Saddle up

Chapter Thirty

I rolled my eyes at Chase's words.

"Let me guess, he's manipulating me into sleeping with him?" I said sarcastically.

"Well, to put it simply, yes."

I chuckled. "Chase, I hate to break it to both you and Brant, but I have known Cole for years. I KNOW him. He has made mistakes but he is working on himself to find the person that he use to be, and I think he's getting very close."

"Jess, there are things that you don't know..."

"Jesus, you guys just need to give it a rest already! He just lost someone very close to him. The least the both of you could do is give the conspiracy theories a rest for awhile!"

Chase sighed in defeat.
"You're right, I'm sorry. Just...be careful."

I rolled my eyes but nodded just to shut Chase up.

We talked for awhile longer before Chase had to get back to the ranch.

Once inside, I applied some light makeup and made a list for the store.

I finally made it to the store sometime after noon. When I was walking through the lot to the store, I realized I had forgotten my list at home. 'Figures', I sighed.

I grabbed a cart and was trying to take a mental note of everything I had written on the list earlier. I buzzed around a corner and crashed right into a stranger and their cart.

"Oh my gosh, I am so sorry, I...", I stopped immediately when I realized it was Brant who I ran into. He looked equally surprised to see me.

"Jess..."he swallowed hard and I watched the rise and fall of his adam's apple in what seemed like slow motion...there was that familiar sensation again, too. The magnetic-like pull.

I recovered quickly.
"Hey Brant. I peeked in his cart which was full of TV dinners. More TV dinners, huh?

"He looked down, embarrassed. "Uh, yeah. I guess we both know how terrible of a cook I am..."

I smiled. 

Brant looked like he was having some sort of internal battle in trying to decide what he wanted to say next. But all he could manage to do was just stare back at me with those sexy blue-grey eyes that have mesmerized me since the first day I met him. I could smell his scent from this distance and it ignited some thoughts and feelings I had been trying to extinguish since two weeks ago.

"So uh, did you get my text?"

"Yes I did, I just wasn't sure how I wanted to respond yet.."

"I see. Well I hope that you think about it. I'd love to sit down and talk to you about everything. I know you have a lot going on this week, but maybe you can come by for some coffee one of these days. I'd like to explain everything.

Brant, you aren't obligated to explain anything. I broke things off, and you moved on. There's nothing for me to be upset about, I was just caught off guard I guess. I shouldn't have run away like I did.

"I didn't move on!", Brant said a little louder than I think he'd wanted to. He glanced around to see if anyone had noticed before continuing. "I'm not interested in moving on, Jess. There's only you."

His words shot straight to my heart. The kiss meant nothing...I knew that, now.

"I will come by later this week maybe if you want to talk about it some more, but I really have to get back and start cooking for Cole's family. I'll see you later?"

Brant caught my arm before I could walk by and every fiber of my being called out to him again. The sensation of his touch nearly always took my breath away. Brant was just inches from my face now.