Page 7 of Stranded with a Very-Kissable Cowboy

She pulls back and looks up at me. “Yeah, Dalton?”

I look into her big, trusting eyes. “Thank you. I don’t know what you did or how you did it, but thank you.”

She wipes at her eyes. “I didn’t do anything. Evan and I were taking turns reading, and I asked Ethan if he wanted to take a turn. It was nothing—”

I cut her off and pull her back against my chest. “It was everything.” We stand here in the silence for a few minutes, taking the warmth from each other. I can feel her everywhere, and her body fits against mine perfectly. It doesn’t take long before appreciation turns into something else. The attraction I feel for her is undeniable. I take in the way her breasts press into my chest, the way her body trembles with the ragged breaths she’s taking, and the way her curves fit into my palms like they were fuckin’ made for me. I pull back again and look into her eyes.

She’s looking at me, and when her gaze travels to my lips, I know I’d give anything to kiss her right now. I’m leaning in, about to do just that when loud laughter comes from the other room. I shake my head. “So hot dogs for dinner. Is that okay?”

She puts her hands at my waist and tugs playfully at my shirt. “And s’mores. I heard something about s’mores.”

I put my hand at her neck and squeeze her gently. “Yeah, s’mores too. Right now, you could ask me for anything and I would say yes to it.”

Her hands press against my chest, and her eyebrows raise with her question. “Anything?”

I can see the question in her eyes, and if we were anywhere else and if my boys were not in the other room, I would see how far this would go. But I can’t. I have responsibility on top of responsibility, and two impressionable kids could walk in at any minute. Instead of kissing her like I want to, I release my hold on her and step back. She looks surprised, and I regret it the second I do it, but I know it’s the right thing to do. I’m caught up in the moment, Gianna is too young for me, she’s a stranger that is pretty much stranded here, and no matter how much I want her, I know I can’t have her.

“I’m going to grab the things for dinner.”

She puts her hands together and looks at the counter. “Sure, I mean, yeah. Sounds good. Load me up and I can carry some stuff out there.”

I start pulling things out, setting them on the counter, and between the two of us, we get everything gathered up and walk out to where the boys are in the yard. I set everything in the outdoor kitchen area, and then the boys grab Gianna as I start the fire.

I keep looking at the three of them, wondering how this feels as good as it does. On all accounts, it shouldn’t feel so natural, andthere’s a part of me that wants to grab on and hold on to it… and never let it go.

CHAPTER 7

GIANNA

After we atehot dogs and s’mores, we hung out by the fire for a while. It’s like none of us wanted the night to end. I can’t remember ever laughing as hard as I did tonight, and my cheeks are hurting from smiling so much. I should probably have asked earlier about going into town, but I didn’t want to break up dinner and all the laughs.

Now Dalton is putting the boys to bed, and I’ve been cleaning up the few dishes in the kitchen. Just standing in this spot makes me think about earlier. We had a moment. I know Dalton was happy about Ethan talking, and he thinks it had something to do with me, but that hug between us was more than just a thank you. Surely I’m not the only one that felt it.

As I wait for Dalton to come back downstairs, I open the Uber app on my phone, but there’s nothing available tonight. I start to pace, and when I hear Dalton coming down the stairs, I meet him at the bottom step. “I should probably get out of your hair.”

He stops in front of me. “Stay.”

“Stay? What do you mean, stay?”

He crosses his arms over his chest, but I see the panic in his eyes. “Look, it will take Hank a few days to get the part in and then to do the work. It could be a few days or maybe a week.”

I gasp. “A week?”

He starts to reach for me and then must think better of it because he lets his hands drop to his sides. “I’ll pay you to stay. If you leave now and Ethan—”

He stops talking and takes a deep breath. “Shit. I know that’s not fair. I shouldn’t put that on you, but I’m afraid if you leave… if you leave and Ethan goes back to…”

He stops again, and before I can give him my answer, he continues. “I don’t know what an influencer makes, but I’ll pay you.”

I shake my head. “I don’t want your money, Dalton.”

He takes a step toward me. “Look, just a few days. I could use your help around here, and the boys like you. Of course, I’ll pay you. You don’t owe us anything.”

I should give him a hard time and remind him how earlier he didn’t even want to leave the boys with me while he went out to the barn, but I know now is not the right time. He is looking at me desperately, and I can’t blame him for being overprotective. But I’m still trying to understand everything.

He’s standing right in front of me, and the manly, woodsy scent of him practically envelops me in a hug. I lift my chin and look him in the eye. “Where is their mother?”

There are pictures of their mom all over the house, and so I’ve wondered all afternoon if she was going to walk in at any moment.

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