Page 84 of Paper Horses

“Where can I get a cowboy hat?”

“Damn, what did you do to this woman, Hudson?” Sheila asked with a laugh.

“Not for me,” Olivia explained. “For my nephew. A birthday present.”

I smiled, thinking of how she may not have told the people in her life that she loved them, but she showed it in simple ways like this. Cat socks and cowboy hats.

“Well, that would be Sam’s,” Sheila said.

“I’ll call him tomorrow, and we can pick it up when we go to the festival on Friday night,” I told her.

“Festival?”

“Remember, I mentioned it before? It starts on Friday, and I’m taking you.”

She turned to me while Sheila bagged up the socks. “Are you asking me on a date, Hudson Thomas?”

Sheila laughed and handed us the bag.

“Why, yes, I am,” I replied, taking the bag.

“I’ll have to think about that, check my planner and see if I can pencil you in.”

I gave her a scolding look, snatching her hand and saying good night to Sheila before I dragged her out of the store. Slamming her against the wall, I dropped the bags and pinned her there.

“Pencil me in?”

Heaving breaths only made her more delicious, her breasts swelling over her neckline with each one. She tilted her head and gave me a sexy grin.

“I’m a very busy woman, Hudson.”

I dropped my head closer to hers, saying, “The only thing you’ll be busy with until Monday is coming for me.”

“See, I have to pencil a date in around that. Plus, I have this sketchbook to fill, and the riding, and⁠—”

I smashed my mouth into hers, silencing her words. There was an unstoppable craving for her I couldn’t satisfy, no matter how many times I took her. It was almost as if my body was making up for the years we’d lost.

“Come to the festival with me, Olivia,” I murmured between kisses.

Her arms wove around my neck, deepening the kiss. “Only if you promise to keep kissing me like this.”

My smile stopped our kiss, and I tipped my head back to look at her. Flushed cheeks and languid eyes. She was gorgeous.

“Always.”

Hazel irises with a gold dusting searched my eyes before she gave me a grin that had my insides heating. “Yes, I will be your date for the festival.” She sucked her bottom lip in. “What do we do there?”

My eyes creased, waiting for her to tell me she was joking, but she didn’t. “Seriously?”

She shrugged, and I groaned, hating how sheltered she’d been. I picked the bags up and took her hand, leading her back to the truck. “Remember when I took you to that thing at school where you ate too much funnel cake and got sick? It’s a bigger version of that.” The school event had been nothing like it, a few games, some carnival food, but no rides or anything close to what the town put on.

“Oh, yuck. That was miserable. I don’t think I’ve ever thrown up so much in my life. Except for the time I drank a whole bottle of wine by myself. Is that what you’re taking me to?”

I opened the truck door for her. “Why did you drink a bottle of wine by yourself?”

Her eyes darted from mine, and she tried to push past me to get into the truck, but I blocked her.

“Olivia.”