Page 105 of Brim Over Boot
When he pulls back, I feel exposed. The same way I did the first time I stripped down in front of him.
“You’re having dinner with me and Walter tonight,” he says, crumpling our trash into a cohabitating ball.
My indignation wars with…I don’t even know what. “Oh, I am, am I?”
He doesn’t seem to mind my snarky tone. His lips twitch up, and he answers with a concise, “Mhm.”
“And what if I don’t want to?” I ask, my throat clicking when I swallow.
“I could always drag you there myself,” he says, eyes glimmering with a hopeful edge.
“Do you like reminding me you’re bigger than me?” I ask, even though I’ve come to realize that’s not it at all.
“No,” he says simply. “What I like is when you let me prove just how much I want you. And how far I’ll go to have you.”
Fuck.
It takes me a second to get my mouth in working order. “Why? Whydoyou?”
I can’t bring myself to say the wordswant me, but Noah clearly understands. He shifts toward me in a way that causes his horseshoe tattoo to flash before his shirt settles. The reminder of all that’s stood between us feels like only a whisper of what it once was.
“Do you want an honest answer to that?” he asks.
Jesus, do I?
I look out the windshield for a moment, my heart beating swiftly. Soon enough, I’ll leave this truck and get back to work, shaping hooves and shoes to be an equal match. Doing the things I do every day. What follows is the difference.
Before, going back home to the ranch was a given. Spending my evening around my family, heading to bed alone, barring the occasional instance of me finding a woman to keep me company for the night.
I was drifting along my comfortable path, not questioning all I was and all I wanted, even as I knew something was missing from my life. Or, maybe notmissing, exactly. But I did want companionship that lasted longer than an evening, didn’t I? I wanted to find what my brother found with Ash.
Someone to care about me: smooth, jagged parts, and all. Someone toloveme.
And now, I have…Noah. I have a man who’s telling me he wants me around. Who, for some inexplicable reason, went from frowning at me every time I was near tosmilinglike he can’t get enough of me.Me.
I’m terrified of what that means. Because how can this man be the one I was looking for? How is that possible when he’s been under my nose this entire time?
And I simply didn’t see him.
So do I want to know why it is that Noah wantsmewhen I don’t feel remotely worthy of that interest? What have I possibly done other than be cruel and undeserving?
“I don’t know,” I finally admit. Because if he only likes the thrill… If I’m simply a conquest to him…
I’m not sure I could stand it.
Noah doesn’t let me travel down that depressing train of thought for long. “When you’re ready,” he says, voice calm, “you lemme know.”
I nod, the motion feeling jerky. “Am I free now?” I ask, trying to make the words sound light.
“Your kidnapping is over,” he confirms. “Just…one thing before you go?”
“What’s that?” I ask cautiously.
“Show me again.”
A bolt of lust shoots straight down my gut, even as I shake my head. “No fucking way! Look where we are.”
Noah makes a point of glancing around. The parking lot has plenty of vehicles, but no one is walking past at the moment. “Looks fine to me.”
