Brooklyn
Ilook around the room after the meeting concludes, trying to stay engaged in a conversation with Trent. Tyler is nowhere to be found. I worry my oh-so-obvious attempt to tell him I’m falling in love with him scared him off.
“Uh-huh.” I nod my head, trying to stay focused on what Trent is saying. “I actually need to get back to my office. Got an email I need to send before I head back to my place.”
“Hey,” Trent’s hand comes out and grabs my arm, “so you and Tyler?” He bounces his eyebrows and nudges me.
“Me and Tyler what?” I say, trying to sound confused.
“Riiiight.” He laughs and pretends to zip his lips and throw away the key before turning and walking away.
I don’t have time to try to explain anything to him, and honestly, I don’t even know what I’d say.
Hey, so your brother and I flirted and I blew him then he seemed to hate me and be annoyed with me and now we’re sleeping together and I’m in love with him but I don’t know where he stands and I just confessed my feelings to him through your dad in a room full of people . . . Yeah, sounds about crazy.
I grab my purse from my office and take the stairs so nobody else can stop me to make small talk. I don’t know what I’m going to say to Tyler when I get to the ranch; I just know I need to try to explain what just happened.
I don’t see Tyler outside when I approach the house, so I get out of my truck and make my way over to the horse barn.
“Tyler?” I call out as I make my way inside. “Hey, girl.” I stop to pet Misty’s nose briefly as I follow the sounds I hear at the far end of the stables. “Hey, whatcha doing?” I lean against the doorway of the next-to-last stall. Tyler drags a brush along a smaller horse’s body in a long, slow stroke.
“Brushing horses,” he says without looking up.
“So the meeting went great. Wasn’t too embarrassing, I hope, showing the photos and some of the comments and stuff.”
“Yup.”
Ah, so we’re back to one- and two-word answers. Grumpy, taciturn Tyler is rearing his head again.
“What’s wrong?” He doesn’t respond, just keeps brushing the horse. “Hey! Look at me.”
This time he stops. The brush falls from his hand and hits the ground with a thud as his eyes bore into me. He takes three long steps, grabbing my arm and spinning me so my back is flat against the wall behind me.
His hands are in my hair, his lips crashing against mine before I can even register what’s happening. His lips are needy—hungry against mine. Just as quickly as he kissed me, he pulls back, his breath coming out in ragged puffs.
“That’s not an answer.”
“Are you playing with me?”
My brow furrows. “Playing with you? No. I, I want you Tyler. I—” I can feel the words threatening to break free, and it feels like there’s nothing I can do to stop them. I don’t want to stop them. “I’m in love with you.”
His eyes search mine before he’s pressing himself against me, his mouth taking over once more. I’m lost in this erotic, passionate, demanding kiss. My hands are still pinned when he drops a hand to the front of my pants. His fingers slide straight down into my panties, where I’m already wet with need.
I don’t even notice the sound of footsteps approaching, but Tyler does. He releases me and removes his hand from my panties just as Decker approaches with two younger men I’ve never met.
“Sorry, boss, just bringing Mikey and Dustin back to practice some roping skills.”
Tyler doesn’t say anything as he tips his hat and waits until the three men have grabbed the ropes and exited the stables.
“We’ll finish this talk later.” He tips my chin upward. “Be at the house at 7.”
“Is it a date?”
“It’s a date.” He leans in, planting one more scorching hot kiss on my lips then smacking me on the ass as we walk back toward my truck.
“What should I wear?”
“Doesn’t matter, baby,” he says as he opens the door and helps me inside, “because the second you walk through that fucking door, I’m ripping it off of you.”