Celia relaxed against the seat and gently flapped the skirt of her dress to circulate air across her overheated limbs. She didn’t know if the suffocating state of the pickup was from the temperature outside or the fact that Kash sat across from her, looking like some outrageously attractive model. The cab of the pickup smelled like him and she breathed deeply, savoring the scent.
“Would you mind dropping me off at my apartment? Mom picked me up there earlier. If you take me to the farm, one of my parents will just have to run me home.” Celia glanced over at Kash. “I really appreciate the ride. If it’s easier for you to drop me off at the farm, it’s just down the road.” Celia pointed to the right as they sat at a stop sign. A left turn would take them to Boise.
“It’s no problem to take you to your apartment. Should I get back on the freeway?” Kash turned left and drove down the road until they reached another stop sign.
Celia pointed straight. “Take a left at the next stop sign. My apartment is easy to find from there.”
Kash followed her directions and headed east. It was all he could do to keep his truck on the right side of the road with Celia in the cab.
Seduced by her fragrance, he teetered on the verge of losing all sense of reason with each flutter of her skirt hem. Although it hovered just below her knee, every time she lifted it, the view it provided made the knot in his gut tighten.
He wished more women wore dresses and skirts. They were soft and feminine and showed off their shapely legs. Then again, the sight of Celia’s was more than he could handle in his current frame of mind.
“It was kind of weird to do a wedding on a Sunday afternoon,” Celia commented as she motioned for Kash to take a right at the next light.
“Tim talked Tiffi into doing it on a Sunday so those of us who are in the rodeo business could make it. He wouldn’t have had many attendees on a Saturday.”
“I’ve never photographed a wedding with twelve bridesmaids and groomsmen before. It was quite a production.”
Kash raised an eyebrow at her. “Production? That’s a nice way of saying a horrendous tribulation. I’m just glad it’s over. For some reason, I think the bills from the event will last longer than the marriage.”
It was Celia’s turn to raise a questioning eyebrow. “My, my. Aren’t you the cynical one? What soured you on marriage?”
“I’m not sour. I just think anyone dumb enough to fall in love is asking for trouble.”
Celia wasn’t sure whether she wanted to kiss Kash or smack him. It was one thing for her to have a jaded outlook on marriage, but it sounded harsh coming from him. However, kissing him seemed like a much better idea than hitting him upside the head. She pressed her lips together and stared out the window.
As he neared her apartment, she motioned to the cross street. “Turn left at the light and then right.”
Easily maneuvering his pickup through the evening traffic, Kash drove into the parking lot of her apartment building. “Where to?”
She pointed to a parking space and he pulled into it. “Thanks again for the ride. I really appreciate it.”
“No problem. I was heading this direction anyway.” Kash turned off the engine.
A look of panic flashed across her face before she glanced at the backseat. “You don’t have to help carry my stuff. I can get it.”
“I don’t think so.” Kash got out of the truck, opened the back door, and picked up her light stands and tripod. She grabbed the two camera bags and hurried up the steps to go inside the apartment building.
He followed her onto the elevator. On the third floor, they exited and walked around the corner and down a hall to a door near the end.
Hastily rummaging through her purse, Celia pulled out her keys and unlocked the door. She stepped inside and set down the camera bags. Kash set the equipment he carried inside a closet she opened by the front door. “Nice place.”
“Thanks. Want a tour? It takes all of ten seconds.” Celia motioned for him to step further into the apartment.
To his left he glimpsed an L-shaped kitchen. Three bar stools sat in front of a counter that opened to a living room. A large glass jar full of peanut M&M’s was the only thing on the counter.
Celia walked into her living room. “Here’s where I like to crash when I have five minutes to myself. On rare occasions, I indulge in salted caramel ice cream and watch old movies.”
“What kind of old movies?” Kash asked.
“Don’t laugh at me, but I love the romantic comedies from the 1950s. Doris Day is my absolute favorite.”
