Total pages in book: 29
Estimated words: 28062 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 140(@200wpm)___ 112(@250wpm)___ 94(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 28062 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 140(@200wpm)___ 112(@250wpm)___ 94(@300wpm)
It’s then, while I’ve been daydreaming, that I realize he’s been talking this whole time. “Yeah, so you know I don’t like to ask Karla’s parents to watch him. They get to see him one night a month, and they’ve never asked for more, so I don’t want to ask them to watch him.”
“Tucker, you’re not hiring a babysitter.”
He blows out a breath and rolls his eyes. “Are you going to tell me he’s too old to need a babysitter? He has to be able to get back and forth to practice, and our ranch is a good twenty minutes from town. If I was only going to be gone a few hours, that would be one thing, but the fact that I’ll be in Jasper or—”
“I’ll watch him.”
The crack of a bat has us both turning to the field. Ace runs home, and I cheer as he crosses the home plate. Once I realize I’m making a spectacle of myself, I sit down. “I really should tone it down. I need to remember this is practice.”
Tucker is laughing next to me. “I like this competitive side of you.”
I turn in my seat to look at him. “I’ll help out with Ace this summer.”
He’s shaking his head. “I was going to ask you if you would help me with the interviews.”
I wave my hand in his face. “Hello. Earth to Tucker. You don’t need to hire someone to watch Ace. I’ll do it.”
CHAPTER 3
TUCKER
Hell, every part of me wants to take her up on her offer. All this talk about her dating is making me crazy, and I want to do anything and everything to tie her to me and Ace, but this is not the way to do it.
“Dolly, this is your summer break. You can’t spend the whole time taking care of Ace.”
She shrugs. “Why can’t I? It sounds like the perfect summer to me.” She leans in. “And don’t say it like that. He’s nine. He doesn’t need a babysitter. He just needs a friend to hang out with and take him to all his activities.”
“Right. Well, I just don’t think it’s a good idea, that’s all.”
She pulls her eyes from me, but not before I saw the hurt shining in them. She wraps her arms around herself.
Fuck. She’s the last person I want to hurt, but that’s all I seem to do. I have two options. One, I can let her watch Ace, but I know there’s no way I’m going to be able to keep my distance. Or two, I can hire someone else to watch Ace and then Dolly will be free to do what she wants. Hell, she’ll probably be engaged before the end of the summer.
“Hey,” I say softly.
She forces a smile to her face and looks everywhere but at me. “Okay, so how do you plan to find a sitter? Where are you looking?”
“Dolly.”
She acts like she didn’t hear me say her name and keeps talking. “It needs to be someone trustworthy. I mean, you know that. Forget it, I’m being ridiculous. I’m sure you will pick someone good, and trustworthy, and dependable.”
When she won’t look at me, I pull her from her chair because I can’t squat again. Riding bulls has done a number on my hips and knees. Dolly stumbles, falling into me, and I catch her. She gasps as her chest leans into mine. I hold her to me, longer than I should, and even though I don’t want to let go, I ease my hold on her but keep my hands on her shoulders. She is still close and has to lean her head back to look up at me. “I didn’t mean to hurt your feelings.”
She blinks. “I know you didn’t. Ace is your son, and if you don’t want me to spend time with him, then—”
Shit, I can’t do this. “Stop, you know that’s not it. I would never try to keep you away from Ace.”
She pulls from my hold and steps back. “Then what is it? Why don’t you want me to watch Ace?”
“You want the truth?”
She rolls her eyes. “Duh, yes, I want the truth.”
I nod and put my hands on my hips to stop from reaching for her. “Fine, I don’t trust myself.”
She shakes her head in confusion. “What does that even mean? You don’t trust yourself?”
I stuff my hands in my pockets. “Yeah, I don’t trust myself. If I’m around you, I don’t trust myself not to touch you.”
Her eyes widen. “Touch me?”
And just like that, I’m hard. Just the thought of touching Dolly makes my pulse race, and the need to possess her takes over. “Yes, I can barely keep my hands to myself when you’re around, Dolly.”
She’s stunned, but before she can react, Ace is running up to us. “Did you see my double, Dad?”