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That’s when I feel her squeeze harder, tightening around me, her muffled, desperate noises coming out in time with each punch of my hips. Skylar’s just as close to falling apart as I am. Using my thumb, I find her clit and add that pressure I know will get her there.

I don’t even know what I’m saying. It’s a string of filthy fucking words. Telling her how perfect her cunt is. That she’s gorgeous when she’s leaking my cum. How I’d spend all night owning every single one of her pretty little holes if I could. That she’s my perfect little slut, who deserves to be bent over right here next to the saddles while I pump her full.

Skylar detonates on a low moan. Clamping down and gasping. It’s all so fucking intense that my own release follows right behind. My balls draw up, my dick jerks, and I bury myself to the hilt. Holding there as my seed spills and coats her channel, hardly able to register anything except for the pounding rush of blood in my ears.

Both her arms wrap around the back of my neck, filming long forgotten, as Skylar seeks out my mouth. I cradle the back of her head, holding my hat so it gives me access to her mouth but doesn’t tumble to the dirt. We kiss in a way that reminds me of being so much younger, without the burdens of being a solo parent, without the stresses and pressures that come with running this ranch. Being with her eases so much of that, in a way I can’t fucking explain. As she hums and melts against my mouth, lapping at my tongue and kissing me with all the warmth and goodness that is just her, I know it just feels right holding her. As if all those things that on the bleakest day feel like such a struggle, I’d easily face them knowing Skylar Addams was mine.

God, I want to tell her, but that would be madness.

She’s leaving first thing in the morning, and her life is waiting for her. I’d never ask her to give up that dream she’s working on, and I’d never risk her friendship with my son.

This is the type of kiss that lets me tell Skylar I’m in love with her, but it’s also the one that tells this beautiful girl that I’m letting her go.

Even though I hate that I have to.

I hate that we’ll still be circling each other in that inevitable way people do when there’s a connecting point between us—Brad. It kills me to think I’m going to be stuck on the sidelines, seeing her continue to live out her life and thrive.

As we pull back and I study her in the deep shadows, Skylar looks at me with that same expression as a year ago when she sat in the front seat of my truck with her hand resting on the door.

Only this time, she brings my phone back around and angles it so that it takes in the sight of her wearing my hat.

A sight I’m never going to be able to stop replaying in my mind’s eye.

I’m still buried deep inside her when she brings our mouths back to touching. Our lips brush together with the warmth and wetness there of our kisses.

This time she positions the camera to record the way we’re joined, and she brushes her mouth over mine, nudging our noses together. Skylar’s voice is a gentle, feather-like sound playing over my mouth.

“Thank you for taking care of me … Happy New Year, Mr. Rhodes.”

CHAPTER 25

ONE MONTH LATER

“You can drop by anytime after ten a.m. tomorrow and collect the arrangement, Ms. Heartford.”

I feel the vibration in my palm, letting me know I have another call incoming. Pulling the phone away from my ear a little, I see “Brad” flash up on the screen.

That second of recognition is immediately followed by the pout in my heart that it’s not the name I want to see on my phone. I love my best friend with my whole chest, but fuck if I don’t have a whole lot of emotional baggage ready to tumble out of the closet after what happened between me and Luke.

His father.

The cowboy I fell in love with. Agonizingly so.

“Perfect, see you then.” I drag my brain back to the job at hand before wrapping up the call. Taking a big, grounding breath, I hit the missed-call notification, redialing the younger of the two Rhodes men.

Brad picks up immediately.

“What are you up to tonight?” He sounds like he’s got a mouthful of food.

“I’ve got a hot date.” I pin my phone against my ear with my shoulder and use both hands to start fussing with the gorgeous bouquet being picked up any minute now. A guy called in earlier to order these flowers, all sweaty palms and nerves, because he’s proposing to his girlfriend tonight. It was very sweet, and he asked me what I thought about every detail he’s got planned for the special moment. Based on how much thought and planning he’s put into this, I told him she’ll be swept off her feet.

“A date? You do?” Brad sounds stunned.

“Don’t be so shocked down to your cute li’l bisexual booties.”

“Are you fucking with me?”

That makes me frown. “Since when did I have to report my every single move to you, hmm?”