26. Bailey
Bailey
T he morning air was cooler as summer began its transition into fall, so I opted for my red flannel over my white t-shirt. Once the sun warmed up, I’d shed it, but for now, I was comfortable as I headed over to Bottom of the Buckle Ranch to start my chores.
Aside from Brandy breaking her finger, last night went great.
It brought up feelings of nostalgia as we all sat around the table.
We’d done it plenty of times in the past few years, but without Lettie there, it always felt like something was missing.
I’d been awestruck watching the sun set, the colors dancing across Lettie’s features, her eyes blazing sapphires against the orange glow.
I parked my truck and hopped out, leaving it unlocked on habit. Halfway to the white barn, a whistle sounded from my left. My head swiveled toward the sound. “Over here.” Lettie waved her hand in the air from where she stood bent over a pile of two-by-fours.
I made my way over, my boots kicking up dust with each step. “I’ve got to muck the stalls before I can get started,” I said when I approached her.
“Our volunteer, Cathy, offered to do it so we could get a head start on the barn before it got too hot.”
She wrapped her hands around three boards at once and I quickly bent to grab them before she hurt her back. “I can whip it out real quick. Won’t take longer than thirty minutes if you’d wait.”
She let me take the planks of wood from her and then bent to grab another three. “You’re going to hurt your back lifting them like that,” I said.
She ignored me, lifting the boards with a grunt. She headed around the side of the barn, awkwardly maneuvering the beams before tossing them down on the dirt behind the building with a loud slap.
She dusted her hands on her jeans as she said, “Things should speed up now that we have all the lumber and a nail gun.”
“I don’t see why we couldn’t get it done before winter then.”
“If you don’t let the volunteers keep up with your chores, there’ll be no way. Do you see this thing?” She gestured to the barn but I kept my eyes on her, already well aware of the state the structure was in.
“You doubt my ability to keep up with our project and get other work done around here? ”
“No, but there’s only so much one person can take on. I don’t want you stretching yourself thin.”
I leaned a shoulder against the outside wall of the barn, smirking at her. “You worried ‘bout me, Huckleberry?”
Her cheeks heated and she looked away. “Worried about you?” She scoffed. “Please.”
When she met my gaze, she saw the look in my eye before I moved. She darted in the opposite direction and I ran after her, catching her before she made it even ten steps. I wrapped my arms around her middle, lifting her feet off the ground.
She screamed, but I saw the smile on her face. “Bailey! Let me go!”
My fingers skittered around her stomach, causing a laugh to escape her lips. “Not until you admit it.”
My hat fell off with her struggle, landing in the dirt.
“Oh, now you’ve done it.” I dropped to my knees, lowering her to the ground.
She tried to squirm away from me, but I got her on her back, pinning her hips as I straddled her.
She tried to push against my shoulders, but I grabbed her hands, bringing them above her head and holding them in the dirt.
Our chests touched as we tried to control our rapid breathing. “Admit it, Huckleberry.”
She shook her head, her hair fanning out in the dirt. She pursed her lips as if to give the impression they were sealed.
I only took that as a challenge and lowered my head, our noses touching at the tip. Her eyes blazed up at me as tension crept up between us .
“You care about me.” She gave no response, but I felt the slight shift in her hips.
Bringing my mouth closer to hers, my lips brushed against her skin as I spoke, my voice deeper. “Don’t make me force it out of you, Lettie.”
She parted her lips as her arms relaxed under my hold. I knew what I was doing to her, and I fucking loved it. She was dropping her defenses one by one.
“Why the hell would I care about you?”
I smirked, shifting to hold both her hands in one of mine.
My other hand glided down her hair, trailing along her neck all the way to her hips.
I watched as her eyes glazed over and brought my hand between her legs, adding a bit of pressure against the material of her jeans.
“Because I know if I didn’t have these skin tight jeans in between us right now, I’d feel just how soaked you are for me, and I’ve barely even touched you. ”
“I’d say you’ve touched me quite a lot in the past few minutes, actually,” she snarked.
Drawing my hand away, I brought it up her body to wrap it around her neck, not adding any pressure. My thumb stroked her pulse point as I felt it beat rapidly. “You’ve got a mouth on you.”
Her body arched in response, her neck pressing slightly against my palm due to the movement. I kept my hold light, letting her add any pressure if she wanted it.
“Maybe I should put it to better use than mouthing off to me, huh? ”
Her eyes flamed, her cheeks turning a bright shade of red. She wanted it. She wanted me .
But now wasn’t the time or place.
I released her in one swift movement, grabbing my hat behind me and standing up. After placing my cowboy hat on my head, I reached down to grab her hand, pulling her up. Our chests bumped each other as she stared up at me.
“We’ve got work to do, Lettie.”
I left her standing there as I walked back around to the front of the barn to grab some tools.
As much as I tried, I couldn’t control myself around her. My hands itched to touch her, even when she wasn’t around.
That woman was my kryptonite, and I had to admit, I liked how weak she made me. If there was anyone on this planet that could bring me to my knees, it’d be Lettie Bronson.
***
We worked through the midday heat, making progress on replacing the old boards that used to make up the stalls. Anytime I caught Lettie watching me, she’d quickly avert her gaze, busying her hands on whatever she was working on.
It was cute, seeing her so flustered. Though we’d been intimate in the hotel, I wanted her to initiate it this time. Once she did, I’d know there was no stopping the inevitable. But until then, I’d wait .
Lettie walked behind me from where I crouched, messing with the hinge on an old stall door. The butt of her jeans was covered in dirt from where she’d been sitting on the ground, but it just made her all the more attractive.
She bent over to pick up a few slats of wood when she dropped them, letting out a hiss. I dropped the screwdriver in my hand and ran over to where she was still bent over.
“Are you okay?” I asked as she reached her hand behind her, rubbing at a spot on her back.
“Think I just pulled something,” she muttered.
“Here, sit down.” I wrapped my hand around her upper arm, helping to guide her onto the ground. She winced as she sat and closed her eyes.
I sat behind her, spreading my legs so they were on either side of her. I brought my hands up to her back, aiming for the area she had her hand over moments ago.
“Here?” I pressed my thumb in slightly.
“A little to the left,” she directed.
I slid my hand about an inch left and felt the ball under her skin. She inhaled sharply as my thumb got to work.
“Told you to be careful.”
“I don’t take orders from cowboys.” Her posture relaxed despite the bite in her tone.
My lips grazed the shell of her ear as I whispered, “Didn’t seem that way in the hotel.”
Goosebumps freckled her skin where I rubbed. “That was different. ”
“Oh, yeah? Bet I could make you do it again. I bet I could make you do a lot of things.”
She laid back against me so my chest was pressed against her back, my fingers still working at the knot between our bodies.
Her head came to lie on my shoulder and I looked down to find her blue eyes boring up at me.
Taking this as my cue, I lowered my head, but as my lips brushed her mouth, she said, “In your dreams, Bailey Cooper.”
With that, she pushed off me, standing up and walking her pretty ass all the way up to the damn house. She didn’t so much as glance back, but if she did, she would’ve seen me sitting in the dirt like a damn dog.
She was right on the mark. My dreams were always about her.