Page 43 of Make Me Whole
Brett kissed the side of her head before approaching the table and extending his hand. "Bradley. Good to see you. How are things?"
I smacked my palm against his in a quick handshake. "It's been good."
Perching his hands on his hips, he grinned at me. "Are you finally going to buy something, or did you stop by for a quick hello?"
"Actually—" I scratched the scruff on my chin while stealing a quick glance over my shoulder. Hailey was still at the candle shop, engrossed in conversation with the owner. "This is going to sound nuts," I said when my attention was back on Brett. "There was a woman here earlier. Long, dark brown hair. Green eyes." When both of them just looked at me as if I'd sprouted a second head, I added, "She's wearing a white dress with brown cowgirl boots."
Still, I was met with their blank stares. I pointed to where Hailey and the shop owner were still chatting away. "She's standing over there."
"Oh!" Recognition finally registered on his face.
I couldn't believe what I was about to ask. "Do you remember what she was looking at when she was here."
Brett nodded. "The horses."Of course, she was.Then he pointed toward a sculpture of a horse standing on its hind legs. "This one seemed to interest her the most."
"I'll take it."
He gave me a knowing smile while picking up the delicate item and securing it in a box small enough to fit inside my pocket. And after I paid him that was exactly where I tucked it away before I turned and made my way back to Hailey.
"Oh! You're back," she said, when I sidled in beside her. She gave me a quick once over; curiosity burning bright in her gaze. I had to bite the inside of my cheek to stop myself from grinning like a fool.
"Ready to go?"
"Mmm-hmm."
There were a few seconds of silence while we headed toward the parking lot before Hailey's voice sounded next to me. "Thank you for inviting me along today."
"You enjoyed yourself?"
"I did." She reached behind her and pulled her entire mass of hair over one shoulder. "If I'm still here next month, I'd like to come again."
A pang of something smacked me right in the center of my chest. I'd conveniently forgotten her stay on the ranch was only temporary. Something tasting a lot like disappointment clogged up my throat and I had to work to swallow it down.
"I'm sure that can be arranged," I finally said.
I was too busy trying to make sense of all the new feelings taking root inside me to make conversation and before I knew it, we reached my truck. Of one thing I was certain: I didn't want her to go just yet, but I also knew I couldn't ask her to stay. Not when I didn't have anything to offer her.
Faint yelling in the background drew my attention and when I looked up, I was horrified to see a kid on a bicycle heading straight toward us.
"Watch out!"
On instinct, my arm snaked around her waist and I spun us so my body could act as a shield. I was vaguely aware of the kid shooting an apology over his shoulder, but I couldn't bring myself to acknowledge it.
Not when I had Hailey in my arms; her soft curves pressed up against me. The warmth from her palms seeped into my skin as her fingers curled around my biceps. My gaze snapped to hers; those big eyes focused on me.
Still holding on to her, I started to move. Within three easy strides, her back made contact with my truck. She was still watching me, studying me in a way that had me feeling she could read every thought racing through my mind. Could she see how desperately I wanted to kiss her?
Hailey pulled in a deep breath of air, her chest grazing mine in the process. Heat spread through my veins like a wildfire. Raw need causing my pulse to speed up. My eyes flicked to the vein in her neck rapidly ticking away against her skin.
I wanted to bend down and touch my mouth to the spot. Wanted to scrape my teeth along her sensitive skin. Would she moan for me if I did exactly that?
My nostrils flared as I bit down on my teeth. Hard. It was becoming more difficult to not give in to this need to take my fill.
My resolve, that was already pulled tight like a freaking rubber band, finally snapped when the tip of her tongue darted out and slid along her bottom lip; leaving it slick and shiny.
There was no time to think. I lowered my head and pressed my mouth to hers. I had no clue what I was expecting, but it definitely wasn't for her to yield to me so readily.
My arm banded tighter around her as I deepened the kiss; slipping my tongue into her mouth. And just like that, the kiss took on a life of its own; becoming hotter and wetter in a matter of seconds. A needy little moan sounded from the back of her throat and hit me straight between the legs.