Kash gave her a long look to see if she was joking. When he needed to unwind, he much preferred to watch an old movie to something new. Doris Day, Dorothy McGuire, and Maureen O’Hara were three of his favorite leading ladies. “What’s your favorite Doris Day movie?”
Celia grinned and stepped over to an entertainment center. She lifted out a slim case and handed it to Kash. “The Ballad of Josie is one of my favorites. It’s hard to pick an absolute favorite, though. I love so many of the old movies. Have you ever seen The Quiet Man?”
Caught off guard, he stared at her. “In my opinion, it’s one of the best movies of all time.” Certain Celia had somehow discovered his secret passion for vintage films, he wondered who would have told her. The only people that knew were his dad and brother, but she hadn’t met either one of them.
Celia smiled with approval and returned the DVD to her entertainment center. While she did, Kash took in her light gray couch, highlighted by pillows made of blue and red bandanas. A mirror made from an old rope hung on the wall, across from a sliding glass door. He assumed it would catch the light from outside when the curtains were open and make the room seem bigger.
The wall behind the couch was full of framed photographs. He recognized Celia, her mother and Cort in several and concluded the man who looked like an older version of Cort must be Trevor, her father. There were also several fantastic shots from rodeos.
One particular photo drew his interest. He took a step closer to study it.
“I took that one four years ago in Reno,” she said, moving beside him. “That horse was incredible, and the rider wasn’t too bad, either.”
“He was our horse,” Kash said, a lump lodging in his throat at the sight of the horse. “His name was Buddy. He was an amazing bronc.”
Celia gave him a look of concern. “Did something happen to him?”
“My brother was driving a load of stock and ran off the road. Several of the horses were injured, but Buddy was killed.”
“I’m so sorry. That’s terrible.”
“Yeah, it was.” Kash cleared his throat, refusing to let painful memories inundate him. He took in the homey atmosphere of the room with a bit of country flair. “You’re as talented at home décor as you are at photography.”
“Thanks. This is an eclectic collection of hand-me-downs and sale finds, but it works for now.” Celia opened the patio door, and they stepped outside onto a small balcony. The temperature was still exceedingly warm, so they quickly returned inside. She walked through the living room and flicked on the light in a tiny bathroom, then in the bedroom next to it.
Kash took in the big bed, covered with a white duvet. White, cream, and peach pillows made a nice accent, especially against the soft gray walls. Before his thoughts ran too wild, he moved out of the room and into the kitchen.
“It’s a great apartment, Celia.”
“Thank you. I know it’s small, but since I’m gone as much as I’m home, it serves its purpose and the rent is reasonable. Mom and Dad think I should save my money and move in with them, but I need my space.”
Kash could see how much the free-spirited girl enjoyed her independence even if she did seem to adore her mom and spoke well of her father.
“Well, I better hit the road. It’s still a two-hour trip home.” Kash started toward the door, but Celia placed a hand on his arm. He stopped and turned back to look at her. Big green eyes gazed imploringly at him. His fin
gers itched to take the pins out of her hair and run through the bright red tresses.
“Can I feed you some dinner? If you’d rather not make that long drive, you could crash here tonight.”
At his surprised look, she rushed to explain what she intended. “I didn’t mean… that’s not… You could stay on the couch. It’s pretty comfortable.”
Kash grinned and shook his head. “I need to get on home, Celia, but thanks for the offer. It was really nice to see you today.”
“I enjoyed seeing you, too.” She took a step forward and placed a hand on his chest. His heart beat rapidly beneath her palm. Entranced by the feel of it, by the warmth of his presence, she lifted her gaze to his and fell into the blue depths that gleamed with yearning instead of his usual cool reserve. “Thank you for bringing me home.”
“Anytime. Take care and maybe I’ll see you at a rodeo.” Kash lifted a hand and traced his thumb across her cheek then along her jaw. Every fiber of his being longed to take her in his arms and kiss her until he got her out of his system, but he dropped his hand and backed toward the door. “Bye.”
