Page 25 of The Vineyard Crush

I froze, certain my face was plastered with a hopelessly lovestruck expression as I gazed dazedly into his sparkling green eyes. The air seemed to thicken with sudden tension, the only sounds Avery’s soft giggles and the thundering of my pulse in my ears.

Then, before I could catch my breath, Ridge dropped into a crouch at my feet. His large, calloused palms cupped my ankles, making me sway precariously. On instinct, my hands landed on the solid wall of his shoulders to brace myself as he efficiently unbuckled the straps of my high heels.

“Wait here,” he instructed in that deep, rumbly rasp that had become my favorite sound.

I could only nod dumbly, feeling utterly unmoored as Ridge rose fluidly and strode away, Avery contentedly settled in my arms. What on earth was he doing?

Moments later, he reappeared carrying a dusty box. A devilish grin played about his lips as Ridge knelt again, gently grasping my ankle to slide my bare foot into a pair of gorgeous buttery soft cowgirl boots.

“There,” he said in satisfaction, securing the boots on each foot before rising to his full towering height again. “Can’t have you taking any more spills in those hazardous high heels.”

His gaze raked over me appreciatively, eyes shamelessly lingering on my legs now encased in the snug boots. “Much better.”

I felt my cheeks flush hotly under his smouldering stare, acutely aware of every place our bodies brushed as Avery snuggled contentedly against me. The tension was suddenly thick enough to cut with a knife, my heart rabbiting as Ridge held my eyes for a long beat.

“Ahem…sorry, that was Leone on the phone,”Ethan’s familiar voice jolted us out of the heated trance and our eyes snap in his direction. My older brother stood in the doorway, cradling Lily in his arms as the 8-year-old squirmed impatiently.

As Ethan took in the scene before him - me flushed and flustered with Ridge crowding my personal space, our bodies mere inches apart - realization seemed to dawn in his eyes. A knowing look flickered across his face as he pieced together the lingering tension and the way Ridge’s hand rested possessively on my waist.

In that moment, I could practically see the understanding click into place. Ethan had figured out my secret - the crush I had been harboring on our handsome next-door neighbor, the owner of the sprawling ranch that bordered our family’s modest homestead.

My cheeks burned brighter at having been so transparent, worried Ethan would say something embarrassing to call me out in front of Ridge. But to my surprise, he stayed quiet, lips pressed together in a tight line as he wrestled with this new realization about his little sister’s feelings.

“Hey Em, what are you doing here?” was all he said, his tone carefully neutral as an amused grin played at the corners of his mouth.

Shifting Avery in my arms, I fought the urge to squirm under Ethan’s newly perceptive gaze. “Oh, I just made some brownies and snacks for everyone. Lily and Cody loved the pancakes I brought over last time, so I thought I’d bake some treats.”

Ethan’s eyes slid meaningfully between Ridge and me, his smirk widening ever-so-slightly. “How…thoughtful of you,” Ethan said dryly, jerking his chin towards Ridge. “I’m sure the big, strong Ridge appreciates you looking out for him and his little crew.”

The emphasis he put on the words had me flushing with embarrassed annoyance at his assumptions. Before I could retort, Lily let out a mighty squeal of “Daddy!” and launched herself out of Ethan’s arms.

She streaked across the room and flung herself at Ridge, who caught her easily and swung the giggling girl up into his embrace. “Well, hello to you too, Princess. Did you have fun at your drawing class with Uncle James?”

Lily nodded vigorously, blond curls bouncing. “Uhhuh! I made you the most amazingist picture ever!”

She squirmed to be put down, and Ridge obliged with an indulgent chuckle. The moment her feet hit the floor, Lily was off like a tiny blonde tornado, no doubt racing to grab her prized artwork to show her dad.

She squirmed to be put down, and Ridge obliged with an indulgent chuckle. The moment her feet hit the floor, Lily was off like a tiny blonde tornado, no doubt racing to grab her prized artwork to show her dad.

“Anyway, I should get going,” I mumbled, attempting to sidle towards the exit before things could get even more awkward and uncomfortable.

Sliding Avery off my lap, I deposited the drowsy little girl back into her booster seat Ridge had nearby for her. But as I made to pull away, her tiny fists shot out and tangled in the loose waves of my hair, holding me in place with a surprising surge of strength.

A tiny gasp escaped my lips as my head was tugged back by Avery’s grip, exposing the slender column of my throat, she let out a soft whimper of protest.

I gasped at the sharp tugging on my hair, equal parts surprise and pain lancing through me at Avery’s unexpected grip. “Stway,” she mumbled plaintively, her cherubic face scrunching up in clear distress at the idea of me leaving.

In an instant, Ridge was there, closing the distance between us with two long strides and reaching out to gently disentangle his daughter’s grasping hands from my hair. He crouched in front of us, murmuring soft reassurances in that deep, rumbly rasp that had featured in my dreams more than once.

“Hey now, sweet pea, let go of Emma’s pretty hair,” he cooed, deftly working to free the trapped strands from Avery’s clutching fingers. “You don’t want to hurt her by pulling like that, do you?”

Avery shook her head, seeming calmed by the soothing timbre of her father’s voice, but she refused to relinquish her hold on me. If anything, she clung tighter, burying her face against my neck as Ridge continued his tender efforts.

“Shh…it’s alright, baby girl. Emma’s not going anywhere if you don’t want her to,” he promised in that same hypnotic tone, stroking Avery’s downy curls. “But you need to let go of her hair so you don’t cause any ouchies. But we can’t keep her trapped here all night.”

As Ridge spoke, one of his large hands found my nape with sublime tenderness, his calloused fingertips brushing the sensitive skin there in a shiver-inducing caress. My breath hitched at the scorching contact, eyelids fluttering helplessly as he gently but firmly worked Avery’s tiny fists free of my hair.

My breath had gone shallow, every nerve ending exquisitely attuned to Ridge’s proximity and the feeling of his calloused fingertips brushing my sensitive skin as he worked. With every low, reassuring rumble of his voice, fresh heat licked through my veins. I squeezed my eyes shut, trying and failing to block out the utterly compelling picture he made like this.

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