Page 29 of Hard To Love

Anything.

But fuck me, for the first time in my thirty-two years, I was completely tangled up, tongue tied. Her bright green eyes glittered with mischief, as if is she could see how fucking speechless I was.

I had no idea what to say.

Say something!a voice in my head urged.

“I don’t usually like to get this wet, but…” She shrugged, and fuck, my already scattered brain went haywire as it processed her talking about getting wet. Making her wet. Shit, no. I shook away the thought, then my eyes, my traitorous eyes, drove up and down her body, and I had to gulp for air.

Wet she was.

From head to toe.

But then again, so was I.

I rubbed my face trying to take off the water that was literally dripping from my hair.

“Sorry about tripping and pulling you in.” She winced, shaking out her wet brown hair. The strands were long and had hints of gold and caramels running through it.

I had no idea how the hell what happened had even been possible. I’d come into town to pick up a grocery order and arrived too early. I’d decided to sit and wait at the town square. The only shaded area by the large rectangular fountain.

One moment, I was sitting on the edge, and the next, I felt a warm curvy body slamming into me. My arms had naturally wrapped around her, but it was too late. We fell into the fountain.

“I’m kinda clumsy. Not that that fact helps you out right now, right?”

“Hmm.”

“Are you one of these broody, quiet cowboys who only huff and puff and grunt my mom warned me about when I told her I was moving here?” she asked with a hint of a smile, and I found myself doing the most un-charming thing ever.

I grunted.

And she fucking laughed.

The sound didn’t only go straight to my already hardening dick but straight into my soul. Like Cupid’s malicious arrow striking me straight in the chest.

“Well, it was—"

“Unca Toy!” my cousin’s little girl shrieked, and we both turned to see her barreling toward us.

I knew from experience Corey might be a little itty-bitty thing, but she was strong. My body braced, and she ran straight into me. When she was close enough, I picked her up and spun her around once. Her laughter sounded around me, and I found myself smiling and relaxing.

“How are you, donut?” I asked, glancing at the woman next to me to make sure she hadn’t vanished, or worse, been a figment of my imagination.

Thankfully, she was still there, completely and utterly captivated by me and the girl in my arms.

“I’m not a donut,” Corey groaned. “I’m a cupcake,” she repeated the nickname her dad had given her and now everyone called her.

“You are? You sure?”

“Yes.” She giggled. “Why you wet?” she asked, not bothered by the fact her pretty dress was getting wet as well.

“I fell in.” I pointed at the fountain behind me, and her eyes glittered with humor.

“Unca Toy, das not a poo! Mommy said so!” I laughed and shook my head.

“We both fell in.” Corey’s eyes moved to the woman next to me and widened.

“You look like a pwincess!” she shrieked with girlish giggles. I looked at the woman next to me. My Corey girl was not wrong.

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