Page 58 of Dirty Cowboy

We return home beneath a moonlit sky, exhaustion weighing heavily on my limbs.

"It was the least I could do," I say, fidgeting with the hem of my shirt. "I can’t believeyoudelivered piglets."

I don’t want to move, and neither of us makes a move to say goodnight as we linger in the upstairs hall. Eric leans casually against his doorframe, his bare chest gleaming under the hallway light, sweat still clinging to his skin from the long day. I press my back against the wall, watching him yawn. He stretches his arms above his head, making things so much worse for my ability to concentrate. The soft glow from the hallway light catches on his skin, highlighting every ridge of muscle, every sharp line of definition.

My fingers twitch against my sides.

Look away, Emma.

"And you didn’t even throw up," he teases.

"Barely," I admit, rubbing my forehead. "But I got to meet your sister, so it’s a win."

A yawn overtakes me, and I cover my mouth with the back of my hand. Exhaustion clings to my limbs, but the last thing I want is to step away from this moment. Eric lets out another massive yawn, like he’s about to swallow the world whole. "Glad you had a good time," he murmurs, his voice thick with fatigue.

He’s juststanding there, half-naked and completely unbothered. If he knew half the things running through my mind, he wouldn’t be yawning—he’d be acting on them.

“I still can’t believe I spent my night delivering piglets. Do you realize this is the most action I’ve had in months?”

“That is possibly the most depressing thing I’ve ever heard.” He smirks, taking in a slow yawn. “Should I be worried about your self-control around me, then?”

I nudge him with my foot. “Trust me, cowboy, if I jump you, you’ll see it coming.”

“Noted.” He stretches his arms above his head and my gaze lowers to the v-path below his navel. I lick my lips.

“I like a little warning before a woman takes advantage of me.” He grins.

“Speaking of warnings… You’re clean, right?”

He raises a brow and chuckles. “You’re the first woman to bring up STDs during a conversation about piglets, but yeah, I get tested regularly. You?”

I shrug, because honestly, I have no reason to get tested. “Yep. All good. Birth control too. So if I ever do decide to take advantage of you, at least, we won’t have to panic about consequences.”

He smirks, and his eyes darken. “You keep talking like that, and I might start thinking you’re serious, Emma.”

My pulse kicks up as I hold his gaze. “And what if I am?”

He shakes his head.

"It’s been a long day. Tomorrow will be the same. We should get some rest, but…"

He trails off, his voice dropping, and I push off the wall, feeling the weight of the moment press against me. I turn toward my room, but before I open the door, I pause, glancing over my shoulder. My hip juts out just slightly, a subconscious dare.

"But?" My voice comes out softer than intended, a whisper of something unspoken.

"But I can’t stop thinking about how Ishouldhave kissed you in the stable," he admits.

My breath stutters.

"Youwantedto kiss me?"

He nods, stepping forward, closing the space between us. "The mood was right, and you were rubbing against my dick with your knee. All the signs were there."

Heat floods my face. "I was not!"

He chuckles, low and rough. "Emma, I know what a rubbed dick feels like."

I step close enough to feel the heat radiating from his body and drag my hand slowly up his thigh, over his sweatpants, until my fingers brush against the thick ridge of his erection.

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