Page 96 of Heart & Hope

He tips his hat at her and swings down from the saddle, drops the reins, pulls her close without a word, and buries his head in her hair. I murmur an “excuse me” and wander around, hoping to find Mack.

“Oh, Reed?” Ma calls, and I turn back.

“Yeah?”

Excitement fills her pretty features. “You’re in the tent first, bath’s waitin’.”

“Sure, thanks.” I pull off my hat as I push through the oversized tent flap to where Ma will have the bath ready. Steaming hot. God, I can almost feel the heat of the water on my skin. And I’m first into the tub. First time for everything. The wooden bath sits in the center of the tent, rugs laid all around it, with a table laden with food off to the right. This has always been my favorite part of the yearly roundup.

But when I cast my eyes to the other side of the bath, I freeze.

My heart rockets from my chest, and the hat slips from my fingers to the ground. Her beautiful smile lights up the room as she runs for me.

Ruby.

I steady my stance as she closes the distance fast and jumps up onto my hips. I open my mouth to say something. Anything. But nothing comes as I rock under the weight of her crashing into me, wrapping herself around my waist. Her mouth is on mine. Hands in my hair.

God, Rubes.

My throat closes over.

“I missed you,” she breathes, leaning back, her palms framing my jaw. “So. Damn. Much.”

I huff out a strangled laugh and rest my forehead on her collarbone. “Me too, baby.”

“But Reed?”

I lift my eyes to meet hers, and she shakes her head with a chuckle. “Heavens above, you stink.”

I chuckle and pull her in tighter. She giggles and sinks her face into my neck. “If I pass out from the smell, you’re going to have to take a bath by yourself, cowboy.”

“Like hell, beautiful.”

She wriggles, and I let her down. “Let’s get you in the tub, then?”

“You’re the captain.”

“You got it, Sailor.”

Now my heart all but stops. I suck in each ragged breath. And the familiar tingles that precede the inability to fill my lungs with air start creeping in.

Nope, not fucking happening. No way in hell’s garter am I ruinin’ this. I steady my breaths and mentally tally five things I can see.

Tent.

Tub.

Love of my fuckin’ life.

Food.

Rugs on the floor.

Three things I can feel.

Ruby’s fingers tugging at my Wranglers.

The stretch in my jeans, my cock swelling as she pulls the shirt from my shoulders.

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