Page 36 of Tempting Wyatt

But then I do as I’m told and am amazed at how snug yet comfortable they feel.

“Okay, yeah. Wow. They fit perfectly.”

He steps backward with a subtle smile. “They’ll continue to soften and shape to your feet over time. Getting them muddy and dirty actually helps with that.”

“They’re so pretty I almost hate to get them dirty.”

His gaze darkens. He mutters something that sounds like “know the feeling,” then shakes his head.

Standing on the steps while he’s on the ground brings me closer to his handsome face. I don’t know what comes over me, but I spring forward and hug him around the neck.

“Thank you,” I say softly next to his ear. “For the boots and for helping me get them on.”

His arms come gently around me. He’s warm, and it’s like hugging sunshine that heats you from the inside out. I want to cling to him for longer than would be appropriate.

“You’re welcome.” His voice reverberates against my chest, breaking the spell.

I pull backward, a blanket of awkwardness falling over me.

“Missed you last night,” I say before I can stop myself.

His brows lift in surprise. “Yeah?”

“At dinner,” I clarify. Trying to lighten the mood, I shrug. “I mean, I had to open my own doors, pull out my own chair, and fix my own plate. So, yeah. . . ”

He smirks. “Must’ve been tough on you.”

“Very.”

Only the cabin walls and I know that after he dropped the boots off like a reverse thief in the night, I let myself fantasize about what would’ve happened if he’d knocked on the door. And then lifted me in his arms and told me what a good girl I’d been, working so hard all day.

I barely touched myself and yet, I came harder than I ever had in my life with his name on my lips. Imagining how that coarse beard would feel between my thighs.

Then I wanted to hide under the covers in embarrassment, for fear the residents of the cabins nearby might have heard me.

For a moment, the world seems to shrink to just the two of us, the steady hum of the ranch fading into the background.

I try my best to remember to breathe and blink and swallow like an actual human.

“So, uh, what’s the occasion for these boots? Am I officially a cowgirl today?”

“Not quite,” Wyatt answers with a slight lift to his lips. “Just figured you needed your own pair. And I was thinking about seeing if you wanted to hit up a rodeo and bull auction with me tomorrow night. Me and Isaac, I mean. We’ve got two bulls to trailer and take to Bozeman.”

“A rodeo?” My eyes go wide. “Like bulls bucking people off and stuff?”

“Exactly like that,” he says with a soft chuckle. “People come from all over for it. I just need to show these two sires and get some cash for them. But there’s a fair, carnival rides and such. Thought you might enjoy it.”

I grin up at him, feeling like a little kid.He thought I might enjoy it.Which my brain heard asHe thinks about me!

“I’d love to go,” I say, forcing myself to sound less excited than I feel. “Thank you.”

“Don’t thank me yet, Hollywood. We have work to do first.”

WYATT WASN’TKIDDING ABOUT the work.

Hours later, I’m struggling to keep up with his long strides as we cross the open field near the river, my new boots sinking into the damp earth with every step. It’s nearly noon, but the air is still cool and crisp, carrying the scent of pine and fresh hay. Despite my best efforts, I’m already winded. Wyatt, on the other hand, moves like he was born to walk this land.

“You’re dragging a little today, Hollywood,” he says, glancing back at me, a subtle smirk tugging at the corner of his mouth.