Marisol’s eyes widened. “Why would you say that?”
“I saw him at the bar on our way out,” Bubba said, telling himself not to get angry until he found out what Cole had done. “He’s always thought he was God’s gift. Get a beer or two in him and he’s pretty sure he can score with anything that moves. But if he came on to you, I will make it quickly and abundantly clear that I will kill him if he tries it again.”
She shook her head, sending her hair flying around her face. “No, he didn’t come on to me, it wasn’t anything like that.”
“Then what was it like?” Bubba asked, growing increasingly frustrated as he became more positive Marisol was hiding something from him.
Hell, it wouldn’t be the first time.
“And why didn’t you tell me you could sing like that?” he pushed on, his pleasure in discovering her secret transforming to irritation that she’d concealed her talent from him in the first place.
“It never came up,” she said with an uncomfortable shrug that made him suspect she knew that was a bullshit excuse.
“Kind of like the fact that you know how to ride a horse, and work a cattle ranch never came up?” he asked. “Like that you have brothers, and a family who treats you like shit, and an ex-boyfriend who did something awful to you that you refuse to tell me about never came up?”
She swallowed and turned to look out the front glass. “No, it’s just—”
“Because all of those things came up, Marisol,” he said, unable to stop himself now that he’d started down this road. He was an open book, and he wanted the same from the woman he was crazy about. He wanted in on every part of Marisol’s life, but so far she’d done her best to keep him in the dark about everything but the shit most people spill on the first date. “They came up every time I told you about where I’d come from. And we’ve been making music together for weeks, but you let me assume you were tone deaf. God, after hearing you, I feel like a fool.”
“It’s not my fault you assumed things that weren’t true,” she said, heat in her tone. “I never lied to you. I never told you I couldn’t sing or ride. And I never pretended that I had all my shit together and was ready to be your perfect little girlfriend.” Marisol’s breath rushed out with a wounded sound as she turned to stare out the passenger window. “I don’t know. Maybe we’re jumping into this too fast.”
Bubba flinched, her words sending a wave of physical pain through his body, making his muscles ache. “I thought you were done being afraid.”
“I’m not afraid, I…” She took a deep breath but didn’t turn to look at him. “It’s crazy to think we can make this work. I mean, even if this is really love, and not some kind of sex hangover, there are so many things—”
“Stop it,” he said, taking her by the shoulders and turning her to face him, knowing he’d done the right thing when he saw the tears in her eyes.
“Don’t do this,” he added in a gentler voice. “I meant it when I said, ‘I love you.’ Yes, I want to know more about you, but I know enough to know this is real, and honestly…” He let his hands slide down her arms with a sigh. “I’m not really mad about the singing. That was one of the best experiences of my life, and maybe it wouldn’t have been if it hadn’t been such a surprise. I just hate feeling like you’re hiding things from me. Especially good things.”
She pressed her lips together for a long minute before she whispered, “I wish it was only good things.”
He lifted his hand, cupping her cheek in his palm. “Don’t you think I know it’s not, Marisol? I’m a good old boy, but I’m not an idiot. I can tell you’ve got something tearing you up inside, but I also know, whatever it is isn’t going to change the way I feel about you.”
A tear slipped down her cheek, and he swept it away with his thumb, wishing he could banish her sadness as easily.
“I wish we could get away from everything,” she whispered. “I wish it was just us, just for even a few more days.”
“Then we’ll make it just us,” he said, determined to make this better. “We’ll stay at my place tonight and you and I can handle the drive tomorrow alone. We’ll give Cole the day off.”
She glanced up at him, hope flickering in her eyes. “Really? You think we’ll be able to handle them just the two of us?”
“We’ll have the dogs too,” he said, letting his fingertips slip around to tangle in her hair, unable to resist the urge to keep touching her. “And it’s only a hundred head. A badass cowgirl like you could probably handle that on her own.”
A smile flickered at the edge of her lips but faded as she leaned into his touch. “I’d rather handle them with you.”
“Ditto,” he said, holding her gaze. “And I’m ready to help you carry anything you need help carrying. All you have to do is ask.”
She shook her head, looking a little dazed. “God, Robert, you make me want to believe in…”
“Believe in what?” he asked softly.
“In everything,” She leaned forward, pressing her lips to his.
The kiss started off soft and sweet, with so much heart in every brush of skin against skin that Bubba’s throat pulled tight with emotion. But then Marisol’s tongue slipped between his lips and he tasted the smoky sweet taste of her, and his body began to respond the way it always did when this woman was in his arms. Soon his heart was slamming against his ribs, he was hard enough to transform his jeans into a medieval instrument of torture, and it felt like the world was going to end if he didn’t get her naked and underneath him in the next sixty seconds.
“Hold that thought,” he growled against her lips, reaching out to squeeze her thigh before starting the truck and pulling back onto the road.
“I hope you live close by,” Marisol said, her breath coming fast.