Total pages in book: 110
Estimated words: 107803 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 539(@200wpm)___ 431(@250wpm)___ 359(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 107803 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 539(@200wpm)___ 431(@250wpm)___ 359(@300wpm)
I smiled. “It is. But I’m tired of wasting time because I’m afraid to open my heart again. And I’ve never had this kind of relationship with a woman. No, I don’t mean because you’re pregnant. Don’t tell Levi I’m about to say this, but…you’ve slowly become my best friend. And it’s been killing me to avoid you, because all I want to do is tell you about my day, or how a stupid cow got stuck in a water trough, or how Gatlin thought he could ride a stallion and it threw his ass so far in the air I was sure he was going to break both legs when he hit the ground. Instead, I haven’t been sharing any of those things because I’m an idiot.”
Her eyes filled with warmth. “You’re not an idiot.”
A humorless laugh slipped free. “I am an idiot. But I’m tired of hiding, pretending I don’t have feelings for you. I want to see where this goes.”
She chewed on her lower lip before she asked, “Are you really sure?”
I took her face in my hands once more. “I’ve never been so sure of anything in my entire life.”
When she smiled up at me, that last wall around my heart crumbled to the ground. I leaned down and kissed her. It was a slow, sweet kiss. Her hands came up to my chest, and the heat of her body made mine feel like I’d caught on fire. Lilibeth had a way of lighting a flame inside of me.
She drew her head back after a moment. “What time is our date?”
“We need to leave here by four. If you’re feeling up to it, I’d also like to show you something on the ranch first. We have to ride out to it, though.”
Excitement danced across her face as her eyes sparkled. “I’d love to go for a ride. Give me like fifteen minutes?”
“Take your time. And dress warm, it’s cold outside.”
Lilibeth
Once I was in my room, I softly shut the door and put my hand up to my mouth.
Is this really happening?
Pushing off the door, I quickly headed to the bathroom and looked in the mirror. My fingers traced my lips, which still tingled from Caden’s kisses. I closed my eyes and drew in a deep breath, then slowly let it out.
Opening my eyes once again, I smiled. A part of me had given up hope that nothing more than friendship would ever come out of our arrangement. A small part of me, a very small part, held out hope that he felt the same for me as I did for him.
“That must have been some talk with his parents,” I whispered, as I looked at myself in the mirror. I quickly took off my overalls and dug out my winter riding clothes.
It took everything I had not to pick up my phone and text Ensley or Emeline to tell them I was going on a date with their brother. Ensley would tell me she’d told me so, while Emeline would be over the moon. Both of them had tried to convince me in the last few weeks that Caden felt more for me than he was admitting, but I’d refused to believe it. Maybe it was my way of protecting my heart…I wasn’t sure.
Avoiding my cell, I put on my riding boots, grabbed a scarf, a knit hat, and my riding gloves, and headed downstairs.
I could hear Caden speaking to someone from inside his office. I decided to head to the kitchen for a quick snack and a drink.
“Ready to go?” he asked, entering the kitchen a few minutes later.
Swallowing the last of the peanut butter cracker, I nodded. “Ready.”
We headed to his truck, and when something buzzed, Caden pulled out his cell, looked at it, then smiled.
“Good news?” I asked, as he opened the truck door, then held my hand as I climbed up into the cab.
“Something like that,” he said with a wink that sent my heart into overdrive.
As we drove to the barn, Caden and I talked about the theme for the baby’s room.
“What do you want?” he asked.
“I don’t know,” I sighed. “I don’t want to do the typical themes. You know, like Noah’s Ark, Winnie the Pooh.”
“Alice in Wonderland?” he asked with a grin.
Laughing, I said, “No! I love my store, but I want something different for the baby. Something whimsical for sure, though.”
“Have you wondered about whether it’s a boy or a girl?” he asked.
I placed a hand over my little bump. “I think it’s a girl.”
“I do too.”
Surprised, I asked, “What makes you think so?”
“Something my grandmother said to me when she found out you were pregnant. She said the more morning sickness you had, the more likely it would be a girl.”
I groaned. “I’ve had enough morning sickness to last me a lifetime, if I’m being honest. My mom thinks it’s a boy.”