Page 122 of Indulge
Outside, the air is dry and heavy with the smell of dust and hay. The horses lift their heads as we approach, dark eyes gleaming in the sunset.
“They’re beautiful,” I murmur, running a hand down the nearest one’s neck. The tension starts to ease until I glance back and catch him watching me instead of the horses.
“You’ve been grumpy with me since this morning,” I say.
He raises a brow. “Grumpy?”
“Yes. Brooding, quiet, keeping your distance from me. It’s exhausting. I hate it.”
“Maybe I’ve had things on my mind.” He kicks the dirt.
“Then tell me.” I cross my arms. “Better yet, get on your knees and tell me why you’re mad at me.”
He blinks, caught between disbelief and laughter. “You’re serious?”
I nod once. “Deadly.”
I step towards him, closing the distance, grabbing the silver chain around his neck.
“I’ve missed you, rockstar. I really loved our date yesterday, until it all went wrong. You aren’t to blame for any of that.”
He presses a soft kiss to my forehead. That throws me off guard.
“Then why did you hide from me after? Hmm? I don’t like that. You don’t run from me.”
That danger in his voice makes my thighs clench.
“I didn’t want to cause more trouble, Rowan. If I ran to you, that would have just hurt Reggie worse. And I didn’t like that look in his eye when he stormed out.”
Rowan sighs. “Me neither. Killed me fighting with him, let alone seeing him so hurt. If he did touch Lyla, I’ll do it again, Bel. I hate seeing you cry, brother or not, I got you.”
I smile, twisting the chain tighter around his throat.
“I love how possessive you are. But he didn’t fuck her. He swore he didn’t. I believe him. He is hiding something, but it isn’t that.”
Rowan chews on his lip.
“He really likes you, Bel. I’ve never seen him so caught up on anyone before.”
My heart races.
“I like him too,” I admit. “But, I like you too.”
“I really fuckin’ like you, precious. It’s a problem.”
For a long second, it’s a standoff, my stubbornness against his pride.
“Prove it, on your knees.” I grin.
Then he exhales, slowly, like he’s surrendering. He lowers himself to one knee, the dust curling around his boots.
“Happy now?” he mutters.
“Almost,” I say, stepping closer. “I’m sorry I hid away from you last night. I’ve never been in this position before. I’ve neverexperienced a guy actually caring about me. I self-sabotage, Rowan. I can’t stop myself. I’m destructive, and when I saw you both fighting, it made me realize how fucked up I am.”
He looks up, meeting my eyes, and whatever joke was about to leave my lips dies in my throat.
There’s regret there. And want. And something that feels dangerously close to pain.