“Good night, Kash.”
Celia wanted to stamp her foot in frustration as he left. Convinced he’d almost kissed her, she wished he would have. Maybe then she would cease fantasizing about what it would be like.
The barest touch of his hand to her skin made heat sizzle from her head to her toes. She wondered if his kiss might cause her to spontaneously combust.
Despite the possibility, she was willing to test the theory.
Chapter Four
The smell of barbecued beef slapped Celia in the face the moment she opened her pickup door. Stomach rumbling with hunger, she grabbed a small camera and tucked it into her purse then rushed to the pavilion located behind the rodeo arena.
She’d spent the day on the road, driving to a small town near Portland where she’d remain for the next six days.
The sleepy community put on a huge Fourth of July rodeo and the festivities surrounding it lasted a week. It started with a big barbecue and auction. She’d planned to arrive early for the event, but a wreck on the freeway that blocked traffic had made her forty-five minutes late.
Since she’d skipped lunch, she hoped there was still food available. From attending the event in past years, she knew they usually got a late start and made enough food to feed a small army.
The evening remained hot and sultry as a heat wave continued to hold much of the Pacific Northwest in summer misery. While her preference would have been to wear a tank top and shorts, Celia had donned a cotton blouse, jeans, and boots.
Humidity made her shirt cling to her back while her feet slowly roasted inside her boots. Intent on finding some dinner, she ignored her discomfort and followed her nose to the barbecue.
A welcome sign hung across the top of the pavilion as she stepped inside and released a relieved sigh. A few people stood in the food line so Celia hurried their direction. She filled her plate and looked around for a seat.
Much to her dismay, the only open place she could locate was across from Cooper. The rodeo clown happened to be among the top ten people on her current mad-at-you list.
She sat down across from him with a cool glare and opened the can of cold soda pop she’d snagged on the way to the table.
“Don’t be tossing me any of those frosty looks, Miss Celia,” Cooper said, holding up his hands in defense. “You can’t saddle me with any of the blame for that fiasco with Wayne.”
Celia took a drink of the pop then picked up her fork. She pointed it at Cooper with a scowl. “Correct me if I’m wrong, but weren’t you the one holding out the mic so every word carried over the crowd and behind the stands? A few dogs and a pasture of sheep on a farm a mile away might have heard the conversation, too.”
Cooper laughed and slapped his hands down on the table, startling the people sitting next to him. “Guilty as charged, but it was too good an opportunity to pass up, darlin’. It’s not every day you get a front seat to observe an idiot get his comeuppance.”
More amused than irritated, now that the incident with Wayne had passed, Celia decided Cooper shouldn’t get off too easy, though. She stuck out her bottom lip in a pout and worked up some moisture for her eyes. She’d perfected the almost-teary look when she was six. It used to get Cort to do anything she wanted and had worked on numerous boyfriends over the years.
Cooper wasn’t any more immune to it than the rest of the males she knew. “Now, honey, don’t you go getting all watery-eyed on me. It was all in fun. I sure didn’t mean any harm to you by it. We all thought it would be hilarious to go along with Wayne’s plans. Not a single one of us was willing to bet on you agreeing to marry such a moron.” He reached out and patted her hand.
Pretending to sniffle, she touched the corners of her eyes with her paper napkin and kept her gaze focused on her meal. If she looked at Cooper, odds were high she’d break out laughing.
“Well, if you truly didn’t mean to cause me undue embarrassment and humiliation, I suppose I’ll eventually forgive you guys, but only if you absolutely promise not to do something like that again.”
“I promise.” Cooper slapped one hand across his heart and raised the other up in the air.
Celia smiled. “Tell me who got inducted into the rodeo hall of fame and what’s the hot ticket item in the auction.”
Celia and Cooper visited while she ate. During the auction, she snapped a few shots then took photos of the rodeo court, the parade grand marshal, and a handful of dignitaries before calling it a night.
As she left the pavilion with friends, she bumped into Kash. She waved her friends on, assuring them she’d catch up with them the following day.
