Page 71 of The Playboy's Playbook

That’s a trick my mom taught me when I was a kid and began picking out my own clothes to wear.

I turn to the shoe section of the closet and immediately pull my brown cowgirl boots off the shelf. I can show up to a rodeo in whatever else, but Ihaveto have on these boots.

Even though it’s the evening, it’s still kind of hot. Given I don’t know the setting of this rodeo, I’m gonna assume we’re outdoors. So, my best bet is to wear shorts and I have just the perfect pair. They’re light-washed, have a few rips in them, and hug me perfectly. Just as I move over to the shirts, my phone dings, the screen lighting up with Matthew’s name, causing my heart to do backflips.

I set my phone back down and return to my hunt for a shirt to wear. I don’t have much time left, so I’ll have to make quick work of completing my outfit.

I flip through my shirts like a billfold before finding the one I was hunting for. It’s one of my favorites – a white, spaghetti strapped top that flows at the waist. I’ll have to put my hair in a ponytail, which works out perfectly for me because if it’s indoors or out, I’ll be cool.

I quickly get dressed and just when I slide my boots on, the doorbell rings, followed by Nola’s bark and the sound of her feet scampering across the hardwood floor. I hear a tiny thump, meaning she slid into something…again.

I run to the front door, giving myself one final look in the hallway mirror. I take a deep breath and give myself a quick pep talk.

“You look beautiful. It’s just a rodeo. Don’t kiss the playboy.”

The last one was Erica’s words, but I totally need to remember them because after a year without the feel of Matthew’s lips on mine, I felt feral. I shouldn’t have kissed him because it gave us both a false semblance of hope for the future. It won’t happen again.

I close my eyes, taking one last breath, before I finally open the door.

Don’t kiss the playboy. Don’t kiss the playboy.

Matthew is standing in front of me with Wrangler jeans, his black cowboy boots, and a black t-shirt that fits his body to a tee. He’s leaning against one of the porch posts, a black cowboy hat on his head. At the sound of the door opening, he snaps his head to me, rushing to take off the hat.

Don’t. Kiss. The. Playboy.

He walks toward me in slow motion and smiles softly, extending the bouquet of flowers to me.

Pink carnations with baby’s breath.

“Hey,” he breathes gently.

I take the flowers from him and smile, trying to get my heart rate to calm down.

“Hey.”

I step aside and let him in and he presses a delicate kiss to my forehead. Like he used to do when he’d see me.

Nola barks and jumps up and down, making Matthew and I pull apart. I move out of the way to let him enter the house fully and he shuts the door behind him before picking up a very excited Nola.

“Hey, Nola,” he coos, petting her behind her ear and kissing her forehead, too.

I busy myself with retrieving a vase to set the flowers in, needing some space from Matthew before we set off to the rodeo. I let him spend time with Nola while I grab my purse and phone from my room. After a quick spray of some perfume, I head for the living room again and almost melt at the sight in front of me.

Matthew is stretched out on the floor and is playing with Nola using one of her rope toys she likes to chew on. Without thinking, I quietly pull out my phone and snap a picture of the two. Nola hasn’t had that much energy – that much excitement – in a long time. Looking at the picture, guilt rises in my chest.

Matthew finally notices me standing there and the smile immediately drops from his face. He rises from the floor –Nola grumbling in response –and walks over to me, reaching out before dropping his hand to his side.

“We don’t…you don’t have to go with me, Laila,” he says sadly.

I shake my head and force a smile on my face, locking my phone so he won’t see the picture I took.

“I’m fine. Let me put Nola up and make sure she has plenty of food and water. I’ll meet you outside.”

Matthew nods and gets his hat from its resting place on the kitchen island before exiting the house. I do my routine with Nola and exit the house, jumping slightly when I see Matthew standing on the porch. He smiles at me as we begin walking down the porch together to his…black truck. I didn’t notice the difference the other day, probably because I was too stunned by seeing him again.

I tilt my head to the side in curiosity and confusion. “New truck?”

He nods as he opens the passenger door for me. “Yeah, I sold my blue one and got the same one as Luke.”

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