They stumble, talking over each other as if to deny they aretogether.Half words and uncertain glances tangle in a mess until Kara finally rescues them both. “Since we were teenagers. I’ve known him forever.”
“Well, isn’t that romantic? See, I told you that we aren’t the only ones out here making this all work.” Addison taps her husband with the back of her hand, and he concedes with a nod.
“You win, Darlin’. She wasn’t joking about it being a while since we’ve seen anyone else, though. Was starting to think it’s just us left.”
“There are others,” Wade says, cautiously. “Long way away, though. We’ve been driving for days.”
“Sounds to me like maybe you should stay the night. Get some rest? We got a spare room and the shower even works ‘cause of the well. It’s cold, fair warning.” When Kara politely declines Addison’s offer, she gives her husband a side eye as if hoping he’ll try harder. He doesn’t, and that’s when she continues with a resigned sigh. “I’ll admit asking you out here isn’t purely as a thanks. I have an ulterior motive. He just ain’t wanting me to ask because he’s too proud.”
“I ain’t too proud. It just isn’t their problem, you know that.”
“What is it you wanna ask?” Wade’s ready for any number of bullshit questions that’ll have them running for the hills or fighting for their lives.
“There’s a windmill,” Wyatt admits. “Been trying to get it up for months. Can’t fucking do it, just the two of us…sorry, language…know it’s not your problem to help, but if you got the time, we’d appreciate it. Won’t take but one morning.”
“We got it all set up for electricity,” Addison smiles. “Hot water for the baby, lights, and all sorts of good stuff. He don’t want me saying because he’s afraid you’d just take this place from us, but I can tell you’re not like that. Even if you can’t help, you wouldn’t do us wrong that way.”
Kara’s already watching Wade with an amused purse of her lips, her voice light. “Well, honey, are you gonna help these folks put up a windmill or what?”
“Guess so.”
He hates how much he loves that term of endearment, even if it’s fake, or how nice it feels when her knee gently bops his under the table all over again.
* * *
The guest room is cozy and clean, and they take turns using the shower in the attached bathroom. Feels good to get the grime off himself even if it’s cold water and when he comes out, still ruffling his hair with a towel he’s stalled at the sight of Kara bent over the side of the bed with her jean covered ass in the air.
He’s regretting not jerking off in the shower right about now because his dick is rapidly starting to perk up. If that isn’t the best ass he’s ever seen in his life, he doesn’t know what is. A perfect peach just waiting for him to….
Quickly, he clears his throat before he can mentally take this too far.
“Oh, you’re done.” She jumps back up in surprise. “I was looking for the…the cap to my water bottle. It’s under there. Dropped it.”
He fetches the cap for her, and she takes it almost shyly, watching him move to the other side of the bed. They’ve shared before without a problem, except for the fact that she almost knocked herself out on the side table trying to get away from him in the treehouse. Shit.
“I could take the floor?” He’s giving her a chance to agree if she’s not okay with this arrangement, but her face falls instantly, like he just told her that the horse out there died.
“No, it’s okay. There’s plenty of room, right?”
“Right.”
“Okay then, get back in here,” she teases.
He grabs his spare shirt waiting on a chair, and pulls it on. “So, they seem nice. Could still be cannibals, though.”
“Sure. After everything we’ve been through, the people who named their horse Cheese Doodle are the ones to take us out.”
“Never know.”
“Well, maybe I want to believe this once that there are people like us out here. That’s what we’re hoping to find, right? We’re being careful, got the door locked, but we can’t assume everyone’s out to get us, Wade.”
“Yeah. Maybe. Think they’ll regret roping me into being a farm hand. Don’t know shit about putting up a windmill. I could saddle that green horse faster than I could get one of those going.”
“Missed your calling as a cowboy, but there’s still time,” she drawls, rolling her head against the pillow to grace him with a sassy smile.
“I don’t think we’re far enough west for that yet.”
“Shhh, just go with it.”
