Page 10 of Before You Can Blink
“Wade . . .” I drew his name out in warning.
“What? If he didn’t want any of the hands lookin’, he shouldn’t let her cook for us.” He let out a lewd moan as he rubbed his stomach. “And damn can she cook.”
“Keep your eyes on the plate, not the teenage girl serving it to ya, understand?”
He shrugged. “I can’t help it if she’s lonely out there with only her daddy for company.”
I let out a frustrated groan. “He wasn’t kiddin’ with that shotgun.”
“Don’t I know it,” Wade agreed, taking another pull from his beer. “Nothing’s going on, I swear. She talks, and I listen. That’s it.”
A rumble sounded from my chest. I wanted to believe him, but a lifetime of friendship meant I knew him better than anyone. And I would lay good odds that he would land himself in hot water when “just talking” turned into more with the rancher’s baby girl. Caroline was the sugar to Layla’s spice. It wouldn’t take much to break her heart.
Wade’s empty bottle landed on the bar top with a hollow thud, and he shoved off his stool. “Wish I could stay longer, but dawn comes quick when you’ve gotta be up before the sun.”
I didn’t envy his job one bit. Ranching was long hours of manual labor, and there weren’t many days off. I much preferred my freedom, even if it didn’t come with a steady paycheck or the room and board that Wade currently enjoyed.
“You stickin’ around now that the season’s over?” Wade pulled on his wool-lined jacket.
My head bobbed on a nod. “Yeah, I’ll be around.”
I wasn’t looking forward to living with my mother for the next few months, especially now that she’d moved past mourning and was entertaining gentlemen callers—more like fuck buddies, but what was the difference? It just didn’t make much sense to waste money on getting my own place when I spent most of the year on the circuit. No, I needed to save my pennies to put toward entry fees for next year’s quest for glory.
“Catch ya later, Jett.” Wade gave me a hearty clap on the back before heading out the door.
Closing my eyes, I released a deep exhale. Coming home was always jarring. I was used to action and adventure, something this stuffy country town sorely lacked. And the worst part? Nobody seemed to mind. They were happy living their safe little lives, not caring that there was a whole world out there waiting to be explored and exhilarating experiences to be had.
Most exciting thing that ever happened around here was the annual tree-lighting ceremony—everyone gathered in the middle of Main Street to watch someone flip a switch that powered the twinkling lights strung around the branches of an oversized evergreen.
I couldn’t live the rest of my life stuck here. I just couldn’t.
Draining the rest of my beer, I tossed a few bills on the counter before rising to my feet. I made it all of two steps toward the back exit when my eyes landed on a curvy brunette seated at the far end of the bar.
Freezing in place, I scanned her lush form, tilting my head to the side to catch a glimpse of her face. Like she knew I was watching, she turned enough that I was able to confirm she was a stranger, not a local.
Thank God for that.
There were two types of girls in Rust Canyon. The ones where if you took them to bed, they expected a marriage proposal the following morning, and the ones that had you averting your eyes from half the guys in town because they already had carnal knowledge of your girl.
I wasn’t interested in either type, so I’d made a vow never to sleep with a woman who called this town home.
But I couldn’t help but wonder if the woman with the ass so mouthwateringly round it was sure to overflow my large hands might offer a loophole.
Like I was pulled by a string, my feet moved forward until I was standing right behind the stool set next to hers. Pulling in a cleansing breath, I threw on an easy smile and leaned my forearm on the bar.
“New to town or just passing through?”
The beautiful stranger’s body jolted, a gasp torn from her throat as she pressed a hand over her heaving chest.
“Sorry to startle you, miss,” I apologized smoothly.
Plush, pink lips parted, and a rush of air escaped when her gaze swept up, up, up until it landed on my face.
It had been a long time since I’d flirted with a woman. I was used to overeager buckle bunnies rubbing against me whenever I managed to pull off a win. They got off on sleeping with a champion. But I liked my odds if this full-figured stunner was rendered speechless by the sight of me.
When she swallowed, I had a front-row view of her throat muscles working, and my dick twitched behind my fly. Frowning, she shook her head slightly as if to clear it, but remained mute.
Let’s try this again.
