Page 9 of Stranded with a Very-Kissable Cowboy

I liein bed listening to the sounds of the house. I feel as if I’m on an adrenaline rush even though I should be passed out asleep right now. I have to be up in four hours, but no matter how long I lie here, I can’t sleep.

I toss and turn,over and over until I can’t do it anymore. I sit up and move to the edge of the bed, resting my elbows on my knees. The moonlight is shining in the window, and I grab the framed picture off the bedside table.

The picture was takenon the ranch and the boys were still babies. It’s my wife, Ethan, Evan, and me. I stare at the woman who was my best friend for ten years and who I miss every day. As I stare at her smiling face, I wait for the guilt to set in.

I haven’t lookedat another woman these last three years, and with just one glance at Gianna, I feel as if my whole life has turned upside down. I wasn’t lying when I told her I was an ass to her because she’s beautiful. It sounds stupid as shit now, butit’s the truth. I was all in my head and didn’t know how to deal with the instant attraction, so I thought the best defense was a good offense. But that tactic is not going to work. I can’t be an ass to her. She’s so fuckin’ sweet… to me and to the boys, and instead of pushing her away, I want to get to know her better.

I lookat the smiles on the boys’ faces and then back to my wife. We were all happy then. It was right before she was diagnosed with breast cancer. At the time, we had no idea what was about to happen, but our lives turned to shit shortly after this picture was taken. For two years, she suffered… and we watched her suffer.

I setthe frame down and then lie back down on the bed. I put my hands behind my head and stare up at the ceiling. Everything from this afternoon replays in my head. The first time I laid eyes on Gianna. Watching her dance in my living room. Her laughing and making s’mores with the boys. That fuckin’ hug in the kitchen. Just thinking about the way Gia fit against my body makes me feel alive again.

My cock starts to thicken,my pulse picks up, and there’s a flutter in my belly. I wrap my hand around my girth and stroke from root to tip. The groan escapes me, and I push my head back into the pillow. There’s an internal debate going on in my head, but my arousal wins out, and I thrust into my hand. Over and over, I stroke myself, thinking of Gianna with her big innocent eyes, puffy lips, and curvy body. I don’t stand a chance of stopping now. Precum coats my hand, and I grip myself tighter. With a guttural groan, I come with a force that shakes my whole body.

I lie hereand try to catch my breath, knowing that this won’t be enough. If anything, it makes me want Gianna even more, but I want the real thing, and I know that that’s not going to happen. It can’t.

CHAPTER 9

GIANNA

I can’t rememberthe last time I’ve been in a bathing suit, but here I am. The boys asked if we could get into the pool so they could swim, and there’s no way I could say no with those big eyes of theirs pleading with me.

So I borrowed a bathing suit from Maddie, who had to come and hear Ethan talk. Thank goodness Dalton’s been down at the barn since we’ve been in the pool because I’d much rather be around him fully dressed than wearing a bathing suit that is too small for me.

I’m throwing small toys in the pool while the boys chase to get them when I see Dalton and another man walking out of the barn. When I realize they’re heading up toward the house, I hold my breath in anticipation. As they approach, I realize I’m at a disadvantage. Dalton has his hat low on his head, and even though I can’t see his eyes clearly, I know they’re on me. I’m standing on the steps of the pool with the water to my ankles.

The closer they get, the more self-conscious I get. The towel is right behind me, and I could easily grab it and wrap it around myself, but I don’t do it. I’ve worked hard on being comfortablein my own skin, and even though I still have bouts of self-consciousness, I’m not going to let it win.

Dalton and the man both stop next to the pool, but neither of them say anything. As soon as Ethan and Evan see them, they start splashing them, and I’m happy to see that Dalton is laughing instead of getting mad about it.

At least he’s smiling until he looks over at his friend, who is openly staring at me. Dalton practically growls at him, “Go on in. The key is hanging on the hook…. You know where it’s at.”

The man nods, tips his hat at me, and then disappears inside the house. Dalton walks closer to the pool, and the gruff voice he used before is softer as he talks to me and his boys. “You guys having fun?”

“Yes!” they both scream.

He laughs, pushes his hat back, and looks at me. “What about you? You having fun?”

The smile on his face makes me ask, “Yeah… how old are you?”

He doesn’t seem surprised by the question. “Thirty-eight. How old are you?”

He gives me a challenging look, and I could tell him that you’re not supposed to ask a woman her age, but I’m sure he knows that and doesn’t care. “I’m twenty-five.”

He bites his lip and nods his head with a jerk. I’m embarrassed that I blurted out the question, and I lift my hand to shade my eyes when in fact what I want to do is hide behind it.

Ethan walks to the edge of the pool. “Dad, are you going to get in?” Dalton was worried about him and that maybe he’d stop talking again, but he shows no signs of it.

Evan starts to jump up and down. “Yeah, Dad, get in and play with us.”

I can see the indecision on his face, but it doesn’t last long. “Sure, I’ll get in.”

They both start hollering, and Dalton laughs as he starts walking to the house. “I’ll be right back,” he calls over his shoulder.

As soon as he disappears in the house, I try to catch my breath. For the love of jelly beans, I’ll never survive it if he comes out here in swimming trunks. I gasp. Or shirtless. I’m about to be in a full-blown panic when the door swings open. As soon as I see that it’s Dalton’s friend and not the man himself, I start to breathe again.

The man walks toward me with his hand out. “I’m sorry. I don’t think we’ve been properly introduced. I’m Miller. The foreman.”

I put my hand in his. “I’m Gianna.”

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