Page 49 of This Time Around
No one had ever been more beautiful.
“Yeah.I’m okay.Good, I think.”Uncertainty flashed across her face as she glanced to the mess at the floor.
I leaned in, blocking her view.
“I can go into town tomorrow and get some boxes.Box it up so you don’t have to go through everything again.”
“No.I want to.I need to.I’ll call Brooke or another friend to help me.”
I’d give her that.I should also leave before it got awkward.
“Hey,” I said when her gaze fluttered from mine and she went back to peering at the wall behind me like she’d done when she first saw me.“I liked that, Rebecca.I like you.There’s nothing wrong with what we did.You know that, right?”
“Yep.”Her lip disappeared into her teeth and she nodded.“I know.”
“You want me to leave you alone now?”I’d pressed my luck far enough.
She liked the kiss.It was written all over her.Reality was slowly sinking in though and if she needed time to process that, she needed to take it.Joseph would always be with her.She still loved him.I still didn’t want him ruining that moment.Not immediately, although I suspected that would come.I’d figure out how to handle it then.
“Yeah, I should get some sleep.”She licked her lips.
I pushed off the wall and took a step back.
“Okay.Good night, then.”I turned to leave when her hand pressed against my stomach.Her hand was shaking, tiny little tremors that belied the coolness in her eyes when I stopped.
“I liked it too, Cooper.”
Her smile was fleeting.
I still wanted to stick it in my pocket and keep it like an award.
I left her without saying anything else, hoping like hell she knew how much I liked it too, liked it more she gave it to me, and maybe…just maybe wanted more.
I sleptlike crap and in the morning, I grabbed my clothes from the dryer and got dressed, started a pot of coffee for Rebecca, and took off before she woke up.The best way to move forward after our night and that kiss—that freaking incredible kiss—was to give her some space.The last thing I wanted was the awkward morning-after scenario if she regretted it.
I’d remember that kiss forever and it was the tamest kiss I’d had since I was a teenager.
I hustled to the guesthouse, jumping over mud puddles and knocked over solar lights on the rocky path.I kicked a few branches out of the way and once inside, I took a shower, took care of myself pretending the whole time I was taking care of Rebecca.
I was in the barn with the four-wheelers and tractors, digging through piles of tools Rebecca used to mend the fences.
I’d take them just in case the storm hit anything.
“You don’t want to take the ATV out today.”
I startled at her voice, as much no-nonsense as it always was when we were working and turned.Rebecca was standing directly inside the barn, sipping on a mug of steaming coffee, dressed in gray cut off sweat shorts and a pale blue sweatshirt.It had a wide neck, hung off one shoulder and long sleeves where her thumbs were stuck through the holes.
Her hair was still damp, hanging long over her shoulders and when she bent her head to take another sip of coffee, I caught a glimpse of a white bra strap.
Fuck me two ways to Sunday, she looked beautiful all messed up and relaxed.
“You’re not dressed to work.”
I’d planned for this moment.Repeated a hundred times what I’d say when I first saw her.That asshole comment hadn’t made the list.
She didn’t seem to care much.
“I called Brooke.She’s stopping at the home improvement store and buying some boxes and bringing them out once they open up.Before then, I have to finish up some more paperwork.I was going to wait for the heat to dry the land before checking everything this afternoon.”
