When they reached one, Dakota blew out the flames before wrapping her lips around the rim. She pulled out the glass before tipping back the shot; her throat bobbing as she downed its contents in a single breath.
Well, mercy fucking me… My mind was racing at the sight and the thought of something else I’d love to see her swallow.
Dakota returned to standing, removing the tube from hermouth before licking her lips, eyes now fixated on mine. She didn’t need to utter a single word; those vibrant greens of hers spoke volumes as they shimmered under the lighting.
Parting my lips to speak, I was interrupted as Dakota reached up and removed my hat with the same smooth motion as the night we’d met. She then placed it on her head, tilting it to the side while biting her bottom lip, a devilish grin pulling at the corner.
“Dakota. Now, let’s see where this ride takes us, Cowboy.”Say fucking less…
I scooped up my girl like the bride she would become and hauled ass out of the bar, heading straight for my blacked-out Tacoma TRD Pro parked in the back.
Sweeping Dakota off her feet had been far easier than I’d thought.
I’ll owe Trent a bottle of Blanton’s come sunrise.
Chapter 15
Dakota
Whateverthefuckhadsparked between us had the rest of the world feeling like nothing more than a muffled mess of distortion. I wasn’t committing to anything more than the present, at least… that was my intention.
Rhylan leaned into the car, one hand resting on the frame, the other gripping my chin with gentle fingers to lift my face toward his.
The way he looked at me, his eyes cataloging my features as if he’d been missing them for decades. A lover lost to nothing more than a vague memory. Passion-driven longing; the same infatuation described in romance stories.
Why was he looking at me like that?
“Rhylan, I don’t want—”
“Shh…” His thumb pressed against my lips, and suddenly I forgot what the fuck I was about to say. “I’m gonna take you home, Wildcat, and give you exactly what you want.” Rhylan pressed a soft kiss to the center of my forehead before shutting the passenger door and rounding the hood to his side of the truck.
The damp warmth of his lips lingered on my skin, and I fought every urge to touch the spot on my face. I could feel my heart pounding against my chest, the blood rushing to my ears, and finger tips tingling with anticipation for what was to come.
He was so goddamn hot.
He was so fucking intense.
He was being so...intimate.
And now, with his hand possessively caressing the inside of my thigh, I found my sanity flying out the window as we sped down the freeway and into the darkness of the Tennessee countryside.
So much for keeping this casual…fuck.
Afterashortdrivewith quiet country music and his thumb drawing lazy circles along the side of my leg, Rhylan pulled through a hand-carved, wood archway to his home, a ranch in the middle of nowhere.
There were no city lights in sight, and very few on the main road. Almost total darkness as he parked in front of a massive farmhouse-style home with the porch and interior lights already on, as if his dream-worthy escape had been awaiting our arrival.
“This—this is where you live?” The breathless words escaped before I could stop myself, completely awestruck at the sight.
“She’s a bit much for some, but everything I’ll ever need.” Rhylan rested his elbow on the center console, leaning toward me with his other hand draped over the steering wheel. “Come on inside. I’ll give you the grand tour. We’ll save my favorite room for last.” And with the wink he gave, I didn't have to guess which one that'd be.
We exited his truck and walked side by side along the natural stone walkway. I took a second to glance up at the night sky, a canvas painted with thousands of bright, twinkling stars. A view you could never get living in the city.
The closer we got to the front porch, the more obvious it became that most of the exterior was black, accented with dark-brown reclaimed oak posts and matching trim along the windows and entryway.
As I turned to look further down my right, Rhylan’s arm wrapped around my waist, pulling me and my mind to him before he opened the front door and dragged me inside. It was unsurprisingly just as breathtaking.
Aside from a single doorway leading off from the living room with a vaulted ceiling, the entire main level was open. The walls, wide-plank wood flooring, and reclaimed-wood rafters complemented those of the exterior in the same shade of deep walnut. And even though everything was decorated in various dark tones, none of it made the space feel small.
