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Ten.
Spencer and Jimmy were the biggest assholes in town! Ted drummed his fingers on the table while waiting for Dakota to bring him the coffee.
He behaved like an idiot! He groaned. Those fuckers were the ones to blame. They tried to hit on Dakota just in front of him. They had homicidal desires, hadn’t they?
He should have known better than bringing her here today. Both Spencer and Jimmy were rather curious about her. They had asked about her repeatedly when they visited him.
He knew it was weird he had hired a stranger to take care of him, and he had quite a reputation. He had been vague when telling them Dakota was an excellent help, shy and efficient.
He knew the horny bastards would be around her when they saw how astonishing she was. Damned birds of prey!
He had enjoyed being the only one who knew her so far. She had been like a secret he could savor and appreciate, like those greedy art owners who bought a masterpiece and enjoyed it alone.
He made little sense; he knew it. When Spencer and Billy saw her and their eyes widened with lust and interest, he felt he had to show them she wasn’t available. She was his.
Unbelievable! He wasn’t a caveman. Till Dakota appeared in his life, at least. It was a matter of time that those two bastards or someone else made a move to show his interest in her.
She had been in a small bubble the previous weeks. She was new in town, and she was bonding with her grandma. Besides, she was in his house most of the day.
It was logical she wanted to spread her wings and meet more people now. And her beauty would attract every bachelor who lived around.
He almost growled in anger when he thought of all the males without a woman who lived in New Essex. His cousins, for instance, Joe and Matt. Or the ranch’s hands, Fred and Marcos. Or…
Stop thinking like that, asshole. Make your move if you don’t want her dating anyone else. Sooner than later, he concluded when staring at Dakota being hit by a middle-aged rancher while she walked back to him with two pots of coffee.
“Leave her alone, man. She’s with me,” he yelled, and the rancher glared at him. He didn’t give a shit that the man was one of Rex’s acquaintances. He stood and leaned to hand his crutches, but Dakota left the man behind and hurried to get to him.
“Sit, Ted! You’re been rude! The man was asking me where was the horses’ exhibition.”
“Please! That’s bullshit! He knew it! That man is a rancher who brings pure breed to the festival. He was hitting on you, Dakota! You’re far too innocent.” He shook his head in annoyance, although he was being an ass.
“You cannot seriously believe every man who talks to me wants to seduce me!”
“I believe it! Of course, I do.” Was she blind, for God’s sake? Didn’t she see herself in the mirror every day? He sighed. “I’ve told you, and you don’t believe me. You’re the most exquisite woman around, Dakota. You just don’t see yourself as you should. You’re beautiful, babe.” He leaned to her until his mouth was almost above her lips.
“I don’t feel beautiful,” she said, and she chewed her lower lip.
“I could show you how pretty and desirable you are to me, babe.” Was he doing this? Making his move?Yes, you are, idiot. He saw Jimmy in the corner of his eye. The jerk! Was he trying to infuriate him? No, no focus here, on her. “I’m struggling here, though. I don’t know if I should act on my wants or not.”
“You…” Her wonderful eyes stared at him, and then she licked her upper lip with the tip of her tongue. That unconscious gesture sent more urges to Ted’s groin.
As if he needed more stimulus to be a horny mess!
“I would love to punch every bastard’s face who dares to get near you. I want to be the only one surrounding you, Dakota. But I promised myself and every person I know I would respect you, and I wouldn’t behave as usual. Although I promise my man-whore fame is unfair… Well, I’m babbling now. What I mean is that the only thing preventing me from kissing you now is I’m afraid of hurting you.”
It was the most passionate phrase he remembered telling to a woman, but his words were the truth.
“What if I want you to hit on me? What if I dare you to show me how much you desire me?” She said this in the lowest of voices, almost a whisper he had to decipher.
He froze, and his mind almost melt. Fuck! She was so brave! Telling him what she wanted was like putting herself on a tray, knowing she could be exposed to hurting.
She wouldn’t. He would never hurt her.Except that when you invite her to your bed and your life, you are giving her hope. What if you change your feelings after a few weeks? Could you truly compromise your heart besides your body, Ted?
He sighed. He knew himself too well. He liked novelty and challenge.
But Dakota was much more than that. He craved her body, but her smile, her talking, her silences, too.
We are good together. It could work. What did he have to lose? Nothing. His only concern was her well-being. Fuck! His mind was a mess.
