Page 120 of Love in the Wild

Emerson held up a hand and blinked against the bright lights. “So, you had a day off, but you’re still working?”

“What else would I do? I figure I’ll spend the day with Gage and go see Mom this afternoon.”

Emerson waved a hand over her head. “Whatever. I’m going back to bed.”

“Sorry I woke you up,” Hadley said as Emerson disappeared back into her bedroom.

Emerson still wasn’t overly friendly, but it wasn’t as if Hadley had spent much time with her new roommate. Emerson was training to work in the kitchen when the ranch opened up for the season in a few weeks, and Hadley was splitting her time between work, Gage, and her mom.

The rumble of a diesel engine grew outside, and Hadley whipped her phone out of her pocket and typed up a quick text.

Hadley: Don’t knock! I’ll be out in a sec.

She poured two cups of coffee and pushed her feet into her boots by the door. Careful not to spill the drinks, she slipped out into the chilly morning and quietly closed the door behind her.

Gage waited in front of his truck. With his back resting against the grill, his arms crossed over his chest, and his legs crossed at the ankles, he seemed all too content to be up at the outrageous hour.

He straightened and opened his arms to her as she stepped off the porch.

“Good morning,” she whispered as she pressed a kiss to his lips.

“Morning, sunshine.”

“You seem happy this morning.”

He shook his head and stared at her. “Not sure I could be anything else when you’re around.”

Good grief, the man had a way with words that made her weak in the knees. “You have a way of jump-starting my heart too, handsome.”

Gage wrapped his arms around her waist, pulling her in to whisper in her ear. “You sure it’s not the coffee?”

Hadley swallowed hard as her lungs struggled to do their job in the wake of Gage’s morning adoration. “I haven’t had any coffee yet,” she managed to get out.

He pressed a kiss to the sensitive spot below her ear. “What about breakfast?”

Gage’s kisses were burning like a branding iron down her neck. “Huh?” What was breakfast?

He chuckled, and the deep vibrations spread from his chest into hers. “I brought you breakfast.”

“Oh. Okay.” Who cared about food when Gage had every nerve ending in her body firing on all cylinders?

He stepped back and took both cups from her. “Let’s go or I’ll be tempted to take you back inside and skip work.”

Her legs didn’t work, but Gage made his way over to the passenger side. Pressing one of the cups between his arm and chest, he opened the door and waited for her.

Right. Work. Things to do. Her legs kicked into gear, and she slid into the seat. “Um, can we do more of that soon?”

Gage’s grin lifted his bearded cheeks. “If you eat all your breakfast,” he said before closing the door and walking around to the other side of the truck.

Tearing open the bag on the seat beside her, she pulled out a bacon biscuit. She’d eat three meals if it meant getting more kisses from Gage.

“Easy, tiger. I won’t steal your food,” Gage said.

“Just making sure I get more of your time later,” she said with a mouthful of biscuit.

Gage reached over and squeezed her thigh. “As if you had to do anything to get my attention.”

“You were pretty unimpressed with me when we first met,” she pointed out.

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