Total pages in book: 26
Estimated words: 24061 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 120(@200wpm)___ 96(@250wpm)___ 80(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 24061 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 120(@200wpm)___ 96(@250wpm)___ 80(@300wpm)
“Sorry about the size, but the other guest rooms aren’t done yet. I built this one as a nursery since it’s close to the master.”
“A nursery?” I ask, looking up at him. “Do you plan on kids?”
The thought of him having a baby with someone makes a little green monster rumble inside me. I hadn’t thought about him having a girlfriend, and suddenly I’m not liking the idea. But I was right. He’d built this home for a family. His family.
“Someday,” he says, reaching out and tucking my hair behind my ear. “As soon as I can.”
The tingle between my legs should be a warning sign. But for a moment I allow myself to pretend he means me.
Chapter 5
Blake
I watch Lucy as she stares at the wild horses running through the field. I’m unable to take my eyes off her as she gazes at them in wonder. The wind blows locks of her hair that have slowly escaped her braid throughout the day. She looks like she belongs here. That thought has been running through my mind all day.
She has a way with animals like I’ve never seen before. Her touch is always soft and calming, making them come easily to her. They do exactly what she wants them to. Even when I took her out to see our ornery goat Billy, who bites anyone that gets near him. He was rubbing against her like he was a fucking dog wanting attention. I’d started to get jealous a few times. She’d run her hands along their fur and speak to them sweetly in Spanish. I don’t think she was meaning to ignore me, but this is how most of the day went - Luciana lost in the animals and me lost in her. She couldn’t take her eyes from them, and I couldn’t take my eyes from her. She’s perfect. She has so much sweetness in her, and I want it. It shows in everything she does, and I can see why she became a veterinarian. She was born to love and heal. It’s who she is down to her core. I didn’t know such sweetness could even be real.
“Sun’s starting to set and I really shoulda fed you,” I tell her. She’s so small, she shouldn’t be skipping meals, and it makes me wonder if she does that often. Gets so wrapped up in everything around her, she forgets about herself. Well, that’s fine by me. I’ll make sure she’s looked after. Make sure she gets anything she needs.
She turns to look at me, the sun lighting up her dark hair. I’m going to have to get her a hat if she plans on being out like this all day. I’d taken the Gator today instead of a four-wheeler or a horse. I’d wanted to give her some protection from the sun.
I reach out and rub my hand across the top of her head before sliding it down her braid, feeling the heat from the sun on her black-as-night hair. Her eyes widen, probably shocked by my bold move, like I can touch her however I want, but I make no apologies for it. I’ve been trying to give her small touches all day. Get her used to me, little by little. Not only that, I need them. I don’t think I could stop myself from touching her if I tried. It feels natural. Like I’ve been doing it my whole life.
“We’ll come back in the morning if you want,” I add, hating to take her from here if she doesn’t want to leave. Hell, if I’d planned it better we could have spent the night out here if she wanted. She likes being with the animals as much as I do. The thought of her and me out here under the stars makes my ever-present hard-on even harder.
“It’s so perfect here. Almost unreal.” Something passes between us, or maybe only I feel it, before her eyes move back to the horses. Instantly I miss them on me. It does feel almost unreal for as long as I’ve been waiting for this moment.
“He won’t leave her side.” Her full lips part, and she looks back at me, giving me what I love most. Her attention.
I nod towards the wild horses. “I know all I have to do is round her up and he’ll come, too.”
“Really?” Her eyebrows draw together in question, because this isn’t normal. Horses don’t mate for life. Usually stallions breed with one and are on to the next. But not him. Where she goes, he goes. No question. I've never seen anything like it in my life, and I've been around horses since I could walk. Been training them for as long as I can remember.
“I’ve never seen anything like it. It’s actually why I got them. The seller tried to break them apart, I was told, and he went nuts. Once they got him under control he wouldn’t eat. Wouldn’t do anything. They’d talked about putting him down.”