Page 58 of Burn the Wild

“This is a bad idea,” I breathe.

“Too late.”

I yelp when he suddenly wraps me in his strong arms, sweeping me up. Holding me close.

“Oh,” I sigh. My body feels deflated in the best possible way. Resting my head on his chest, I close my eyes and breathe him in. Ford smells like hickory and midnight air. Man. Earth. I can hear his heartbeat through his warm skin, and for one long second, I wish we shared it.

We linger there, without ulterior motives. Just a simple, easy moment. Ford hugs me with such tenderness that hot tears prick the backs of my eyes. So many times in my life, I’ve been offered alcohol when all I needed was a hug.

And then I laugh. I laugh because Ford Montgomery is one of the best things I’ve ever felt.

“What?” he says gruffly.

“You smell amazing.”

His lazy chuckle rumbles through my body. “Don’t get any ideas.”

I smile into his chest. “Wouldn’t dream of it.”

I’m a fucking idiot.

Keeping my distance from Reese is non-negotiable. And yet…thanks to me, here she is. Sitting too close in the cab of my truck. Walking too close beside me down the sidewalk. Wearing my baseball cap and black sweatsuit like they belong to her.

Not to mention, I made her breakfast. I haven’t made breakfast for a woman since Savannah.

She didn’t eat much of it, but we’re going to work on that.

And then I had to go and hug her—the best damn hug I’ve had in a long time.

Fucking Grady and his idiot words of wisdom.

Bells jingle as I open the door to Zeke’s Hardware. Reese struts inside, and instantly, heads swivel.

Including my own.

She’s dressed in high heels and one of my grungy sweatsuits, but she looks like a million dollars. Even dressed down and incognito, Reese Austin is breathtaking. And that terrifies me the most. Because the need to keep her close clouds my logic. The rules of the ranch.

Her story from last night weighs on me. Deep down, I know I’ve only scraped the surface of what this girl’s running from. Something tells me she doesn’t even know herself.

I already hate her fucking manager for telling her she can’t gain weight. A gust of wind could blow her over.

A couple of customers turn as Reese slams into a rack of batteries, knocking a few packs to the ground.

“Oops,” she says, lifting her sunglasses on top of her head as she dips to pick them up.

“Keep the sunglasses on, will you?” I growl when she stands.

If Resurrection knew they had a world-famous superstar in their town…they probably wouldn’t give a shit. All they’d care about is city folk staying on their side of the grass. But it’s not a risk I’m willing to take. I’m familiar with the tabloids. With bad press. Getting mobbed is the last thing she needs. What happened at Nowhere was bad enough.

Reese sends me a scathing look over her shoulder. “What is your problem, Country Boy?”

You. You’re my problem. My incredibly beautiful, bratty little problem.

I shake my head, wishing I hadn’t brought her along. “While you’re busy trashing the place, grab me a pack of flathead screws, will you?”

Reese stares at me like I’ve just called a baseball play.

Sighing, I step around her and pluck a package off the rack.

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