My throat stings, and I close my eyes, waiting for Brady to yell at me, but he never does.
When I get the courage to look at him, his head is lowered, and he’s rubbing the back of his neck. A minute passes, and finally he whispers, “Accidents happen, Kat.”
I wait for him to say more, but he doesn’t. He just nudges me to the door with a sigh. “Let’s check and make sure everyone’s locked down for the night. C’mon. We’ll go together.”
Nodding, I follow him out to the porch where the kittens start mewling. I kneel down and pet their damp fur. The wind is so strong, the rain is pelting through the back porch screen.
Glancing around, I worry when I don’t see Bandit lurking. Even though the porch is enclosed, that little rascal knows how to work the latch on the flimsy door that leads outside. Hopefully, he’s nice and warm under the house.
“Why don’t you put the kittens in Izzy’s room tonight?”
“Great idea.” I scoop them up and put them in their little box. As I’m heading into the house, I look back at Brady. “Wait for me. I’ll just be a minute.”
His eyes warm. “I’m not going anywhere without you. I promise.”
21
Brady
Something happened while I watched Kat race around the property with ice-cold water pelting her skin and soaking her clothes. My admiration for her grew. As did the weight of what she told me earlier. I can’t believe she holds herself responsible.
But I straight-up don’t know any woman who would willingly head out in a thunderstorm to do this.
She dragged me across the farm to check on the chickens and goats and that horse. Everyone was locked away and dry. But that didn’t stop her from cooing at them sweetly.
As we stand on the porch, drenched, she laughs. “So maybe I was overreacting. Maybe they didn’t need us to check on them.”
Our breaths come out like little puffs of smoke in the cold air.
I smile as I wipe water out of my eyes. “Better to be safe than sorry. But we should get out of these wet clothes before we catch pneumonia. Why don’t you hit the shower first? It’s too late for coffee, right?” It has to be after midnight.
She thinks a long, hard minute as she shivers. “Probably. But dang, coffee sounds good.”
“How about some tea? Or hot chocolate?”
Her eyes brighten. “I’d love some hot chocolate! Check above the coffee maker. I think we have those little marshmallows.”
She smiles, and I grin back like an idiot. I just ran around in some cold-ass rain for an hour, but one look from this girl, and I’d do it all over again.
Her small hands start to unbutton her coat. She’s still wearing that dress. Only now she’s sporting work boots.
I help her take off her coat, which is about fifteen pounds heavier since it’s drenched. I drape it over a chair so it can dry on the porch as she kicks off her boots. Motioning for her to get in the house, I follow behind. She turns to me as she reaches for the light in the bathroom. It backlights her so she glows, and it stops me in my tracks.
She’s so fucking beautiful. Her cheeks are flushed and her skin is damp. Wet tendrils of hair stick to her neck.
And that dress. Goddamn. The fabric is glued to her like a second skin, and even though the dress is black, it’s hard to miss her nipples standing at attention. Especially since her chest is heaving from the cold.
Fuck me.
I had a hell of a time not kissing her earlier, and seeing her like this is not helping.
“I’m going to grab us those drinks,” I mumble, stalking away before I beg her to let me join her in the shower. Because the thought of her naked body, soapy and slick, has me hard enough to pound nails.
By the time we swap places, I’ve barely managed to get the milk microwaved, but at least the boner crisis has subsided.
Until I step into the shower that smells just like her.
My resistance, which has been hanging by a very fine thread, finally snaps.
There’s only so much shit I can deal with in one day. I may not be able to act on my attraction to her, but at least I can take the edge off so I don’t strip her bare and fuck her against a wall.
For the first time since I’ve met her, I really let myself think about Kat, the gorgeous woman who’s been here for me since the moment I walked through that front door. Have I really only known her five days? Jesus. I feel like I’ve been here weeks, not days. Everything about our situation is intense. I shouldn’t be surprised that the vibe between us is too.
I ignore the strange emotion darting around in my chest. This, thinking about her while I rub one out, has to be purely physical. It can’t be more. Nothing about our relationship can mean more.
Leaning against the shower wall with one hand, I close my eyes as the hot water beats against my skin. My dick bounces against my stomach, and I grip it hard as I give into the fantasy.
She fills my vision with her honey-colored eyes and pouty lips. With that taut body and round ass. With those toned legs and full breasts.