Page 91 of Love in the Wild

Gage stepped up to her and cradled her chin in his hand. “Travis was right. You’re like a little cheerleader.”

“I’ll take that as a compliment.”

He leaned down and pressed a slow but chaste kiss to her lips. He’d been pulling away for days, and she craved the nearness. Wrapping her uninjured arm around his neck, she reinitiated the kiss.

This time, Gage’s arms slid around her waist, pulling her in and holding her tight as he took control of the kiss.

Maybe he wasn’t pulling away. Maybe it was just her insecurities playing against her.

27

HADLEY

Hadley grabbed the last bag from Gage’s truck and hefted it onto her shoulder. Knowing she still couldn’t lift boxes, they’d made a plan to use more bags while packing Gage’s things.

She walked back up the porch steps to Travis’s place. It was a small, two-bedroom house just inside the town limits, and the inside was plenty big enough for the two men.

She hadn’t seen Gage’s place until today, and while it was clean and nice on the inside, it was hidden deep in the dark woods on the outskirts. No neighbors, no frills, no light.

Her place in Tennessee hadn’t been anything to write home about, but ever since she moved to the ranch, she was constantly struck by the endless beauty just outside her door.

Maybe Gage would notice that here too, now that he was out of the shadow of his family.

Dawson appeared in the doorway. “What’s left?”

“This is it,” Hadley said, pointing to the last bag.

Dawson took it from her and moved to the side so she could enter. A few boxes were stacked outside Gage’s new bedroom, but the rest of the place was in order. It was as basic as a bachelor pad was expected to be. No couch pillows, no pictures hanging on the walls, and no ornate furniture.

“This is the last of it,” Dawson announced as he tossed the duffel bag onto the bed in Gage’s room.

Gage pulled his cap off and pushed a hand through his short hair before putting the cap back on. “Thanks for all the help.”

Brett stood from where he’d been cutting boxes open with a pocketknife. “I only accept cash payments.”

“You’re not getting paid,” Gage said as he slapped a heavy hand on Brett’s back.

“Fine. I’ll take an IOU, but I expect you to at least buy me dinner one day this week.”

Gage rolled his eyes. “Go home. You’re drunk.”

Brett stretched his arms above his head. “I’ll go home but only because I want to. Not because you told me to.”

“Whatever gets you out of here.”

Dawson looked at his watch. “I’m gonna run. I think I can still meet Olivia for supper.”

Travis pulled out his phone. “Looks like it’s just us three. Want me to grab a pizza so we can keep working?”

Gage looked at Hadley and lifted his brows. “You okay with pizza?”

“Yep. I’m okay with whatever kind y’all want.”

Travis chuckled. “Y’all. I love it when you get Southern.”

“Get used to it. You might be seeing a lot of me.”

“We might be close to town, but we still don't get delivery out here. I’ll call it in and go pick it up,” Travis said.

---