I want to sit next to him in his stupid, loud-ass truck with the windows down and his hand lazily draped over my thigh, caressing my skin. I sigh dramatically, trying to refocus on the page in front of me, twirling a loose strand of hair around my finger. Maybe I’m turning into one of those clingy girls, maybe I don’t even fucking care if I am.
The sound of the exhaust outside jolts me upright. My heart skips like an idiot. A minute later, the front doorcreaks open, and there he is. His brown hair is a mess from the wind, shirt clinging to the hard lines of his chest, and his jeans low on his hips.
I slam my book shut with a loud thud.
“Took you long enough,” I tease, propping my chin in my hand, giving him my best unimpressed look even though my insides are practically doing somersaults.
His mouth kicks up into a lazy smirk as he stalks toward me. “You miss me, darlin’?” His voice is low, rough from the day, dripping with that cocky sweetness he knows makes me crazy.
I scoff, tossing my book aside. “Miss you? Please. I barely noticed you were gone. The quiet was amazing.” I tease.
He’s standing over me now, casting me in shadow, his blue gaze pinning me down. “Yeah?” he says, cupping the back of my neck with one big, calloused hand. “Why are you sittin’ here looking like a damn angel waiting for me to come home?”
Before I can fire back, he leans down and captures my mouth with his. His lips brush mine, so slowly, teasing me like the asshole he can be. My fingers curl against the hem of his black Henley, trying to yank him closer, but he just chuckles against my mouth, pulling back enough to kiss the tip of my nose.
Cocky bastard.
I roll my eyes, shoving lightly at his chest. “Ugh, you’re so full of yourself.”
“Yeah,” he says, his tone teasing. “Full of you, baby.”
I blink up at him, my heart stuttering like a fool. “Whatever,” I grumble, sitting up and smoothing my wrinkled shirt. “But since you’re finally back from playing ranch king or whatever, will you take me into town?”
He quirks an eyebrow. “Where to, trouble?”
I smile sweetly, batting my lashes like a little devil in disguise. “The bookstore. I need to ask the owner to see how much she’s offering.”
He stares at me for a second, something warm flickering in his eyes. Then he bends down again, pressing a soft kiss to the corner of my mouth.
“Anything for you, baby.”
The way he says it—like it’s a goddamn vow, like there’s nothing he wouldn’t do if I asked—makes my chest ache in the best, most terrifying way.
I grab my bag and hop off the couch, shooting him a grin over my shoulder. “Well, come on, cowboy. You’re burning daylight.”
Carter driveswith one hand on the wheel, the other resting on my thigh. His thumb draws slow circles against the inside of my jeans, absentmindedly, like he doesn’t even realize he’s doing it. But I do. Every soft stroke sends little bolts of electricity up my spine. I fidget in my seat, biting my lip, trying to focus on the passing scenery instead of the heat pooling in my belly.
“You nervous, princess?” he asks, his voice low, that stupid sexy rasp making it worse.
“A little,” I admit, staring out the window at the endless fields rolling by. “What if this is a waste of time?”
His thumb keeps moving, steady, reassuring. “Then it’s a waste of time with me,” he says simply. “Could be worse.”
Goddamn him.
When we pull up to Bell’s Books, the old white door with the chipping paint greets me like an old friend. Carter hops out first, slamming his door shut, and strides around to open mine like a damn gentleman.
He smirks as he offers his hand. “Let’s go make your dreams happen, baby.”
I roll my eyes, but my heart squeezes painfully in my chest. Inside, Linda is behind the counter, dusting shelves with a delicate hand. She beams when she sees us.
“Well, look who’s back,” she says warmly. “And you brought the handsome one too.”
Carter chuckles under his breath, tipping his hat in greeting. “Evening, ma’am.”
“Hi, Linda,” I say, my voice a little breathless. “I was hoping to talk to you about the lease?”
She waves us closer, setting her feather duster aside. “I was wondering when you’d come back about that. Something about you... I had a feeling.”
