Faithful: Age Gap Small Town Romance (Whiskey Run Book 1) Hope Ford (the gingerbread man read aloud .txt) 📖

I woke up a few times in the night, and every time we had our arms wrapped around each other. Now, in the light of the day, I have all kinds of thoughts in my head. I’m attracted to Millie. I was the first time I saw her, and even though I knew I wanted to date her, I know I won’t just settle for a date or two. The way she is, her kind heart and loving way about her makes me start to imagine all kinds of things. The fact that she came when she knew I was hurt and stayed the night with me tells me that she likes me and gives me a little hope.

As soon as I step off the porch, I notice there’s a gathering at the corral. It seems everyone is goofing off this morning instead of working. That is until I spot Millie on the back of the unruly horse that threw me yesterday. I have to fight the urge to run toward her and save her. The only thing that stops me is the big smile on her face. Her long black hair is blowing in the wind, and she seems happy and at home. She’s something else up there, and I’m not the only one that is noticing. All my men are smiling at her; it’s as if her carefree happy attitude is drawing them all in. I could stand here and watch her all morning, but worry fills me. No one has been able to do anything with this horse. I don’t even know how this happened.

I get to the fence, next to my foreman. “Carter, what is she doing out there?”

“Boss, she obviously knows her way around horses. Look at her.”

“I am looking. You need to quit looking.” I address the rest of the men. “All of you need to quit looking – get to work.”

They all give me a smirk. I know what it looks like. I’ve just met the woman and already I’m going crazy over her, but I don’t care. I want to be the one that looks at her.

She spots me, and her whole face transforms. She looks worried and rides over toward me. “You’re supposed to be resting.”

I hear the snickers of the men walking away, and obviously she does too.

She blushes prettily. “I mean, since you’re not feeling well, you should be in bed.”

It’s killing me to have her up on the back of the wild horse, but I don’t want to make any sudden moves. The closer she gets to me, the more skittish the horse seems to get. “I’m more worried about you. That horse...”

“Is the sweetest horse I’ve ever met.” She slides down, and only when her feet hit the dirt am I able to breathe easier. She grabs the lead and walks, petting the horse’s mane. “From what Carter said, I’m thinking she had a male owner, and he wasn’t very nice. I mean, he made it sound like Patches doesn’t like men, but what do I know? I mean, there could be women on this ranch all the time.”

She won’t look at me. I know what she’s asking without actually asking me. “Honey, there’s not any women that come here. Carrie stays in the house or in the garden, but she doesn’t ever come down to the barn. You’re the only woman that’s been here in a very, very long time.”

She smiles but tries to stop herself by biting her lip. Clearing her throat, she shrugs. “Well, then maybe my theory is right.”

“So, Patches, huh?”

She starts to stutter. “I mean, that’s just what I called her when I was talking to her. I’m not trying to name your horse or anything. You should pick out her name.”

I take a step closer to her, real slow like. When Patches doesn’t seem to mind, I take another step. “Sounds to me like she’s your horse now.”

“I can’t take your horse.”

I reach up and brush the hair off her face. “She’s yours. But you’ll have to come here and see her.”

She puts her hand on her hip. “You don’t just give people horses, Austin.”

“I’m not giving people a horse. I’m giving my girlfriend a horse.”

“Girlfriend?”

I lean in and nuzzle my mouth right next to her ear. “Girlfriend.” I can’t resist, so I kiss the lobe of her ear, and she gasps. My shaft hardens in my jeans, but all the pain in the world is going to be worth it for this curvy woman that has already turned my world upside down.

“Let’s get Patches settled, then we’ll get some breakfast.”

She leans up on her tiptoes and kisses me on the lips. I don’t react because this is the first time she’s reached for me, and I don’t want to scare her. I know I have the goofiest smile on my face. “What was that for?”

Her eyes are clouded in desire, and I’m doing my best not to stare at her erect nipples pressing against her shirt. With a thickness to her voice, she says, “I just wanted to kiss my boyfriend. Is that all right?”

“Baby, you can kiss me any time you want.”

6

Millie

A week. It’s been a week since I rode Patches that morning and Austin called me his girlfriend. He’s called and texted me every day, sometimes just sending me pictures from his ranch and a lot of times pictures of Patches.

He hasn’t been able to drive, so he’s had one of his hands bring him into town, and we’ve had lunch at the diner a few times or just walked around town holding hands. It’s already all over Whiskey Run, and people are asking me about my new boyfriend. Normally, I hate being the center of attention, but Austin has brought out the confidence in me, and I smile and