Page 24 of Rodeo Cowboy
The action throws me off. I start to lean away, but her free hand cups the back of my neck, keeping me in place.
This is precisely the situation I didn’t want to put her in.
The warmth of her kissably soft lips pressing against mine and all my thoughts vanish. I forget this charade is a favor. Instead, she’s the woman I’ve watched from a distance for months, possibly in that creepy, under-the-brim-of-my-hat sort of way. But still, I’m so thrown off, and the kiss ends before I can respond.
Ayla links her arm with mine before facing my ma. “Mrs. Wilde, it’s so nice to see you again.”
My ma pulls Ayla into a warm embrace. “I hope you don’t mind us popping in.”
“Not at all. How can I help?”
“Good morning, Uncle Sammy.” Bode latches onto my leg.
“Mornin’, Bode.” I clap his back as McKenna and Willow stop on either side of me.
“Do you remember Sammy’s mom, Lillian?” Ayla winks at me from my ma’s side. “She was just about to tell me how we can lend a hand.”
My ma waves her hands at the kids. “Oh no, y’all go and visit everyone. We’ve got it handled in here.”
When the kids wander off, I pull Ayla aside. “What are you doing?”
“Honestly, half the time, I have no idea. I’ve literally been winging my life for the last year.” She shrugs. “But the one consistent, good thing in my life lately has been you.”
“I haven’t done much.”
“You took all the ranch responsibility off my shoulders, and for months I could focus on the kids and me and what we need.”
“Did you figure it out? What y’all need?”
She snorts. “Hell no, but we mutually decided we need to do this for you. It’s only one week.”
I inhale deeply and glance at my colossal family, laughing, conversing, and pushing their way into everything.
“Alright. One week. I’m sure everyone will return to their regular chore life after breakfast, and we can look at this like a vacation.”
“The kids are due for a vacation.”
Ten minutes later, everyone sits around the table, joking and bantering.
Ayla’s arm rubs against mine as we pass the food around the table. Each bump ignites a flame of heat. On the other side of me, I assist Bode with his servings.
“Waking up before the crack of dawn to have breakfast together is a long-standing Wilde tradition.” My ma sits on one end of the table.
“It’s a way for the family to catch up on the latest happenings on the ranch and to plan out the day ahead.” My pa sits on the opposite end of the makeshift table.
“And do we have a day ahead of us at the Walker Ranch.” Silver whistles.
My jaw tightens at what my brother is implying.
I jam the prongs of my fork into my eggs. “What kind of day are you referring to?”
“I’ve been thinking of a few names for the ranch.” Silver ignores my question. “(Name).”
“No,” Hart says.
“(Another name).”
“No,” Ford says.
