Page 5 of Tied to You

His eyes trail down, somehow widening even more the lower they go.

Damn it.

He watches as my nipples harden under his stare, then swallows. Eventually, he manages to look back up to my eyes. They hold mine, locking me in place.

I raise a brow as he clearly fights for air.

“You should put that fleece back on if you’re cold.”

“I don’t need it,” I tell him.

He grins a shit-eating grin. “Tell that to your chest.”

Kill me. “I’m good.”

“You said.”

So, he’s one of them. Arrogant and cocky. Just like every other man I know. I eye roll him. “Right, well, you can go mend the fence and I’ll finish up here.”

I step closer to him, wishing I hadn’t. He smells like a fucking god. It’s a mix between something sweet crossed with leather and citrus. I want so bad to shut my eyes and drink him in, but that’s not acceptable for a first encounter. Plus, he’s rude. I won’t give him the satisfaction.

Swallowing the burning lump lodged in my throat, I hold out my arms for the goat.

He checks I’m serious, then carefully hands me the small, black and white kid.

I take the thing in my arms, taking the bottle off him too. The goat wriggles, but I manage to settle it as it sucks from the bottle.

“Huh,” the man huffs, surprised. “Thought you’d mess that up.”

“Huh. Guess you were wrong,” I mimic him. I don’t look at him as I sit on the hay bale in the small enclosure, getting comfy.

I grew up with animals before my parents moved us to the city. When we did, I wasn’t allowed one pet. I went from spending every day outside in the fresh air and calm, surrounded by wild ponies, only to be thrown into the jaws of becoming an adult. Endless hours of studying to become something I really don’t want to become.

No. The countryside is where I’m meant to be.

“Which fence is it?”

I look up, my expression one of confusion when dark eyes swallow me whole. His eyes are steel grey, hardened around the edges but soft in the middle. “What?” is all I manage to reply.

“The fence. Which one is it?”

Oh, right. “The one on the outer field.”

The man’s eyes narrow. “I fixed that last week,” he says gruffly.

I can’t help but smile smugly, lowering my head. “Apparently, you didn’t do it right.”

He mumbles something which does nothing to lessen my smile. “I’m not doing it again.”

“That’s fine. I’ll do it once I’ve finished here.” I don’t need him.

He laughs. “Right.You’regoing to fix the fence?”

My eyes dart up. “Yeah, that’s literally my job.”

His devilish, condescending gaze rakes over my body.Fuck. My skin burns, my nipples harden again like pebbles. “So, you’re the new farmhand? What’s your name, Baby Doll?”

I narrow my gaze imagining lasers piercing his beautiful features. I’m not sure I like that pet name.