Page 131 of Truck Off

His sexy legs are hidden behind the folds of his jeans as is his lap. I want to capture him exactly how I found him after the first morning we spent together.

I focus on the details of his hands next. One grips the neck of the guitar with his fingers splayed across the frets while his other pinches a pick between his fingers while he strums away. I pay close attention to his hands. How they bend. How they move. And how I imagine they’d feel holding that guitar.

His hand has been around my neck so many times over the past few months that his hold is not something I’ll ever forget. There’s passion and ownership behind the way he squeezes around me when we’re intimate. There’s also reverence and love.

I never thought I’d meet a man I’d ever give up control to. I don’t make it easy on Chase—where’s the fun in that?—but he owns me. Heart, body, and soul.

Once I’m done drawing his hands, I move to his face. I decide to draw him looking up—like he’s watching me the same way I watch him—with a huge smile on his face. His smiles always make me a little weak in the knees, and that’s saying something because he smiles a lot.

I can remember a time, long before we got together, when his smiles annoyed the piss out of me. I had no reason to be happy, and I was jealous of anyone who showed the slightest hint of it. Chase always looked happy. I wanted to be that happy but had no clue how to find it.

Then I mistook him for his twin, and my life changed forever. I’ve never smiled so much before in my life.

“Damn, babe,” Chase says from right over my shoulder. I jump in surprise. “That’s really good.”

I press my hand to my chest and take a deep breath. “You scared me. I thought …”

I look back down at the stump in the middle of the field where he was sitting to find the spot vacant. I’d been so lost in my drawing that I hadn’t even noticed him leave.

“Sorry.” He leans down and kisses the top of my head. “Didn’t mean to. I assumed you heard me come in.”

I shake my head. “Guess I was lost in my thoughts.”

He places his fingers under my chin and lifts my lips to his. The kiss is quick but still causes my belly to flutter in excitement. Does this feeling ever dull? God, I hope not.

“I’ll make us some breakfast.” He turns to head back inside but then stops just inside the doorway. “How about going horseback riding later? You still interested in giving it a try?”

“Yeah, I’d love to.”

His smile widens. “Good. There’s somewhere I’d like to show you.”

Before I can ask him where, he disappears around the corner and into the kitchen. While he gets started on breakfast, I look out over the farm from my spot on the balcony.

I love this place, and I love this man.

Whoever thought that this would become my life? I sure as hell didn’t, but I’m happy to claim it as mine.

Chapter 32

Just for her. Only her

Chase

“You doin’ alright back there?” I glance over my shoulder at Lina. She’s trailing behind me on Sunny while I ride Amber.

“Yeah, I’m fine,” she says but her voice suggests she’s struggling.

This is her first time horseback riding and I’m trying to go easy on her. The trail is an easy one, but kind of long for a first timer. I probably should have started her out with something shorter, but I really want to show her this spot and the only way to get here is by horseback. For now, at least.

That will change in the future if she loves this spot as much as I do. I hope she does, because I’ve got my heart set on these plans.

“We’re almost there. Just a few more minutes.” I call out. I can already see the break in the trees where the sun is shining bright.

We’re on a forested trail that cuts through our property and leads to one of my favorite places in all of southern Ohio. We’ve got lots of trails that we ride through these woods. Sometimes on horseback, like today, but typically we take out our ATVs.

Racing through these woods on ATVs used to be one of our favorite things to do. Now that we’re all older and busier with our jobs, we don’t get out as much. We haven’t taken them out for a ride all summer, which isn’t like us.

Maybe I should suggest a ride the next time all of my brothers are together. I wonder if Warren still likes to ride.

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