Page 39 of Live, Ranch, Love

I don’t know what comes over me next, but in one quick swoop, I shove my roller in the paint and slide it down his back, paint dripping off every inch of him.

Wyatt freezes mid-motion and I smack my hand over my mouth with a gasp as I process what I’ve just done.

Painfully slow, he spins on his heel to face me, eyes molten black. Maybe he’s finally calculated his way to ruin me—

My vision is blocked by a spongy roller and coat of paint covering me from head to toe. I let out a scream, but it becomes a sputter when paint gets in my mouth, which makes Wyatt howl with laughter. I hate that even though he’s done this, hearing him laugh makes my legs go a little weak.

Finally wiping enough paint out of my eyes to prise them open, I immediately see Wyatt’s creased face and swing my roller at him.

He catches it whilst also trying to jump out of the way. There’s a loud squelch as his foot lands in the paint tray—

And then we’re both falling, paint rollers flying.

Wyatt plummets to the floor with a thud, groaning when I then flop onto him, headbutting his chest. Pain rackets through me from the impact against his solid body, but all I can do is laugh.

Uncontrollably. Wyatt too.

His arms wrap around me, one hand sifting through my hair, the other seeking the small of my back. Shaking with the tremors of both our laughter, I tip my face up to see his dazed grin. Either he hit his head super hard, or he’s enjoying this way too much.

“Are you okay?” I question, aware that he definitely felt the brunt of the fall, with the extra weight of me landing on him.

He lightly strokes the back of my head, lips curving higher. I have to fight the urge to close my eyes and sink into him. Partially because I don’t want to get even more paint on him.

“Never been happier,” he admits, fingers trailing from my hair to my painted jaw and—

“What the hell is going on?” Cherry’s voice startles us both as she marches into the room. Shock sparks in her eyes when I turn and she gets a good look at my face, plastered in peach paint. I’d almost forgotten what a mess I must look like, because Wyatt definitely wasn’t regarding me like I was.

And he still hasn’t let me go yet.

“Um… we were fighting, and then, well, we fell,” I confess.

“You two are so weird,” Cherry chuckles, rolling her eyes. “Just glad I wasn’t walking in on anything more.”

Part of me wonders if she’d have been a few minutes later, even a few seconds later, whether there would’ve been more to walk in on. But I can’t let myself consider that. So instead, I reluctantly peel myself away from Wyatt to carry on painting.

Emphasis on the reluctantly.

sixteen

Wyatt

“That’s actually incredible,” Aurora admits, hazel eyes wide as she watches the video on her phone of Sawyer’s most recent bull riding win. “But also terrifying. I don’t get how you stay on.”

Cherry’s working at the bar tonight, so it’s just Aurora with us three guys in our booth, while Duke is behind the bar. I expect he’ll join us for a drink later. You wouldn’t think Aurora’s only been hanging out with us for around a month now with the way she slots so naturally into our group.

Sawyer stretches his arms behind his head, relaxing back in the booth with a smug grin. “Years of practice, baby. If working with Hensley doesn’t drive you away before December, you can join the guys when they come watch me win the PBR world championship.”

I almost miss the way Aurora gives me a side glance because I’m struck by the reminder that she might not be here forever. It feels weird given how she’s become a part of my daily life. December is still months away, and there’s a heavy possibility she could be gone before that—her panic the other day when we were painting was a sobering reminder that she’s not one hundred percent keen on living in Willow Ridge permanently.

Even if the retreat works, I have no doubt Aurora will miss England eventually. I know I would if it was the other way around. Yet, the idea of her no longer being around the ranch, making my life more difficult, makes an emptiness hang in my chest.

A very unexpected emptiness.

I mean, for God’s sake, I’ve gotten so used to being forced into morning yoga with her and the other ranchers now, it would be weird to suddenly just wake up and head out to work without her shouting different positions at me.

I just don’t like change, that’s all.

“Sounds great.” Aurora nods, a soft smile gracing her lips. Sawyer beams even at her faint consideration. “Did you always want to do bull riding, or did you want to pursue football, like Wyatt? I just assumed as that’s how you guys said you lot became friends.”

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