Hit!The squirrel spins on his metal frame.
Boone’s cheer comes from beside me, and I have to fight to keep my concentration instead of letting my triumphant smile loose.No celebrating until it’s done and won.
I move on to target number two, this one some kind of rodent. I slow my breathing and squeeze.
Hit!Inside, I do a little dance, but I make no outward sign of my excitement because I’ve already gotten this far a couple of times.
Keep your expectations low, Rip. Isn’t that what life has taught you? Best way to avoid disappointment.
Depressing words, but true.
I find target number three. It’s a rabbit. I’ve missed it four or five times. Maybe because I think rabbits are super cute and I wanted one from the pet store when I was seven, but Pop said no way would he let that thing in the apartment. I almost switch back to the squirrel, something I know I can hit, but I’m determined. What’s the point of winning if I don’t do it in a way that means something?
Setting my sights on the rabbit, I picture the little furry bastard flipping me off and mocking me for all my misses.Not so cute now, asshole.
I hold my breath as I pull the trigger.It spins!
My finger slams over the safety, engaging it before I jump out of my seat and toss off my earmuffs. Boone takes the rifle from my hand, sets it aside, and clutches me around the waist to lift me in the air over his head and twirl me around in a circle.
“One hell of a shot for someone who’s never picked up a rifle in her life. Damn, sugar, that was badass.”
He lowers me, letting my front slide down his entire body. The heat that had bloomed between my legs is back.
I want him. I try to piece together the words in my head to tell him, stumbling over something so simple, and then I lose my chance because my stomach growls again.
Boone carries me into the house.
“First, I’m gonna deliver on those promises, then we’re gonna get some of those leftover wings together and go for a ride. I got something I want to show you.”
47
Boone
Ilower Ripleyonto the seat of the ATV, strap down our food in the rack at the back, and settle myself right behind her, lifting her onto my lap.
She’s the perfect size to fit there, with the luscious curve of her ass pressing against my dick.
Is there anything this woman could do that wouldn’t turn me on?I suspect the answer to that question is a solidno.
Once again, I can’t help but think of the one time I tried to get Amber to go out on an ATV with me to see my property. She’d looked at me like I’d asked her to walk through a pit of vipers. She was an LA girl, and not interested in learning about the country way of life. At least, not the part that was the real me.
Even now that she’s out of my life, she’s still causing me grief. When I was putting up the rifle, my phone wouldn’t stop pinging with texts from Nick. Amber is back in Nashville, making demands and causing trouble. Just what I don’t need right now ... so I left my phone in the house because I wasn’t about to let her ruin this night.
Ripley’s practically vibrating with excitement. She turns her head to the side. “Are you going to let me drive? Or are you one of those guys who won’t let a woman do it when you’re around?”
As much as I want to say no way in hell am I letting her drive because she’s never been on an ATV before, I know she’s fully capable. My five-year-old nephew can run around the yard on his.
“How about on the way back?”
“Deal.”
Something about Ripley makes me wonder what it would be like to make a lot more deals with her. I told myself she was a distraction in the beginning. Someone to take my mind off the fact that Amber fucked me over so hard, but that didn’t last long.
Hell, the first time I got my hands on Ripley, I knew this was something else. Having her in my house, fitting into my life so easily, drives it home.
My future with Amber was always a hazy concept. I couldn’t picture her walking down the aisle of a simple country church to meet me at the front while my family gathered around. I couldn’t see us arguing about what to name a kid, or her trying to talk me out of splurging on Christmas toys so our kids wouldn’t be spoiled brats.
All I could see with Amber was walking down a red carpet while she posed and cameras flashed around us, or maybe sitting next to her at an awards show. Maybe that’s because when I look back on it, I realize we didn’t do a lot more than that together.