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“You did.” I reluctantly release her and she turns towards me with the brightest smile yet, putting her arms on my shoulders. I think she’s about to jump on me so I shift my weight back to catch her, but I end up pulling her off-balance and we tumble to the ground in a heap.

At least we fell away from Bella who looks back at us like we’re both crazy as I make sure Sam is okay.

Chapter 35: Sam

“I think the only bruising I’ll have is my ego,” I say, trying to make light of the fact that, while attempting to give Tommy a hug and maybe a kiss, we somehow got our wires crossed and ended up in the dirt.

Thankfully, this dirt appears to be poop-free.

But this seems to be a regularly used corral so I can only imagine how much poop gets stepped on and worked into this very patch of dirt.

Poop-dirt.

I feel my ponytail, noticing that a few clumps fall out. The clumps are pretty dry and I will myself to believe that they’re only dirt. Plain dirt.

“Are you sure?” Tommy asks, concern in his eyes. “I thought you were about to jump, so I was getting ready to catch you and shifted my stance.”

His fingers gently brush something off my shoulder. Something that I try to ignore.

Well, I don’t ignore the feeling of his light touch, that gets my brain focused on anything but the dirt and what it may or may not contain pretty darn quickly.

“Is it safe to jump into someone’s arms around a horse?” I ask, my eyes drawn to Bella, who looks absolutely massive from down here.

“It would depend on the horse,” Tommy says, giving my ponytail a playful tug to bring my attention back to him. He shifts into a squat and offers me a hand. “Bella is pretty calm in just about any situation we’ve seen her in. Another horse might rattle her if it’s pushy, but that’s about it.”

Butterflies are back the moment my fingers brush his. Then he grips my hand and pulls us both up to our feet where I finally find my manners.

“Thank you.”

His free hand tucks a strand of hair behind my ear before he tugs me to him.

“You’re welcome,” he says right before he gives me a single, soft kiss, making me want to melt against him.

Bella gives a whinny, breaking the little bubble we created.

“We should probably bring her back in?” I guess.

“We should,” Tommy says, nodding. “Chet, who mostly works at the small stables near Jax’s house, should be here now, and he’ll get her taken care of.”

Tommy clips the lead back on, speaking softly to Bella, and holds out his hand for me. I weave our fingers together, loving how those butterflies swarm through me as he tugs me next to him before we walk towards the stables.

I watch our boots step almost in synchronicity, listening to the hard earth beneath us crunch. Bella’s breathing is steady and the rhythm of her metal shoes has a familiar sound now. Not only that, but just life with Tommy around feels natural.

“You brought a change of clothes?” Tommy asks, leading me towards the stairs that lead to his room after we’ve taken off our boots.

“I did. I wasn’t sure if I wore appropriate attire or if I’d be bucked off, landing in a puddle or trough and needing something dry.”

“It’s almost a shame you did.” He looks back at me as we ascend the stairs, the house as quiet as it was when I got here earlier.

“Pardon?” I’m sure I must have misheard him. He usually is so open and accepting of my preparedness.

He stops us at the top of the stairs, murmurs something to himself I can’t make out, and then he cups my face in his free hand and kisses me. This one isn’t slow like the kiss outside just a few minutes ago. It’s decisive. It’s confident.

And it’s so damn sexy.

He pulls back before things get too heated in plain view of anyone entering the house, which I appreciate. I’ve never been able to forget where I am like I can with him. Normally, I’m so focused on what’s proper and expected that I’d never dream of any PDA beyond holding hands, but just a few hours ago I was climbing up this gorgeous man trying to get closer to him in full view of his brothers.

His eyes hold mine and his pupils are wide as they take in my face. He looks hungry. Hungry for me.