“Barbecue okay? Good place in town.” Wyatt’s rough voice made me jump.
Dax laughed. “Okay.”
I forced myself to stop looking at Wyatt. “Food sounds good. What about this?” I nodded at the trailer.
“I’ll come back after and take it home.” Wyatt smiled down at me.
The drive to the restaurant was…different. Maybe it was because I was no longer ignoring the way I felt about Wyatt or the power of those feelings. All of a sudden I wanted him to touch me. I wanted him to know I cared. Luckily, he was on the same page. If he wasn’t holding my hand, his arm was resting on my leg—natural, calming, wonderful.
The restaurant was busy. Young and old, sober and drunk, the bar was crowded and the tables were full. But Levi and his group were there and they waved us over to the tables they had commandeered out on the large patio. We crowded around two large tables pulled together, pushing some of the empty cups and pitchers, baskets half-full of French fries, and ketchup bottles aside.
Levi smiled at Wyatt. “Man of the hour.”
“Heard you kicked some bull-ass tonight,” Austin said and laughed.
“Made it your bitch,” Dylan added. “Bull give you the shiner? Or your girlfriend?”
Boys. Wyatt shrugged but didn’t answer. Everyone laughed.
“Some right hook.” Levi shook his head. “Shit.”
A big-haired woman approached Wyatt, enveloping him in a sweetly perfumed hug and planting a sticky pink lipstick kiss on his cheek. “I’m so proud of you, honey. Your momma would be too.”
“Thanks,” he murmured.
“What can I get you? Anything you want, my treat.” The older woman kept gushing. “Hell’s bells, honey, what happened to your pretty face?”
“We’re taking bets, Miss Sue. Bull? Or Allie here?” Levi pointed at me and smiled at the woman.
She looked at me, then shook her head. “Bull.”
Wyatt winked at the woman. “I’m starving.”
“We’ll take care of that. What about your girl, here?” Sue sized me up, her eyes thorough but kind.
“I’d love a drink. And some fries.”
Dax leaned over my shoulder. “Brisket sandwich?”
Sue laughed. “Got it. Y’all sit.”
We joined the others, squeezing in at the tables. Wyatt and I shared a chair. He draped his arm along the back of the chair, his hand resting on my bare shoulder. I shivered a little, leaning into his side, as his fingers stroked my skin.
No one at the table missed it. Levi started laughing. Dylan frowned and handed Austin some money.
“Really?” Wyatt shook his head.
“It’s been a long summer.” Austin was all smiles.
“Is betting on who hooks up a typical summer activity?” I asked.
“Hooks up?” Levi asked, eyebrows raised. “Meaning…?”
“Can we not go there? She’s my sister,” Dax groaned.
The three of them laughed.
“Good job tonight, Wyatt.” The curvy blond from the river leaned forward, her boobs resting on the laminate tabletop. They were kind of hard to miss in the low-cut thin cotton t-shirt.
I leaned back, thinking about what Levi had said. Or almost said. Been there, done that.
Wyatt nodded. “Thanks, Loretta.”
She shot me a smug little smile before leaning back in her seat.
“Where’s Molly?” Austin asked.
“Family night,” Dax said, sighing.
“Family night? Is that what you call it?” Dylan laughed.
“Yeah. Family night,” Wyatt said. “Hank left right after we rode. He’ll be shipping out again soon.”
That ended whatever that was.
Sue came out, balancing three baskets piled high with brisket sandwiches and French fries. It was a perfect opportunity for me to sit back and watch the dynamic.
Wyatt seemed to be the voice of reason. Levi, Austin, and Dylan were clearly the unofficial full-of-crap leaders. Loretta had two equally pretty yet intimidating friends with her. There were a handful of other guys, but they were too busy being loud and obnoxious to hold my interest. Besides, Wyatt was looking at me again.
I pretended I didn’t know. It wasn’t that I was trying to be coy or flirtatious. Honestly, I was afraid I’d climb into his lap and do…do…I didn’t know what I’d do. And that scared the shit out of me.
“Not hungry?” he asked softly.