Thrilled to see the stock contractor, the sight of his rugged, masculine appearance made her catch her breath. There wasn’t a man alive she found half as handsome or appealing as Kash Kressley.
Everything in her wanted to give him a kiss — or a dozen. However, with people milling around them, she maintained a professional tone and appearance. “Mr. Kressley, I didn’t expect to see you here. Did you enjoy the barbecue?”
“I sure did, ma’am. That smoked brisket was cooked to perfection.” Kash smiled broadly and winked at her. “Did you get some of that delicious berry crisp they served for dessert?”
“I did eat a bite or two. There’s nothing like fresh marionberries.” Celia shifted her purse from one shoulder to the other. “I usually buy a flat or two of them to take home with me so Mom can make jam.”
“I bet the jam isn’t nearly as sweet as you, sugar.” Kash moved a little closer to her with an odd light is his eye. “What else did you enjoy this evening? Did you bid on any of the auction items?”
“No. The bids are far beyond my limited budget, no matter how much I’d love to go home with that blown glass vase.” Celia pointed to a cream and peach swirled glass vase someone carried as they left. “Don’t you think it would look great in my bedroom?”
“I sure do, darlin’.” Kash grabbed her hand and hurried toward the parking lot. “In fact, I can think of something that would look even better in your bedroom than that hunk of glass.”
“What’s that?” Celia glanced up at Kash. He wore the Rockin’ K Rodeo Company light blue shirt and a black hat, like he had the first time she’d met him. He’d been drop-dead gorgeous in the tuxedo at the wedding, but she preferred to see him in his jeans and boots.
Despite the fact she knew it was Kash, she almost felt like she spoke to a stranger. Something about him seemed different, but she couldn’t quite pinpoint the exact reason.
Kash veered off course and led her over to a big tree. He released her hand and maneuvered her until her back pressed against the bark. He braced himself with a hand against the trunk on either side of her head.
The smile he turned on her bordered on leering. “You and me together in your bedroom, rolling across the sheets would be a far sight better than anything you could have bought at that auction.�
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Shocked, Celia’s eyes widened. “Kash! I can’t believe…”
His mouth crushed against hers with a harsh intensity, cutting off her words while her inner alarms loudly clanged.
The painful, unwelcome kiss was nothing like the one she’d dreamed of sharing with him. He smelled of beer and sweat. At that moment, she found him more repulsive than Wayne Warshaw.
This wasn’t the Kash she thought she knew. The man who charmed her at the wedding was quiet and sweet, enjoyed the same old movies she liked, and treated her mother with the utmost respect.
The cowboy grinding her into the tree was ruthless and full of himself. She pushed against his shoulders, but it only made him press harder into her. Bark scraped against her back where her blouse had shifted upward in her struggle against him, exposing her skin. Frightened, she lifted a knee and rammed it upward, making her intended connection.
Kash took a staggering step back and uttered a string of curses that would have burned the ears of a salty sailor.
“Don’t you ever come near me again, Kash Kressley. Ever!”
As he bent over in pain, Celia slapped his face then ran to the parking lot. She climbed into her pickup, locked the doors, dropped her head onto the steering wheel and cried.
Eventually gathering her wits enough to function, she drove to the nearby town of Dundee where she stayed at a friend’s place. The two girls met in college and became fast friends. Kelly worked for a winery in the area. For the past three years, she’d opened her home to Celia during the rodeo.
Unable to find the key Kelly had promised to leave in a flowerpot on her front porch, Celia rang the doorbell, barely holding herself together.
She rang it a second time and heard footsteps approach the door.
Kelly opened the wooden front door then noticed Celia standing on the other side of the screen. She pushed the screen door open and tugged her inside. “Celia? Are you okay?”
“No. No, I’m not okay.” Celia shuddered and sank down onto the couch. She bent forward and pressed the heels of her hands against her eyes, devastated that Kash was just another rotten jerk.
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