Page 26

Layla

I’ve been sitting in our backyard with my sisters waiting for Teagan to finish getting ready for the last half-hour. It’s unusual for him to take this long. He was a good sport about Marcos’ teasing, but I could tell he was feeling apprehensive. I tried to get us out of going, but my parents managed to convince us to accompany them to the rodeo tonight. As a teen, I always enjoyed going, but taking my Irishman to a Texas rodeo seems so out of place. He’s a farm boy, not a cowboy.

“What’s taking him so long?” I mutter to myself, but the twins hear me and start giggling. I glare suspiciously at them. “What?”

“Nothing,” they sing in unison.

“?Mentirosas! You forget that I know your tells. Fess up.”

Before they can respond, the screen door squeaks open and we all turn in our patio chairs, a collective gasp spilling from our mouths.

ó—ra—le.

Teagan in a cowboy hat is something I didn’t know I needed until right this minute. When he told me he was going to talk my brothers into lending them one of theirs, I thought he was joking. The white hat sits securely on his head, strands of his brown hair curling beneath the rim. He didn’t just stop at the hat though. Clad in black jeans that hug him perfectly, a huge, silver belt buckle, and a trim-fit, short-sleeved denim shirt that is unbuttoned enough to show off the smattering of hair on his chest. And boots! He’s wearing cowboy boots! He looks hot as fuck and I’m really regretting that we agreed to go with my family tonight. If I could work out a way for us to stay—or to arrive later—without raising suspicion, I’d do it.

Pinching the brim of the hat, he winks before nodding his head. “Ma’am.”

En la madre . I’m speechless.

The silence stretches and he starts to fidget nervously, a flush creeping up his neck. “Um…is it too much?”

“No,” I say in a rush, standing to move toward him. “It’s just a…uh…shock to the system.”

His smile falls and it breaks my heart.

“No!” I cup his cheeks in my hands. “You look amazing, Teagan.”

“Yeah?”

A grin slowly spreads across his handsome face, so I step closer and murmur just for his ears, “ Sí, Papí . Makes me wish we were alone.”

Blazing green eyes meet mine and I forget where we are until someone clears their throat behind him.

“Layla.” My brother, Marcos, steps next to Teagan, throwing an arm around his shoulders. “I’d tell you two to get a room, but the last thing I want to think about is my little sister and her guero bumping uglies.”

“For fucks sake, Marc!” I shove his face with my hand, feeling Teagan slide his around my waist. “Bumping uglies? Really?”

My brother laughs and pokes my side, making me squeal.

“Would you rather I say, ‘My sister and her boyfriend fucking like rabbits.’?”

“Ugh. ? Eres un cochino! I’d rather you just keep your mouth shut, cabrón.”

Teagan is watching in amusement as my brother and I exchange insults like we did as kids. Only now, we can actually say the bad words we once had to whisper when our parents were nearby.

Chuckling, Teagan steps around me, encircling my waist with both arms from behind. “Alright, Cailín. Let’s get out of here before you and Marcos start a war.”

Marcos grins at us mischievously and says, “That’s right, Teag. Keep your woman in check.”

“Oh, you did not!” I yell, lunging for him, but Teagan’s arms tighten around me and my stupid brother darts back inside, laughing like a hyena.

Teagan

I’ve never been to a rodeo, but the energy in the air is intoxicating. The cheering crowd and the screams of people on the carnival rides mixed with fresh turned dirt from thundering hooves, and the various food vendors scattered around us is a hit to all of my senses.

I love it.

The fact that I’m here with Layla and her family, who have welcomed me into the fray with open arms, makes it that much sweeter. When her brothers started slagging me about my lack of rodeo attire, I asked them to get me set up, without telling Layla. They were only delighted to be keeping a secret from her. Somehow her little sisters got involved and now I’m, as they say, vaquerito guapo .

Layla’s reaction was confirmation of that. After keeping her from murdering her brother, she decided she wasn’t dressed right and needed to change. I thought she looked fucking gorgeous in her tank top and tight jeans, but when she came back outside in a dusty pink dress, I was instantly regretting the Wranglers I put on. I drank her in, my gaze traveling over her, from those dark, loose tresses to the brown cowgirl boots with flowers embroidered on them, spending an extended amount of time appreciating the low neckline, off-the-shoulder capped sleeves, and slightly flared skirt resting mid-thigh. When she sauntered my way, I had to remind myself that her teenage sisters were only feet from us. Had we been alone, the list of things I wanted to do to her…

“What do you want to do first?”

My eyes snap to Layla, bringing me back to the present. She’s looking at me expectantly and it takes me a minute to realize she’s not talking about my dirty list.

“Um…you pick. What’s the typical order of business here?”

She smiles softly and laces her fingers with mine. “Come on, let’s start with something to eat.”