He must have read my thoughts when I looked at him because his jaw muscle bounced and there was the slightest flare to his nostrils. I swallowed and picked up a fry, then hesitated. I didn’t want to choke. And there was a pretty good chance that might happen if he kept looking at me like that. He shifted in his chair, turning all of his attention on his sandwich.
“Heard about your dad,” Levi said softly to Wyatt. “Sorry, man. You can’t catch a break.” He looked at me then. “Never mind. You’re gonna be fine.”
I smiled. “That was pretty sweet, Levi.”
“That mean you’ll dump him and hook up with me?” He made his eyebrows go up and down.
I sighed. “Aaaand you’re back.”
Wyatt’s fingers stroked the back of my arm, covering my entire body in goose bumps.
“Ready for Monday?” Austin asked to nobody and everybody.
“You have to say the M word?” Levi groaned, throwing a French fry at him.
“Senior year. Can’t totally suck,” one of Loretta’s friends offered and shrugged.
“You’d know all about sucking, Kim.”
“You wish, Dylan,” Kim said without missing a beat, rolling her eyes. I liked her for that.
“As long as I get to can a few freshmen, I’m good.” Austin finished off my fries.
“Can?” I asked. “Er…do I want to know?”
“You don’t know about canning?” Dylan looked incredulous. “Throwing freshmen into the trash? When it’s full?”
“An oldie but goodie,” Levi agreed.
“That’s hazing,” I argued.
“Hazing?” Austin shook his head. “Allie, sweetheart, it’s just harmless fun. Part of life.”
I pressed my lips shut. I didn’t know anything about life here, clearly. For all I knew the guy I was losing my mind over threw kids in trashcans and slept with girls like Loretta to pass the time.
“It doesn’t have to be.” Wyatt sighed. “And y’all know Principal Diaz will kick your asses out of school if you keep that shit up.”
My hero.
Levi crossed his arms over his chest. “Oh, Dad, you’re no fun.” We all laughed then.
“You done?” Wyatt asked me. “I need to go get the trailer. Pecos will be getting anxious.” I nodded, glancing up at him.
“I’m done too, in case you’re leaving,” Dax teased, making everyone laugh again.
“Let’s go.” Wyatt stood up, his hand holding mine.
“Y’all be safe tonight,” Sue called out.
“Yeah, safe,” Levi agreed. “You know, safe?”
“Wyatt’s always real safe,” Loretta said, clearly trying to make a point. I didn’t miss it. Dylan, Austin, and Levi snorted.
Wyatt shot Loretta a look, confused and a little pissed—I think. “Thanks for the food, Sue.” Without another word to the group, he led the way to his truck.
Being jealous didn’t make any sense. I knew that—logically. I knew that Wyatt, looking the way he did, was probably one of the guys all the Black Hills girls would want. It didn’t mean I wanted to think about who and what that meant, exactly. Especially since Loretta and I were nothing alike.
Once we were in his truck and his arm slipped around my shoulders, I decided not to go there. Lindie hadn’t been the jealous type and she’d kept all her exes as friends. I didn’t have any exes, but I knew—no matter what happened between Wyatt and me—I didn’t want to lose him. Even as a friend.
Wyatt was singing softly as we drove along the dark road. I turned my head, pressing my ear and cheek agai
nst his chest. His voice, his heartbeat, the regular thrum of the tires on the road—I don’t remember falling asleep.
I do remember waking up, in bed, Wyatt leaning over me.
It was dark. If it wasn’t for the faint green glow of my clock and the pale white of the moon spilling in from my window, I wouldn’t have seen Wyatt. But I did.
“Sorry,” he whispered.
“For?” I whispered back.
“Didn’t mean to wake you.”
I was very aware of him, me, my bed…him. “I’m glad you did.”
He shook his head. “I need to get home.”
I nodded, placing one hand along the side of his face. “Okay.”
He sat on the edge of the bed. “Allie…I’m sorry about tonight.”
I pulled my hand away and sat up. “You are?” I managed.
He turned on my bedside lamp, revealing how swollen and purple his eye was. I wanted to touch him again, but I locked my hands together and pressed them against my thighs. He hesitated for a second, then cupped my face in his hands. “Not about this. About us.”
