Total pages in book: 31
Estimated words: 28678 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 143(@200wpm)___ 115(@250wpm)___ 96(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 28678 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 143(@200wpm)___ 115(@250wpm)___ 96(@300wpm)
I don’t say anything as I unlock the truck and hold open the door for her. She looks around the town street one more time, chewing on her bottom lip. Dammit, I want my teeth there. I want to know what she tastes like and how she feels when she’s pushing that curvy body up against me. I want to hear her groaning my name when I kiss her for the first time.
There can’t be a first time, fucker. The reminder sobers me and I grunt. “Ain’t no red carpet unrolling for you here, princess.”
The fire is back in her eyes at the nickname. I like the way she’s fierce and shy at the same time. Yep, I see a cold shower in my future. But just the one because as soon as I figure out what’s going on, I’ll resolve the situation and send her on her way. That’s the smart thing to do.
Sierra
I’m not sure if he’s mocking me when he calls me princess. I’m also not sure why it turns me on, the thought of being Colt’s princess. The woman he treats with special affection and spoils with sweet kisses. Except I don’t think his kisses would be sweet. I think they would be demanding and possessive and rough, just like this tough soldier in front of me is.
He raises his eyebrows and I realize I’ve been standing here, analyzing what our first non-existent kiss will be like. Trying to keep him from seeing the pink tint that’s surely on my cheeks, I duck my head and climb into the truck. Maybe it’s my imagination but I’m almost certain I feel his gaze on my ass.
No, I have to be mistaken. A man as hot as Colt isn’t likely to be attracted to me. I mean, I’m not ugly or anything. I’m pretty but the generous curves on my petite frame mean that most men don’t spare me a second glance. I was so thankful for that once I realized Albert’s plan. Just the thought has a shiver running down my spine.
Colt seems to notice and turns on the heater in his truck despite the warm spring weather. I can’t get a read on this man. Sometimes, he seems so cold and aloof but then he turns around and invites me back to his house because he doesn’t want me sleeping outside.
My dad trusted Colt. I want to believe I can trust him too. But he’s different now. There’s a hardness to his gaze that wasn’t there when I was little. It makes me wonder if he’s the right person to talk to about Albert’s plan. What if he calls him up and tells him to come get me?
I don’t think he’s anything like Albert but then again, I never thought Albert would try to sell me either. Maybe it’s better if I keep these cards close to my vest for just a little while longer. Once I’m certain I can trust him, I’ll tell Colt.
“You didn’t,” he starts and the words come out as a deep growl. He stops and tries again, working to keep his voice gentler, “You didn’t tell me why you came to Courage County.”
My heart races and my palms grow sweaty. I reach for the first cover story I can think of. The best lies have a little bit of truth in them, right? “I’m majoring in web design.”
Truth.
“And my semester project is to make a fictional website...”
Also truth.
“For a real town. I picked Courage County because I liked the name, and I heard you lived here. I figured two birds, one stone.”
Lie. Lie. Lie.
He doesn’t take his gaze from the road. “So, you traveled from Kentucky to North Carolina for a school project as a broke college student?”
I force a chuckle. “Didn’t you ever just want to pick up and visit a new place when you were young?”
Too late I realize that I reminded him of our age gap. For some reason, I don’t want this grumpy cowboy thinking about that. I want my dad’s best friend to see me as a woman, not as an annoying nineteen-year-old kid.
Something flickers across his face, as if he’s plagued by ancient grief. “No, I was breaking strongholds in Kandahar when I was your age.”
I know from my research that it’s a city in the middle east. I used to spend hours researching what was happening in those places. It made me feel closer to my dad. “I want to visit one day.”
“It’s a beautiful country with a rich history and warm culture.” He sighs. “You go overseas to other countries, and you think it’s nothing like home. Then you start to make friends with the civilians, and you realize they’re like you. People just trying to survive and make ends meet.”
It's the most he’s said all day. I don’t know why it means so much that he’s opening up to me, but it does. “Pretty eye opening for a small town boy from North Carolina.”