Finding Ripley by Jacki James

Author:Jacki James [James, Jacki]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2019-12-22T16:00:00+00:00

18

Reed

I gave him a chance to step back, to let me know this wasn’t what he wanted, but instead of moving away, he stepped closer. I cupped his cheek with my other hand and slowly drew him to me, watching his eyes for any sense of hesitation. I paused before his lips met mine and smiled. There were moments in life where you stood at a crossroads and knew the choice that was made would change everything. I had a feeling this was one of those moments, that once I kissed Ripley nothing would ever be the same. I closed the last bit of distance between us and pressed my lips to his. He released a small whimper and moved to get closer, but with the fence between us, that wasn’t possible.

I pulled back and locked eyes with him. “I need to get back to work and you need to finish up with your goats, but I’ll see you later.” He reached up and touched his lips, which was ridiculously adorable.

“Um, okay,” he said, stepping back. We both stood there for a second until finally, I turned and went back to work. There was no reason for the most chaste kiss I’d had since high school to have completely rocked my world, but it had, and if being in the rodeo had taught me anything, it was to hold on and enjoy the ride while it lasted.

I walked into the barn to find Cruz grinning at me. “Looks like things are progressing with your boy there.” He nodded in the direction of the goat pen.

“With Ripley,” I said firmly. “No one said anything about him being my boy. I haven’t brought that up and neither has he. I have no idea if he even knows anything about the lifestyle, much less if he’s interested in it.”

“Don’t you think you should talk about that before you pursue this?”

“Look, Cruz, I appreciate your concern, but you have to remember that he’s only going to be here for a year, and then he’s going back to the city. I’m not making life plans here.”

“Yeah, you keep telling yourself that, big man. But I know you, and I’m pretty sure you have no intentions of letting your boy get away when his time is up.”

“You have no idea what you’re talking about, Cruz. You saw him when he arrived. He’s city all the way, so if you think he’ll stay you’re crazy.”

“I did see him when he first got here. I also saw him when he rode Lucinda Star, and I watched him with those goats right after they arrived. He may not be your typical cowboy, but this ranch is in his blood.”

“He loves horses, you know,” Landon said from the end stall where he had apparently been eavesdropping. He stepped out and I glared at him. “Sorry, boss, I was in there and you started talking and I didn’t want to interrupt, but then I kinda forgot you didn’t know I was here.

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