One would think a week wasn’t long to reflect on your life situations, but I’d come to realize very quickly that the life I had been living wasn’t for me. It was a series of acts and curtain calls, ones that were destroying who I really was, who I wanted to be. I was done with it; I was ready to live my own life, for nobody other than myself. I’d already started. Instead of acting the way I had been taught a lady should behave, I’d been myself—my real self—the entire time I’d been here. It was liberating, not having to worry about makeup and pearls, sitting with my ankles crossed and not speaking unless spoken to. I’d rather spend every day of my life working in the beauty of a ranch than stuffed into the most expensive dresses with huge diamonds on my hand.
“Hot damn!” Austin’s low gravelly voice filtered through my thoughts as I stepped out the back door onto the veranda. I turned and found him looking at me with a sexy smirk.
“Hey, look at you all scrubbed up. Hot date?” I asked, taking in his twinkling green eyes; the boy was a looker that was for sure. I was sure he could have his pick of girls; he had that self-assured, cocky vibe about him and he played on it. Always dropping a suggestive comment, and beyond all that, was his naturally tanned and well-cared for body.
“I dunno. You ready?” He smirked his signature look down at me from where he leaned against the railing, his dark gray cotton shirt stretching over his muscled frame.
“Cute, real cute.” I laughed at him, bending slightly to slip my pumps on my feet. I still hadn’t had time to go shopping, so I had the few pairs of shorts and tanks I’d picked up in town; the rest of it was borrowed from Ellie-May. Luckily, we were close to the same size. However, her tendency toward short denim skirts and flannel shirts wasn’t quite what I was used to, but I made them work to my advantage.
“Y’all ready?” Ellie-May stepped out onto the veranda wearing the cutest pink cowboy boots I’d ever seen.
“You think you’re going out the house looking like that, you’re kidding yourself.” Destry’s voice sent a shiver though my body and goose bumps broke out across my skin. No matter how much I tried to be oblivious to him, he continued to have this effect on me. For the most part, we tried to ignore each other. Occasionally, I’d get caught staring or vice versa, so I knew he was looking; however, most times I caught him, he’d have a scowl on his face. Turning my head, I saw him standing behind us in the doorway, one hand stretched up above his head holding onto the doorframe. From the corner of my eye, I did a slow sweep of him, taking in his boots and well-fitted worn jeans. His shirt was riding up, giving a peek of his gloriously ripped stomach. A happy trail of hair demanded my eyes follow it until it disappeared into the low-riding edge of his jeans, framed by hips anyone would have trouble not wanting to reach out and bite. Hell, I almost lunged at him from across the porch.
“I’m more than capable of choosing my own clothes, D. Cut it with the big brother bullshit and let’s go.” Ellie-May’s sass never ceased to amuse me. Destry simply scowled and tapped on the doorframe before walking up dangerously close behind me.
“Look good, darlin’.” His hot breath blew on the back of my neck where he spoke in a low growl. Just his voice that close and the heat from his hard body behind me had my knees dangerously close to buckling. “Save me a dance,” he whispered before moving away and sauntering down the steps like that whole situation hadn’t affected him in the least. Meanwhile, I stood stock still with what I’m sure could be described as lust-filled glossed-over eyes, a racing pulse and damp panties. My libido was now in full swing and we hadn’t even left the porch.
“Saw that.” Austin’s laughing voice startled me out of my fog. “Come on. Let’s get you in the truck before you spontaneously combust.” I picked my jaw up off the ground and followed him down the steps to where the boys’ trucks sat. I expected we’d just be jumping into Austin’s big Chevy 2500 Silverado; it was a nice piece of machine in its own right and made for a nice ride that fit all of us in, but before I made it to the back doors, a hand wrapped around my forearm.
“Ride with me?” Destry asked in a sultry voice, pulling me gently into his body. As I stumbled, my hands fell flat on his chest where I could feel his strong steady heartbeat. My brain short-circuited and I was sure if we were in a cartoon, my tongue would have rolled out of my mouth and I would have melted into a puddle. Staring up into his gorgeous blue eyes, I managed to make my head move up and down without blurting out how much I’d like to climb his body like a tree. He waved everyone else off as they pulled out of the drive, and led me around the side of the house where the gravel path continued.
I came up short when Destry stopped and opened the door to a baby blue 1976 Chevy pickup. It was nothing short of extraordinary, fully restored to its original glory, complete with reupholstered gray bench seat and what looked to be the reconditioned smooth metal steel. “Wow,” I breathed, leaning in and running my hand along the dash. A deep groan sounded behind me, poorly covered up by the clearing of a throat. I was wearing a tiny denim skirt and bending over, and oh, good Lord, I was flashing Destry, who was still standing behind me, holding the door open. I straightened myself quickly without thinking and smacked my head on the doorframe. “Ouch!” My hand shot up to the back of my head where I’d connected with the metal. I’d hit it hard enough that I could feel an egg forming under my fingers.
“Ah, shit” he mumbled, grabbing me by the hips and spinning me round. He then planted my ass on the seat so I was facing him, my legs hanging out the door. “Let me see,” he said, squatting down in front of me while carefully touching my head and feeling around in my hair with his hands.
“I’m okay. It’s just a tiny bump.” I winced when his fingers brushed over the sore spot. He made a noise in the back of his throat, and before I knew it, he was carrying me back to the house. My arms automatically went up to his shoulders. He walked with me cradled in his arms as if I weighed no more than a child. I was pretty sure I didn’t have brain damage, so the rush of blood to all my sweet spots had to be the fact his really big, really strong arms were holding me tightly to his chest.
“You need some ice,” he ground out between his teeth. I bit my lip to keep from nibbling along his strong jawline. I did need ice, but it was more to cool my body temperature thanks to him, rather than for the bump on my head.
“Ah, I’m kinda heavy. You can probably put me down now,” I told him when he shifted me a little higher in his arms. I moved my hand down to ready myself for the moment my feet touched the ground, only to feel him shudder under my palm. His gaze connected with mine. His eyes darkened and filled with desire. I sucked in a breath and did it again, running my hand back up his chest, across the side of his neck and stopping against the back of his neck. His eyes didn’t leave mine and a hiss escaped his full lips. The bump on my head was all but a distant memory as the hand he had behind my back moved a little lower then stopped abruptly. I was conflicted. I didn’t want him to put me down, but I wasn’t about to throw myself at him.
“You’ll need to stop me now.” He was looking down at me like he was about to pounce.
“No,” I breathed, his face moving closer to mine with each second. “I don’t want you to st—” His mouth crashed down on mine before I’d finished my sentence, and he took everything I was offering up, consuming my mind and body with a kiss that lit me on fire. I didn’t even register him moving me around until my legs wrapped around his waist of their own accord. Weaving my fingers through his soft hair, I moaned into his mouth when he bit down gently on my lower lip then sucked it into his mouth, easing the delicious sting he’d created.