Page 59 of Burn the Wild

“Have you ever been in a hardware store?” I ask wryly.

She tucks a wild curl behind one ear and huffs. “No. Have you ever worn high heels?”

“You got me there, princess.”

Rolling her eyes, she follows me to the cash register.

“New hired hand?” Jonas Farrabee’s squinty eyes focus on Reese as he scans the items. Fucker’s tongue is hanging so far out of his mouth it could be on the floor.

“Hi.” Reese wiggles her fingers at him. And suddenly I have the very strong urge to punch something.

I tuck the small plastic sack into my back pocket before taking Reese’s arm and moving her toward the door. I give Jonas afuck offglare over my shoulder.

We exit the shop and turn onto Main Street. At the end of the block, we pass Dakota’s new bakery, the Huckleberry. It’s boarded off, still needing the sign and finishing exterior touches.

Reese stares at the mountains rising from the base of Resurrection. “It’s so beautiful here. Like a dream.”

Dream girl.

I shove the thought out of my head.

“What’s that?” Reese asks, pointing across the street at a red, white, and blue building.

“That’s the Legion.”

“And that is?”

I sigh. “Honey, I’ve barely had coffee.”

She bats her lashes. “You brought me along.”

I needle my brow. “Goddamnit.”

Ten minutes later, when I’m certain I’ve met my talking quota for the day, Reese stops and stares at the sole boutique in Resurrection—Luxe Loft. Its bright pink door has me and my brothers sidestepping it every damn time.

Her eyes are wide and filled with want.

Fuck. She wants to shop.

Against my better judgment, I lean in. Her hair tickles my nose, and I breathe in her scent. Christ, she smells like peaches and cream. I want to lap her up like a damn cat.

“Go inside.”

Planting her hands on her hips, she scoffs. “I think you’re forgetting something, Country Boy. I don’t have any money.”

I scrub a hand through my hair. “You need new clothes, don’t you?” I should take her to the Walmart in Billings, but there’s longing in her eyes, and I just can’t say no to it. “We’ll figure that out.”

Her lower lip sticks out in a stubborn pout.

I nudge her forward. “Just go look. Pick out what you would buy if you were Jane. If you didn’t have that prick of a manager bossing you around.”

Her eyes flash like she likes the idea.

I arch a brow. “Either get your ass in there or you’re coming with me to strip a saddle.”

Terror seeps into her green eyes. “Okay, okay.”

I chuckle as she struts those high heels across Main Street.

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