Page 19 of Here With Me

Chuckling, I take her hand and practically sprint us to my trailer.

It’s eerily dark and quiet as we make our way to the campsite. As Noah’s hand stays secure in mine, all I can think about is the events that led up to this.

I’m living in a fever dream because I never thought I’d have a chance with a woman like Noah, but I’m not taking it for granted.

Tonight, she’s mine.

As soon as I unlock the door, Noah walks in, and I follow.

“Oh, crap. I better text Magnolia before she sends the real cops out on my ass.” She grabs her phone from her bag and starts typing.

“What’re ya tellin’ her?”

“Thanks for sendin’ Ian out to find me, you cockblocker. You nearly cost me an orgasm. I’m spendin’ the night with Fisher so he can give me more than eight seconds of pleasure. No need to send the troops out lookin’ for me, well...unless I go missin’ and you don’t hear from me in the next twelve hours.” She glances at me with a mischievous grin before continuing. “At that point, you better send all of Tennessee out on a rescue mission because even though he’s really hot and is great with his tongue, I doubt he can put me into an orgasm coma for that long. Either way, I’ll tell you all about it later.” With a smirk, she presses the send button. “That’ll keep her off my back for a while.”

I swallow hard. “Well, at least for the next twelve hours.”

“Magnolia wouldn’t wait that long, so I’d give it until breakfast before she came lookin’ for me.”

The whiskey and shot glass are still on the counter from earlier, so I pour one and then offer it to her. “Shot?”

“You tryin' to get me drunk?” She reaches for it, then shoots it down.

“Should be askin’ you that. You kept servin’ me.”

“Yeah,Budweiser.” She snorts. “No one gets drunk off beer.”

Chuckling, I shake my head as I pour another shot and take it myself.

“Ya know, that Hunter kid, I was a lot like him when I was his age,” I blurt out.

“Is that so?”

“I’m a former bull rider. Lived that life for many years before quittin’.”

She walks around me before coming to my side and taking the whiskey to pour herself another shot. “Interesting. I didn’t peg ya as the type.”

“Spent my twenties travelin’ all around the country, livin’ that same adrenaline junkie life as you seem to be.” I smirk when she throws her head back and chugs the liquid.

“Trainin’ horses is hardly a rush, but it is fun. I’ve done some trick ridin’ on one of my own. He’ll probably kill me one day, but at least I’d go out doin’ what I love.”

Wrapping an arm around her waist, I pull her to my chest and tilt up her chin. “I had that same mindset until it almost did.”

“Is that why you quit?” she whispers.

“No, but I got injured more times than I can count. My wife and kids never knew if I’d come home alive or in a body bag.”

Her brows rise, and her ocean-blue eyes widen.

“I’m not married anymore,” I quickly say. “We divorced a decade ago.”

“Oh.” She sucks in her lower lip. “Why’re ya tellin’ me this?”

I scrub a hand over my jaw and blow out a breath. “Not sure. I guess because I see how comfortable you are around me and worry the next guy you feel that way with will have the wrong intentions.”

One side of her mouth curves up as she bites her lip. “And you have therightones?”

I press my thumb to her bottom lip and pluck it from between her teeth. “Chasin’ that adrenaline high can sometimes get us in trouble, and I’d hate to see ya make the same mistakes I did. Or regret.”