“Thank you.”
Kane leans down and presses his lips to my cheek. “I’ll wait for you, Hadleigh, if time is what you need. But if you don’t have feelings for me, tell me before it’s too late.”
Before I can say anything, he heads toward the door, then walks out—leaving me hot and flustered.
CHAPTER THREE
KNOX
During the entire drive back to the ranch, I can’t get Hadleigh out of my head. I have an entire hour to replay everything that happened last night, and I’m tempted to call in sick and go back to her house.
The chemistry we share is undeniable, but I never did anything about it until she made a move. When I get home, I stumble out of the truck and go straight to the shower. Right now, I need the smell of her skin off me, so I can try to get my mind straight. No woman has ever gotten under my skin like she has, and there’s not a damn thing I can do about it. The way she says my name, looks into my eyes, and touches my body sets me on fire.
Once I’m under the hot stream, I grab my cock and roughly stroke it. My eyes roll in the back of my head as I imagine Hadleigh on her knees, taking me into her warm mouth. As I increase my pace, guttural groans release from the back of my throat. I wish I could wrap her curly strawberry-blond hair around my fist and tug, forcing her to look into my eyes before she swallows me down. The fantasy becomes too much, and before I can brace myself, the orgasm rips through me. I slam my palm against the wall, trying to steady myself. The water flows down my body, and I suck in air as I try to gain control.
“Fuck,” I hiss, then grab a bar of soap and quickly bathe. I never get worked up over a woman. Hadleigh’s the first, and she might be the death of me.
After I dry off and get dressed, I head to the barn to meet up with my cousin Riley, who is five years older than me. As the operations manager, he assigns the duties to the rotating ranch hands each morning. I’m already dreading it because I know he’ll ride my ass for being so late. I usually show up around six, sometimes seven if I’m being honest, but since it’s nearly eight now, I’m bracing myself for his wrath.
It’s deserved, but damn, I have a life too, and working so much wears down my balls. I love this lifestyle and wouldn’t want to be working in an office or for anyone else. However, there’s not a lot of schedule freedom and definitely no special privileges for the Bishops. I swear, having this last name means we’re held to a higher standard than someone who gets hired off the streets.
As soon as I walk in, he greets me with a scowl.
“I don’t wanna hear it,” I mutter, realizing I haven’t had a drop of coffee since yesterday morning. The coffee pot looks like it’s been on for hours because the liquid is burnt to the bottom.
“Oh, you’re gonna hear what I have to say,” he states, crossing his arms over his chest. “I don’t want any more of your excuses about bein’ out late. I don’t give two fucks about who you were with or who you were doing all night. You have responsibilities regardless of your evening activities.”
“Don’t flatter yourself. I wouldn’t tell you my business, even if you asked nicely.”
“Hate to break it to ya, but no one cares,” he throws back. “How about you take your job a little more seriously and show up on time?”
“Mm-hmm. Like you’re the shining example here. What are you gonna do, write me up?” I mock. “Give me a fuckin’ break.”
He stares me down for a few more seconds, but he knows he doesn’t intimidate me. Riley’s used to my antics and knows arguing with me is a losing battle. So instead of continuing to be a dick, he just gives me my assignment.
“The goat farm? Seriously?” I groan.
“Yeah, Ethan needs some help, and you’re the only one available.”
“Great. Maybe I’ll be able to catch a nap before lunch then.”
He shakes his head, and I chuckle with amusement as I make my way out.
“Have a good day,” I taunt for the fuck of it.
“You better be early tomorrow to make up for this shit show,” he shouts.
“Okay, bossman!” I sing-song. For the most part, he just likes to give me a hard time. He’s usually all jokes with his best friend, Diesel, but today, he’s in a shittier mood than usual. I tend to have that effect on people.
I hop in my truck and turn onto the gravel road. Before going to the goat farm, I stop at the Circle B Ranch Bed and Breakfast to quickly grab some food and fresh coffee.