Page 65 of The Lies We Told Ourselves

“Which is Delaney’s farm?” I asked, tipping my head back to look at the man behind me.

Booker pointed out Delaney’s house, which you could just see peeking out from behind a hill. The ever-expanding rows of what I now knew were apple trees should have given it away. There was even a cute little pond sitting behind it that looked like heaven.

Then my gaze found the imposing modern mansion sitting on the other side of town, just beyond Delaney’s farm. It was obvious who it belonged to. It looked so cold and isolated, sitting there with its manicured gardens that didn’t match the rest of town.

Some people might dream of having a house like that but knowing what Booker had been through cast it in a whole different light for me. It was so impersonal and not a place I’d ever want my children to grow up in.

Booker moved back to the horses, and I watched as he opened up his saddlebags, pulling out a blanket and somecontainers of food. If there was anything sexier on this planet than a man pulling out a picnic, I challenged you to find it.

Because damn!

When he turned around, he must have seen the look on his face.

“What?” Booker asked cautiously as he shook out the blanket and laid it on the ground where we’d get the best view.

Booker reached for my hand and then pulled me down onto the blanket, opening a container and passing it to me.

“This is really impressive, Booker,” I said, staring down at the sandwich, chips, and a bottle of water that he’d tucked inside.

“It’s just lunch.” He shrugged.

I looked up in surprise. Did he really not know how special this was?

“That’s a shame,” I said, opening my chips and popping one in my mouth, crunching it slowly as he looked at me in confusion. “People usually get rewarded for doing something nice.”

As expected, that definitely had Booker’s attention.

His tongue darted out to swipe along his bottom lip as he carefully took off his hat and laid it on the blanket beside him. As he leaned back, stretching out that muscled frame before me, I swear I was ready to jump him.

Thankfully, there was absolutely no reason I shouldn’t.

The corner of Booker’s lips ticked up in a smile as I climbed into his lap, and his hands came to my waist as that smile turned into his sexy smirk.

“And just what kind of reward did you have in mind?” he asked.

“Well, therewasa particular something I had in mind this morning before we were disturbed,” I whispered, leaning forward to kiss his lips. Pulling away a fraction, I added, “Andjust an FYI, Booker. When you send me into the shower, I expect you to follow me.”

Booker groaned and then his hands tangled in my hair as he pulled me back to his lips and deepened the kiss.

My hips rolled, and I felt Booker instantly grow hard beneath me.

There was something about Booker’s kiss that felt protective and possessive all in one. And I couldn’t get enough. It should scare me. Hell, it should probably terrify me. But I wanted him just as much as he wanted me, and when that need was mutual, there was nothing oppressive about it.

Booker suddenly wrapped his hands around my ass and raised up on his knees, taking me with him. I yipped in surprise before he smoothly laid me down on the blanket, holding himself above me as he brushed the hair away from my face.

“You’re so beautiful,” he murmured, his fingertips trailing across my jaw.

I felt the blush rise to my cheeks.

I knew I wasn’t unattractive, but I wasn’t used to hearing someone say it aloud. It made me immediately want to deny it, to tell him he was wrong. But the serious look on Booker’s face left no doubt in mind that he’d never agree with me.

“Will you come with me to the carnival?” he asked. “Like a date.”

He suddenly looked nervous. Did Booker not know how I felt about him? Or did he just not think that he deserved it?

“There’s nothing I’d like more,” I told him, hoping he could hear just how much I meant it. “I like you a whole hell of a lot, Booker. I hope you know that.”

Booker kissed me gently. His hand ran down my side as he seemed to map my curves, staring deep into my eyes as he did. I knew he was looking for something. Some kind of confirmation and it killed me he’d gotten this far in life without being able totake someone at their word for something so simple as how they felt about him.

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