Brokedown Cowboy. Maisey Yates

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       CHAPTER THREE

      “HEY, LISS,” CONNOR SAID, following her out the door to his house and down the steps of the porch. The poker game was done, and Jack had already gone home, while Kate was in the dining room lingering over the bowl of pizza rolls, and Eli and Sadie were just sort of happily sitting in the same chair.

      Liss was ready to go, blaming an early work schedule, but they still had some things to figure out as far as Connor was concerned.

      It was dark outside, cold enough that Connor could see his breath as he exhaled, the sharp bite of air in his lungs a signal that fall was fleeting and winter was biting at its ankles.

      “We need to talk just a little bit before you go,” he said.

      Liss paused and turned on her heel, the gravel crunching beneath her feet. “Do we need to talk tonight?” She sounded tired, and he couldn’t blame her. Had she sounded tired this morning? Had she sounded tired for longer than that? What else hadn’t he noticed?

      “It’s not going to be long and involved, I promise. I just want to get a few things straight. You’re not paying me rent.”

      “I’m going to have to compensate you somehow.”

      “Sure you are. You will bring me food, like you already do, and I will actually give you something in return.”

      “Connor, don’t be difficult about this. At least let me go over some of the paperwork for the ranch. Get things organized. And maybe the house, too. If I’m going to be living in it, then I need things at a slightly higher level of cleanliness.”

      “Fine. Done.” He ignored the tightening in his stomach. All of these offers of payment sounded very...domestic. Which was fair, he supposed, since they would be sharing the same house.

      “Good,” she said, nodding. “I’m glad we could come to an agreement.”

      Something about the situation struck him as funny then, loosening the knot in his gut. “I feel like we should shake hands or something.”

      “It does feel a little formal, doesn’t it?”

      “Yeah. Better idea.” He reached out and pulled Liss into a hug, not really thinking about it until she was pressed up against him, warm, soft and very feminine. He didn’t hug people often. He didn’t hug people ever, really. Sometimes he hugged Kate, an awkward half hug. And he was more likely to punch Eli in the face than pull him into an embrace.

      Very likely for those reasons the contact hit him with the force of a two-by-four. And while he was still reeling from the hit, time seemed to slow, and he became acutely aware of small things he would never normally notice. Of how soft she was, how tiny she was, folded into his arms, and—of course—the press of her breasts against his chest, because he was only human.

      Connor breathed in deep, inhaling a hint of wood smoke coming from his own chimney, a bit of sea salt mixed with pine and a floral note he knew was coming from Liss’s hair. The kind of girlie shampoo that had once cluttered up his shower, but had been absent from his house and his senses.

      And for some reason, in this strange slow-motion moment it seemed perfectly acceptable for him to run his palm up Liss’s back.

      “Connor, you’re kind of squishing my face.”

      Liss’s muffled voice broke the moment, time suddenly returning to its normal speed. He laughed, a short, harsh sound that wasn’t really intentional. But apparently, the release was necessary.

      He let go of her and took a step backward. “Sorry about your face.”

      “Hang on to that, Connor. That could be a really useful insult later.”

      “I meant it sincerely. The squishing of your face, not the features of your face. The features of your face are fine.” He had a feeling he wasn’t making any of this better, or less weird.

      “Thank you,” she said, her tone letting him know that he definitely seemed weird to her. “I’m going to go home now. If I don’t get my sleep, the numbers will not be effectively crunched tomorrow.”

      “That would be a shame.”

      “Not really. But I need the paycheck.”

      “So when do you want to move, then?”

      She kicked her foot across the top of the gravel, the rocks clacking against each other. “I don’t know. I mean, I have time...”

      “Well, whatever you want. I’ll even help you move.”

      Liss pulled a face. “What exactly has come over you? You’re being all helpful and things.”

      “I guess it’s the realization that I haven’t been very helpful at all recently.” They both knew exactly since when.

      “I understand. I’m not going to tell you how you should handle all this. It’s not my place.”

      “You’re about the only one who thinks that. Eli thinks I need to get over it. Jack thinks I need to get laid.”

      Liss cleared her throat loudly. “With that in mind, I will be the one who thinks you just need to do what you can.”

      “I can do this,” Connor said. “I can give this to you. So let me.”

      She scuffed her toe over the gravel, the rocks clicking together. “I am. We’ll work out the logistics later. Thank you.”

      He gave her a halfhearted wave and turned away from her, walking back up the steps before pausing and watching her get into her car. Waiting until it started to go back inside. At least the thing would get her home tonight.

      He shut the front door behind him and walked into the dining area, coming face-to-face with three very rapt sets of eyes. “What?” he asked.

      “So, Liss is going to move in?” Eli asked.

      “Were СКАЧАТЬ