Page 46 of Untamed Heart
‘I’m filming him for social media,’ I clarified, braving a glance at Cole, but he’d already turned back to the corral. ‘Maybe some roping?’
He nodded.
‘I’ll get set up.’
‘Okay – I just need to go up and grab my charger. Meet you back here in ten?’
Back up at the ranch house, I dived into my room for the portable charger and plugged it in. My phone suddenly lit up, a dozen or more notifications on the screen.
As I tapped into them, then opened the social apps, my mouth fell open. The video of Jesse had somehow already been viewed almost 500 times, a bunch of comments ranging from emojis to exclamations already there. Quickly checking the link in the ranch profile was correct, I turned the screen off and walked out of my room at speed – right into Cole.
‘Hey, sorry,’ I said, stepping back. ‘I was just—’
‘I’m not sure about all this filming stuff,’ he announced, folding his arms. His face was impassive, but his body language screamed at me.
I raised an eyebrow, standing just as firm.
‘Filming generally, or filming Jesse?’
His jaw tensed and his eyes hardened. A silence developed, and the space between us suddenly felt small, charged.
‘Is there anything going on with you two?’
The words were abrupt and as I opened my mouth to tell him to mind his own business, his expression stopped me. There was a sadness to it.
‘No, of course not.’ I slumped, shrugging. ‘I’m just trying to help the business, help Lil. But why does it matter?’
He studied me, nodded. Mentioning Lil stirred the same feelings in me as it had earlier – the complications that arose from even standing here like this with him.
‘I need to go,’ I said, moving to the side, trying to walk around him.
‘Lottie, wait.’ He moved to block me, gentle hands on my arms. The feel of his touch sent my heart into overdrive. ‘We can’t keep dancing around each other, it’s—’
‘It’s too complicated, Cole,’ I replied. ‘It doesn’t matter what we feel, there are other people to think about.’
‘Who?’ he asked, moving closer, forcing me to step back against the wall. I couldn’t answer. His proximity was setting off every instinct, every deep-seated desire rising to the surface. The door to my room was open, the huge bed beyond it like a beacon. ‘Because from where I stand it’s just you and me, right now.’
‘I like you,’ I whispered, biting back a groan as his fingers found mine, his face perilously close. ‘But I’m in the middle of a mess at home . . . and Lil, I don’t want to hurt her.’
His forehead creased as he studied me. ‘Lil? This isn’t about her right now. And whatever’s across the pond isn’t here. I am.’
I gasped as he tilted his head down, his lips grazing my ear, moving down my neck.
‘Cole . . .’ I started, my breathing hitching as his hands grazed my waist, moving up. ‘Not here.’
He stopped, glancing at my room. I bit my lip.
‘I know that kiss yesterday was real,’ he began, slowly moving me backwards and through the doorway. ‘And I’m generally a very patient man, but I can’t get it out of my head – can’t getyouout of my head.’ I stopped any pretence of resisting, letting my hands grip his shirt.
‘You barely know me,’ was all I could say, shivering as his fingers began popping open my shirt buttons.
‘Then let me get to know you,’ he whispered, moving me back further still until I hit the bed, sitting on the edge as in one smooth motion he knelt down right in front of me. ‘What’s your favourite colour?’
I smiled despite the intensity of his gaze, his cowboy hat still in place.
‘My favourite colour? That’s your most pressing question in getting to know me?’
He smiled back and I reached over to touch his lips, tracing the curve of his mouth, not missing how his eyes darkened, a feral quality taking over.
