Chapter 8
EIGHT
Jesse
The drive back to Meadowbrook flew by. Hollie was an animated conversationalist, and I loved talking to her. For over an hour, we chatted about horses, rodeo, and ranch life. She had questions about Tag’s business, Meadowbrook Performance Horses, and I was happy to oblige.
We left the city far behind, gently winding through the backroads.
The chatter in the backseat diminished as Nora drifted into dreamland, and Izzy and Cade whispered so they wouldn’t wake her.
Eventually, I parked the truck between Cabin A and Cabin B.
Meadowbrook Ranch was shrouded in darkness aside from the big house lights glowing behind us.
I could’ve driven down the main driveway—it was the only one we really used, but it would’ve alerted everyone and their cousins that we had arrived. I didn’t want that.
Instead, I took the route that added six minutes to our drive but allowed the truck to sneak in the back way.
It was selfish, but I wasn’t ready to say goodnight to Hollie and the girls.
As soon as my feet hit gravel, I’d need to check on the groom, do a final sweep of the barn to make sure the ranch hands did their job, and lock up for the night.
By all accounts, today was a terrible day. But I felt fantastic. And I didn’t know if I should be thankful to Hollie for that or terrified of what it could mean. What I said at McDonalds was reckless but true. Hollie mattered to me, even if I didn’t fully understand why.
As soon as I shifted into park, the back doors opened and the kids tumbled onto the gravel drive. Hollie, though, sat still. Not even gathering up her bag yet.
“Want me to help you out?”
“Not really.” She whispered.
The twinge of hesitation in her tone made me frown. I looked at her. “You good?”
“Yeah.” She laughed. “I just…had a great evening, and I’m not ready for it to be over.”
I blinked, words leaving me.
She backpedaled, squeezing her eyes shut. “That—probably made me sound insensitive. What I meant was that there were a lot of terrible things about today, but I enjoyed being with you.” She quickly added, “And Cade, too. My girls like you both.”
When she peeked open her eyes, our gazes held.
I didn’t know what was happening, but the feelings coursing through my body rang the alarm in my brain.
It had been so long since I’d desired another woman that the want felt foreign—like water surging through old, dry pipes.
I opened my mouth to say I felt the exact same way but her eyes dropped to my mouth.
Fire exploded through my torso, sending shrapnel into the furthest corners of my resolve.
Whatever this was, she wanted it, too.
I told myself there were a thousand reasons I shouldn’t come anywhere near my boss’s sister in law. But for some reason, my brain couldn’t drum up a single one.
A voice rang, “Mom!”
She wrenched her focus toward her children and opened the door.
I forced myself out of the truck. “Son, go ahead and get ready for bed. I’ll be there in a few.”
Cade sauntered off to our permanent home—Cabin A—located just a stone’s throw away from the guest cabin Hollie and the girls would be staying in—Cabin B—which was an equal distance from Cabin C.
The trio of cabins was situated behind the main ranch house alongside a creek.
They had a rustic appeal, and were situated just far enough into the line of trees by the creek that they were private, almost secluded from the rest of Meadowbrook.
And all of them were completely dark which meant the guests staying in the cabins for the wedding were probably still up at the big house. Hollie and the girls were sharing their cabin with Jackie and Estelle and Cabin C was housing some Thompson cousins, an aunt, and an uncle.
I raced over to Hollie’s door and helped her descend onto the driveway. She slipped her soft palm into mine and gingerly tested her ankle. I asked, “How’s it feel?”
“Honestly? Fine.”
“You want me to carry you in?”
“Well, I don’t—”
To my immense frustration, a voice called from up the hill. “Hollie!”
She let go of my hand. “Jackie?”
Jackie, a silhouette in the darkness, strode down the hill toward the cabins. “Oh my gosh! It’s about time!”
The girls, beside the truck now, bolted toward her. “Aunt Jackie!”
Jackie opened her arms, accepting hugs from the little ones. “Wow! Izzy you got so tall. It’s been forever since I’ve seen you guys.”
Nora squealed. “Are you sharing a cabin with us?”
“You bet I am!”
Izzy asked, “Can we sleep together?”
Hollie chuckled. “No, Izzy, we are going to let your aunt actually sleep this weekend.”
Jackie pressed past the girls and wrapped her arms around Hollie’s neck. She whispered while they embraced, “It’s been so long, Holls. You stay away from us too much.”
An expression flickered over Hollie’s face, and I felt like I’d overheard something I wasn’t supposed to. “I know.”
“We’ve missed you.”
“I’ve missed you too.”
I stepped back to give them space.
But Jackie let go and turned to me. “One heck of a day, huh, Jesse?”
“No kidding.”
