Page 48 of Make Me Whole
"With Hailey? What are you going to do?" He dragged his hand through his hair, his tone a little worried when he spoke again, "Her stay is still temporary, right?"
Not if I can help it. The words were there on the tip of my tongue, but I didn't dare voice them. I wasn't ready to analyze their meaning. "I don't know, Sawyer," I finally answered.
Hailey swiped a few wisps of hair away from her face before she glanced my way. Our eyes locked and her lips lifted into a small smile that I felt all the way to the bottom of my soul. That was all it took for everyone and everything else to fade away.
My gaze zeroed in on her lips; she was mouthing the wordhi.Before I could return her greeting Talia poked her in the arm. Rubbing the spot, she turned her attention to my sister.
My line of vision was momentarily broken when one of the ranch hands rushed past us with a screeching woman slung over his shoulder, arms and legs flailing. I tracked them as he sprinted into the water and very unceremoniously dumped her with a splash.
That had an idea forming in my head.
With Hailey in my sights again, I toed off my boots and pulled my shirt over my head. "What the hell are you doing?" Sawyer's incredulous question filled my ears.
I didn't answer him, instead, I dropped the half-empty soda bottle to the ground before I started to move. Long, determined strides easily eating up the distance between Hailey and me. When I came to a standstill behind her, Jessie was the one to notice me first. Her mouth opened, but before she could voice a single word, my arms snaked around Hailey's midsection and I lifted her off the ground.
Ignoring her yelp, I grinned at the two women glaring at me. "If you'll excuse us." With Hailey's back pressed to my chest and her feet dangling in the air, I spun on my heels and headed straight for the creek.
"Bradley, no. My shoes." Hailey's slender fingers curled around my arms as she frantically wiggled against me. When I showed no intention of slowing down, she kicked off her sandals and wiggled some more. The closer we came to the water, the more desperate her movements became until she finally pleaded, "I don't want to get wet."
I immediately stopped walking; the water barely touching my ankles. Lowering my head, I moved my lips as close to her ear as I could without touching her skin. "You sure 'bout that, sweetness?"
The shiver running through her body had instant need shooting through my veins. My arms banded tighter around her as I started to move again. Wading deeper and deeper until the cool water lapped against my waist.
As soon as I set her down on her feet, she twisted around to face me. Her gaze colliding with mine as my fingers curled around her middle. Focused on me, she smoothed her palms up my arms; resting her hands on my biceps.
"Everyone's watching us," she carefully said.
I tugged her closer. "I don't care." My brow arched. "Do you?"
"No." Her answer was immediate and without a single ounce of hesitancy.
It was impossible not to grin. "That's good because we still have unfinished business."
The green in Hailey's eyes turned a few shades darker, the pink tip of her tongue snaking out to make her lips wet and shiny. "We do."
Behind my breastbone, my heart jumped wildly. This woman was way too damn sexy for her own good. Bringing my hand up, I tucked two fingers beneath her chin allowing me to tilt her head back.
Slowly, I stooped; inching closer and closer to her waiting mouth. Her lips parted ever so slightly while mine tingled in anticipation. I was so close I could practically taste her on my tongue when a blast of water hit me in the side of my face.
"What the—" the rest of my words were drowned out when a splash of water connected with my face yet again. I heard them snickering before Talia, Jessie and Sawyer's faces came into view.
"I tried to stop them, but they weren't having it." My so-called-friend lifted his shoulders in a shrug.
My glare was still firmly aimed his way when my sister's fist connected with my upper arm. "You can't just swoop in and steal our friend away like that. What's wrong with you?"
"That seems to be the question of the day." Something compelled me to look at Hailey; the expression on her face just about stole my breath. Her eyes shone brightly with unmasked happiness.
So damn beautiful.
Pressing my lips next to her ear, I spoke low only for her. "Don't worry, sweetness, before the day is out, you and Iwillhave an uninterrupted moment alone. And we most definitely will be finishing what we started in the truck."
"Ugh," Jessie groaned. "Would you cut it out?" She hooked her arm through Hailey's and pulled. "Come on, let's show these boys how to water fight."
Sawyer scooped up some water with his cupped hand. "Game on."
We spent the rest of the afternoon playing in the creek and later getting dry on the bank. We talked. We laughed. It amazed me how easily Hailey had taken to our group; fitting in as if she'd been with us for years.
The mere thought that she might be leaving soon, had my stomach twisting in knots. Purposefully, I pushed it away as I watched her laugh at one of Sawyer's lame jokes.
