Page 47 of Brazen

I know. Working on it.

“Hey.” She reached for me, and I loved that she’d done that.

“Where’s JT?” I asked, glancing down the hall.

“With Remy and Joy.”

I pulled her in, savoring the feeling of her arms around my waist. She was breaking her own rules, but I wasn’t about to point it out.

She lifted her face to mine. “I have to confess something, Sam.”

My pulse picked up speed. By the softness of her body and face, it didn’t feel like it was going to be something bad.

“Yeah?”

Her cinnamon and sugar scent curled in my nostrils, making it hard not to pick her up, pin her against a wall, and drive into her until she screamed. The elementary school was definitely a no-fuck zone.

Claim. Mark. Make her mine. My wolf was furious I hadn’t marked her yet.

“I underestimated you.”

It shouldn’t hurt. Especially because I already knew it was the case. But I could still feel that old sense of frustration that always rose when people didn’t take me seriously.

“How so?” I kept my tone neutral.

As if realizing she’d offended me, she winced. “I don’t know–I saw you as just another cocky young rodeo star who is smooth with the ladies. I spent my whole life around big shot drivers and pit crew guys. Swagger rules in the IndyCar world, and you have some impressive swagger.”

I kept my expression inscrutable. “And now?”

“Tonight, I saw a guy who’s devoted to his family and great with kids. A guy with plans for his future. A guy who pitches in to help without expecting a reward. I noticed that you’re different. You’re not just another self-absorbed, big ego.”

I was bothered by her words. By her lack of trust. But at least she was sharing her thoughts. I was getting under her armor.

“Anyway, I just wanted to apologize for underestimating you.”

My lips twisted into a wry grin. “Happens a lot.”

She searched my face. “What do you mean?”

“People think I’m just a pretty face.” I winked. I was going for charming but didn’t quite hit the mark. My frustration bled through, but all I did was shrug it off. “My father died when I was twelve.”

Her eyes widened briefly. “I’m so sorry.”

I gave her a soft smile because what was there to say? One day he was with us, the next… gone. “I wanted to be the man of the house. I figured it was my job to take care of my mom and sisters, but everyone treated me like a child. I tried to get a job on the ranch, but they wouldn’t take me. That’s why I jumped at joining the rodeo circuit when Boyd Wolf offered to mentor me. I was able to make the money my momma needed to keep things going. I paid for a complete remodel of her house and helped my sisters through college.”

“See? Still underestimating,” she said.

“Yeah, they still don’t take me seriously. My sisters love me, but damn, they are always telling me what to do. If people think I can’t do anything more than ride a bull or seduce a female, that’s okay.”

Except Clio. I wanted her to see me as more than a guy only interested in an easy buckle bunny.

“Well, I can attest to the second skill,” she added. “But, Sam, if I’m honest, you turned me on more tonight than all the nights we’ve hooked up.”

My heart did a double pump. I stroked down her sides to rest my hands on her hips. “Is that true? I guess I’ve been doing something wrong.”

She laughed, and the sound was… magical. “Definitely not. No, I mean, you turned me on in a different way. You were a hero. You saw what needed to be done and jumped right in. I guess you’ve been trying to be that guy since you were twelve. I… I appreciate you.” She stood on her tiptoes and pressed her lips against mine.

Mine. Mine. MINE.