but don’t stop to talk. He won’t mind, though; he’s definitely not the chatty type. I can’t get Ranger’s warning out of my head. He acts like I’m old enough to be her father or something—which I’m not. And heck, it’s not like I’ve been with anyone since the divorce or anything. I don’t have time for that. And I know she’s of age... she did say she’s home from college. It doesn’t matter. I’m not going to listen to him. I’m already planning on how I can see her again.