Page 117 of Knot my First Rodeo

Chapter

Thirty-Five

Autumn

I wake up warm and for a second, I don't open my eyes. I just lay there listening to the familiar sounds of the ranch slowly awakening outside my window. A smile pulls at my mouth as the bed shifts beside me. I finally crack an eye open to find Clint propped up on one elbow, looking down at me.

"Morning." His voice is rough with sleep.

"Morning."

"You've got pillow lines on your face."

I immediately cover my cheek.

"Rude." I squint at him.

He grins.

Jerk.

Clint absentmindedly traces circles against my arm, which would've terrified me a few months ago. Now, it just feels nice.

Eventually, he opens his mouth and ruins the moment, which I’ve come to learn men are good at.

"We gotta get packed."

"No." I groan and roll onto my back.

"Yep."

"No."

"Rodeo's not gonna reschedule because you're sleepy."

"It should."

Clint laughs before leaning down and pressing a quick kiss to my forehead.

"Get up, Darling."

I grab his pillow and throw it at him, but he catches it without even looking.

Show-off.

A few minutes later, we're both standing in the bathroom trying to wake up enough to function. Steam fills the room while I brush my teeth and Clint shaves, the two of us bumping into each other every few minutes because this bathroom needs an addition.

At one point, I reach for my face wash at the exact same time he reaches for a towel, and my elbow catches his ribs.

"Graceful," he deadpans.

"I am graceful."

"You nearly cracked one of my ribs."

"I was multitasking." I glare at him through the mirror, while trying to decide if I actually need half the products scattered across the counter when Clint reaches past me for his toothbrush.

My stomach does a little flip and I suck in a quick breath.