Page 35 of Wild Hearts (Ruby Ridge #1)

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I ’ve been researching about leasing a business. Clearly, I’m in over my head, but fuck it, I don’t care.

I’m stretched out on my bed, my laptop propped against my thighs, the warmth of the motor humming quietly beneath me. My fingers fly across the keyboard, diving headfirst into research about leasing a building and what it would take to run a bookstore.

The afternoon light spills through the window, casting a warm glow across the room. It warms the notebook lying beside me, already covered in my messy handwriting.

I’m buzzing with excitement, my mind already racing ahead, imagining shelves full of romance novels, cozy reading nooks, maybe even a little matcha cart tucked in the corner. It feels possible. Like, for once, something real and mine could actually happen.

The door creaks open, before I can turn around, Carter’s strong hands slide around my waist, tugging me back against his chest.

I giggle, dropping my laptop onto the mattress. “You’re supposed to be leaving. ”

He growls low in my ear, pressing his mouth to the side of my neck. “I am, but you make it real fuckin’ hard to walk away.”

I tilt my head, giving him better access as he kisses down my neck, slowly, making my toes curl against the comforter.

When I turn to face him, he cups my jaw, brushing his thumb across my cheek like he can’t get enough of touching me.

His mouth crashes down onto mine in a kiss so deep, so fucking consuming, that I forget about the laptop, the notebook, and the entire goddamn world.

When he finally pulls back, his forehead rests against mine. “Have a good day, baby,” he whispers, voice so sweet, it kills me. “I’m going to fucking miss you.”

He presses one last kiss to my forehead, like a promise he isn’t ready to put into words yet. I watch him leave, the door clicking shut behind him, and for a moment, I just sit there, stunned.

He’s meeting buyers for his cattle today, which leaves me with hours. Hours to pour myself into this idea. Hours to dream about building something that’s finally mine.

With a grin stretching across my face, I drag my laptop back onto my lap, fingers flying across the keys once more.

I type in another search query, squinting at the screen as my brain starts to throb.

Wholesale distributors, online distributors, and secondhand book collections.

There are so many options, it’s giving me a damn headache.

I groan, leaning back against the pillows, when the sudden vibration of my phone on the nightstand pulls my attention. I grab it, my face immediately breaking into a wide smile when I see the caller ID.

Layla & Amelia (Thing #1 and Thing #2 )

I hit accept, throwing them on speaker, already bracing myself.

“If it isn’t my two favorite skanks,” I purr sweetly.

Layla’s shriek blasts through the speaker so loudly that I jerk the phone away from my face. “BITCH!”

I laugh, settling back in.

“We haven’t heard from you in three hundred years, you skank. I just know you’ve been withholding life-threatening information!” Layla accuses dramatically.

Ugh, I’m such a bad friend, I’ve been so consumed in my bubble that I haven’t reached out.

I open my mouth to protest, but Layla cuts me off with a triumphant gasp.

“Aha! I knew it, you lying whore. Now SPILL. How’s work? How’s farm life? But most importantly, how’s that grumpy cowboy, Carter?”

I sigh dramatically, flopping back against the bed. “You guys literally only called to harass me.”

“We called because we love you,” Amelia says smoothly, voice calm and teasing, the perfect foil to Layla’s chaos. “Don’t get it twisted.”

“But mostly to harass you,” Layla adds brightly. “That’s just cause we love you, bitch.”

I grin to myself, my heart swelling at the sound of their voices. God, I miss these idiots.

“Okay, alright,” I say, settling back into my pillows, a dramatic sigh escaping me. “What do you bitches wanna know?”

Um, EVERYTHING?” Layla practically shrieks, like she’s ready to tear me apart if I hold out for even a second. “Is Carter still an asshole? Is he still disgustingly hot? Did he finally crack and admit he wants you to ride him like a mechanical bull? ”

I choke on air, coughing so hard I nearly drop the phone. “LAYLA!”

“Bitch, you hesitated!” Amelia gasps, scandalized and delighted all at once.

I groan, dragging my hand over my face. “Okay, we may have... fucked once. Or twice. FINE. We fucked a handful of times. Happy now?”

For a split second, there’s silence.

Then the phone explodes with shrieking so loud I have to hold it away from my ear.

“I KNEW IT!” Amelia screams.

“DETAILS, NOW!” Layla demands.

I bite back a grin, flopping onto my back again and staring at the ceiling.

“It’s... so fucking good,” I say dreamily. “I’ve never came so hard in my fucking life, he puts all my exes to shame. And the mouth on him alone makes me come. I’ve literally blacked out from the multiple orgasms.

Their squeals sync in perfect harmony.

