Page 51 of Our Sweet Destiny
Chapter Twenty-Eight
JADE CALLED RILEY from the safety of her bedroom. She needed to share what she was feeling. Holding it in was making her feel like a balloon ready to pop.
“Hey, Ri,” she said when Riley answered.
“Well, if it isn’t Ms. Sneakaround. What’s up?”
Jade sighed, her lips lifting to a smile. “That’s what’s up, actually. This is proving to be much harder than I thought it was going to be. Am I doing the right thing, sneaking around to see Rex?”
“You know, I never really pegged you for such a straitlaced worrywart. Since when do you worry about following your heart—or lips—or whatever it is that’s drawing you toward Sexy Rexy?”
“See, I knew you’d make me smile.” Jade lay back on her bed. “I care because of the feud between our families.” She thought about what she’d said and knew there was more that she needed to get off her chest. “Ri, I love him, and this is so impossible. I mean, our families hate each other. It’s not even realistic, right? Tell me I’m right, because I can’t stop thinking about him, and I’m not sure I can stop myself from wanting to be with him, either. Tell me I should, make me turn away or something.”
Riley sighed. “Girlfriend, you know that’s not happening. You have fallen so hard for him. You fell for him too many years ago to count. You need to pull up your big-girl panties, suck up the sneaking around until you figure it out, and go with it. What kind of friend would I be if I let you turn away from the love of your life?”
Jade smiled and closed her eyes, knowing Riley was right and also realizing that Riley’s response was exactly the reason why she’d needed to call her.
“Thanks, Ri. I’m just so tied in knots right now.”
“I know you are, and that’s okay. Somehow, some way, this will all untangle and you’ll be stronger for it. I just know you will.” Riley blew out a long breath. “I love ya, Jade, but sheesh, I need to charge you a therapy fee or something.”
Jade laughed. “Do you charge by the minute? I’d better get off the phone.”
After hanging up with Riley, Jade felt better, but she still had too much energy to relax. Her mother was sewing, and her father was practically asleep in his recliner in front of the television. Jade stole into the barn to spend a little time with Flame. She gave him a nice rubdown. Every stroke of his muscles beneath her hands reminded her of Rex, the way she’d kneaded and worked his muscles by the creek.
She’d just locked Flame’s stall when she caught a flash of something by the back barn doors. She watched the doors for a minute, and when there was no more movement, she wrote it off to her nerves and went to close the doors for the night.
Out of habit, she glanced into the woods, nearly screaming when she saw Rex standing there. He broke through the trees and wrapped his arms around her, picking her right up off the ground in a deep and tender kiss.
“Damn, I’ve missed you,” he said, nuzzling into her neck.
“I can’t believe you’re here,” she said as he set her back down on the grass.
“I love when you smell like the barn.” He kissed her neck.
“I’ll have to roll around in the hay more often,” she teased. “Come here.” She dragged him around to the far side of the barn, where they were hidden from the house and the street.
“I couldn’t wait until tomorrow at the horse show to see you,” he said, running his hands up and down her bare arms.
“We’re on gate patrol together,” she said.
“Gate patrol, sounds hot,” he joked. “Listen, Jade. I’m sorry to risk coming by, but I had to see you. I’m not sure I can do this,” he said.
Her heart nearly stopped. “What?”
“Hide from everyone. Jade, I’m not giving you up either way. Whether they get over their feud or not, I’m with you. If you’re with me,” he said.
She watched him search her eyes. She took his cheeks between her hands and said, “It’s the dance of two lovers, not one.”
He lowered his mouth to hers, and she stood on her tiptoes to kiss him deeper. His hands wrapped around her waist and she pushed him back until he was leaning against the siding of the barn.
“Hey, I’m supposed to do that,” he teased.
“I didn’t know we had rules,” she said between heated kisses, and brushed her hips over his.
“Jade,” he whispered. “Your family is right inside.”
She hadn’t planned to touch him, and now, when she thought about pulling away, she didn’t want to. He pulled her closer, and she ground her hips into him, earning a sexy, manly moan. Rex kissed her neck, sucking and licking, drawing her need closer and closer to the surface.
