Page 36 of Wrangling a Wild Texan

“So protective that you keep it covered with drop cloths and hide most of it in a storage unit in Houston, instead of using it to fill your brand-new gallery?”

Sunny stared at him. “How do you know that?”

“Sophie told me. I wanted to know exactly what you had talked about at Cooper Springs so there wouldn’t be any more surprises.” He studied her with those intense amber eyes. “So what’s the deal? Why are you hiding all your paintings?”

She could have lied, but it seemed useless now. Soon the entire town would know that she was not only a devious prankster, but also a fraud. Reid might as well be one of the firsts.

“Because all I can paint is angry art.”

His brow knitted. “Angry art? Why do you call it that?”

“Because I only seem to be able to paint when I’m angry or upset.”

“And how often is that?”

She swallowed hard. “A lot more than anyone would think.”

He studied her for a long time before he spoke. “Does it work? I’ve been pretty angry myself lately. Maybe I should take it up.” He glanced at Sophie sleeping on the bed. “Instead of taking my anger out on an innocent kid because my life didn’t go the way I thought it would.”

“Join the club. I didn’t exactly plan to be an artist with a gallery she can’t fill.”

He glanced back at her. “So fill it.”

“With what?”

He waved a hand at the easel. “Angry art.”

“Are you crazy? I can’t show that?”

“Why not? I realize that I show too much anger, but maybe you don’t show enough. It’s okay for people to get angry, Sunny.Just because your name is Sunshine, you don’t always have to be smiling.”

“I know that.”

He raised his eyebrows. “Do you?” He lifted a hand and brushed a finger over her cheek. It was like he’d painted her with fire. She’d done a lot of thrill-seeking things in her life, but not one had made her tummy drop like Reid’s touch.

“Paint,” he said. But his hand didn’t drop after he brushed off her cheek. Instead, his fingers curled behind her chin as his gaze lowered to her lips. “Sometimes,” he said in a low whisper. “You just have to give in to your emotions.” His thumb slowly stroked her bottom lip. “Or it makes you crazy.”

He dipped his head and his lips replaced his thumb. It wasn’t a devouring kiss like he’d given her in front of the sheriff’s office. This kiss was soft and gentle. And yet, it wrecked her just as much.

Maybe more.

She could tell by the tremble in his fingers cradling her jaw that he was holding his passion on a short leash—no doubt because Sophie slept only feet away. The fact that he wanted her so badly was a major aphrodisiac. When he swiped his tongue over her bottom lip before he gave it a gentle nip, she couldn’t help but release a soft moan.

“Shh . . .” His breath fell against her lips before he deepened the kiss, his lips molding to hers as his tongue swept into her mouth.

She tried to move closer, needing to feel the hard press of his muscles, but his hand closed around her hip and firmly held her away. Even that turned her on. Which made no sense. She had never liked being controlled. But with Reid, she liked it. She liked it a lot. Mixed in with the lust was the same feeling she’d felt the night he’d pushed her behind the rock and covered her with his body. A feeling of contentment and security.

She would have continued to kiss him all day if they hadn’t been interrupted by a loud tapping.

They jumped apart and turned to the bed, but Sophie was still sleeping soundly. The tapping came again and Sunny realized it was coming from the window. She was more than a little surprised to see a gray parrot sitting on the ledge. A gray parrot that stared straight at Sunny with its beady eyes before squawking.

“Bullshit!”

Chapter Thirteen

“What do you mean you’re not going to come get it?” Sunny glanced at the bird perched on the top edge of her angry art. It stared back with a mean look.

“Bullshit!”

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