Jesus. When did this happen?
I feel like an idiot thinking these thoughts. I don't know how to verbalize them with Kayla, so instead I clear my throat and give her part of it.
"With you, honey, I feel the urge to stamp my name on every part of your body."
Her eyes go wide. Maybe she gets what I'm trying to say. Maybe she can hear the commitment in my voice. I don't know. I do know when I feel her soft hand glide along the side of my face and her eyes capture mine, my heart feels like it swells in size.
"Do I get to do that with you?"
"Absolutely, if that's what you want," I answer without hesitation.
"That's some heavy words there, White Hall."
I move my hands down her back, letting them move down to her ass and massaging it while pulling her deep into my body. We fit together perfectly. Does she realize that? That we're a perfect match?
"Give me your lips, honey."
"You're very bossy," she says, her tongue running across her bottom lip, her eyes still on mine.
"I know. Now do it."
"I'm only doing this because I want to," she whispers.
'I know," I repeat, and then when her lips touch mine, I try to give her all the words I couldn't voice earlier in the kiss. Then, I try to give them with my body. I'd like to think she gives them back. It feels like she gives them back, and that will have to be enough for right now.
CHAPTER 33
KAYLA
“Jesus Christ, Mom, what is this shit?”
“What?”
“This crap,” White says, holding out this putrid green liquid that Ida Sue handed him when we walked into the kitchen.
“Oh. I went shopping last night and decided to buy myself a juicer. Did you know that vegetables and fruits have a million uses that the good Lord intended?” she asks, picking out more produce to torture. “But people don’t use them. I guess because it’s just simpler to buy things provided on a shelf in a grocery store.”
“Really?” I ask, watching as White pushes his straw through his drink. He’s so cute when his nose is turned up like that. He’s cute any way, really. He’s sexy and funny, loving and gentle. I’m pretty sure I’m in over my head with him too. I’m scared to death, but I can’t seem to stop it.
“Yes, Buttercup. Some even say the cure to cancer can be found in the pit of a peach.”
“Why do you insist on calling her Buttercup?” Blue asks, walking in looking like he’s put in a day’s work already, even though it’s barely eight in the morning. Truth is, he probably has. Blue runs his own ranch and helps out with this one. He is the quintessential cowboy from his well-worn chambray shirt, to his tight-fitting Wranglers.
“Her eyes remind me of them,” Ida Sue says, putting more innocent fruit into her next concoction. From the look on White’s face, I can only pray that I’m not expected to drink what she’s fixing next.
“You keep saying that, but we all know you mean Black-eyed Susans. Buttercups don’t have a dark button in the center,” Blue says, leaning down to kiss me on the cheek.
“I can’t very well call her Black-eyed, Blue,” Ida Sue says, waving him off when he sticks his nose to sniff what she’s fixing.
“Don’t know why not. It didn’t stop you from naming my sis Lotus Petal,” Blue says, having grabbed a box of cereal, milk, a bowl, and silverware before coming back to sit with me.
“Lotus is a beautiful name. Though, she was such a sour child, I probably should have named her Lemon Tree.”
“I’m sitting right here, Mom!” Petal grumbles, pushing around her own cereal.
“I know, sweetheart,” Ida Sue says, dismissing her.
“Kayla, I swear to God you get prettier every time I see you. What do you say we leave all these crazies here and I whisk you out to the barn and show you the fresh hay pile I just fixed?” Blue leans in with a wink.
He’s a ridiculous flirt—at least with me. He’s rather closed off with other women. He’s asked me out, but I don’t think he even truly thinks of me like that. I get the feeling he wishes he did. Sometimes I wish the same. Blue is definitely the wife, kids, and home type. But I really think kissing him would be about as exciting as watching paint dry.
“I don’t…” I can’t finish my sentence because White comes over. At first he doesn’t bother me, but I brace myself, figuring he’s about to go caveman and hug or kiss me in front of Blue. After all, it was just last night he mentioned stamping his name all over my body. But, he doesn’t hug me.
He doesn’t even look at me. He’s too busy taking his fist to Blue. He hits him right under the chin, forcing Blue’s head back. The hit is so quick that Blue had no idea what was coming, nor had a chance to defend himself. He falls back against the hard floor, chair and all.