“What about you, Sydney?” Granny asks.
“I’m sorry, what?” Everyone at the table is staring at me.
“Are you dating anyone?”
I chew for longer than necessary. What is it with my grandmother today? She’s never inquired if I have a boyfriend. So what gives?
I finally swallow. “I like to keep my options open.”
Granny side-eyes me. “I think you and this young gentleman should come back another day to have lemonade with me. There’s a soiree after church coming up, you two would have fun.”
“Granny, he doesn’t have time for things like that. He’s—”
Before I can get the rest of my words out, Tobias is already saying, “I think that’s a great idea.”
“Thought you might,” Granny says. “I’m going to put some coffee on.” She rises and heads to the kitchen with a pleased grin on her face. My father, however, does not look so pleased. I try to right the wrongs when Granny disappears from earshot.
“Tobias, you’re not here to socialize with me. You don’t have to agree.”
Tobias leans back in his chair. “I don’t mind, really. I love soirees.”
If he’s genuinely interested in the job, which I believe he is, now it all sounds so forced. Like, Hey, want the job? Entertain my daughter and that should get you on board.
“We’re all getting a little ahead of ourselves here,” Daddy says, trying to regain control, but I’m already out of my chair.
“I think I need to go talk to a man about a horse.”
Tobias stands. “Sydney, wait.”
I don’t hear what else he says because I’m already rushing out the front door. I’m overreacting, and I don’t even get why I’m so mad right now. I think because I want Tobias, and I can’t have him.
Not under these pretenses.
Tobias rushes after me as I hustle away from the house. “Sydney, can you please wait?”
I stop near my truck. “Tobias, I don’t want you to think there’s any foul play going on here. Or that I’m a clause in the contract.”
Tobias pushes a hand through his dark hair. “I would never have thought any of that. From what I see, your father is a very respectable man. Can I also point out that your use of the horse phrase was perfection?”
I can’t help but smile.
“Come back inside?” he coaxes.
“You can stay. I’m gonna head back to my place. Dad can find someone to give you a ride home. Please stay,” I say to him, hoping he won’t leave because of me.
Tobias steps closer. “I want to do the right thing here. And I realize that means I should stay and chat with your father about the business, but every cell in my body is screaming to take you home and show you what you do to me.”
I can barely breathe. “What do I do to you?”
He grabs my hand, placing it between his legs and pressing it against his zipper. On the hardness bulging beneath my palm. “You make me so fucking hard.” His lips are so close, and I want nothing more than to taste them against mine again.
“Get in the car,” I say. I can’t believe I’m doing this.
I’ve never seen a man get in a car so quickly in all my life. But then he hops out. “We can’t just leave Opal hanging. We need to say goodbye.”
Wow. If there was ever a sign that he’s a good man, it’s that he would turn down sex to say goodbye to my granny. It just turns me on more that he thought of her feelings.
Our few minutes to say goodbye turns into thirty when Granny talks us into having a slice of lemon pie. When we finally leave, I don’t know how to act because I’m not sure if he’s changed his mind now that he’s had time to think about it. He clears that up about five miles down the road.
“Pull over,” Tobias says.
I glance at the wheat fields. “Here?”
“Yeah, I have to tell you something.”
I turn down a dirt path, moving away from the road. “What do you need to tell me?”
He leans close, pulling at the nape of my neck. “This,” he says before laying his lips across mine.
And this kiss is so much more than the first one. It’s slow and tantalizing, but makes my pulse race, like galloping on a horse at top speed. His tongue traces over mine and he cups my butt, lifting me onto his lap. I straddle him as he deepens the kiss, moaning into his mouth, pressing closer, searching for relief from the ache in my core.
What is happening here?
His hardness presses against my center, and I grind against him.
“Feel how badly I want you.” He squeezes my ass. “Now let’s see how much you want me.” His hooded eyes hold mine as his warm hand glides under my dress and up my thigh. He reaches my panties and slips his fingers under the silky fabric. “You’re so fucking wet for me.” He smirks against my lips. “I knew you wanted me.”