That last sentence is a slap to the face. Partly because she thinks all I want from her is some cheap hookup, partly because the thought of her with other men makes me insane, and partly because I know she’s not wrong.
“I should go,” she whispers sadly. “I need to pack. Our flight is early tomorrow.”
And then she turns. I almost reach for her. But Luke comes running around the corner of the main barn waving a hand at me, shouting something about mutton bustin’ as he races past Summer with an enthusiastic high five.
She turns to look back over her shoulder at me, her eyes pinched and confused. And I almost feel bad for touching her, because she wants it too, and I know she’s going to go beat herself up about it.
That’s what someone responsible would do.
But I’m not that responsible.
Which is why I only almost feel bad about touching Summer Hamilton. There isn’t a single other woman I want to play this game with.
18
Summer
Summer: I almost kissed the cowboy again.
Willa Calling
“Wait. So, you didn’t kiss him?” Willa sounds horrified by the prospect.
“No, Wils.” I huff out a breath, still jumbled this morning from my run in with Rhett yesterday. Still slightly embarrassed by my outburst when I slid off his horse and sulked the rest of the way back to the ranch. And still a little obsessed with the way it felt to have him pressed up against me while we doubled up on the way back.
Too good is what it felt like.
Oh, and I also have bruises on my inner thighs from riding like a bat out of hell to rescue Rhett from what I was envisioning as some sort of hillbilly showdown in my head.
“That’s disappointing. You’re such a bore sometimes. A young, hot bore who should be living it up.” She sighs and takes a bite of something crunchy on the other end of the line.
“Thank you for the vote of confidence, bestie. How’s your dating life then if I’m so boring?”
“Meh. Every time I think I’ve met someone, they either end up boring me to death or just wanting to tell me what to do.”
I laugh. “Godspeed to the man who tries to tell Willa Grant what to do.”
“Amen,” is my friend’s solemn reply.
“It’s okay to put yourself first. Don’t settle, Wils.”
She’s quiet for a few moments. All I can hear is her chewing. Probably cookies. She loves baking. “You should take your own advice.”
I grunt at that. I guess if I’m going to hit her with truth bombs, she can do the same to me. “I’ll try if you do.”
“Okay.” I can hear the smile in her voice now. “Keep me posted on how riding the cowboy goes.”
I shake my head and say, “Love you, psycho,” before hanging up on her.
I head down to the cozy kitchen to have a cup of coffee before Rhett and I need to leave for the airport.
Butterflies dance in my stomach at the thought of coming face to face with him after practically climbing him last night. He was the perfect gentleman, never taking more than I was willing to give. But there’s this part of me that wishes he had. Then I wouldn’t be kicking myself for not telling him to kiss me again.
Because I just know that having Rhett Eaton kiss me for real, not because my ex is watching, would be different. Good different.
And I don’t know if I’m ready to cross that line with him. We’re already dangerously close, closer than is professional, but not career-ruining levels of unprofessional.
Friends.
I huff out a quiet laugh at how adept I am at lying to myself as I round the corner into the kitchen and plaster on my go-to smile, the one I wear like a suit of armor.
But I don’t need it. The only people here are Harvey and Cade.
“Good morning,” I sing-song as I breeze in and grab myself a mug from the wooden cabinet.
“Good morning, Summer,” Harvey smiles kindly, as always.
Cade crosses his arms and leans back in his chair. I think he offers a low grunt and a tip of his chin in way of greeting.
“Not a morning person, Cade?” I ask, knowing that I’m poking the bear and not really caring. He could use some poking.
“I’m a rancher. Of course, I’m a morning person. I’ve been up for hours already.”
I pour myself the last cup of coffee, lean back against the counter, and smile at him over the lip of the mug. “So, it’s just good moods in general that you have something against?”
His cheek tugs up momentarily before he hides it with his own cup of coffee. “No, I’m just working myself up to apologizing.”
“To who?” My head quirks as my eyes flip over to Harvey, who snorts.
“You,” Cade grumbles, like it physically pains him to do this. “Rhett is my little brother. I shouldn’t have left him there last night. I should have been the one to ride back and get him. I should have been there for him.”
“Hm.” I nod and sip at my coffee thoughtfully. “So, really you want to apologize to Rhett?”
His eyes roll. “Women,” is all he says. And it makes me want to deck him in his manly, chiseled face.
“If he gets caught getting into more trouble, it’ll tank his sponsorships. His career.”
“Good. It’s about time he outgrew riding bulls anyway.”
“Oh, good. This conversation again,” Rhett says, announcing his presence in the kitchen. He heads straight for the coffee maker.
“Shit, sorry, I’ll make more.” I reach for the container filled with beans just as Rhett does and our hands brush, sending sparks over my skin as I snatch my hand back and look up at him. At his scowl. At his warm golden eyes narrowed on where I’m clutching my hand against my chest now.
The Eaton boys are a whole mood this morning.
“It’s fine. I’ve got it.” He flicks a hand at me, signaling that I should move out of the way—away from him.
And it makes my stomach drop. He doesn’t even want to be near me. And who could blame him with the mixed signals I’ve been giving him?
“Did you know they developed rodeo events to showcase and develop usable ranching skills, Summer?” Cade asks as I gingerly pull out a seat at the table.
“I did not,” I say warily, watching Rhett’s back tense at the counter.
“And do you know what no one on a ranch or farm does?”
“No, but it sounds like you’re itching to tell me,” I mutter, knowing this is going to end poorly already. Years of watching Winter artfully set up an insult has my spidey senses tingling.
“Get on a bull,” Cade carries on, not reading his brother’s body language at all. “It serves no purpose, proves no point. It’s just dangerous and frivolous. So, while Rhett is out fucking buckle bunnies and taking his life in his hands—”
“Cade,” Harvey warns, eyes flicking between his two boys. I get the sense this isn’t the first time he’s been witness to this conversation.
“I’m here, day in and day out, working my ass off to keep this place afloat. Taking care of my son. Being responsible. Like I have been for years.”
Rhett spins instantly. “If you’re asking for my pity, brother, you have it. Your woe-is-me routine isn’t even what gets me. It’s that you have so much and you’re still so angry about everything.” He shakes his head and bites down on his cheek to keep from saying whatever he was about to, and then leaves the kitchen, tossing over his shoulder, “Let’s go, Summer. We can get coffees in town.”