Page 14 of Freeing the Wild
“Perfect pickup executed.Does that actually work for you?Making women feel like they’re special?Like they’re the one who might bring you out of your slump?”
He chuckles as he scrubs his wide jaw.“You think you got me pegged, don’t you.”
“Sure as shit do.I bet you’re a Libra,” I retort before changing my mind.“Nope.Sagittarius.”
“Fuck …you’re right,” Haden bites out with a chuckle, and gestures a hand to himself.“Alright, I’ll bite.Do your worst.”
I tip my head back with a genuine laugh, swirling the sangria in my glass.
“You’re twenty-five, maybe twenty-six.Not ready to settle down, but you think about it for the future.Always been a jock of some kind.Baseball?”I hold one finger up “Nope, football.”
His jaw tenses slightly before falling slack.I swear I see his smile fade a little, but I know I’m on the right track.
“Hmm.You had everything handed to you.Always the golden boy.Your mama probably still has a shrine with your medals hanging on the wall.You hooked up with every cheerleader you could find until you got sick of it and then, after one too many concussions, someone said you could make a good living here working a ranch.You started at Silver Pines, realized it was heaven on earth, and the rest, as they say, is history.”I take a breath and squint my eyes at him.“Probably sleep naked and drive a real powerful pickup truck too.Black, I’m guessing.With leather seats.”
Haden sits stunned for all of a few seconds, and I wonder just how right I am.But then his face changes, confusing me again, and he laughs before he leans in a little so his voice is clear over the noise around us.
“You’re right on the sleeping naked.And the pickup truck.You’re even right on the football.”
“Knew it,” I preen, taking my last sip of sangria.
“But that is where your accuracy ends.And, just so we’re clear, I’m not trying to pick you up, Princess.Just thought since I’ve saved your ass twice today, maybe you could be a little more grateful and buy me a drink.”
“Ah yes, I must owe you.You’re just a regular knight in shining chaps.”
I look down at my now-empty glass.
“Since we’ve both made it painfully clear that there’s zero attraction here”—I point between us—“I suppose a drink couldn’t hurt.Just don’t betray my trust and go falling in love with me, Cowboy.”
I signal to the bartender as Haden scoffs, not shying away from my gaze.
“As long as you promise the same.”
“Done.”I let a slow smile creep across my lips as I trace an X with my finger over my heart.
“Cross my heart,” I say firmly.
“Cross your heart?”he repeats with a laugh.
“Yeah, you know, cross your heart, hope to die?Every kid knows that.”
Haden looks at me like I’ve lost it.“What are we, six?”he asks.“And I’m not hoping to die, that shit is messed up.”
My smile grows.“Just humor me.Studies show people are less likely to back out of a cross-your-heart pact.”
“Studies?Mind sharing your source?”
“Life experience.Now, come on.”I lean forward and slowly draw an X with my finger over his hard, warm chest.“Say it,” I whisper.
I watch as he takes his bottom lip between his teeth and grins before reaching up and grabbing hold of my hand with his own.His is twice the size of mine, and the feel of those callused fingers against my skin sends the butterflies living in my stomach into a full-on frenzy.
“Cross my heart,” he says, low.
I nod and swallow, trying to recover from the way his voice just made my heart flutter.
I nod.“Good.Now I know we’re on the same page.”
I pull my hand away and let the heat from his touch fizzle up my arm.
