Page 13 of Branded By Bishop

"I didn't say that."

"Yes, you did. You said—"

"I know what I said." I meet her gaze. "But maybe I'm realizing I'm not the same man I was back then. My priorities have changed."

She slowly blinks at me, clearly shaken. And then she laughs a little breathlessly and takes a tiny step away. "Your future wife will be thrilled to hear that, Bishop," she says, like she's trying to brush it off.

We both know damn well she knows I'm talking about her, though. But I don't push the issue. She doesn't know me like that, not yet. Hell, she barely knows me at all. I can't blame her if she's freaked out by what I just said or by its implications. It's freaking me the fuck out too.

But I spent all goddamn weekend thinking about her, trying to wrap my head around the way I want her. And I came to exactly one conclusion. She's different. Different than anyone I've ever met. Different for reasons I don't even understand. Different in ways that are going to knock my entire world out of orbit. I can pretend that isn't true all I want. It won't change anything. She's different. It scares the hell out of me.

I think maybe it scares the hell out of her, too.

There's nothing I can do about that but give her time.

"What are you doing today?" I ask, changing the subject before she has too much time to think herself into kicking me out of here.

"Practicing." She pauses, then groans. "Then I need to go pick up the contract from Bender at his bar to have my dad's lawyer look it over before I sign it and take it back. Then I need to finish writing this song."

"So…busy day."

"Why do we even need sleep?" she asks. "It feels so unnecessary."

A laugh rumbles from my lips. "You would not feel the same if you worked on a ranch, trust me. Sleep is the best goddamn thing ever, and there's never enough of it."

"Do you like it? Ranch life, I mean."

"Yeah, I do," I say softly. "I didn't think I would when I started, but it feels like home. It's a lot of long days and backbreaking work, but it's good."

Her face falls. "You're doing double duty right now."

"Hey." I take a step toward her, tipping her head back to force her to look at me. "I'm not doing anything I don't want to do."

"I wish you'd let me pay you."

"And still owe Calamity a favor when we're done? Fuck that noise," I growl, shuddering at the thought. "I've been looking over my shoulder for months, songbird. Don't cast me back into hell now. I've done my time with the sinners."

Her lips curve. "She isn't that bad, Bishop."

"You've never owed her a favor."

"You're the one who let her outdrink you."

"There was no letting involved, Callie. She drinks like a fucking fish," I complain. "And she failed to disclose that she used to do that shit professionally. We were fucked before the bet was even made."

"Why'd you even bet her in the first place?" she asks, laughing.

"Thought it'd be funny if Blaze had to take care of her drunk ass," I admit with a grimace. "And we wanted to teach her to ride. Wade and I knew damn well that she wouldn't agree otherwise. She was terrified of horses when she showed up at the ranch. She would have been miserable surrounded by them all day, every day when she jumped every time she came near one."

Callie's expression softens. "You're kinda sweet for a cowboy, you know that?"

Fuck. I want to ruin her right now, just press her against the wall, and watch her crumble for me. Instead, I dip my head, my lips inches from hers.

"Keep talking about me like that," I rumble, "and I'm going to forget that I'm supposed to be a gentleman right now."

She whimpers. She fucking whimpers. A man can't be expected to behave when she's making a sound like that.

I groan, my lips crashing down on hers in a desperate kiss. She gasps, opening for me. I haul her up against my body, my tongue touching her bottom lip before I slip it into her mouth. I tell myself I'm only going to take a little taste, just one. But I know it's a lie before I even finish telling it.