Page 55 of Samuel

“But he doesn’t want to involve anyone else in case it gets worse for me. He’s protecting me when he should be thinking about the ranch.”

“Seems like he’s finally pulled his head out of his ass and realized there’s a spark of something between the two of you.”

Evie felt her face grow warm.

“Oh, I know that look,” Daisy laughed. “Second trimester hormones make everything feel so… heightened.”

“It’s been challenging,” Evie whispered. “He took me on this incredible date, but since then, I don’t know what’s going on in his mind.”

Her makeout sessions with Sam had been incredible. But they weren’t going anywhere beyond a few fast and fiery kisses here and there in the office. Or the barn. Oh, and one time in his truck. It had been nearly two weeks since their date night and her hormones were kicking her sex drive into dangerous territories. If she didn’t know any better, she’d say the damn cowboy seemed to be actively trying to kill her with his manners.

“Evie! That’s so exciting! Well, the date part, not the pulling back part. But I bet it’s just work messing with his mind.”

“I feel like I’m drooling after him all of the time. And the kisses are nice, don’t get me wrong.”

“But you’re ready to take things to the next level?” Daisy asked, and Evie immediately nodded in agreement. “I couldn’t get enough of Hank when I was pregnant. You’ll see one day, Abby. You think you’ve got the hots for John now? Wait until he knocks you up and you get past all the morning sickness. You’ll be jumping on him the second he walks in the door.”

“God. If it’s that intense, how the hell are you surviving, Evie?”

She sighed. “I honestly don’t know. I feel like I’m about to combust.”

Daisy looked over her shoulder out into the barn and then turned back, winking at Evie.

“You know,” she laughed. “I could set you up on a date, if you wanted. Hank’s best friend is single, and a doctor. I’m sure he’d be happy to take care of your needs.”

“You are NOT setting her up with Jake.” Sam stormed into the office and Evie could have passed out just from how he was looking at her. Daisy’s wink now made perfect sense.

God, he looked so good every time he came back from riding Jasper. Like the cover of some cowboy romance novel, his skin was glistening with sweat and the way his shirt had a few buttons open at the top made her want to lick that sweat right off his collarbone.

“Evie?” Daisy’s giggle snapped her back from her completely inappropriate thoughts. “You’re looking a little sweaty. Do you want me to take Sunny?”

Evie nodded, carefully passing the nearly sleeping baby back to her mother. “I didn’t realize Jake is Hank’s best friend.”

“You’ve already met him?”

She fanned herself with a stack of papers that sat on the edge of her desk.

“You okay?” Sam asked. “It doesn’t feel that hot in here.”

“Oh, you have no idea how hot it was just a minute before you walked in,” Abby teased.

“I met Jake a few weeks ago,” Evie rushed to say. “I had a little car trouble. He rescued me from the heat and I thanked him by passing out in front of him.”

“Oh my god. See, already such a sweet meet-cute.” She held her hand over her heart and batted her eyelashes.

“What the hell is a meet-cute?”

“You need to start reading more.” Abby sighed as she jumped down from his desk. “It’s like in a romance, when the two main characters finally meet. For example, she’s a waitress and he’s a crabby businessman, and she’s bringing him hisorder but trips and not only spills everything all over him, but punches him right in his junk as she lands in his lap.”

“Did you read that recently?” Evie asked, laughing at her very detailed description.

“Yup. It was adorable.” She turned back towards her brother. “They had the hottest happy ever after and I think Jake and Evie could too!”

Sam grumbled more as he started moving things around in front of him.

“That’s really sweet, Abby, but I’m good. What we were talking about earlier doesn’t matter. I’ll get through it on my own.”

Shit. She’d said something wrong because Sam’s head popped up from the paper he was intently staring at on his desk. His brown eyes filled with worry.

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