Page 110 of The Bronze Garza

“Becauseyoualready own my heart,” I tell her. “Duh.”

Her eyes gleam with mirth. Then, with a mischievous grin, she starts jigging in her chair, singing, “My baby girl looooves me! My baby girl looooves me! My baby girl looooves me!”

Customers in the restaurant cast strange looks our way, and I feign a groan of embarrassment and a cringe. But embarrassed is far from what I feel right now.

What I feel is warmth and happiness, because I get to spend an entire day with one of my favorite humans in the world. Out in the open without fear or care.

For the first time in a long time, I feel like I’m living.

~

There’s a hostof shopping bags on my bed when I get back. Swathed in bewilderment, I upend the bags one by one, perusing the items. Bathing suits, undergarments, dresses, sleepwear... All top quality brands.

In need of some explanation, I head downstairs to find Torin. He’s not in his office or his workshop. Both his jeep and his pickup truck are in the garage, so he must be here.

After searching the entire house and finding no sight of him, I figure he’s probably gone next door for his usual check-ins with his “neighborhood watch” buddies.

The urge for a nap claws at me, so I plod back to my room, curl up in the window seat, close my eyes, and give in to the lazy desire.

Even whileasleep, I feel him.

Not his touch. Justhim.

His presence has weight. The good, reassuring kind. Along with a simmering yet comforting heat that swirls around me and threatens to sweep me off the ground.

When I open my eyes, I’m staring straight into his, because he’s crouched to his haunches in front of me, a light frown between his brows.

“You cut your hair.”

Absently, I reach up and touch my new waves. “Yeah. It was too long.”

There’s something akin to disappointment in the creases of his frown.

“You don’t like it?” I ask, sitting up.

“I do. But...” His eyes narrow, as though he’s contemplating if he should voice his thoughts.

“Tell me. I won’t be offended.”

“Well, I had plans,” he says. “Plans of wrapping it twice around my fist while I fuck you like I hate you from behind.”

My breath hitches and something darkly sweet dips in my belly. “I-I can put in hair extensions,” I blurt on a breath.

He chuckles and straightens to his feet. Then cups my chin and dips down to kiss me. Sweet and aggravatingly swift. “Do you want to be hot or beautiful today?”

“Beautiful,” I whisper.

“Then you’re beautiful,” he tells me. “So fucking beautiful it makes me angry.”

Searing heat spreads from where he’s touching me throughout, spurring me. But just as I make to pull him back down to me and kiss him with all my might, he lets go of me and begins retreating. Almost as if he knew my intentions.

“I’ll go get you a duffel so you can pack.”

That has me frowning. Then panicking. Is Dad back and didn’t tell me?I’m not ready to leave yet.We just got started, dammit!

“Pack? Why?”

“We’re spending the weekend in Laguna Beach.”