Page 19 of Buck This (Battle of the Bulls #6)
“When did you find time to get these?” she asked reverently as she pulled one out and studied it.
The leather shaft wasn’t too soft to flop over, but also wasn’t too stiff to be difficult to break in.
There was a three inch heal on it, and the stitching was a beautiful latticework of cream thread on brown leather.
“I snuck a trip to a store I know on my way to training today.”
“These look expensive,” she whispered, hugging the boot to her chest.
“Try them on.”
“Okay!” she said excitedly. Torrey plopped down on the floor and kicked out of her own boots, then pulled the new one on. Buck sat at the table and handed her the other one, and when she stood to strike a pose, his face lit up like a firework. There was the smile in his eyes.
“I’m going to wear these to finals,” she told him excitedly. “And my new shorts, and my Buck This t-shirt. I’ll cut the bottom half off and crop it. Or maybe tie it here?” she asked, pointing to her ribs.
“Cut it.”
She was so touched by his gift. “You didn’t have to do this.”
“If we’re playing house, I want to do all the fun stuff.”
“Like boning me in an old church.”
His smile was slow and wicked. “You’ll never forget it though, will you?”
She shook her head. “It’s never been like that for me.”
“Good,” he said softly.
His phone vibrated on the counter, and she glanced over at it on habit. It was Quickdraw. The text just said, Bed?
Buck ran his hand over his hair and nodded tiredly. “All right, old man. You win.” He stood and texted Quickdraw back, then turned and kissed Torrey on the forehead. “I’m going to head to the truck.”
“Or you could stay in here. With me. In a nice comfortable bed.”
He searched her eyes and cocked his head. “You don’t mind?”
“I mean, I would prefer you had a maximum of thirty followers on your social media pages, but I guess I won’t kick you out of bed.”
He snorted. “I would also like thirty followers, and by thirty, I mean zero. I hate social media.”
“Yeah well, I’m pretty sure I saw Annabelle setting your pages up for you tonight.”
“Joy,” he said sarcastically.
His reaction drew a giggle from her lips. “Go get into bed. I’m going to get ready and then I’ll give you a back massage.”
“A back massage, huh?”
“Yeah. I want to make the most of our second to last playing-house night.”
“I bet you were one hell of a wife, once upon a time.”
His words took her by surprise.
“Sorry,” he muttered. “I wasn’t supposed to bring that word up.”
“No. No, it’s okay. I was, actually. I was good at that part of my life. Just because it failed it doesn’t mean I didn’t have good moments. I was proud of that title once upon a time. It’s just not my story anymore.”
“You should wear the boots to bed. Boots and nothing else,” he teased, changing the subject, and bless that man for giving her an out.
“You wish.”
“I do, actually. It’ll probably be my next wish at the fountain if I can figure out how to throw a damn penny backward.”
She belted out a laugh at the vision of his penny landing on the ledge. “I might be C-Team at track and soccer, but I can throw a penny. Look, I found something I am better at than you!”
“Oh, I bet you’re better at a lot of things. You’re a badass, Torrey.”
She paused, rifling through her bag for pajamas, and turned to look at him, to see if he was serious. Buck was lying on his side, watching her with such seriousness swimming in his eyes. “I don’t know if I’ve ever been called that before.”
“Oh, I bet you have. You are a resilient woman. If no one has said it to your face, I bet a million bucks it’s been said in rooms you weren’t in.”
Heat touched her cheeks, and she ducked her gaze back to her bag, thoroughly touched by the unexpected compliment. “I think you are a badass too.”
“You know I can hear the truth in a person’s tone?” he asked.
“Shifter senses?” she guessed.
He nodded. “You are a truthful person. I like that you say it how you feel it.”
She brushed her teeth, thinking about all that he had said. He was a man of few words, but the words he did utter were important, and deep.
She grabbed the water bottle he’d been planning on taking to his truck and set it next to hers on the counter next to the bed and slipped under the covers he held up for her.
She scooted back toward him, and he dragged her right up against his warm chest and kissed the back of her neck.
She thought he would try for more because that’s what Reece had said.
They buck to fuck. He didn’t though. Instead, his forehead rested against the back of her hair, and his breathing deepened almost immediately.
His body relaxed against her. He didn’t stay awake long enough for a back massage, but she understood.
Today had been eternal, and he had bucked a ninety-four, and then managed media afterward.
If he could fall asleep this peacefully this fast, with her in his arms, she was happy.
If she could give his weary soul some peace, she was proud.
Torrey smiled to herself and stared at the television he’d left on. It was an infomercial about jewelry. Way less interesting than the news, but it was exactly what she needed to fall asleep just as deeply as the man who held her against his slow-beating heart.