The drive home is quiet. Seth doesn’t say a word from the time he gets in the car until Cara pulls into my driveway.
After we’ve all climbed out, Seth stands awkwardly and shuffles his feet. “Do I have any chores to do this afternoon, Uncle Josh?”
“No, I think you’ve done enough work for the day. You can go do whatever you like.” I look down into Seth’s face, so similar to my own and Zack’s. For the first time since that bitch dropped him off to us a little over three months ago, I feel hope.
Seth nods. “Okay, thanks. Bye, Cara. See you tomorrow.” He grabs his bike and rides it down the driveway, then cuts right to the barn.
“He’ll go talk to the horses,” I murmur, and reach down for Cara’s hand. It’s so small, like the rest of her, and yet she’s one of the strongest people I know.
I couldn’t admire her more than I do right now.
“I’m sorry it was so hard for him today,” she whispers with tears in her eyes.
“Rough day for you too, honey.”
She looks up at me and nods and bites her lip, and I just can’t stand it anymore. I need to taste her.
I cup her face in my hands and lean in, keeping eye contact with her as I do, and I brush my lips over hers, so lightly that I can barely feel her. I nuzzle her nose with my own and nibble the corner of her mouth. Her eyes flutter closed on a sigh.
“I’m not interested in cowboys,” she whispers.
“Why?” I breathe.
“Because I don’t think tight Wranglers and cowboy hats are hot.”
I chuckle against her ear and gently tug the lobe with my teeth. “Then it’s a good thing I wear Levi’s.”
God, she smells like heaven. Her hair smells like strawberries and her skin is soft. I want to lose myself in her.
“What about Blondie?”
What the fuck? “Who?”
“The blond chick I saw leaving your house the first morning I was here.”
“That was Erica. She’s with Fish and Wildlife. I think I have a wolf issue.”
“Oh, I thought she might be your girlfriend or . . . something,” Cara mutters as color rises to her cheeks.
“I don’t have a girlfriend or . . . something.” I grin. “Cara, you live in the same small town I do.” I look her in the eyes and hold her face in my hands. “Rumors are just that: rumors. I haven’t been with a woman in over a year.”
Her gorgeous eyes go round and she blinks up at me, processing this information.
“I didn’t think I was your type,” she murmurs, making me chuckle.
My hands glide down to her perfectly round ass as I pull her against me so she can feel my hard cock against her stomach. “I think it’s pretty obvious that you’re my type, whatever the hell that means.”
But taking her now would be too fast, and she’s had a rough day.
I pull back and tug her hair gently before stepping away. She’s panting, her cheeks are flushed, and her eyes are bright green.
So that’s what color they are when she’s turned on.
CHAPTER
Four
CARA
He freaking kissed me!
And damn if I don’t want him to do it again.
I pace across my colorful living room, cell phone gripped firmly in my right hand, waiting anxiously for Jill to call. I’m all keyed up, still emotional from the outing with Seth and more than a little hot and bothered by Josh’s kiss.
Josh King is just as sexy and sweet as he ever was, and I’m losing the tenuous grip I had on my professionalism.
Today sucked, that’s all there is to it. I hated making Seth feel small, but I think our little field trip today might have done the trick where his attitude is concerned. Time will tell.
And Josh had done exactly what I’d asked of him; he’d let me run the show today and I know how hard that must have been for him.
I stomp past the dining room table, where my uneaten dinner has been resting for the better part of an hour, and into the kitchen to pour myself a glass of wine. It’s seven fifteen.
Jill’s late.
Just as I turn to stomp back to the living room, wine in one hand and phone in the other, my cell rings.
“You’re late.” I narrow my eyes and take a sip of the cold, sweet wine.
“I’m sorry. I was showing a house and the damn couple kept wanting to hem and haw over the master bathroom.”
I hear road noise in the background. “Are you in the car?”
“Yeah, I’m driving home so you’re on speaker. Can you hear me?”
“I hear you.” I plop my ass into an overstuffed red chair and lean my head back with a sigh.
“So, how’s your day, dear?” Jill asks happily.
“I had the shittiest day of my life.”