Page 25 of Huckleberry Hill (Saddles & Spurs #1)

Chapter Twenty-Four

The Ranch

The motorcycle ride was exhilarating, and unlike any experience I’d ever had. Declan had put a helmet on me, made sure it was tight enough, and then told me to climb on behind him. I’d wrapped my arms around him, enjoying the feeling of his strength beneath my fingertips.

He guided the motorcycle with ease, and I felt safe despite the danger. In a way, it was no different than riding a horse. You trusted that a thousand-pound animal capable of throwing you wouldn’t, and on the motorcycle you trusted going seventy-five miles per hour wouldn’t be the end of you.

We zoomed up the driveway to the ranch and he parked the motorcycle on the side of the cabin. He cut the engine and put down the kickstand.

I sat there for a moment, letting the silence of the night soften the buzzing in my ears. I unclipped the helmet and climbed off the bike.

“Well?” Declan asked, unclipping his helmet and removing it before getting off.

“Incredible.” I handed him the spare helmet. “My teeth are still vibrating though.”

He grinned.

I shivered.

“Fuck, you’re cold.”

“I’m always cold.”

“Yeah, but you were wearing nothing but a hoodie and there’s still a bite in the air. I should’ve gotten you a leather jacket. We’ll get you some riding clothes.”

I took a deep breath. “You have to stop.”

“Stop what?”

“Stop saying things that allude to a future together,” I explained. “That’s exactly why I freaked out last night.”

“I know,” he said easily. “I’m not an idiot. Of course you’re freaked out. You don’t need glasses to see that you’re freaked out.”

He put the helmets on the seat and then took my hand. I let him lead me to the cabin. We took off our shoes and left them on the porch and then we went inside.

Declan flipped on the light and turned to me. I closed the door and locked it.

His gaze narrowed.

“What?” I demanded.

“That.” He pointed to my chest.

“That what?” I looked down. “I’m confused.”

“You’re wearing a man’s hoodie.”

“Yes. It’s Wade’s. I got cold.”

He took a deep breath and then he walked to his bedroom.

I didn’t follow him, choosing instead to stay in the living room. He returned a few moments later holding one of his gray hoodies.

“You can wear this,” he said.

“Not jealous, my ass,” I muttered.

“We’re dating. Ergo, you wear my clothes, no one else’s.”

“Are we dating?” I demanded. “Because it feels like we’ve jumped about fifteen steps ahead of where we’re supposed to be.”

“And where are we supposed to be?”

“Getting to know each other.”

“We know each other. Intimately.”

“That’s not what I mean,” I snapped.

“Hoodie,” he reminded me. He laid the hoodie he’d brought out for me on the back of the couch and reached for me. “Arms up.”

I lifted my arms and let him strip me of Wade’s hoodie. He gave me his and I quickly put it on. My nose brushed against the collar, and I closed my eyes.

“I saw that,” Declan said with a sultry laugh.

My eyes flew open. “Saw what?”

“You were sniffing my hoodie. Don’t bother denying it.”

“I wasn’t gonna deny it,” I lied.

He took my hand.

“Where are we going?” I asked.

“The couch.”

“Oh.”

“Oh?” he asked. “What’s that mean?”

“I mean, I guess if we went to your bed we wouldn’t talk. On second thought, let’s go to your bed.”

“Hadley.”

“Declan.”

“You like me.”

“I do,” I admitted.

“And you weren’t expecting to like anyone so soon after your breakup.”

“Correct,” I agreed.

“But you do. And I like you back, and I’m not bullshitting you.”

I frowned. “I never thought you were bullshitting me.”

“Maybe not, but that doesn’t mean you trust me or my intentions.” When I didn’t reply, he went on, “If I wanted to get my rocks off, I didn’t have to do it with the daughter of my employer where my job is at stake.”

“Yeah, I guess I never thought of it that way.” I bit my lip. “We don’t have to overcomplicate things. We could just end it before my dad gets home?—”

“No,” he said flatly.

“But it would be so much easier if?—”

“Tell you what,” he said. “We’ve got a few more days until your dad gets home. Let’s enjoy our time together until then. Okay?”

“Okay.”

“Now, come to bed with me.”

“True or false,” Declan whispered as he curled around me, our naked bodies pressed together. “You hated when I showed up at the bar.”

“False,” I murmured.” Our hands were linked, and I held them to my chest.

“You hated that I hauled you over my shoulder.”

“False.” I leaned down and brushed a kiss to the back of his hand. “Hmm, you’re like a warm snickerdoodle right out of the oven.”

He chuckled, the rumble from his chest vibrating against my back. “Is that your new nickname for me?”

“Snickerdoodle? Yeah, I think it might be.” I sniggered. “I’m going to get so much shit from Wade, though.”

“Because I carted you out of the bar like a Neanderthal?”

“Oh yeah.”

“You think he went home with the blonde?”

“Yes. That was the plan all along. You don’t deviate from the plan.”

“Sometimes you gotta pivot. Pivoting needs to happen sometimes.”

“Hm. Why do I feel like you’re talking about me?” I asked.

He fell silent for a moment, but I knew it was because he was gathering his words. “Did your ex tell his family why you guys broke up?”

I thought about how Nico treated me. He was sympathetic and kind. But there had been no pity in his tone.

“I think Gianni kept it vague. Not wanting to air his dirty laundry.”

“Kept it vague? In an Italian family? That’s hard to do.”

“Hmm. Yeah.”

“Speaking of keeping it vague, you’re still vague with me about why you guys broke up.”

“Sometimes relationships just run their natural course,” I dodged. “Okay, your turn in the hot seat.”

“What hot seat is that?”

“You know about both of my past relationships. I want to know about yours.”

“Wait, you’ve only had two relationships?”

“Yes.”

“Wow.”

“Wow what? Is that weird?”

“Wow, that’s— how? ”

“Well, Wade and I dated through high school, and we broke up when I moved with Salem to New York. And then I was single for a few years. I went on a couple of dates, but I wasn’t really interested in anything serious, and then I met Gianni.

And we were together for two years.” I unlinked our hands and rolled over in his embrace. I poked his bare chest. “Now you.”

“I’ve had my share of girlfriends, but nothing serious.”

“Nothing serious?”

“Life on the circuit is time consuming and the schedule doesn’t allow you to form lasting bonds.”

“Ah, so you hooked up with a bunch of women.”

“Yeah . . .”

“Okay, riddle me this,” I said. “You said you left the circuit because of potential injuries. Is that the only reason?”

“What do you mean?”

“I mean, you’re a man of a certain age,” I drawled. “Were you thinking about something more out of life? Your mortality, perhaps? Your legacy?”

“Ah, you speak of progeny.” Declan laughed. “I don’t know if I thought about it in that way, but yeah. I was getting tired of the circuit. I wanted something different. Some stability.”

The words I wanted to ask were clogged in my throat. If I asked them—if he wanted a wife and kids—I had to be ready for whatever he said. And I wasn’t sure I wanted to know.

What did it matter, anyway? My father was going to come home and this thing with Declan was going to end.

Declan stifled a yawn.

“You’re tired,” I said.

“Exhausted,” he admitted. “I didn’t really sleep much last night after you left.”

“Same,” I proclaimed.

“Roll over. Let’s go to sleep.”

For once, I didn’t argue. For once, I shoved the questions to the back of my mind. For once, I pretended I was enough, and it didn’t matter why my fiancé had left me.

Declan’s breathing soon evened out, his hold on me tight.

I fell asleep, and dreamt of dark-haired, blue-eyed babies being ripped from my arms only to disappear into the shadows.