Page 74 of Broken Roads
"Bradley," I breathe as his mouth finds the sensitive spot below my ear.
"Need you," he murmurs against my skin. "Again. Always."
He doesn't wait. Reaching for the condoms he brought, he quickly sheaths himself before rolling me onto my back. Then he’s on top of me, a delicious weight that grounds me as he positions himself at my entrance.
He moves in long, deep strokes that steals the breath from my lungs. There's no rush, no frantic race to the finish, just a steady build of pleasure that has us both gasping.
Afterward, we lie tangled together, his weight half on me, half on the sleeping bag beneath us. I trace idle patterns on his back while he presses gentle kisses to my shoulder.
"We should probably head back soon," he says, though he makes no move to get up.
"Probably," I agree, equally reluctant to leave our private sanctuary.
With a sigh, he finally rolls away, giving me a view of his naked body that makes me consider delaying our departure even further. The morning light plays across the defined muscles of his chest and abdomen, highlighting old scars and new marks my nails left last night.
"Keep looking at me like that and we're never leaving this tent," he warns, his eyes dark with renewed desire.
With a laugh, I sit up to reach for my clothes. "As tempting as that is, I'm pretty sure Ruthie would send a search party if we don't show up soon."
The mention of Ruthie sobers us both. Last night was our own private world, but reality awaits back at the ranch. A reality where people will see the change between us, where we'll have to navigate this new relationship under watchful eyes.
We dress slowly, stealing glances at each other like teenagers. Bradley finds excuses to touch me—adjusting my collar, brushing hair from my face, hands lingering at the small of my back as we duck out of the tent.
Taking down our campsite takes twice as long as it should, interrupted by stolen kisses and playful touches. When Bradley bends to roll up the sleeping bags, I can't resist swatting his perfect ass, earning me a raised eyebrow and a promise of retaliation that sends heat flooding my cheeks.
"You're trouble," he says, looping an arm around my waist and pulling me against him for another kiss.
"You like trouble," I counter when we break apart.
"I like you," he corrects, tucking a strand of hair behind my ear. "More than I should probably admit this early."
With the tent packed away and our supplies loaded into our backpacks, we set off down the trail toward the main house. Bradley takes my hand, our fingers intertwining naturally as we navigate the familiar path.
"So," he says after we've been walking for a few minutes. "You planning on keeping your room at the house, or..."
The question trails off, but its implication is clear. I squeeze his hand, a smile tugging at my lips.
"Are you asking me to move into your room, cowboy?"
"Maybe." He glances at me, a hint of vulnerability in his expression. "Too soon?"
I consider the question as we continue down the slope. Yesterday, I might have said yes. Today, after sharing not just my body but my darkest secrets with this man, I'm not so sure.
"Let's take it one day at a time," I finally say. "But I wouldn't be opposed to spending more nights with you."
His smile is enough to steal my breath—open, genuine happiness that transforms his entire face. He pulls me to a stop, cups my cheeks and kisses me with a tenderness that melts my insides.
"One day at a time," he agrees when we break apart. "Starting today."
Hand in hand, we continue down the path. The ranch house comes into view as we round the final bend in the trail, sunlight gleaming off its roof. I'm about to comment on how beautiful it looks from this angle when my eyes catch on something out of place. A sleek black Audi parked in the gravel driveway, its polished surface a stark contrast to the dusty ranch trucks and Ruthie's ancient sedan.
I glance at Bradley, whose easy smile from moments ago has faded into a puzzled frown.
"Someone we know?" I ask, nodding toward the luxury car.
Bradley shakes his head, his eyes narrowing as he studies the vehicle. "Not that I'm aware of." His fingers tighten almost imperceptibly around mine. "Maybe Sawyer's got a new lady friend with expensive taste."
There's something forced about his casual tone that raises my suspicions, but before I can question him further, the sound of laughter drifts through an open window followed by loud, excited voices that suggest whoever owns that car has received a warm welcome.
