Total pages in book: 105
Estimated words: 102079 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 510(@200wpm)___ 408(@250wpm)___ 340(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 102079 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 510(@200wpm)___ 408(@250wpm)___ 340(@300wpm)
“I don’t know what you’re talking about. I took her to a movie so Matty could get his dick wet with you.”
I turned, crossing my arms. “You kissed.”
He twisted his lips for a beat. “Is that what she said?”
I nodded.
“I see. Well, no babies were conceived. Happy?” He glanced at his watch. “How was Matty last night? Satisfying?”
I averted my gaze before turning my back to fiddle with the jars of honey that were already perfectly aligned.
“Will I need to get him another box of condoms by the end of the week?”
“He has three games this week plus camps, and your dad will keep him busy the rest of the time. So …” I shrugged while contemplating if the infused honey needed to be alphabetized.
“That bad, huh?”
I turned, narrowing my eyes. “I didn’t say that.”
Isaac scratched his jaw. “You didn’t have to. If it was good, you’d find time and space. You’d crave it like your next breath. He’d be on your mind twenty-four seven, and you’d risk everything to be with him. Your hands would itch to touch him the way they yearn to wrap around my guitar.”
I slid the crate toward him. “I’m not sure anything will feel the way your guitar felt. So don’t tell Matt that music is my first love.” I winked, trying to play it off like a joke.
He took the crate. “I’ll talk to him.”
“No!” I rammed my hip into the counter, trying to get around it to stop him, but Katie Pedersen and her two young boys opened the door.
“Pardon me,” Isaac said to them, holding the door.
I shot him a look, but he just smirked and strutted away with the crate dangling from his hand as the door swung shut.
Four hours later, I locked up the farm stand and carried the keys and the money down the lane to drop off at the house.
“Sarah,” Matt said, startling me as he jogged up behind me, grabbing my hand and pulling me behind the garage.
“What are you—”
He kissed me, humming into my mouth as one hand cupped my breast like it did the previous night. Matt’s eagerness felt like he couldn’t get enough of me—like he craved me as much as his next breath.
And I wanted to feel that too, but I didn’t. Sex ruined everything. I couldn’t enjoy his touch out of fear that it would lead to more. And I didn’t know how long I could fake it. Could I hold out for the summer? After all, hookers did it for a living. Surely, I could do it for the summer—without pay, of course.
“I have to clean out a few stalls, but then I’ll shower, and we can go for a drive,” he said breathlessly.
I found a fake smile just as Isaac rode his horse toward the gray barn. I couldn’t see his expression under his cowboy hat, but I knew he was watching us.
Matt ducked his head and sucked the skin along my neck while guiding my hand to the bulge in his jeans—and Isaac watched everything.
“Why haven’t I ever seen you ride a horse?” I asked.
Matt released my hand and lifted his head, confusion etched into his brow. “Because I don’t ride horses that often. I’m more of a tractor person.”
“Why does Isaac?”
“Because he likes horses, herding animals, and he ropes.”
I thought of him lassoing me at graduation with my cords.
“Ropes?” I asked.
“At rodeos. He competes in calf roping for prize money,” Matt replied. “He did it in high school, and he’s practicing to compete again. Why?”
“No reason. Just curious.”
“I’ll pick you up after dinner around seven. Okay?”
“Call me first. I have to check with my mom. I might have to help prepare some arts and crafts kits for Vacation Bible School.”
He frowned. “Okay. Even if it’s later, I don’t care. I just need to take a ride.” He grinned.
“Take a ride” was our new sex code.
My smile felt fake, but Matt didn’t seem to notice. He kissed me one last time and strutted toward the red sheep barn. I waited until he was out of sight, then jogged to the gray barn where Isaac took his horse.
I passed two stalls with ponies before reaching Isaac in the last stall, where he removed his horse's saddle.
“What is it, Sunday Morning?” he asked as if he had eyes in the back of his head.
“Please don’t say anything to Matt. I was joking earlier.”
“I don’t think you were.” He carried the saddle through a door to the tack room and rested it on a stand.
I followed him. “Can you just stay out of my business?”
“Says the girl who begged me to play her favorite song over and over.” He turned, tucking his hands into his back pockets. “So what’s it going to be? Are we going to be in each other’s business this summer or not?”