Page 94 of Chasing the Wild
“It’ll be fine. The ranch is well stocked, my deep freeze is full, you know I’ve always got enough to get through the entire goddamn winter if needed.”
“Yeah, well, I still wanted to check in. Anything urgent, like a medical emergency or shit like that, you get on the radio and don’t be a stubborn fucker, you hear me?”
“Got it. You’ll be the first to know if I put an ax through my foot or one of the cattle breaks my ribs.”
“Don’t fucking joke with me, Wilder. I worry about your ass enough without you getting clever and thinking you’ve got a sense of humor all of a sudden.”
“I promise, it’s all good up here.” As I say those words, I can’t help but hold Layla’s eyes. She’s the good up here, and I’m so fucking relieved we’ve just stolen another momentary glimpse of time together. Or, at the least, I’ve managed to hoard this girl to myself for another week.
Another fucking week.
As I finish up with Hayes, my heart is thumping in the back of my throat. Setting the handset back in the cradle, I feel like I’m going to crawl out of my skin.
Do I even know a life where things aren’t always hard? Horns and hooves. Metal gates and wooden fence posts. Bullets and knives.
And then there’s her.
Layla is a constant reminder that softness and beauty exist. Wrapped up in feather-soft cotton and lace and the delicate fragrance of jasmine flowers.
Heat flashes up my spine, and the air inside this cab becomes electrified, like static, causing all my fine hairs to stand on end.
As I watch her tongue dart out to wet that bottom lip, she swallows beneath my gaze, a little cautiously, or like she’s turned the fuck on. Holy shit, I’m hoping it’s the latter because I’m ravenous for this girl, and waiting until we’re back at the house isn’t feeling like an option.
Turning to angle my body toward hers, I brace one hand on the dash and the other on the headrest beside her ear.
“Anything you wanna say after hearing all that, sweetheart?”
She flushes, pink decorates her cheeks, and pupils dilate as we sit here, while warmth blasts from the truck heaters, keeping the chill from outside at bay.
“They won’t be able to open the road for another week?” She says it slowly. Sensuality in every little form of those words as they dip across her tongue.
“Nope. That ok with you?”
Teeth catching her bottom lip, Layla nods in reply.
“There’s somewhere I want to show you tomorrow—a place I want to take you.” I’ve imagined being able to go there, but it’s at the far ridgeline of the ranch and the past two weeks went by so fast I just never got time to plan the trek. But now that I’vebeen given a golden opportunity, I’m not going to miss out on this moment.
“Like the Ridge?” She’s teasing, but sounds a little breathy, and I’m glad I’m not the only one feeling worked up right now.
I grunt. “Much better than the damn Ridge.” Or at least I hope she thinks so when she sees it.
“Is it on the ranch?” She shifts in her seat, squirming a little.
Leaning a little closer, I nod. “We’ll need to take the horses. Pack to stay overnight. Feeling up for a little adventure with me, angel?”
Layla’s eyes bounce between my mouth and my gaze. My dick perks up at the hunger in her expression. A dangerous idea forms, one of sayingfuck it all,and hiding her away in the place I would spend all my time if I could.
She adjusts herself in the passenger seat, then leans forward, reaching out to rub a forefinger along the rim of my hat. “Sounds like the full cowboy treatment.” There’s a smile tugging at the corner of her mouth as I let her flutter those long eyelashes at me. “You know… the first day I saw you, I wondered what it would be like to get the cowboy treatment in the backseat of your truck.”
My cock is immediately rock hard at the sound of that. This beautiful creature wants to fool around with me in the backseat? I’ve officially died and gone to heaven if that’s the case.
“Is that so?” My tongue pokes against the inside of my cheek. Fuck being in heaven, this girl could tempt me into the flames of hell.
Nudging the brim of my hat up, Layla gets a real damn shimmer in her eyes, stealing it off my head before she settles it over her silky tresses.
Oh, it’s fucking on.
“Mmm. I haven’t had the full ranch experience, yet. Wouldn’t want to leave without a chance to see what the view’s like from back there.”
