“It’s a little confusing.”
“This is season three. How about when we get back, we can watch it from the beginning, okay?” I mumbled, feeling the vibration of my phone coming from somewhere on the bed. Sitting up, I reached for it, finding it faster than I thought.Momflashed across the screen. I pursed my lips, inhaled deeply, and ignored the call, setting the phone face down on the nightstand.
I shifted back into the bed. Pulling the covers up to my chin, I looked at the man lying beside me, his focus now one hundred percent on me.
“You could answer that you know,” he said. “It’s your mom.”
I shook my head. “No, I don’t really have the brain power for that right now.”
“But you have the brain power to follow this show?” He raised his brow and turned back to the screen.
I followed the show, no problem. This was my go-to episode. I didn’t need any brain power for it. Talking to my mom, on the other hand…
I swallowed. “I don’t need to think about this. I’ve seen it a million times. No brain power needed. Now shhh.” I raised my finger to my lips. “This is the best episode.”
Wyatt followed my cue and returned to the episode, not asking another question the entire time. Hook saved David, they talked to Henry, and Emma kissed Hook—all the amazing things from the episode still hit the same in my chest like the first time I saw it. A smile grew on my face, watching Emma kiss the man who had just helped save her father, knowing he was falling in love with her right then and there. I snuck a quick glance atWyatt, not quite knowing what to expect from him, only to see him fast asleep next to me.
His head tilted towards me, his dirty blond hair ruffled from the pillow, his lashes long, and as they kissed his cheeks, hiding his gorgeous blue eyes. He had a light scruff to his face, the right amount in my opinion, and his lips—lightly parted, perfectly pink. My eyes wandered to his chest, rising and falling just as softly with each breath he took with his fingers splayed out on his stomach. One knee was bent up, the other stretched out, comfort personified. He looked…
Beautiful.
Pinching my lips together, I sat up softly, closing the laptop and placing it on my nightstand. I flicked off the light and returned to face him. He didn’t stir as I moved; he just…rested. Not wanting to wake him, I gave him a soft smile he would never see, and I drifted off—sleeping like the dead next to Wyatt Hartwell.
Fourteen
Wyatt
WhenIwokeupnext to Quinn, my body a little cold from sleeping on top of the covers, I was tempted to scoot closer to her. Pull her to me and warm both of us up. I’d bury my face in her hair and breathe her in. I’d kiss her neck and wake her up, mutteringgood morningin her ear while she stirred under my touch, and she’d—
Kick me out.
So, before I could give in to any ofthat,I climbed out of the bed and snuck out.
Then I cheered when she won in Phoenix. And declined going out again, because the idea of watching another confusing show with Quinn was more appealing than spending time drinking with others. Sure, they were bummed, but once I saw the smile on Quinn’s face when I turned them down, that was worth more than a drink.
This time, I made sure not to fall asleep on her bed.
It was getting harder to keep things strictly business like she had asked, and I had to bite my tongue from time to time to keep all the things I wanted to say to her at bay. The reason it was getting harder? That small tint of blush on her cheeks I would notice with every stupid comment. It appeared right before the eyeroll, right before she would point at me and remind me this was all business. But that small shade of pink told me otherwise. She was having just as much fun as I was.
Albuquerque was similar—Quinn won for the third time in a row, but that night, she welcomed my hug once she jumped from the saddle, that same amazing laugh filling my senses. And when I knocked on her door for the nightly episode, she had it cued up and ready to go—actually starting on episode one that time.
“I thought we were going to wait until we got back to the ranch?” I asked, propping myself up on the pillows as she snuggled into the blankets.
“Why wait when we can start now?” She hit play, and I watched the world of her favorite show unfold as it began to make a little more sense.
I made sure not to fall asleep on her bed that night, though it was harder this time. I could smell her coconut lotion even through the blankets, I could hear her steady breathing, I could feel her warmth spread through the bed—even warming me. And every time she would let out a small laugh, I couldn’t help but smile.
Once we reached Grand Junction, it was almost as if she and I had been doing this for years. My focus was the horses—and not doing anything stupid, like kissing her—and hers was checking in and making sure she was ready to go. Not having the stress of saddling her horse being on her definitely helped her ride, and I expected the same results tonight as she had given the past three rides—a win.
She didn’t even hesitate once we parked, jumping out of the truck to go check in as I made my way back to Hook. She had been rotating them, giving them each their moments to shine, but I was glad to see Hook excited for tonight. I saddled him up, picking the flashiest breast collar I could find in the tack shed. The diamonds that lined the leather stood out against his black coat, and damn, the gelding looked like he was ready to win a show. I scratched behind his ears, praising him once again, before unhooking him from the trailer.
I started to lead him to the back field, knowing Quinn would warm up there before the event started, when my eyes caught her at the registration table talking to Sam. She beamed a smile as he laughed about something, making me quickly change my trajectory, throwing Hook for a little loop.
“Sam!” I shouted cheerfully, trying to hide the jealously that was settling in the pit of my stomach. “I didn’t know you were announcing tonight!”
“Damn right. Boise, too. Good to see you back in the arena!” He slapped my shoulder as I came up. “All it took was this beauty pulling you out of your funk, huh?” He grinned, motioning towards Quinn.
“Quinn.” I looked over to her, clearing my throat. “You remember my drunk friend from that night at The Steel, don’t you?”
