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I nod, deflating a bit. “That’s fair.”
“Why the random train of thought?”
“They’re all over the internet right now. I fell down the rabbit hole a few weeks ago, and they’re the cutest damn things in the world. I was just curious whether you’ve ever had one.”
“Would you have a fluffy cow as a pet?”
“I’d love one. They’re like dogs that can live outside instead of shedding all over the house and making a mess of things.”
“True enough. I’ve never considered getting one.”
“Well, now maybe you should.”
“Maybe I will.”
I kiss his chest, lips lingering to feel the thump of his heartbeat against them. “Good. Want to watch another movie?”
He presses a kiss to my forehead and nods. I duck my head and get back into my previous position. It doesn’t make me long to pick another movie, but this time, I hardly make it halfway through before I’m falling asleep.
I don’t wake until the room has gone silent and a soft warmth feathers across my cheek. I’m moved from my seat and hauled into the air, held against a hard body. I keep my eyes closed, not wanting to fully wake just yet.
Strong arms hold me close to a chest that moves steadily against my cheek. I rub my face against it, sighing out contently at the security that washes over me, soothing my most damaged parts.
I inhale deeply, picking out the smell of the peppermint candle I burned earlier through Brody’s cologne. His breath fans the top of my head before his arms tighten just once. I’m clutching onto his arm when he pushes open a door and goes to set me down.
“Stay,” I plea, squeezing my eyes shut.
He pauses. “You sure?”
“Positive.”
“I’m stayin’ on the couch.”
I nod quickly. “Okay. Just stay. There are extra blankets in the linen closet. Take one of my pillows.”
I’m not ready to let him go yet. Call it desperation or neediness, I don’t care. The thought of him walking out the door right now has my stomach in a fist-sized knot.
“I’ll stay, sweetheart. Get into bed for me.”
The thick socks on my feet protect them from the cold bite of the wood floors as I steady myself and then crawl beneath the lifted covers. It takes more self-restraint than I thought it would not to tug him right down beside me. I nearly crack and do it when he leans down to brush my hair back and kisses my noseand then, finally, my mouth. It’s a sleepy kiss, one full of soft meaning. The most beautiful kind.
“Sweet dreams, Anna. I’ll see you in the morning.”
I let my eyes flutter closed and nod, humming my agreement. “Good night, Bo.”
The next day flies by.
I woke to find Brody already up and pouring two cups of coffee, yesterday’s clothes on and wrinkled. I’m still unsure how long he’d already been up by the time I was ready to head to work, but I wouldn’t be surprised if it was before dawn broke.
He drove me to work and headed out to the ranch with the usual promise of being back at the end of my shift. I’ve been a ball of energy all day, bouncing around from client to client. I feel refreshed, alive. Happiness is a drug. One hit of the good stuff and I’m nose to the ground in search of another.
Wanda has picked up on the attitude as well, picking at me all damn day with a dirty smirk. I finish taking payment from the last client and glare at her from across the salon when I notice she’s lingering by my station.
“I want whatever you’re on today, Anna. I ain’t ever seen someone blow-dry that much hair in such little time in all my life,” she says.
I tuck the debit machine away and shift to face her, leaning against the side of the desk. “I’m skilled with a hair dryer. What can I say?”
“Don’t act coy. You can’t outplay a player.”
