Page 97 of The Guy Who Stole My Ranch

Did I blush when I thought about his lips? You bet I did.

Twenty minutes, one quick shower, and a new outfit—complete with brasier—later, a knock sounded on my front door.

Butterflies erupted in my stomach, and I licked my lips before I took a deep breath and went to let William in.

What if what had happened yesterday was just a fluke? A moment of weakness for him? What if it meant nothing?

I hated feeling this kind of self-doubt, so I did my best to fling it away and turned the knob.

I’d expected to see William in ranch clothes. Instead, I found him wearing slacks, a nice button-down shirt, and a pair of shoes that probably cost as much as my four-wheeler. I felt my smile fade, and it completely slipped off my face when I saw his apologetic expression.

“What is it?” I asked.

“How are you feeling?” His eyes took me in, searching for problems.

“Okay,” I said.

William sighed. “May I come in?”

“Of course.” I stepped back, and a boulder hit the bottom of my stomach. He was leaving. Had yesterday meant nothing to him?

For the first time, I noticed William holding a plastic bag with what looked like a takeout box in it. He held it up. “Can I put this in the kitchen?”

“What is it?” I nodded, trying to ignore the black hole that was forming in my chest.

“Biscuits and gravy.” He smiled as he set it down on the table. “Courtesy of Mama’s Diner. The woman in charge said they were your favorite.”

We were supposed to go there together at some point, so why was he bringing it here?

William clasped his hands in front of his body and looked at me.

I thought about bolting. This felt like the moment that he would tell me he was secretly engaged to some rich woman who looked like a model and that this had just been a fling for him. I steeled myself but already felt tears stinging the back of my eyes.

William opened his mouth once, closed it, opened it again, then shook his head and closed his eyes.

“What is it?” I asked again in a soft voice.

Then William was in front of me. One of his arms was around my waist and his other fingers on my cheek. The pain in his eyes doubled the lump in my throat. “William?” I asked.

“I have to go.” He barely got the words out before he had to swallow. “I’m so sorry. My father has created a bit of a mess with an important client, and I’m the only one who can fix it.” He leaned down and put his forehead on mine. “I also have a function I have to attend Friday night. I’d like to come back between those things, but I’m not sure I’ll be able to.”

A bubble of nerves rose from my stomach, and I let out a laugh.

William straightened and looked at me, his eyebrows furrowed together.

I put my hand on his cheek, admiring the muscles in his jaw as he clenched it, and smiled. “I thought you were coming to tell me goodbye forever.”

William let out a big breath. “No. Not even close. I couldn’t do that.”

I found my body pressed against his.

He looked into my eyes and traced his thumb along my bottom lip, which was so breathtaking that I hardly heard his next words. “I barely had enough strength to leave yesterday, I’m not sure how I’m going to handle almost a week away from you.”

This man. How was he so sweet, so passionate, and so wonderful at the same time? “Almost a week?” I asked.

He nodded.

I bit my lip. “It does sound like a long time.” William stilled as I went up on my toes and laced my fingers through his perfectly combed hair. “Maybe I can make it easier for you.” I slowly and gently kissed him. It was a chaste kiss, but one that I hoped conveyed how I felt about him. That I appreciated him. That I liked him. That I already missed him and was looking forward to his return.

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