Page 13 of The Rancher's Runaway Bride
Carson yawns, his eyes fluttering closed. “’Night, Dad.”
“Goodnight, kiddo,” Cal murmurs, setting the book aside and standing.
I quickly step back into the shadows, wiping at my cheeks as Cal steps into the hallway. He closes Carson’s door with a quiet click and turns, his sharp blue eyes finding me immediately.
“How long were you standing there?” he asks, his voice low but not accusing.
“Long enough,” I admit, my voice trembling. “Cal, that was… beautiful.”
He shrugs, his hand rubbing the back of his neck like he’s uncomfortable with the compliment. “Just doing my job.”
“No,” I say, stepping closer. “It’s more than that. The way you love him… it’s everything. And the way you talked about me… about us…” My voice breaks, and I take a shaky breath. “I didn’t realize how much I needed to hear that.”
He steps closer, his presence grounding and overwhelming all at once. “You mean it?”
“Yes,” I whisper. “You and Carson… you’ve given me something I didn’t even know I was missing. I ran away from my wedding thinking I’d lost everything, but now…” I meet his gaze, my heart hammering in my chest. “Now I think I found what I was always meant to have.”
His hand comes up, his fingers brushing my cheek, warm and rough against my skin. “Layla,” he murmurs, his voice a mix of gruffness and tenderness that makes my knees weak. “You’ve changed everything.”
“So have you,” I whisper, my hand coming up to rest on his chest, feeling the steady thrum of his heartbeat beneath my palm.
For a moment, the world falls away. It’s just us, standing in the dimly lit hallway, the weight of unspoken words hanging in the air. Then, slowly, he leans down, his lips brushing against mine in a kiss that’s soft and searching, yet filled with an intensity that takes my breath away.
When he pulls back, his eyes search mine. “We should be careful.”
“Why?” I hum.
“Because the more I kiss you, the less chance I’ll ever let you go.” His eyes, warm with emotion, hang on mine and all I can think is good, because I never want this man to let me go.
Chapter Six
Cal
The first rumble of thunder shakes the windows just as I close the barn door for the night. Rain starts to pour in thick sheets, drumming against the roof as I stomp up the porch steps, boots caked in mud. Inside, the house is warm and quiet, the faint scent of dinner lingering in the air.
Layla is curled up on the couch, a book open in her lap, her face glowing in the soft light of the lamp. She looks up as I enter, her lips twitching into a teasing smile.
“Did you wrestle the mud outside, or are you just naturally that messy?”
I grunt, kicking off my boots and shaking out my jacket. “It’s called ranch work. You wouldn’t understand.”
Her laughter is soft, and it stirs something low in my chest. “Oh, I understand,” she says, tucking her feet beneath her. “I just prefer to observe it from the safety of a clean, dry house.”
The lights flicker once, twice, then go out completely, plunging the room into darkness. Layla gasps, the book tumbling to the floor.
“Well, that’s just perfect,” I mutter, striding into the kitchen to grab a flashlight. The beam cuts through the dark as I light a few candles, their warm glow softening the edges of the room.
Layla’s voice floats over to me, tinged with amusement. “Guess we’re roughing it now, huh, Cowboy?”
I set the candles on the coffee table and sink into the chair opposite her. “You make it sound like I’m some kind of caveman.”
“Aren’t you?” she teases, arching a brow. “I’ve seen how you growl when Carson doesn’t finish his chores.”
I smirk, leaning back in the chair. “And I’ve seen how you pout when there’s no hot water left.”
Her eyes narrow, but there’s a playful glint there, a spark that’s been growing between us since the day she arrived. “That was one time, and it wasn’t pouting. It was… expressing dissatisfaction.”
“Uh-huh,” I drawl, letting the smirk stretch wider. “Keep telling yourself that, kitten.”
