Page 25 of Tough Love

“Wow, it all smells wonderful,” Addy says.

Reed puffs out his chest and nods. “Yep, was up all night making this lot.”

She laughs and smacks his arm. He grins at her, and she shakes her head. They get on like a house on fire. Reed walksback to the house, slapping me on the shoulder as he goes. Wish he would stop acting like a fucking idiot.

“Hungry, Howard?” I ask.

“Starving,” she says, leaning down to smell a baked dish. The neckline of her dress swells. Suddenly, I’m goddamn parched. She tucks a strand of hair behind her ear and smiles up at me. What I would do to that mouth, those breasts. Fucking hell. My cock stretches my jeans, and I run a hand through my hair.

As she stands back up, her eyes darken and hold mine. Blood thunders in my veins, my heart flinging against my ribs. Sweet Jesus. Her gaze drops lower, and her breathing turns ragged, before her gaze lifts. “Areyouhungry, Hud?—”

“Take a seat, y’all,” Ma says from behind me.

Addy’s attention snaps from me, and she rolls her bottom lip through her teeth. “Um, where am I?”

Ma points to the seat by where I stand. Addy walks around the table as I pull out her chair, and she glances up at me. “Thanks.” But the word is soft, choked.

Oh good, it’s not just me, then.

As she sits, I take the seat beside her. Reed sinks into the chair opposite us, and Ma sits next to him. Pa appears with the meat, cooked and steaming on an oversized plate. He sets it down before taking his seat at the head of the table. Everyone bows their heads and I wait for Addy to do the same before bowing my own.

“For these and all His mercies, may His holy name be praised,” Pa mutters. The second the last syllable leaves his lips, Reed is into the food. Ma slaps his hand like a naughty child, and Addy stifles a light giggle. And just like that, my blood drains south again. I focus on the food, hoping my body will calm the fuck down. But sitting this close to her, breathing her in with every breath I take, makes it harder and harder. Literally and figuratively.

“Thank you for the salad, Addy,” Ma says, taking a huge portion with huge serving spoons that I don’t think I have seen her use more than once before.

“You’re welcome. It’s my favorite.”

Pa grunts. Ma gives him a warning look. Reed ignores them both, shoveling food into his mouth like he’s shoveling shit onto a burning barn. Not a lot of leafy greens get eaten around these parts. Cowboys and the like mostly live on meat and potatoes. That, and whiskey.

Reed passes the bowl to Addy after taking a large serving, and she smiles at him. She dishes out some for herself and then turns to me. “Salad?”

I eye the leafy greens and then catch a glimpse of her hopeful face. “Sure, load it on.”

She snatches up a pile of leaves and places them onto my plate. Great. I force a smile as she huffs a quiet laugh before returning the bowl to the center of the table.

“So, Addy. How is the riding coming along?” Pa asks.

She stiffens beside me, and I grip my fork with white knuckles. When she doesn’t answer, I alternate my gaze between her and Harry. He waits patiently, chewing his food as if he’d asked her about the weather.

“Um, okay, I guess.” Her words are weak.

Shit.

He’s going to jump on this. I know it.

“Will you be ready in time for the roundup?” Harry continues.

“Hope so,” Addy offers, pushing her salad around her plate.

“Yes or no?”

“Yes, sir.”

God, she sounds like me, placating the old man. It grates. I shift in my seat.

“Why did you wait?” he continues again.

Addy shifts in her seat, placing her fork by her plate. “What do you mean?”

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