“Is he big?” Layla asks with zero shame, her tone pure curiosity.

“LAYLA,” I gasp, clutching my chest.

I choose not to answer, letting the silence speak for itself. The mood shifts slightly when Amelia speaks, her voice a little softer, more serious.

“What are you going to do about your dad?”

I freeze, the question cutting through all the laughter. My chest seizing, a flutter sensation rippling through my stomach.

I don’t know. I don’t fucking know.

“I-” I start, but Layla, sensing the change, jumps in fast, saving me.

“Don’t think about that right now,” she says quickly. “ How are you doing? Like, really? Are you still planning to come back to Los Angeles when your six months are over? It’s been damn near three months already and I fucking miss you.”

I glance down at my laptop, at the scribbled notes scattered across my bed, at the little dreams and plans I never would’ve even dared to think about if I were still under my father’s thumb.

In L.A., he would have called it stupid.

A waste of time. He would have shut it down before it even had a chance to breathe.

“I miss you, too. But, actually…” I swallow hard, a slow smile tugging at the corners of my lips. “I think I have a plan.”

“Oh shit,” Amelia whispers dramatically. “She has a fucking plan.”

Layla gasps. “Well? WHAT IS IT?”

“I want to open a romance-only bookstore out here,” I say, voice steady but bubbling with excitement I can barely contain.

Another wave of silence.

“SHUT THE FUCK UP!” They scream in unison.

“THAT’S PERFECT!” Layla yells. “That’s so fucking you!”

“You love books so much, babe,” Amelia says, her voice warm and genuine. “I’m so proud of you.”

There’s a beat of quiet, and then Layla’s voice drops low.

“Remember your 555 tattoo?” she whispers, “the one Amelia gave you years ago? Bitch, it’s fate. You fucking manifested this. It’s all coming full circle.”

I blink up at the ceiling, realization hitting me like a wave. It’s the change, the transformation, the second chance I was so desperate for .

For the first time in a long time, I let myself believe it: a new beginning is finally here.

Daddy

Time’s almost up. I’m quite impressed you haven’t come crawling back to me, begging me for a second chance.

The nerve he has, I haven’t made the effort to update him anymore, and he chooses to message me shit like this, antagonizing me.

Whatever, ignoring his response, I stretch out on the couch, a book propped against my knees, but I’m not really reading. I push the feelings aside that my father always seems to bring up. He can’t ruin the happiness blooming in my chest, swelling with excitement.

I’m waiting for him .

Every few seconds, my eyes flick toward the window, watching the long dirt driveway, waiting. I’m itching to go to the bookstore. It’s been gnawing at me all afternoon. I could’ve easily ordered an Uber, but I want Carter to take me.

I want to sit next to him in his stupid, loud-ass truck with the windows down and his hand lazily draped over my thigh, caressing my skin.

I sigh dramatically, trying to refocus on the page in front of me, twirling a loose strand of hair around my finger.

Maybe I’m turning into one of those clingy girls, maybe I don’t even fucking care if I am.

The sound of the exhaust outside jolts me upright. My heart skips like an idiot. A minute later, the front door creaks open, and there he is. His brown hair is a mess from the wind, shirt clinging to the hard lines of his chest, and his jeans low on his hips.

I slam my book shut with a loud thud.

“Took you long enough,” I tease, propping my chin in my hand, giving him my best unimpressed look even though my insides are practically doing somersaults.

His mouth kicks up into a lazy smirk as he stalks toward me. “You miss me, darlin’?” His voice is low, rough from the day, dripping with that cocky sweetness he knows makes me crazy.

I scoff, tossing my book aside. “Miss you? Please. I barely noticed you were gone. The quiet was amazing.” I tease.

He’s standing over me now, casting me in shadow, his blue gaze pinning me down. “Yeah?” he says, cupping the back of my neck with one big, calloused hand. “Why are you sittin’ here looking like a damn angel waiting for me to come home?”

Before I can fire back, he leans down and captures my mouth with his.

His lips brush mine, so slowly, teasing me like the asshole he can be.

My fingers curl against the hem of his black Henley, trying to yank him closer, but he just chuckles against my mouth, pulling back enough to kiss the tip of my nose.

Cocky bastard.

I roll my eyes, shoving lightly at his chest. “Ugh, you’re so full of yourself.”

“Yeah,” he says, his tone teasing. “Full of you, baby.”

I blink up at him, my heart stuttering like a fool. “Whatever,” I grumble, sitting up and smoothing my wrinkled shirt. “But since you’re finally back from playing ranch king or whatever, will you take me into town? ”

He quirks an eyebrow. “Where to, trouble?”