Total pages in book: 45
Estimated words: 44342 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 222(@200wpm)___ 177(@250wpm)___ 148(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 44342 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 222(@200wpm)___ 177(@250wpm)___ 148(@300wpm)
I reach inside and pull out a strawberry donut. My eyes widen at the gooey goodness. “Are you kidding me? This is a proper breakfast.”
He watches as I take a bite. As soon as I swallow, he leans toward me. “You’ve got a little something…”
He presses his lips to mine, and I moan when his tongue slides across my bottom lip. He kisses me before pulling back with a smile. “Okay, yeah. You’re right. The strawberry donut is definitely my favorite.”
Heat rises to my cheeks. I knew today would be tempting, but I thought I’d have at least a little control over myself. I’ve barely gotten into his truck, and the tug low in my belly is already overwhelming. I clear my throat, trying to pull myself together. “So where are we going?”
He looks at me for another second before starting the truck and pulling out of the parking lot. “My brother’s ranch.”
I take another bite of the donut. “The Brody Ranch?”
He looks at me curiously, and I’m quick to explain. “It was on your hat the first night. I remember thinking you weren’t fooling anyone with it.”
He laughs. “I fooled plenty of people.”
I point proudly at myself. “Not me. I knew who you were the second I saw you. I almost came over and said hello.”
His hands tighten around the steering wheel. “Why didn’t you?”
I shrug. “I’d already had one rejection that night. I didn’t need another.”
He reaches across the console and takes my hand, threading our fingers together.
I gesture toward the bag. “Aren’t you going to eat?”
He squeezes my hand. “I planned on holding your hand, so I ate two donuts on the way to pick you up.”
I sigh. Can this really be happening? Guy Brody is into me. Someone pinch me. “So Ozzy owns the ranch, right?”
He nods. “You remembered. Yeah, it’s Ozzy’s ranch. I let him know we’d be there this morning.”
“Where is it?”
“Whiskey Run.”
My eyes jerk toward him. “Wait. Your house is in Whiskey Run too, right? So you drove all the way into Jasper to get me, and now you’re driving back? I could have met you there.”
“No way. You won’t go on a real date with me, so I’m going to do everything I can to make this feel as normal as possible. That includes picking you up.”
There’s no way I’m going to argue with him because I like having him come get me. I like riding in his truck with him too. We talk the rest of the way to Whiskey Run. I tell him about my job interviews and the apartment I’ll be moving into. He tells me about his upcoming games and his schedule. He’s happy to be playing at home for the next few weeks. I’m not going to admit it, but so am I.
Guy points toward a sign for Brody Ranch, and I turn to look through the windshield. The ranch is huge. “Wow,” I breathe.
He squeezes my hand. Horses run through a field on one side of us, and cattle stretch as far as I can see on the other. “This is beautiful.”
“You’re beautiful.”
I turn toward Guy and find him smiling at me instead of looking at the scenery.
I roll my eyes, but I’m practically bouncing in my seat by the time he stops in front of a huge red barn with the Brody Ranch logo across the top.
Guy jumps out and comes around to help me down. He grabs a backpack from the back seat and slings it over his shoulder.
We walk hand in hand toward the barn, but when I see a few people ahead of us, I pull mine free. He stops and looks at me. “Hey, it’s okay. These are my family and friends. No one here is going to out us.”
My face heats, but I hold my hand out to him. He takes it immediately.
We walk into the barn, and a man wearing a cowboy hat comes toward us. He’s tall and muscular with dark hair. He smiles, but it doesn’t quite reach his eyes. “Hey, bub.”
He pulls Guy in for a quick hug before stepping back and looking at me. “You must be Nicole Foxx. I’m a big fan of your dad’s.”
Guy rolls his eyes. “Ozzy was more excited about Grant coming to the team than he is about watching me play. At least it finally got him to a game.”
Ozzy plants his hands on his hips. “Please. I’ve watched you play since you were a little boy picking flowers in the outfield.”
I laugh, and Guy smiles from ear to ear. “Right. Well, I didn’t come here to get my balls busted.”
Ozzy slaps him on the chest. “You know I have to give you a hard time. I saddled Daisy and Sarge.”
“Daisy?” Guy asks, surprised.
Ozzy nods reassuringly. “Don’t worry, Nicole. Daisy is gentle. She was my wife’s horse.”