I let Layla lead me through the different vendors, immersing myself in her world. As anxious as she gets around her family, she seems in her element here. Bantering with her siblings, waving and smiling to people she’s known for years. When she turns to look over her shoulder, it’s like watching a slow-motion scene in a movie. A tendril of raven hair drifts over her face and she beams radiantly at me, a dimple popping in her left cheek. The urge to draw her to me and kiss the life out of her is so strong, I can barely stand it.

We decide on a street taco stand, then grab a funnel cake from the vendor next to it. The fried food options are endless and I know I’ll be paying for it at practice next week. Finding an empty picnic table, we sit on the bench, straddling it to face each other. Layla lifts a piece of the fried batter and powdered sugar drifts down to dust the swell of her breasts. She must catch me staring because I hear her, very pointedly, clear her throat. My eyes dart up and I know I’m busted by the raised eyebrow and smug smile she’s giving me. Holding my gaze, she takes a finger and swipes it through the white powder before bringing it to her mouth. She sucks the sugar off, releasing it with a pop. I swallow thickly, willing my cock to calm the feck down, when she makes a second sweep and holds her finger out in offering. Without breaking eye contact, I lean in, slowly closing my lips and twirling my tongue around it before gently biting her. Those coffee eyes flare as she lifts her other hand and snatches the hat from my head, placing it on her own.

Chuckling, I tilt my head to the side, making a show of inspecting her, before giving a resolute nod. “Aye, that looks better on you anyway.”

Layla bats her lashes then bends her head forward to whisper seductively, “Remind me to tell you the rule of the cowboy hat later.”

“Yes, ma’am,” I agree wholeheartedly.

The rest of the evening is spent watching small children chase piglets around with flyswatters, barrel racing, bull riding, and carnival rides. I can honestly say that it’s the most fun I’ve had in ages. I’m completely taken aback when Layla’s mum links her arm through mine and leads me toward a small stage where a band is playing and people are dancing.

“Do you know how to line dance, Teagan?”

“Aye,” I say with a laugh. “But I don’t think your line dancing and mine are quite the same.”

“?Bueno, pues You’re going to learn.”

Raquel drags me out to the dance floor and begins showing me the steps to the dance. After salsa lessons with Layla, I catch on quickly. We dance through a few songs before my lass takes her mother’s place. There’s just something about watching her body move, the way the round curve of her arse sways with the music. When the music switches to a slower song, she starts to make her way off the floor, but I catch her, twirling her back into my arms. She starts to protest but gives up the fight when I take her hand with one of mine and slide the other to the small of her back.

“I’m not done dancing with you yet, Lovely.”

Tipping her head back so she can see me over the brim of the hat, she smirks. “What if I’m done dancing with you?”

Her words are innocent, but for a shadow of a moment, I’m pitched back to when Ashley dumped me. I wasn’t ready to end things, but she was. She’d already ended our relationship when she cheated, I was just too blind to see the signs. “Hey,” she says softly, her palm cupping my jaw. “You okay?”

I blink, coming back to the present, and give her a reassuring smile. “Aye, sorry. Just had a moment.”

Her brows furrow and she brushes the pad of her thumb over my cheekbone. “Want to talk about it?”

“I’m okay, promise. Just…” I start but shake my head. There’s no point in even bringing this up because Layla isn’t Ashley. “Nah, never mind.”

“Teagan.” She presses her body closer to mine, eyes pleading. “I need you to talk to me or I’m going to assume the worst.”

Softening my features, I hold her tighter, and fess up. “The way you said that, about being done dancing with me? It just triggered a memory from when Ashley dumped me. I don’t miss her in the slightest, but it had me briefly wondering if there would be a time when you were done with me too.”

“Baby,” she whispers. “I’m not…”

“No, I know. You’re not her.” As awkward as I feel, I make it a point to look her in the eyes when I say, “Just, do me a favor and let me know if your feelings start to change, yeah? Even just a little? I’d rather know so I can try to fix the issue, rather than have you come to me months later saying you’re completely done.”

Layla holds my gaze for a long moment while we dance, then nods. “I promise. But Teag, you have to do the same. I want this to work just as much as you do, so let’s make it our goal to always be open and honest with each other, okay?”

The way she’s looking at me, so earnestly, makes my eyes prick with emotion. Our chemistry is off the charts, it’s true. I could spend every hour of every day buried between her legs, or with my mouth on her body, but it’s more than a desire for physical release. The love I have for her runs so deep that words aren’t enough. Only actions can properly convey the magnitude of my feelings. I told her I loved her, and I meant it, but I can see it all so clearly now. Before, it was like a cloudy day but I could see fine. Then the clouds parted, allowing the sun to break through, exposing everything hidden in the shadows. Layla is that beacon and I’ll intercept anything that attempts to dim her light.

We’ve paused, standing still in the middle of the makeshift dance floor. Removing my hand from her back, I take the hat from her head, just so I can press a soft kiss to her mouth.

“Aye. You have my word.”