Release Tour incl Exclusive Excerpt: Becca Jackson – Home Hearts Hooves (Beaker Brothers Ranch #1)

“Come relax a bit, Doc, we’ll be here a while,” Dean says, and I’m reminded by the swirl in my stomach how much I love him calling me Doc. I follow him to a clean stall they have just set up, ready for tomorrow’s cuddle sessions. He leans on the barn wall, one ankle crossed over the other, large arms folded against his chest. I stand beside him, close like we were on that log all those years ago, close enough to rest my thigh against his. The smell of hay and rain and sweat and his woody sweetness encases me, and I try to focus on that instead of the noises outside, but then thunder booms, and I clutch at his arm instinctively. “Sorry,” I say, pulling my hand back. “So you’re really not a fan of storms.” “It’s the getting struck by lightning or carried away by a tornado that I’m not a huge fan of.” “Well, Dorothy, rest assured this barn is fixed down pretty tight. You’ll be okay. You’ll get through this.” “I was thinking about the last time I was freaking out and you said those words to me, you were right then, too.” His brow pinches a little in the middle. “You know, senior year, after Isabel broke it off… the bonfire.” “Right,” he says, slightly nodding his head, all the while his eyes locked on mine. I remember that night so clearly, even though I was drunk and upset. I remember he was sweet. He sat with me and told me it would all work out, that I’d be okay, and he put his hand on my knee, patting it, and I remember turning and looking into those brilliant dark eyes, breathing in his sweet scent, and thinking, I wonder if he tastes as good as he smells. It was the first time I’d ever thought about kissing a guy. I guess that’s why the memory stuck for me. I can’t really expect it to have had the same impact on him. He takes a deep breath, moving his piercing stare to my mouth, and I have that thought again. Only this time, I don’t let myself simply wonder. I lean in and kiss him.