I nodded, both of us quieting, looking out at the stars. The only sounds were the crickets and a train horn echoing in the distance. I set the bottle of wine beside me before leaning back onto my hands. I glanced up at the tank we’d covered in red spray paint with our initials and the date, right beside where Lottie and Tucker had tagged their own nearly sixteen years ago.
“What are we doing, Billy?”
He sighed, leaning back onto one side, propping himself up on an elbow. He flicked the broken tab from his can off the side of the tower, letting it sail through the air before gravity had its way. “I don’t know, Han. All I know is I can’t get you out of my head. I haven’t been able to for almost a year now. No matter how hard I try… Seems I’m always chasing after the dreams I can’t have.”
I squeezed my eyes shut, inhaling a deep breath through my nose, then releasing it, the dullness of regret still heavy in my chest. “I can’t promise you anything, Billy. But I’m here now.”
It was all I could offer. Uncertainty. How could I promise him anything when I had no idea what I was doing with my life—my career?
He nodded once, his eyes not meeting mine. I opened my mouth to say more—how I felt the same, how I wished things could somehow work between us—but couldn’t bring myself to say the words. I worried it’d just give us both false hope.
He stood to his feet, brushing off his hands before tossing everything back into the bag. “It’s late. I should get you home,” he said, offering his hands to help me stand.
I took them, and he tugged me to my feet. “I’m sorry, Billy.”
“Nothing to apologize for, blondie. Let’s just let it ride.” He kissed the top of my head, and I closed my eyes with a small nod, a little bit scared to death and a little unsure of what I was agreeing to.
Chapter 9
BILLY
I pulled the truck to a stop in front of Wes’s house. Looking over at Hannah, I debated whether to flip it around and take her back to my apartment. No way in hell was I thrilled about her staying with him while she was in town.
“You can stay at my place.” The offer was out of my mouth without a second thought.
A tease of a smile tugged on her face. “I don’t think that’d be conducive to us taking it slower this time.”
She was right. I was having a hell of a time keeping my damn hands off her, constantly finding any reason to steal a touch of that soft, smooth skin. And from the hungry look in her eyes—a need I desperately wanted to satisfy—I knew she was having just as hard of a time.
Eventually, I’d lose the strength to resist stripping her down and claiming every part of her again. But not tonight. I didn’t want her to be confused by my feelings for her again, to think it was nothing but physical. She needed to know I saw her as more. Which meant keeping my dick in my pants for as long as I could. The little bastard wasn’t making it easy on me though.
“You’re right. It’s a bad idea. But the offer still stands.” Because if anyone was going to be seeing her walk around half-naked after a shower, I’d rather it be me.
She leaned over the console, her hands cupping my face as she planted those soft, sweet lips on me. “Another time, cowboy.”
She reached for the door, her hand already on the latch when I tugged her back, taking what I wanted: more of her. I slammed my mouth back to hers.
Desperately.
Possessively.
Owning every part of that delicious mouth that tasted of wine and dark chocolate.
A groan thundered through me as I lifted her slender frame, guiding her into my lap. She straddled my legs, her tongue sliding against mine, nails sinking into my shoulders, hips begging as I slid my hands up those silky thighs and under her dress. Feeling the lacy edge of her panties, I slipped a finger under, dancing along the edge of reason, pulling a whimper from her.
“Billy.” My name was a breath from her lips, a plea as she continued to kiss me back, clinging tighter.
I cupped her face, gently pulling back, brushing my nose with hers. “Figured we needed a proper goodbye this time around.”
That sweet smile slowly curled her lips as her eyes fluttered open to look at me, her chest still heaving, my cock still pleading, straining against my jeans.
“Tease,” she said with a grin.
I smirked, fighting against the current of lust threatening to pull me under. Having her like this was sending my thoughts haywire. “Come on, blondie. I’ll walk you to the door.”
She slid from my lap as I opened the truck door. Taking her hand, I walked her to the porch of the old ranch house. She took the first few steps up, putting her at eye level with me as she turned to face me, her teeth making a meal out of her bottom lip.
I laid one more kiss on her. “Night, Hannah,” I said, taking a few steps back, my grin wide as hell.
A small smile pulled across her lips, the nerves she was feeling dissipated. “Night, Billy.”
I waited until she was inside before heading home, feeling like the luckiest damn bastard in the world.
With the blazing summer sun beating down on my back, I used the wire stretcher to mend the last of the snapped barbed wire. Sweat beaded and dripped from my brow. I rubbed at it with the inside of my arm, keeping my gloved hands on both ends of the wire as I twisted and wound them back together.
A truck engine roared in the distance, coming down the dirt road. I finished firming up the new joint then tested the strength of it with my hands. Pulling off my gloves, I picked up my tools from the ground as Wes’s truck rolled to a stop behind mine.
I tossed everything in the bed of the truck before slamming my tailgate shut.
“You wrapped up here?” Wes called from behind me, getting out of his heavy-duty diesel.
“Yep.” I gave my short answer, not bothering to turn and look at him.
“All right. I could use your help back at the barn. Have a combine that needs some work before we start harvesting in the morning.”
“Sure. No problem.” I walked toward the front of my truck, barely giving him a glance.
“We good, Billy?” he badgered some more, his footsteps following behind me.
“Fine,” I flung over my shoulder, opening the door, biting my tongue as anger rippled through me. Even though Hannah had said nothing happened between them, I couldn’t help but wonder what his end game was with the way he’d purposely been all over her every chance he got.
“Are you sure? Because you nearly took my head off yesterday at the game. Figured maybe you had something you wanted to get off your chest.”
Turning to face him, I crossed my arms, my eyes hard. “Keep your hands off Hannah, and we’re good.”
“And if I don’t?” he challenged, taking a step into my space.
“Then I guess that means we have a problem,” I retorted, not skipping a beat. Boss or not, there was no way I was backing down to this man when it came to Hannah.
Muscles tense, we stared each other head on, and for a moment, I wondered if things were about to get heated.
His face turned up into a slow smile. “Ease up, man.” He slapped me on the arm. "I’m just fucking with you. It’s about time you grew some balls.”