“We heard what happened. You hanging in there?”
“Best I can.”
She lifted her hands to her hips and looked around the darkness. “Where’s Cade?”
“He’s already headed off to bed.”
“I bet he’s beat.” Jackie smiled. “Well, everyone is relieved things ended the way they did.”
Nora, holding Jackie’s hand and bouncing up and down with excitement, squeaked, “Show us where you are sleeping!”
Izzy, already moving toward the cabin door, pushed it open and waved everyone inside. “Come on!”
Nora practically dragged Jackie up onto the porch and through the front door.
The three of them vanished as the lights around the cabin flicked on, glowing through the blinds.
Before Hollie could protest, I scooped her into my arms just like I had at McDonalds—who cared if it didn’t hurt.
This time, she didn’t fight and her arms clasped around the back of my neck.
Her scent wrapped around me—something apple-like or maybe peachy. I fought the urge to squeeze her closer and take a deep breath of her hair. Standing in the angled shadows on the porch, I stooped, placing her feet on the wooden deck.
She squeezed me as she found her footing. “Thank you,” she whispered.
“Let me get your bags.” I went back to the truck, gathered up their things, and dragged their rolling suitcase up to the door. My heart sagged in my chest. I knew I’d see Hollie more over the weekend, but not like this.
I marveled at the disappointment unfurling in my chest as I turned to her.
Spring nights in Meadowbrook were quiet compared to summer. Summers were accompanied by a dense roar of noises—bullfrogs, insects, coyotes. In spring, the sounds were muted, quiet—a reminder of the life in the darkness, but not overpowering yet.
A swell of emotions rose in my throat as Hollie looked up at me.
My eyes darted to my cabin then back to her, and I swallowed hard, realizing I’d hardly begun to process everything that had happened.
The day had passed like a whirlwind, and I knew I’d only come to terms with what transpired after I laid my head on the pillow that night.
Every shocking thing in my life hit after a delay.
A breeze, gentle and warm, rustled the trees above us.
Hollie’s curls around her temple swept across her face.
Without thinking twice, I reached up to tuck one over her ear.
Her eyes fluttered closed as my fingers moved across her temple, and when she held my gaze again, my whisper was low and emotion-laden. “Thank you, Hollie.”
I couldn’t be sure who moved first.
I stepped forward, she shuffled closer. I bent and my arms loosely circled her waist while hers looped around my shoulders. My voice cracked as I spoke into the top of her shoulder, “Thank you—so much.”
She didn’t respond, just squeezed me tighter and moved forward, and suddenly, all the tension I’d felt vibrating between us funneled through the micro-movements of our bodies, the gentle pulling of our arms, and our quiet, quick breaths.
My hands, of their own volition, opened and moved to the small of her back, briefly exploring the natural arch of her waist and hips.
Maybe I would’ve stopped there and let her go, but a long heady sigh slipped from her lips as she softened into me—nearly melting through my arms. Her footing faltered only for a moment before she stretched out, moving the loop of her arms from my shoulders to my neck and tightening her hold.
One of my hands wandered up her spine until my finger tips sunk into the roots of her hair. Her breath shuddered against my neck. As if I’d granted her permission, her hand did the same, slipping into the hair on the back of my neck.
She was water on a parched tongue.
When she made a soft humming sound, I should’ve let go. That was my cue—we were past time. But I didn’t and neither did she. Instead, she shifted her hips in line with mine and a strangled, throaty exhale emanated from deep within me.
I couldn’t think, couldn’t breathe.
Why were we hugging each other like this? This kind of touching was completely unwarranted, but I couldn’t make myself care as her curves pressed against me.
Hollie was the perfect size, the perfect fit for my arms and chest. She turned her face toward my neck, drawing a breath in through her nose—smelling me.
Suddenly, a hug didn’t feel like nearly enough.
The notion to lean down and kiss her felt barbaric, but in my book, kissing was this hug’s natural progression.
I dragged my cheek across her temple, and she lifted her face, like she wanted the same thing I did.
And I wanted to taste her—hell, I wanted to spend a long time tasting her.
I wasn’t that guy who sought hook ups or would try to entice a woman, but the temptation was right there at my fingertips.
I could’ve—definitely would’ve—pulled away if her hunger didn’t rival my own.
But she lifted her face until we were cheek to cheek. The burning torture rended my insides until I drew my face away an inch or two and settled my forehead against hers. Her breaths came fast, her soft chest moving with each puff of her lungs.
When her gaze settled on my lips, my tongue slipped out to wet them.
She wet hers, too.
Utterly helpless against whatever this was, I leaned forward. Right before my mouth brushed hers, the door swung open and banged on the wooden railing.