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“Watch it.,” he joked.
“Did you always want to go into law enforcement?”
He blew out a breath. “No. I was interested in the rodeo growing up. My dad had a gambling problem, and he’d bet on races. He also placed bets on bull riders. That was when I first fell in love. Watching the guys go ten seconds on a bull—or try to. It was thrilling.”
“You wanted to be a bull rider?” I asked, surprised.
“No. I could never do that. I wanted to compete in roping events.”
“Why didn’t you?”
“My dad. He didn’t mind betting on all those events, but he didn’t want us working the rodeo circuit. His sons had to do something that made him proud. At least that’s what he told us, but really, he wanted us to do something that made him look good in the community. Most people in Ridge Point knew about my dad’s problem, but he was too proud to get help or admit it. So he wanted each of us to do something extraordinary to make up for his wrongdoing.”
“That’s horrible.”
“I guess. He’s not much different from your parents.”
“So Will is a lawyer, Duke’s going to be a doctor, and you chose law enforcement,” I summarized.
“Yeah, except after I started at the academy, my dad told me law enforcement wasn’t good enough. ‘Cops get bad raps,’ he said. He wanted me to find a career where I could make more money.”
“Wow. It sounds to me like he wasn’t happy with whatever you did.”
“Exactly.”
I twisted in his arms so I could see him. “Sid, I’m so sorry.”
He shrugged but wouldn’t meet my eyes. I turned all the way around and cupped his face in my hands.
“You are not defined by what you do or how much money you make. Your character and heart define you, and the moment I met you, I could tell you have a big heart. You’re loyal and honest. That’s something I admire.”
He swallowed hard, and his eyes bounced between mine. I held his gaze. It was too easy to get lost in the way he looked at me. His gaze held hunger and lust, but admiration too. My heart hammered in my chest. Would he kiss me again? God, I wanted him to.
My hands were still cupping his face. His beard was rough against my palms, and I wanted it rubbing against my skin.
I dropped my hands from his face and almost sat back, but he pulled me roughly against him. Our lips crashed together, and it felt like a dam burst inside me, flooding me with desire. His tongue stroked into my mouth and sent shivers racing through me. His kiss was demanding and harsh and yet not enough.
His lips left mine and traced my jawline. His beard set my skin on fire. He stopped to nibble on my earlobe, and I half moaned-half whimpered.
“Shh. This is a public area.”
I pulled back and looked around. Thankfully, there was no one else here. Sid chuckled and pulled me back in, his lips reclaiming mine. The kiss turned frenzied. His hands explored my curves while mine tangled in his long hair. It was soft in contrast to the hair on his face that was currently rubbing against my chest.
It felt amazing, and yet I still needed more. I straddled him. His hard length rested against my center, and I moaned, rubbing myself against him.
Sid groaned and recaptured my lips, and his hand cupped my breast through my shirt. His touch was electric, and his kisses were all-consuming. This Sid was totally different from the grumpy, growly man I knew, and I loved it. Still, it seemed like he was holding back a little. I wasn’t sure if it was because we were in a public place or for some other reason, but I wanted to find out what it would be like for him to let go.
He was so locked up and guarded. I could understand why, but I wanted him to get out of his head and be in the moment with me. Even though this relationship wasn’t real, the moments we shared were.
“More,” I moaned.
He pulled his lips from mine and looked past me, his hands doing something behind me. Then he gently eased me down onto my back. He had spread the blanket out, and the kind gesture made my heart flutter. Sid’s eyes raked over me like a caress while his tongue slicked over his bottom lip.
“Gorgeous,” he said. His voice was rough. “Take off your shirt.”
I pulled my T-shirt over my head, revealing my pink sports bra. My boobs were stuffed in it, which Sid seemed to like since his gaze went right there, and his eyes blazed. Sid took the zipper on the front between his thumb and forefinger and slowly lowered it.
My breath caught and my heart pounded.
