Page 60 of Homebound

“Yeah, sure.” She makes a noise that’s louder than the horse snorting, feeding him another bundle of hay. “I lasted a whole six and a half seconds, didn’t you see?”

Her voice doesn’t crack, wobble, or waver. It’s bursting with sarcasm so heavy it can only mean she’s trying to hide her hurt, but I can see through her.

I always do.

This is her norm, tearing herself down before anyone else can. She imagines the worst-case scenario first, that way if it ever happens, she can claim she saw it coming. But if she needs someone to lift her up, I can be that man.

I can be her best-case scenario.

I straddle the hay bale behind her and start massaging the back of her neck. She goes ramrod straight against my chest, but when I knead my thumb at the base of her neck, she lets out a moan that goes right to my dick.

I put some distance between our bodies so she doesn’t notice me getting slightly hard.

Now is not the time.

“What’re you doing?” she asks.

“Massaging you,” I say nonchalantly, though I feel anything but. My body’s buzzing with need.

“Why?”

“’Cause you’re tense. Stop fighting me on it, and let me take care of you,” I murmur in the shell of her ear.

“You’re too good for me,” she mutters, more to herself.

“No,” I counter. “I’m just good for you, and you’re good for me.”

Goosebumps pebble on her neck, and her brows quirk like she’s not sure what’s happening, but I’m done holding myself back.

“Now, listen up.” I lightly slap her thigh, and she jerks, staring down at my hand.

She sucks in a deep breath, seeming to shake off some thought, but all I do is grip her tighter. “No more beating yourself up. Yeah, you fell down, but you’re damn good at picking yourself back up. That’s what you’re gonna do because it’s one of my favorite things about you. You know who I always imagine Vi growing up to be like?”

She twists her head back to meet my gaze. “Who?”

She’s picking at her nails again, so I interlace my fingers through hers to stop her from hurting herself. “Someone like you. Brave. Strong. Caring for the people you love.”

“I don’t feel like a very good role model for anyone right now.” She blinks rapidly and tries to turn away, but I grip her chin, forcing her to focus on me. Her lips part.

I know that means something to her, but she’s not good at accepting compliments, so I press on. “You are. Now, you’ve still got a few weeks until the Granite Falls rodeo, so all you need to do is loosen up. I was watching, and you’re still stiff.”

“I know, okay?” she says, sounding slightly breathless, and I’m hoping it’s from my touch and not the ride. “I’m trying to loosen up out there, but it’s tough when I’m being thrown around by a two-thousand-pound animal. All those doubts come flying back in. My instinct is to hold on, and then I lock up.”

Pulling away, she tightens her arms around her body in a barricade. When she was younger, she used to run around wild and free, but her spirit’s been caged. It’s still there, but she needs someone to open the door. She needs…

A slow grin unfurls on my mouth, and I reach for her hand, interlacing our fingers together. “Why don’t you put on one of those pretty dresses? We’re going out.”

“Oh?” she says, straightening with a small grin that makes me feel like I won the lottery. “You’re taking me out this time?”

I quirk a half-smile, rubbing her arms while trying very hard not to think about taking her home to bed. “You and I are going two-stepping. A little dancing’s just what you need, honey.”

24

THE CUTE FIDDLER

DAKOTA

Patterson sure is getting some flirty looks tonight at The General. I can’t blame all these women for biting their lips because I can’t stop staring at him either.