Total pages in book: 104
Estimated words: 97836 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 489(@200wpm)___ 391(@250wpm)___ 326(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 97836 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 489(@200wpm)___ 391(@250wpm)___ 326(@300wpm)
Her eyes widened. “No. Shit. Sorry. That’s not what I meant.”
I shot her a look, and she sighed before apologizing again. “Way… you were born to live here, and you love every bit of it. Even if you didn’t have roots in this town, you’d have planted some by now. Not Eden. The only things Eden likes about Majestic are the climbing routes at Three Daughters, the big water on the Majestic River in spring, easy access to mountain bike trails she knows like the back of her hands, and you. She was born to run wild across every far edge of this earth. She won’t be happy until she’s climbed every rock face, run every raging river, and raced across as many varied and wondrous trails as her bike tires can find. A romantic would say you’re the tree and she’s the bird. But a realist would be more likely to point out that you’re a solid home and she’s an itinerant traveler.” She shrugged. “I’m sorry, but there it is.”
“I always assumed she’d settle down once she slaked her wanderlust,” I admitted. “I always pictured the two of us together eventually.”
She pressed her lips together in thought. “Maybe. But now you have Silas. And despite clearly being a city guy, he seems to be making an effort for your sake.”
Her words took me by surprise until I realized of course she’d see it that way. That’s what we wanted people to see. He wasn’t actually trying to fit in. He was simply acting like it.
“Yeah,” I said, returning to Bunny so I could unclip her lead and turn her out for the night.
Natana tilted her head at the mare. “Leave her to me. I’ll finish your chores so you can go catch up with your man. It’s the least I can do for bailing on roundup.”
The last thing I wanted was to face Silas right now. “No, thanks. I can do it.”
She stepped in front of me. “Way. Go be with your husband. You’ve been married for all of five minutes.”
I let out a breath. “Tell you what. We’ll do it together so we can finish faster. Deal?”
She grinned at me. “Deal.”
We worked quickly. It wasn’t the first time Natana had helped out around the ranch. She was a hard worker and had exchanged labor for favors with our stock ever since she was a preteen rider in the junior rodeo. It was nice working alongside someone I didn’t need to entertain or train. It left me with time to think through my conversation with Silas and my feelings.
By the time I got home, I knew I owed him an apology.
Another one.
I only hoped he’d accept the kind that came with me on my knees without saying a single word out loud.
EIGHTEEN
SILAS
I forced myself to focus on work until Way came back from his ranch chores, but it was hard to be productive when I was so annoyed. Annoyed with Way for making it so difficult to help him. Annoyed with myself for being annoyed because while I might have been married to the man on paper, in reality, he was a guy I’d known for little over a week, and if he wanted to work himself into the ground, that was his own fucking business.
It took a good hour for my anger to burn off and simmer low enough for me to think it through more clearly. Waylon Fletcher was used to being in charge. As the oldest sibling and current mayor of Majestic, his role was to be the leader and take on all the duties. The man clearly didn’t know how to delegate, but at this point, I definitely couldn’t be the one to point it out to him.
Even though I wanted to very badly.
When the sound of his old truck sputtered to a stop outside, I closed my email and put my laptop away. I’d already spent time clearing my own clutter and trying to take up less of Way’s space than before, in case some of his unhappiness had come from my sudden infiltration of his sanctuary.
When he came through the door, he was filthy and sweaty as usual. And as usual, my dick instantly hardened at the sight.
“Hi,” I said.
His eyes glanced everywhere but at mine. “Hey.”
“You need help washing off all that dirt?”
This time, his eyes snapped to mine, surprised but already heated. “Maybe so.”
I tilted my head toward the bathroom and that damned magical shower we’d already shared countless times. “Get in there, then.”
Things were awkward as I started the water and began to pull off my clothes. I tried not to stare at every inch of the body he uncovered, but it was impossible to keep my eyes off those hard-earned muscles. Even with the comical tan lines, he was gorgeous, from the sweaty hat band mark in his hair to the long feet he pulled out of dusty boots.