My hands covered his, the pressure in my chest easing instantly.
“My dad…” He shook his head. “He’s…well, that’s just him. And Loretta? I didn’t want you to think we’ve ever… Never.” He shrugged.
I smiled. “Oh.”
He smiled, a little lopsided considering how swollen the side of his face was.
“Does it hurt?” I asked, running my fingers along his forehead. “Because it looks like it hurts.”
He shook his head. His eyes were fixed on my face. “I feel pretty good right now.”
“You do?”
He nodded, his eyes never leaving mine. “Remember when you said you were a mess?” He laughed, a hard, bitter sound. “Tonight…well, you see what my life—”
I stopped him. “I’m so sorry, Wyatt.” The sadness on his face twisted my heart. “I heard him—he doesn’t want us to be together?” My voice broke. “I don’t want to make things worse with your father or…well, I don’t want to be…trouble.”
“You can’t make things worse with my dad, Allie.”
“Okay.” I sighed. “That’s not exactly what I was wanting to hear, but I guess it’s something.” I hadn’t meant to say that out loud. Huh.
He laughed. Then stopped, remembering he was in my bedroom—at night—alone. “What do you want to hear?” His eyes sparkled, crinkling as he smiled.
I sucked in a slow breath. Considering how warm and tingly and aware I was, I wasn’t sure I wanted to hear anything right now.
The tremor in his voice surprised me. “Being with you is the only time everything feels better.”
“R-really?”
He nodded. I smiled, a big, goofy smile. His smile was amazing, until he winced and covered his eye.
“I’m sorry.” I slipped forward on the bed, lifting his hand to assess his bruise. Raising up on my knees, I tilted his head, angling his face in the light. “Are you sure you shouldn’t go to the doctor? The white of your eye’s all red. What I can see of it, anyway.”
But when I stopped talking I realized he was staring up at me. His hands gripped my waist, hot through the thin cotton of my dress.
I smoothed my hand across his forehead and bent my head to him. I was nervous—freaking out—but it didn’t stop me from pressing my lips to his. I was off-center a little, hitting the corner of his mouth. But he turned his head until our lips were fitted together perfectly.
Kissing Wyatt was one crazy, emotional, needy ball of flaming-hot perfection. I didn’t want to stop. I loved the way our breaths mingled. The feel of his tongue against mine had me gripping his shoulders. And his hands, slipping up my back, pressing against me—skin on skin.
“I have to go.” He broke away from our kiss, but his grip on me tightened.
I nodded, but didn’t let go of him.
“I do,” he said again.
I rested my forehead against his.
“Allie. I don’t want to go.”
“Stay,” I whispered, dropping a light kiss against his forehead.
Stay? What did that mean? What was I asking? I knew exactly what would happen. And I knew why he was so determined to go. And I loved him even more for it.
“Al-lie,” he groaned. He sounded like he was being tortured.
I sat back, putting some much needed space between us. His arms were still around me, looser now. “I know. I know.” I was gasping for air. Which couldn’t be sexy.
So now I want to be sexy?
“Gotta get Pecos unloaded.” He ran a hand over his short-cropped hair.
His horse? “Wait…is he still at the fairgrounds?”
“No. We already went and picked everything up. You slept right through it.”
“Oh.” I must really have been out of it. “Need any help?”
He smiled. “I got this.”
“Okay.”
He kissed me, a soft, sweet kiss that had me melting into him. He groaned a little, let go of me, and stood up. “Going now.”
“Wyatt?” I followed him to the door. “There’s…a squeaky board out there,” I cautioned him.
He looked down at me and nodded.
“I…I’m not sure my dad would be cool with my boyfriend sneaking out of my bedroom,” I murmured.
He pulled me against him, kissing me once. “Am I your boyfriend? Even though I’m a stupid redneck?”
I winced. “You’re not stupid. Or a redneck. You’re the real deal: a cowboy. And I really like your kisses.”
He kissed me again. “Guess I’ll take that as a yes, then.”
