Page 52 of A Photo Finish
But any tension in her is momentary before she turns her head and neck to nibble at the toes of my leather boots. Right back to her goofy, in-your-pocket persona. Like she’s been here and done this before.
Even when the crunching of gravel comes down the driveway, she doesn’t startle or spook. Her head flips back toward the noise, and she watches calmly as Cole’s black truck pulls up to the house.
When he gets out, wearing a suit with the top two buttons of his shirt undone in the most appealing way, I can’t help but admire him. I wish I could crack him open and figure him out.I really need to get back to my own space.
Pipsqueak whinnies, loud and shrill, and then walks to the corner of the pen—not at all concerned with my presence on her back. Simply happy to see the big grump who’s now walking toward us.
“Hey, pretty girl,” he murmurs as he reaches the fence and slides a big palm down her forehead.
I know he’s talking to Pipsqueak, but it doesn’t stop my stomach from doing a flip. He’s like the dad who never wanted the dog but ends up being best friends with it. It’s like Pippy knows he didn’t want her and proved him wrong. She tried extra hard to endear herself to him. To break through that tough exterior.
And it worked.
He looks up at me now, his eyes glowing and something like wonder on his face. “This is new.” His eyes trace down my body, pausing momentarily on my castless right leg. He tips his chin at me in question.
“Got it off today.”
“And you’re already back up on a horse.” It’s a statement, not a question, and his voice goes a little chilly.
“Yup. No fracture means no fracture.”
“Is this the first time you’ve been up on her?”
“Yes.”
He rolls his shoulders back. “Alone?”
“Yes . . .” I say, not liking where he’s going with this.
“Is that your best plan?”
He had to go there, didn’t he? Trying to tell me what to do after I’ve been perfectly careful and patient for the past month. Now I’m supposed to keep acting like I’m injured when I’m not?
“It’smy plan. I don’t require your approval to get on a horse that I’ve been put in charge of.”
One of Pip’s ears flicks back at me, like she can feel the tension, and then she takes a step closer to Cole, dropping her head over the fence and nudging him.
“Violet.”
Agitation courses through me. The way he says my name like I’m a child.Violet.Like just huffing my name with that scowl on his face is actually saying something at all.
“No. Don’t. Don’tVioletme. I don’t need your permission to do this. I have races this weekend. I’m riding in those too. I have a dad and three overprotective brothers. I don’t need another one. Youknowthis. So, get on board, or get out of my way.”
Cole shakes his head at me as he turns stiffly to walk away. I hate that he doesn’t say anything.
I hate that I can’t provoke a reaction out of him when he does nothing but make me react.
16
Cole
I blinkat the screen of my phone as though it might change what I’m seeing.
The corner of one long-lashed eye, looking straight up at the camera. Like she might look up at me if she were down on her knees at my feet. Wet blonde hair, plastered to small, round, perfect tits, the valley between them glistening with droplets of water. I imagine one rolling down her body, over her stomach, to the mound between her legs. Getting caught in that small, pale patch of hair before dripping right over her clit.
Fuck. What am I supposed to do now? This girl has firmly friend-zoned me for the last year and then drops the sexiest fucking nude I’ve ever seen. Fresh out of the shower, wet and ready. She took it for me. Without me even paying her. Because she wanted to. And somehow that just hits different.
Golddigger85:Is that an invitation?
