Page 28 of Lassoed Love

Lost in my thoughts, I absentmindedly play with the edge of my dress. In doing so, I momentarily realise it has ridden halfway up my thighs, exposing too much skin for my comfort—no doubt a result of being manhandled by the big brute beside me. Embarrassment creeps up, and I quickly pull the dress down, covering my thighs. The awkward silence between us lingers, accompanied only by the rhythmic hum of the engine and the twang of the country song playing in the background.

Shifting in my seat, my gaze involuntarily lingers on Xavier, and I am overwhelmed by the intrusion of warmth that surges straight down to my core. Seriously, why is his clenched-jaw, veins-showing thing so damn attractive?Ugh.I curse inwardly, trying to shake off the inexplicable allure.

I can’t help but explore his ruggedly handsome features—his long, thick eyelashes, dark, furrowed brows, and that absurdly good-looking Grecian nose. Why do I find hisnoseattractive?Isla, are youfucked? Am I really admiring this man’s nose? What’s wrong with you?

No, seriously, why do men get those effortlessly perfect lashes while we're stuck fucking around with different mascaras and lash curlers?

A pang of insecurity creeps in as I compare myself to this man-sculpted-like-a-Greek-god specimen. And here I am, feeling like a fat cow next to him.There’s absolutely no way in this world this man could ever find someone like me attractive.Why do I care?

Ignoring the warmth pooling at my centre, I squirm in my seat awkwardly. Xavier breaks the silence. “Stop staring at me like that, Isla.” Fuck.

“Li-like what?” I stutter.Great.Way to sound confident, Isla.You’re not, you silly girl. Who are you fooling?

He turns to look at me slowly, his eyes darting straight to my thighs, like he knows exactly why I'm clenching them. Oh boy. His gaze returns to my face. “Do you even know where you’re going?”

“Nope,” he deadpans, eyes still on me, one hand gripping the steering wheel.

“Can you look at the road… and stop looking at me?” I say nervously. A hint of a smirk appears on his infuriatingly handsome face. Ugh...

“So it’s okay for you to stare at me, but I can’t look at you?” He fires back, leaning into a playful banter.

“Yes! Seriously! This is how accidents happen.”

“Trust me, sweetheart, I know these roads like the back of myhand.” My eyes involuntarily drift to his hands—incredibly huge, veiny, with long fingers. I gulp nervously and clear my throat. “Where are we going?” I sigh. “I could have just caught an Uber. You didn’t have to drive me.”

I feel a mix of irritation, and something else I can’t quite place, as Xavier’s demeanour shifts, the half-smirk on his lips disappearing. He glances at me, his expression serious.

“Didn’t like the idea of you stumbling home this late at night, especially intoxicated.”

I frown. “Well, thanks for the concern, but I could’ve managed.”

“I’m sure you could have,” he drawls, and I turn to look over at him as he continues, “I didn’t like seeing you upset and shit–don’t have a clue why, but… I just did,” he says, matter-of-factly, his voice low.That’s… that’s not what I was expecting him to say.

“But why?” I press, my tone softening.

Xavier’s gaze lingers on the road ahead, his jaw tightening slightly. “I don't know,” he admits, his voice barely above a whisper. “I just... felt like I had to.”

I furrow my brows, studying his profile in the dim light of the car. There’s a vulnerability in his eyes that I’ve never seen before, and it catches me off guard. “Had to?” I echo, my voice softening with curiosity.

He nods, his grip on the steering wheel tightening. “Yeah.” He glances at me briefly as if to say something more, but he just returns his focus to the road.

His words linger in the air between us, heavy with unspokenthoughts and emotions. I’m not sure what to say, how to respond to this unexpected display of concern from someone like Xavier. So, I simply sit in silence, the country music playing softly in the background, and let his words sink in.

The nervousness dissipates momentarily as something shifts. The alcohol’s effects are wearing off, leaving behind a faint buzz that’s still granting me some liquid courage.

In the moment, I can't hold back, and I blurt out, “Is it okay if we just keep driving?” My hand instinctively covers my mouth, and I curse myself in my mind for letting those words escape.

Wait… why did I say that?Do I really want to spend more time with him? Or is it just the alcohol talking? I glance at him, my heart pounding in my chest, and notice his features soften.

“Any particular place you’d like to go?” Nerves dance through me, and butterflies erupt in my stomach.

I freeze. “Uh, I don’t know,” I mumble, realising I hadn't thought this through before I opened my big mouth. As much as I hate to admit it, I’m actually enjoying Xavier’s company.

Reading between the lines, as if he knew I’d say something like this, Xavier uses one hand on the steering wheel and takes a right turn down a narrow road surrounded by bushes.

The night sky unfurls with breathtaking brilliance; stars shimmer above as I gaze out of the window. Our journey takes an unexpected turn, leading us to a dead end, where a fence cradles the cliff's edge, revealing a captivating view of a large valley with a river below.

Xavier slows the car, parking near the fence. Facing the cliff, wepeer out at the river meandering beneath the radiant night sky. Despite the probable midnight hour, the stars cast an enchanting glow over the horizon, tricking the eyes into thinking it's still late in the afternoon. The serenity is palpable. Xavier rolls our windows down, inviting in the cool night breeze that instantly soothes my overheating body.

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