Page 28 of Country Contract

“What?”

“That thing, didn’t you see it? You couldn’t have missed it.” Harrison’s eyes are trained up the stairs, and I feel his arms start to loosen, a hand slowly sliding down my back. My body betrays me and lets out a slight shiver. The motion catches his attention, and the eyes that were once staring intensely up the stairs are looking at the side of my face. I shouldn’t turn my head, but I do. Slowly, my face turns to meet his, and, as I anticipated, we are only inches apart.

“That was my cat, Cleo. You said I could bring her.” My eyes are locked on his, so blue and bright, like a sunny summer day. His eyes drop to my lips as my last word leaves them, and his pupils grow larger, drawing a dark cast across those vivid irises. It gives the illusion of overcast skies. They flit from looking at my lips, back to my eyes, and back down. I suck in a quick breath before clearing my throat, not once daring to look at his lips.

The spell isn’t broken entirely. His grip loosens, and his eyes return their usual gleam, but he holds me steady.

“Cat? That wasn’t a cat,” he states, shaking his head.

I try to step out of his hold, and he gives the back of my arm a gentle squeeze before releasing me.

“Yes, she’s a sphynx. A hairless cat.” Pride fills me as I think about my sweet girl.

“Unusual,” is all he says before making his way out my front door with a charming smile. “Well, let me know if you need anything.”

I watch him as he walks toward his truck, appreciating him in the daylight. He’s tall and lean with a muscular tone. His back seems wider than someone who is usually as lean as he is, but I imagine constant physical labor will do that.What is most shocking is this man’s ass. Girls fly to Miami and pay top dollar for an ass like his. With each step, you can see the flex of a strong hamstring and the tightness of his rear release. It’s hypnotic. I didn’t realize women could be into asses, but here I am ogling him.

He looks over his shoulder and jerks his chin at me as if to say, “Catch you later.”

I only arch a brow in response.

I wasn’t looking for a tense trip, but it looks like I might get one.

Chapter 13

Harrison

She’s feisty as hell. The bite in her voice is almost as bad as the sting of her nails as they dig into my arms. She scrapes her pointed, black-tipped nails down the backs of my arms as I hold her against the wall. That mouth of hers continues to get her into trouble.

I can’t help but want to try and push her into a corner anytime we start one of our verbal spars.This time, she didn’t want to ask for my help.

I stop by the house daily to make sure she has what she needs and because I can’t seem to stay away. Watching her struggle with an old, troublesome window on the second floor had been entertaining. She had flushed cheeks and a hint of perspiration from her efforts. It looked good on her.

Offering my help only pissed her off and spurred her on to try harder. Icouldn’t help but go over and tease her more. Standing behind her, I pressed my body against hers; I could tell from the first time that she liked the way we felt against each other.

She is a thin woman, slender in many aspects, which is something that usually doesn’t appeal to me. I prefer acurvier woman. Still, somehow, Harlow’s lean, tight body steals my attention.

Running myhands down her arms, I place my palms on the backs of her hands, pushing the window shut with a decent amount of force.

“It just needs a little push, that’s all,” I whisper into her ear.

She shoots around and gives me all the venom she can hold in those black eyes. I hate how much I like it. When she turns to face me, there is barely a moment when I have the advantage. I move us quickly to the wall beside the window.

We are pressed against each other, her back to the wall as I cage her in. When I press my mouth against hers, she won’t letme in; she’s set her jaw in defiance, but she tilts her chin up to challenge me to take what I want, if I dared. Boy, did I. My tongue slides across the seam of her lips, but she only gives me the raised arch of one of her brows.

I give a chaste kiss at the side of her mouth and move down her jaw, making my way to her neck. Her nails dig deeper into the flesh at the back of my arms. It stings but feels so good. I push a leg between hers, and she sinks down the wall to seat herself on me. So defiant yet so agreeable at the same time.She just doesn’t want to give in without that fight. I smile into my kisses knowing this is her game. I take her lobe between my teeth and bite; this grants me a breathy sigh, and I know her jaw is finally slack enough for me to go in for a kiss.

When I pull my head back to look at her,I see her hooded gaze. She slides herself up and down my leg only twice while holding my stare, her parted lips too inviting. I bring my head down to finally meet hers, and she parts them further, sittingdeeper on me.

BEEP BEEP BEEP.

I groan, turn onto my side, and reach aimlessly for my phone. I have never hated a device so much in my life.It’s been almost a week that Harlow has been staying on this ranch, and she is taking up too much of my time. She’s not even asking for it, which makes it that much more annoying.

She stays in the bunkhouse for the most part and barely goes into town. She attended the Saturday market, which I shamelessly went to, as well. Watching her mingle with the people of my town so effortlessly was strange. She doesn’t fit the typical Pebble Creek mold, but that didn’t matter. Everyone loved her.

Every day she sits on the small porch outside the bunkhouse and has her morning coffee. On the cooler days, she brings out a small blanket to drape across her lap, her black knitcardigan on her shoulders.

In the afternoon she sits out there having another cup of something while she reads her manuscripts. At night, I walk past the bunkhouse and hear her music as she cooks for herself. The music changes every day, so I can’t pinpoint her taste.

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