Page 81 of Spencer and the Younger Girl
“Okay,” she breathed against his lips. “I like this lie.”
He grabbed her hand and pulled her up the small hill to the tree. “This tree is kind of like my place. I used to ride Harbi up here, and the two of us would sit for hours.”
She sucked in a breath as she turned. “You can see the entire ranch.”
He nodded with a smile she couldn’t help touching. Her finger skimmed his lips. “You love this place. I can tell.”
He sat beneath the tree and pulled her down, tucking her into his side. “It’s the best place I’ve ever been. Through all my travels, all my experiences, nothing compares to sitting right here.”
She took his arm and wrapped it around her shoulders. “What’s the most exciting place you saw outside this town?”
A grin wound from one side of his face to the other. “There’s this chain of islands on the great barrier reef. The Whitsundays. White sandy beaches, water so clear, so blue it doesn’t look real. There are parts of the islands that look untouched by man. I didn’t know places like that existed. It was the closest I came to finding the peace I feel on this ranch.”
“It sounds amazing. How long were you there?”
“About eight months. I worked on a boat as a snorkeling guide.”
She snorted. “You?”
He nudged her side with a laugh. “Yes, me. Each place I went, I wanted something new, something different. That’s where I was before I came home.”
She went silent for a long moment. “When you came home for Damien?”
“I didn’t—”
“Spencer, you got away with the fence thing, but I don’t like lies. If you want to talk to me, it has to be honestly.”
He sighed. “He’s my brother. I’d do anything for him.”
She tilted her head back and caught his lips in a kiss that ended entirely too quickly.
“What was that for?” he asked.
One side of her mouth curved up. “Well, first, do I need a reason?”
“No.” He laughed.
“Second, you’re not as big a jerk as you try to seem, Spencer Lee.”
“Just don’t tell anyone.” His lips twitched.
Shifting to face him, she pulled her legs up to fold them in front of her. “Okay… so, Damien told me a little, but I’m going to be honest, Spence. I want to keep kissing you. I want it a lot. But not if there’s another girl.”
“Another girl?” Realization dawned in his eyes. “You mean Victoria?”
She nodded. “I get why you like her. She’s beautiful and intelligent and funny. Not to mention she’s not in high school.”
Spencer stared at her for a long moment before leaning forward to press his lips to hers. He inched toward her, and she twisted her fingers in his shirt as she leaned back, pulling him with her.
He hovered over her, his eyes never leaving hers. “You’re beautiful.” His lips pecked hers before pulling away. “You’re intelligent.” He kissed her again.
“What about funny?”
“Hmm…” His lips curled up. “I don’t know, are you?”
She slapped his chest. “I don’t know what you’re talking about. I’m hilarious.”
“You are. You do things to me, Hadley… since the day we met, I haven’t been able to keep my eyes off you.”
