Page 2 of Sexting the Tattooed Outlaw
“I’ve got this one,” I say, softening my tone a little. “Why don’t you take your break, Tasha? You’ve earned it.”
Tasha nods, eagerly removing her apron and stepping away from the counter.
I look at Sam, who seems surprised to see me…although not displeased. His brilliant blue eyes seem to glow as he takes me in, his gaze traveling up and down my body before landing on my face again.
As he makes his assessment, a thrill runs through my traitorous body. It’s frustrating, knowing he has the same effect on me that he always did. Even though my brain knows that Sam Wallace is the enemy, my body seems to disagree.
No! I can’t fall for this again.
I focus on my anger, on the wrongdoing he committed against my family all of those years ago. This seems to help,making my lust fade away as othermemories come to the forefront of my mind.
“This is Beaumont property. You should know you’re not welcome here,” I say carefully, keeping my voice low so that none of the customers sitting at tables can hear. They’re all doing a bad job of pretending not to eavesdrop; nosy neighbors are what you get when you live in a small town.
Sam raises a brow.
“Do your folks own this place?”
My cheeks turn pink, although I know he doesn’t mean this as an insult.
Ididsay this is Beaumont property, after all. It’s not unfair to assume that my parents own this place. My parents own a lot of things in Wild Bronco.
The farm equipment store. The used car dealership. The hair salon down the street. And of course, our sprawling family ranch where – in my humble andtotallyunbiased opinion – we raise the best beef you can buy in Texas.
But Fiction & Foam? This one’s all me.
A lot of people assume that my parents wrote the check for this place, and truth be told, my parents would have been willing. If I’d asked them for help, they would have said yes immediately. But I insisted on doing it all by myself.
I needed to prove something to myself. That I’m more than the spoiled daughter of the Beaumont family, heiress to a Wild Bronco empire. That I can stand on my own two feet, relying on my hard work and my brain to take me places.
“No, my folks don’t own this place. I do.”
Sam puts his hands in his pockets, lazily looking around the interior of the little business that I’ve owned and operated for the last five years.
My skin prickles as I hold my breath, hating how much I still seem to value Sam’s approval. Why do I need him to like this place? Why do I even care about his opinion?
I shouldn’t!
But for some reason, I do. Ireallydo.
“Wow, Kay,” Sam says with a whistle, looking back at me. “You’ve done well.”
“Don’t call me Kay,” I say, looking down. Looking anywhere except at those mesmerizing, intense blue eyes. “It’s Kayla, to you.”
When I look up, Sam is still smiling easily at me. Like we’re old friends. Like nothing has changed in the decade since he left.
“Since when do I have to call you Kayla?” he asks, tilting his head.
My heart begins to melt.
No!Must. Not. Melt. For. Sam.
“Since you destroyed one of the most important things my dad ever loved,” I blurt out, crossing my arms over my chest.
A shadow crosses his face.
He sure isn’t smiling anymore.
CHAPTER 2
