Page 63 of Chasing Home
“A guy like you?”
“Yeah, the type that wants nothing more than to impress a girl like you and is willing to do just about anything to accomplish it.”
“I’ve never known a guy like you, Johnny,” she admits softly, almost nervously.
I reach across the dash and drop my hand on her thigh. She glances down at it before looking over at me. I fucking love her pink cheeks.
“Seems we were both in for a surprise, then,” I reply before giving her thigh a squeeze and keeping it there.
A claim staked for only us to see.
21
AURORA
We don’t even make it fully out of the truck before a woman standing by a long stable shouts, “Johnny! I was hoping it would be you today!”
Johnny beams at her as he sets his hat on his head and slips from the truck. He swings the door shut with a grip on the half-rolled window as I sit in silence, my seat belt feeling like it’s growing tighter by the second.
He strides toward the woman with a look I’ve grown used to seeing. Happiness, a steady calm. She tosses her arms around his neck and squeals while hugging him tight and for far too long. He hugs her back, and I inhale a sharp breath through my nose when something angry and very, very green flares in my mind. It’s like I’ve tossed back a shot of poison as I work to keep my expression unbothered and climb out after him.
“It’s been far too long since you’ve been out here. Wade’s been gatekeeping you,” she says as they part.
I wait for them to separate further, but she reaches out to hold his arms, keeping him close.
He doesn’t move them out of her grip. His grin doesn’t waver. Each step I take toward them feels like I’m wading through tar. After everything earlier today, this feels far worse than it probably is.
“Thomas knows more about these babies than I do, Jill. I missed this place, though. Especially the babies in there.” He gestures to the stable.
Oh, he missed this place. How nice.
Jill, as he called her, smiles easily and freely. Some people have obvious vibes, like radioactive waves of personality that give you an insider view of how their minds work. She has too many waves. They’re so thick they nearly choke me.
Maybe that’s just my cattiness coming through.
Yeah, that’s probably it.
She flips her long blonde braid over her shoulder and pushes the top of her hat back to expose more of her tan skin. My jealousy spikes again when I sweep my gaze over her features and find them near perfect. Smooth and pimple-free. I can’t even find a single acne scar. How is that possible?
Probably because she’s nearly ten years younger than you, Aurora.
“Well, it’s nice to see you, anyway. I know the horses will be excited to see you,” she says cheerfully.
“Wade gave y’all the rundown, yeah?” he asks, shifting his hips to face the stable.
I finally reach them, my arms hanging limp before I shove my hands into my pockets. He doesn’t make a move to introduce me, and I deduce that to the fact he hasn’t noticed me. Somehow, that’s worse than any other reason.
The stable that holds his attention is more like a horse palace. It’s tall and sleek, made of matte black and deep chestnut brown siding. The doors are bigger than the ones at Steele Ranch, and there are at least three more of them. It even has a second storey on the back half with a tall window that I’d bet even swings open.
Taking a look around the ranch, it’s obvious that there’s a reason for the extravagant stable. Horses are everywhere. In a back pasture and two huge circles with shining silver fencing and equipped with several wooden barrels.
This is a horse ranch. Maybe with the specific purpose of training them. Breeding too.
“I’m so sorry for my rudeness!” Jill shrieks, snagging my attention. “I’m Jill. This is my family’s ranch.”
I blink, refocusing to find her hand extended for me to shake. Taking it to avoid being seen as rude, I yank the corner of my mouth up into a smile that I hope doesn’t look as much like a grimace as it feels.
Johnny’s eyes are a brand on my face, but I ignore him. “I’m Aurora. This is a beautiful place.”