Page 38 of Hell or High Water

“That was fun,” she said as she let out a breath.

Yeah, it had been pretty damn entertaining for me too. She’d smiled and laughed for the first time because of something I’d made happen. I was feeling pretty damn smug about it too. Gathe hadn’t made her smile or laugh that much.

“I gotta get the saddle off him and move him back to the field with Diane and Heartland. There’s a fridge inside the stables with bottles of water if you’re thirsty,” I told her.

“I am,” she said, scrunching her nose.

“Come on. I’ll show you where it is before I deal with him,” I told her, taking Jack’s reins to lead him inside with us.

She fell into step beside me, and I took the cigarette out from between my clamped teeth.

“Thanks for teaching me to ride.”

The corner of my lips quirked. “You’re not riding yet. You were mostly sitting today. But you’ll get there.”

She let out a soft laugh. “It was fun once I got over being terrified.”

We walked in silence for a few moments before she spoke again. “I’m sorry I said that about you smoking. It’s not my business.”

I glanced down at her, and she’d taken her bottom lip between her teeth to bite it the way I wanted to.

Jerking my gaze off her and looking straight ahead before I got another fucking boner, I replied, “I lost my mom too. I was nine. Breast cancer got her though. I get it.”

I could feel her looking at me, but I didn’t trust myself to meet her gaze. She was making me want shit that I wasn’t allowed to have.

“That’s so young.” Her voice sounded pained.

I nodded. “Yeah, it was. Sometimes, I start to forget the sound of her voice or the way she looked, but then I’ll have dreams about her. They remind me.”

I’d never told anyone that before.

“I hope I have dreams about my mom.”

Me too, Six.

Unable to help myself, I glanced down at her. She wasn’t smiling anymore. There was a sadness in her eyes. I hadn’t meant to bring her down. I preferred to have her smiling. I shouldn’t fucking have an opinion on it. But, dammit, how was I supposed to stop this? Any straight man would want her. Hell, even if she were the blackmailing bitch I had assumed she was the first day, I’d still want her.

Sixteen

Than

Linc held a glass of whiskey in one hand while he partially sat on the edge of his desk when I walked into his office. I’d expected to get accosted by Stevie when I arrived, but I’d not seen anyone. Linc’s house was rarely ever quiet these days.

“How’s the ward?” he asked me, then took a drink.

“Not thrilled,” I replied. “But that’s just my guess. She doesn’t talk to me about shit, so I don’t know what she’s really thinking.”

I was also being cautious because I was afraid of getting attached to her. God, that would suck.

“You’ve been in the cabin together since Friday. I’d have thought by now, she would have fallen under your charm.”

I let out a hard laugh. “I’m not charming her. Until this morning, when I took her riding, I’m pretty sure she wouldn’t have thrown water on me if I was on fire. Actually, the jury is still out on that one. She might watch me burn.”

Linc’s brows drew together in a frown. “Why are you making her hate you?”

Was he serious?

“You gave me the whole Samson speech. I thought that was what you wanted me to do.”

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