I stepped back. “You better go take care of Pecos, cowboy. Don’t want to make him mad. I need him to take care of you. Since you’re my boyfriend now.”
He smiled again, that crazy gorgeous smile. “Shit,” he bit out, gingerly covering his eye.
“Sorry, sorry.”
We stood there, staring at each other. I didn’t want him to leave. He didn’t want to leave. But we both knew he needed to go. Neither one of us was ready to go there. Okay, our bodies were so ready. I was beginning to think my body really might explode. But emotionally…I wasn’t so sure.
“Night, Allie.” His whisper was so soft. His hand turned my doorknob, making me whimper. He stopped.
“No, no, go…” I whispered, hugging myself. He frowned. I smiled. “Go on. Poor Pecos.”
“I’ll be back first thing in the morning.”
I shook my head. “You sleep, Wyatt Holcomb, and then you go show those college boys how much they need you.”
He nodded. “After, then. Tomorrow’s the last day of summer. I’d like to spend it with you.”
God, I was so happy. “Me too.”
He opened the door and slipped out, walking softly down the hall, sidestepping the squeaky board, and disappearing around the corner.
I hurried across the room, staring out the window at Wyatt’s truck below. As soon as he was in the yard, he turned back. He waved at me. I waved back. I sat there watching until the brake lights of his trailer disappeared into the black night.
14 CHAPTER FOURTEEN
Dad was back in the morning. He and Mom kind of danced around each other. And for the first time, I felt sorry for my father.
Dad was this incredibly fit, incredibly capable, slightly OCD get-it-done guy who also happened to be super good-looking. Lindie said she’d totally sleep with him if he wasn’t married to my mom—which creeped me out. But she wasn’t the only one of my friends that felt that way, she was just the most vocal about it. That was just Lindie.
I could only imagine how he felt. Mom picking a short, non-masculine, brains over brawn type had to be tough on his ego. If she’d actually cheated on him, which was something I had a really hard time believing. Okay, they kissed, but one kiss didn’t—
I stopped then.
I knew what a kiss could mean, now. I thought about Lindie and figured all the guys she’d kissed hadn’t m
ade her feel the way Wyatt made me feel or she wouldn’t have gone through so many of them.
I frowned at my mother, watching her pull the last of the French toast from the skillet. One kiss could mean a lot.
This was new, hard territory. Mom was the…the bad guy? Well, maybe not the bad guy. But…I’d spent so long being mad at Dad—for everything—that I never stopped to think what his side might be like. After last night, I realized my father might be a little overbearing, a little competitive, and a little opinionated. But he was a good man. There was no question in my mind—now—that he honestly put us first. Uprooting us from our home was a bit extreme, but I guess it made more sense now. It wasn’t all about me; it was about him preserving his family.
And he would never, ever, raise a hand to any of us.
“What’s the matter?” my mother asked, passing me the plate of French toast.
I shook my head, taking one piece and passing the plate on to Dax. What would happen if I told them I realized how lucky I was to have them for parents? They’d institutionalize me instantly. It’s just that I was. I was very lucky. And the thought of Mom screwing it all up was…well, it pissed me off.
“Have fun last night?” Mom asked.
“Yeah.” Dax nodded. “Faces are starting to get familiar. Met some new people, too.”
I poked my toast, wondering if Travis Holcomb was still locked up. I hoped so. Wyatt didn’t need him underfoot while he was meeting with the A&M people.
“…wasn’t as good as the other one we went to,” Dax was saying.
“How did Wyatt do?” Dad asked.
He rocks. I smiled, pouring some syrup on my toast.
“Awesome. High scores all around,” Dax offered.
That wasn’t enough. His dad might not be proud of him, but I knew Mom and Dad would be. “He was amazing. Really. You guys should have been there. Highest scores for bull-riding. Caught the eye of some college recruiters, too,” I added.
Dad looked at me. It was quite a speech for me. I couldn’t help it—I smiled.
I saw the complete and total surprise on his face. “Oh?”
“He’s having lunch with them today before he comes over,” Dax finished, looking at me like I’d grown another head.
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