Page 81 of Dirty Cowboy

She’s not wrong. I’ve been trying not to think about how much Julian and Tristan will murder me if they ever find out.

"So now you’re worried about your brothers?" I shake my head. "Emma, I have self-control. You’re the one who kissed me."

"Don’t gaslight me. You would’ve kissed me anyway."

I sigh because, yeah, she’s right.

But where is all this kissing leading me? Ranch or Emma? In a few days, she’ll be gone, and I’ll be back to my life, my responsibilities. My debt. The reason I started this whole ruse in the first place.

"You must have learned self-control because of all those ropes and bondage gear I saw in the supply room."

I stop dead in my tracks. Shadow and Dash halt beside us, shifting restlessly.

"You saw my bondage?"

Emma raises her brows. "I promise, I wasn’t snooping. But is there something you’d like to share?"

I exhale slowly, leveling my gaze on her. "Trust and surrender are the cornerstones of bondage," I say, my voice low and deliberate. "It’s about control, yes. But also about letting go. For me, it’s… Invigorating."

Emma processes my words, her fingers brushing against her lips in a way that makes my chest tighten. A soft, "Wow," slips from her mouth, barely more than a breath, but weighted with curiosity.

And when she touches her lips again, I want to kiss her.

"And you do it in the stable?" she asks.

I swallow hard. "No. Not anymore."

"So where do you do it?"

Her curiosity sparks something in me, something dark and thrilling.

"Not in a box. Not with a fox. The equipment you saw is old. Unused. And bondage isn’t for everyone," I add quickly, watching her reaction.

"Because you need trust."

"Correct."

She starts walking, turns to me, and says, "I trust you."

Three simple words, but they hit me like a punch to the gut.

Heat coils low in my stomach, thick and consuming. Her voice, her eyes, the way her lips part just slightly, all fuel the fire raging inside me. I force myself to keep walking, to keep my hands from grabbing her, pulling her into me, and giving her exactly what she’s unknowingly asking for.

The world around us shifts, bathed in the golden glow of the setting sun. The sky burns in streaks of crimson and amber, a breathtaking display that only intensifies everything I’m feeling. It’s like the universe itself is pushing us together, painting the perfect backdrop for the dangerous line we’re toeing.

Emma picks up her pace, that teasing smirk playing at her lips.

"Eric?"

"Yes?"

"Do you plan on kissing me often?"

The question lands hard in my chest. Do I? I already want to. I want to kiss her every damn second I’m around her.

"For as long as you let me," I admit.

She stops, turning to face me fully, her expression unreadable at first, but then her lips curve upward, slow and knowing.

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