"Finish telling me about the spanking first."
I was already down the hall.
I was going back tonight and I knew it and she knew it and everything was completely fine.
Probably.
NINE
Wyatt
No one said a word about noises from my house last night…not about Haven calling in, not about me failing to show up for breakfast.
And that was a relief—until she showed up early.
I heard the crunch of gravel around back at half past five and looked up from the water trough I was fixing to find Haven walking in—hands in her pockets, wearing a pair of jeans with a UTSA hoodie. Her hair was down around her shoulders when it was normally up for work; it looked good on her, light brown strands spilling down over the hood, nearly down to her waist.
I took a look around to make sure no one was around, but I still didn’t feel as comfortable as I wanted to.
“You’re early,” I grunted as she got close enough.
“I finished my homework.” She stopped a few feet away, almost like she knew how much it made my skin crawl when she talked about homework. She was too young. Too fuckin’ young. “Didn’t feel like hanging out at home. For what it’s worth I did already drop my stuff off at your place…”
I looked up at her, and her hazel eyes sparked with mischief. She was messing with me.
Feisty girl.
“Gage only just went back to the house,” I said. “Dakota’s in the stable with Maverick, might be there for another couple hours. Really wanted you to wait until after dark.”
“I was quiet.”
“But someone could see your car. See you here.”
She shrugged. “Oops.”
I let out a harsh laugh and shook my head, then dried my hands off before turning to face her. Yeah…she was definitely fucking with me—sly smile, glittering eyes, a challenge on her face clear as day.
I knew what she wanted.
I crossed the barn in about four steps and backed her up against the wall net to the tack room, extending one arm to box her in. Haven sucked in a breath and looked up at me like she wasn’t even remotely sorry.
“Gotta be careful,” I said, close enough that my breath disturbed a lock of hair. “Lots of gossips live on this property.”
“They’re your family,” she laughed.
“That’s how I know,” I said. I ducked my head to drag my lips over her pulse, and she arched just slightly. “You were bad, Haven.”
Her breath caught.
“Showing up before you’re supposed to…” I went on. “Making me deal with you out here where anyone could walk in.”
“Then maybe you should take me somewhere they won’t.”
“Maybe I should send you home.”
“You’re not going to send me home.”
She was right, damn it. I especially wasn’t going to send her home now, with her smelling like roses and sugar cookies and just the barest hint of sex.
