AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Wyatt gave him a brusque nod.
“You’re pulling that ‘overprotective man’ shit again,” I commented.
“Yup,” he replied, unapologetically.
“It’s sexy as hell.”
The comment cracked his stern façade, eliciting a small grin from him. “Let’s go.” He took my hand and pulled me off the table.
We got to his truck, and he opened my door. I slid into the passenger seat and sank into it, thinking about all the memories this truck carried. That time on the side of the highway in the pouring rain... A shiver ran up my spine.
He got into the driver’s side and started it up.
“Where are we going now?” I asked.
He raised a brow. “What did you have in mind?”
“I don’t know. I feel like all we ever do is go from rodeo to rodeo. Don’t you want to go out into the real world every once in a while?”
“Not really.”
“You would live in a barn.”
“If only I had a barn to live in,” he muttered.
Damn, I’d walked into that one.
Wyatt pulled out of the parking lot, and I stared out my window, unsure of what to say next. There was a time when talking to him had been so easy. On our first date, we’d done nothing but talk and laugh. That was also the last time things had been easy between us. Yeah, of course we’d had good times since then, but our relationship was like a carnival ride that went up and down—sometimes your belly filled with butterflies, and the next moment nausea took over.
Instead of leaving the city, he drove further in towards downtown.
“Where are we going?” I asked.
“Out into the world,” he replied.
We parked the truck on a busy street and got out. The area was lined with small trendy shops, cafés, and restaurants. I bounced with excitement.
Wyatt looked around and scratched the back of his head. He stood out in this area with his dirty boots, Wrangler jeans, plaid shirt, and trucker cap. “At least you dressed up for the occasion.” He eyed my attire.
I had opted for a pale blue sundress that day, a change from my regular jeans.
“Oh, c’mon, cowboy. I’ll be beating them off you with a stick,” I joked, grabbing his hand and tugging him along down the street.
We popped into a few stores, browsing through clothes and trinkets. Or, I browsed while Wyatt wandered around looking bored.
I chose a few items—a cute blouse with sunflowers printed on it and a couple pairs of jeans. I took them up to the register.
The cashier rang me up. “$191.25.”
I pulled out my credit card and handed it over. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Wyatt’s gaze lock on the card. His brow furrowed and his lips drew back into a thin line, but he didn’t say anything.
The cashier ran my card and handed it back to me, along with my purchase tucked into a bag. “Thanks! Have a great day.”
“You too!”
I looped my arm through Wyatt’s as we stepped back out onto the sidewalk. His body was tense beside mine, and I sensed the unease radiating off him. I didn’t need to ask what was bothering him; I already knew.
We passed several restaurants, but Wyatt turned up his nose at menus advertising sushi or vegan options. A burger joint caught his approval, and if I was being honest, as much as I liked to think of myself as open-minded, nothing beat a good burger. I was cattle rancher’s daughter, after all.
