Page 52 of Love Me Back
“Why do you have to be like this?” I asked as I swiped an errant tear that slipped out.
“Be like what, Jessie?” Grayson reached forward and cradled my cheek. I leaned into him without thinking. “I love you, Jessie. I’ve loved you since the moment I saw you standing on that mountain with your back to the view.”
“You don’t know me,” I said. He didn’t know anything about me. You can’t love someone just by looking at them. He barely spoke to me that day, giving all his attention to Ellie.
“I know more than you think I do. I know that you’rebeautiful, inside and out. I know that you’re loyal to the people you love. I know you’ll fight for those you feel deserve it, whether you have a relationship with them or not. I know that despite being afraid, you went for a walk every day and visited my horse. And he let you. My brothers can’t get within ten feet of that horse without Thunder wanting to trample them. If I hadn’t loved you before, that would have told me everything I needed to know about you. Come home, Jessie. Please?”
“There are things you don’t know. Things that when you learn them might make you change your mind.” Like finding out my uncle was the head of the Mexican cartel, and my father and brother worked for him.
“There is nothing you can tell me that would make me love you less. Come home with me. Sleep in my bed. Be mine, Jessie.”
I took a deep breath. The pleading in his eyes was far worse than the tone of his words. It was the reason I gave in.
“Fine, I will come back to the ranch. But I am sleeping in my own room.” I pushed his chair back so I could stand. Grayson grabbed my hand and yanked me into his lap. His mouth landed on mine, and his soft, firm lips devoured me. While his large hand on the back of my head held me in place, the other one held me hostage on his lap.
Once again, I found myself giving in to this man, and I wrapped my arms around his neck. A knock on the door had us both pulling back slowly. His smile sent a warmth through my body.
“We have guests coming tonight. Clients who want to purchase some horses. They’ll be staying through Sunday, and we’ll have a big cookout with the Silver Shadows tomorrow. Which means Pops will need his bed. You’ll be in mine.” He pecked me on the lips and called out, “Come in,” before I could answer him.
Addie stuck her head through the door and smiled brightly when she saw me on Grayson’s lap. “We need to get back so I can finish getting dinner ready.”
“Let’s go.” Grayson wheeled around and rolled us towardAddie.
“Wait, I need to get up.”
“Not a chance.” Grayson narrowed his eyes and said, “If I let you go, you’ll run.”
I placed both hands on his cheeks. “I promise I won’t run.” When he found out who I was, he would make me leave. There was no getting around it. Instead, I would enjoy whatever time I had with him until then.
I hopped up and followed Addie to the front of the store, Grayson trailing behind. Did I put a little extra swing in my step? Maybe. Did he notice? The groan told me he did, and I smiled.
He had potential clients coming tonight and staying for the weekend. I would do my best to help in any way I could. And after they left, I would tell Grayson the truth.
We got back to the ranch, and Hudson was waiting for us. He stood with his hands in his pockets, a stern look on his face.
“What happened?” Grayson asked as soon as he was out of the car and in his chair.
“We saw him.”
“Who?”
“Thunder.”
“Thank fuck! Where?” Hudson looked at me before focusing back on Grayson.
“In one of the back fields.”
“Which one?” Addie asked.
“The west field. The one you can only get to on foot. Or on horseback.”
“He’s hiding. He knows none of the vehicles we have can get back there, which means whoever let him out can’t get back there either. Alright, let’s go,” Grayson said, rolling toward the barn. Hudson grabbed the handles of the chair, stopping him. “You can’t go, Gray.”
“Why the hell not?”
“You can’t walk, and you certainly can’t ride a horse,” Hudson explained. I knew what he was saying, though I wasn’t sure Grayson would agree.
“I’ve been on the back of a horse since I was two fucking years old. I’m the only one who can get near him, and I’m not leaving him out there alone any longer.”
