CHAPTER 33
Farrah
Istare at the bed of the truck. There’s no way we’ll need this much stuff. Right? We’re only camping for one night. Knox’s truck is literally full of crap. Not to mention, he has the trailer hitched to the back of it.
He just parked it in front of the barn so we can load up the horses. I have to force my thoughts away from how arousing it was to watch him competently back the trailer up without an ounce of effort.
Instead, I try to remember the last time I rode a horse. It had to be before I was a teenager. Likely at a birthday party for one of my school friends, since we never had the money for that kind of pastime.
Knox introduced me to Lady yesterday. She’s Sir’s best friend and only took a liking to me after she noticed Sir up in my pockets, trying to sneak a treat. I gave one to both of them when Knox wasn’t looking. Lady and I became good friends after that. She wouldn’t let me stop giving her attention once she decided she liked me.
Finn animatedly showed me to his horse, Trace. He was super sweet, and I understood why Finn likes him so much.
The clomp of hooves echoes through the open barn door. Sir walks out, his sleek black coat shining in the morning sunshine. Knox leads him into the trailer and gets him settled inside. Lady goes next, and then Finn leads Trace out last.
A few minutes later, we’re on the road, headed to Muriel and Stan’s. Nerves dance in my belly the closer we get to the farm. I do not want to look like an idiot out there, but I have no idea what to expect either. The only thing that kept me from flat-out refusing to go was knowing not a single one of my friends would make me feel bad for having very little experience. They’ll probably tease me a little, but it won’t be mean-spirited.
Knox holds my hand as he drives. Between my work schedule at the diner and his long hours on the farm, we haven’t gotten to spend as much time together as either of us would like. I’ve been dreaming of getting Knox naked again. It was a heady experience to give up my control to him. It gives me shivers every time I remember it.
Naturally, he notices. “What are you thinking about over there?”
My cheeks heat. “Nothing. Just wondering how cramped the tent will be.”
Knox raises an eyebrow at me. His brown eyes sparkle with mirth, seeing straight through me. “Finn has his own tent. Don’tcha, buddy?”
“Mm-hmm. It’s got superheroes on it. Daddy says I flop around too much to share a tent with him.”
I laugh at that.
“You somehow manage to take up a whole lot of space for such a tiny human,” Knox laments.
“I like to have my space, Dad. I can’t help it.”
“I’m even grumpier if I haven’t slept well, so for everyone’s sanity, Finn sleeps in his own tent.”
“Grayson calls Dad a grumpy bear when he wakes up on the wrong side of the bed,” Finn informs me.
“Who knew you were capable of being even grumpier?” I tease.
Knox tickles my ribs in retaliation, making me squeal. Finn laughs from the backseat, so I reach back to tickle him too.
Hearing Knox’s uninhibited laugh has become one of my favorite sounds. It usually only comes out when Finn is being particularly funny, but there have been a couple of rare occasions I’ve made him laugh that hard too, and it makes me feel ten feet tall.
We arrive to coordinated chaos at Muriel and Stan’s. It seems like we’re the last ones here. Horses are hitched to just about any place they can be while everyone buzzes around, getting their stuff unloaded.
I’m in awe of how everyone moves with purpose. Even the kids are helping in whatever ways they can. There’s a buzz of excitement in the air as I get out of the truck. Smiles are in plentiful supply, and echoes of laughter float around us.
“Are Holt’s brothers coming too?” I ask Knox as I help him unload the truck.
He narrows his eyes at me. “Why?”
Raising an eyebrow, I give him an unamused expression. “I’m just wondering who all will be here. What’s with the attitude?”
Knox blows out a breath, shaking his head as if to dislodge his thoughts. “Holt’s brothers aren’t going this time. Just us, Holt’s family, Grayson and London, and Emmett and his two kids.”
I hum in acknowledgment. “You didn’t answer my other question about your attitude.”
“I—” He sighs in resignation. “I’m a little jealous of yourfriendship with Nix. The guy is a player, and the first time I heard you were hanging out with him, it pissed me off. Now, I can recognize that I was jealous, but knowing he gets any of your time bothers me.”
