Total pages in book: 22
Estimated words: 20795 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 104(@200wpm)___ 83(@250wpm)___ 69(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 20795 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 104(@200wpm)___ 83(@250wpm)___ 69(@300wpm)
I don’t care how crazy it sounds, but I feel safe with him, a safety I’ve never felt in my life before. Maybe it’s because I haven’t been around a lot of people, but he treats me differently. Not like my father’s men, who would never look at me. And the ones who would look made my skin crawl. Trace’s stares are different.
“I don’t need a hat.” I go to take the cowboy hat off and he stops me.
“Your skin will burn.” He rubs a thumb along my cheek, and I lean into his touch. I didn’t know someone as big as he is could touch with such softness.
He’s probably right. My skin is pale from the lack of exposure. My father barely let me out of the house. He didn’t like me roaming around where he couldn’t keep a close eye on me.
“Okay.” I tilt the hat back a little more. “This will work.” I smile up at him knowing I look ridiculous. I’m wearing a pair of old jeans that are too long in the legs, and a flannel shirt with sleeves that hang over my hands. They’re his sister’s, but I’ll manage, and it’s better than nothing. At least the cowboy boots fit, so that was an added bonus. I don’t have on any underwear or a bra, but I really don’t care. I’m excited just being here with Trace.
He lets out a deep breath, and I can tell he’s about to change his mind. He’d done it twice inside the house while we were getting dressed.
“I’ve never ridden a horse before.” I reach out and grab his arm. “I’ve always been a little scared to do it, but I know I’ll be safe with you.”
“Damn straight you will be.” His tone is firm, like it shouldn’t be a question that I’m safe with him. “Don’t move. I’ll be right back.” He leans down, placing a soft kiss to my lips, but I grab a hold of him by his black shirt, pulling him closer. I can’t stop myself from doing that. I always feel like I need to have one hand on him, like he might disappear at any moment. That if I don’t keep him close enough, I’ll wake up from this dream and find myself back in my father’s house.
My mouth opens for him as his tongue slides into my mouth, finding mine and making me moan. I love how close to him I feel. I don’t know how long we stand there kissing like that, but when he finally pulls back, I’m out of breath and my lips feel well used. We kiss as if we’re saying goodbye. Maybe I was, because I knew he was about to step away from me.
“I’ll be right back, baby doll. Two minutes, I promise.” He bends down, picking up the cowboy hat that got knocked off during our kiss and placing it back on my head. I clutch at him, not wanting him to go.
“The barn is right there, and I promise, if you yell my name I’ll hear you,” he tries to reassure me.
“I’d take you with me, but if someone pulls up the driveway, they’ll see you. This way I’ll get the horse and bring him back behind the house and there’s no chance you’ll be seen.”
“People come here a lot?” I ask, feeling a rising panic.
“I have two brothers and one sister, and they’re known to pop in from time to time.”
“Okay,” I finally say, letting him go. He gently grasps my chin, making me look up at him.
“I don’t know who you’re so scared of, but whoever it is will have to go through me to get to you.”
“I don’t think anything can get through you,” I admit. Trace is big everywhere, and while I always thought my father was big, I realize now that was something I’d built up in my head. My father is nothing compared to Trace.
“You sure are good for my ego,” he teases, making me laugh again.
I’ve noticed I’ve been doing that all day. I never laugh. Normally I try not to make a sound in hopes I’ll be forgotten. But now I seem to be trying to soak up all the attention I can get from Trace.
I watch as he takes off jogging towards the barn, leaving me standing here. I look around at the side of the house and the big porch that wraps around the building. His place is so nice, like something out of a magazine. It’s simple on the inside with a few bedrooms and bathrooms. There’s a large family room off the kitchen, and a big porch at the back that overlooks the rolling hills. It’s as if I imagined the most beautiful place on earth and I was handed it. I’ve never really thought of a future and having a home of my own, but this seems like the kind of place where I could finally find peace.