Before he could think too much about it, she stirred, and he took it as a sign that he should wake her up.
“Hey,” he said. “We’re home.”
Taking a deep breath, she opened her eyes and lifted her head. “Wow, I can’t believe I slept the whole way.” She dropped her arm from around his neck and covered her mouth as she yawned. “I didn’t mean to do that. I just wanted the headache gone.”
“Is it gone?”
“Yeah.”
“Then I guess you slept the right amount.” He studied her face as the last little bit of light streamed in through the windows. She was so beautiful…and kissable. Is this what it would be like to wake up next to her? He’d never thought about that before, but now that he was, he sure liked the idea.
With a chuckle, she lowered her gaze. “I guess so. I bet your arm is numb from me sleeping on you.”
As she started to put space between them, he tightened his hold on her. The involuntary response took him off guard, but at the same time, he wasn’t ready to let her go. “My arm is fine. I’m just glad you’re feeling better.”
“I am. Thank you. I’m sorry I wasn’t more fun.”
Wyatt tipped her chin up with one finger, and whatever he was about to say was lost on its way from his brain to his mouth. Her lips were so close and full and perfect. The most kissable lips of any woman he’d ever known. It’d been a huge mistake last time, and nothing about her relationship status had changed. She was in a relationship, and nothing about that had changed on the drive back from Lubbock.
To keep himself out of trouble, he pressed a kiss to the side of her face and whispered, “I had fun because I was with you.” He’d thought it would help, but the second his lips touched her skin, he was in trouble.
He skimmed his fingers along her jaw as his lips parted, leaving feathery kisses all the way to her lips. They were just as incredibly soft as the last time. His hand cupped the back of her neck, and he brushed his lips across hers. The cab of the pickup was so quiet that he could hear her breath catch when he caught her top lip in his teeth, coaxing her lips open.
A soft moan came from her as he deepened the kiss, and her arms circled his neck. He moved from her lips, leaving a trail of light kisses along her jaw. Her head fell back, allowing him to taste her delicate skin. Again, she moaned, and he trailed kisses back to her parted lips.
There had never been another time he’d felt like this. Kissing her was magical. Better than magical. Better than riding a bull, a cheering crowd, or winning buckles. It was perfect.
He left her lips again, pressing kisses from one cheek to the other. “Gabby…”
With the whisper of her name, she pulled back and held his gaze. “I’m so sorry. I shouldn’t have done that. I need to go.”
He panicked. “No, this was my fault. I’m sorry. We’re family, and I guess…Well, I don’t have a good excuse.”
Gabby opened her door, and it looked like she was going to say something then thought better of it. “Yeah.” She moved to jump out, but he grabbed her hand.
“Wait.” He couldn’t just come right out and say what he was thinking. If she was single, it would be a different story, but she wasn’t. There was nothing simple about this whole situation. “What if I quit the rodeo? I’d stay here. You could stay and run the paper. We could…fix up the orchard together.” Surely she’d understand what was he was trying to say. He wanted to figure out what this was because no matter what he tried to tell himself, this was more than friendship. “I could settle down.”
“Settle down?”
“Well, yeah, I mean, you’d be here, and we’ve got this opportunity to fulfill a dream.” Only his dream had broadened in the last few weeks to include her.
For a breath, she just stared at Wyatt. “Why did you kiss me?”
If he said because he wanted to, it would make him sound like a horrible person. “I don’t know. You were there, looking up at me, and…” He raked his hand through his hair.
She blinked a few times. “That’s it?”
“Yes, I mean, no. That’s—” How did he say what he felt without coming across as selfish? “We’re friends. Good friends…and you’re with Bandit.”
She yanked her hand away. “That’s all I’ll ever be to you, isn’t it? Carrie Anne’s best friend. Your friend. Family. Nothing more.”
Geez, he was messing this whole thing up. “You are those things, but—”
Gabby held up her hands, cutting him off. “I’m done. I can’t do this anymore.”
Before he could make a move, she was out of the truck and in the house. He’d never seen her move so fast. His heart hammered against his ribs as he tried to make sense of what had happened.
Yes, she was his friend and she was family, but she was more than that. Only, it wasn’t so simple as just stating it. Not until he had a chance to come up with a way to approach Bandit about it. It was bad enough that he’d already kissed her—twice—but to butt in without even having a conversation with the man she was dating?
He scrubbed his face with his hands. What a gigantic mess he’d made, and all because he was being selfish and self-centered. He wasn’t the center of the universe, but he’d sure behaved like it. Taking liberties that he had no business taking.
Not only was he lying to her, but he was lying to himself. He’d kissed her because he wanted to kiss her. Ever since their first kiss, that’s all he’d been thinking about, and when the chance presented itself, he’d taken it. Not only that, but it was an incredible kiss.
A kiss that he’d stolen…again. She was dating Bandit, and Wyatt had done the one thing he’d promised himself he’d never do. What kind of man was he? He wanted to blame Carrie Anne, but if he was honest, he knew it wasn’t her. It was him.
Since the moment he saw Gabby at the airport, something had shifted in him. The only thing Carrie Anne’s little speech had managed to do was give those thoughts words. No matter how much he tried to tell himself that Gabby was only family, she wasn’t. She was more than that, and he knew it.
He sucked in a lungful of air and let it out slowly. His excuse for not pursuing Gabby in the past was that he didn’t want to hurt their families, but the reality was, he was scared. He’d been fearless with Lori because he knew it would go nowhere.
With Gabby, the opposite was true. It had the potential to last. The real fear was that he’d mess it up. Maybe it was time to man up and face those fears, but first, he needed to figure out what he needed to do next. At the moment, he had no idea which way to go.
Chapter 20
Stepping back, Gabby looked over the decorations for Carrie Anne’s bachelorette party. She’d decided it was probably best to have it before Christmas because afterward, there would be a frenzy of activity leading up to Carrie Anne’s wedding.
She’d thrown herself into planning the party to keep her mind off Wyatt. It was her own fault for allowing the kiss to happen. He’d already been cheated on, and he thought she was dating Bandit. The last thing she wanted Wyatt thinking was that she was anything like Lori. But for him to still think of her as a friend…she couldn’t do it any longer.
Of course, that didn’t make the fact that he called it a mistake hurt any less. It was absolutely irrational since she had said it first, but Gabby had learned when it came to Wyatt, there was nothing rational about her. Giving herself something to do had helped, though, and she’d worked to avoid him the last few days.
“Stop fussing with it,” Gabby’s mom said. “It looks fine.”
“People are going to start arriving in about an hour. I just want everything to be perfect for Carrie Anne.”
Instead of a restaurant, Gabby had opted for Bear’s home. Of course, she’d okayed it with him first and then asked if Bandit would mind cooking for them. Nothing big or fancy, just some finger sandwiches and punch.
Stephanie stopped between Gabby and their mom. “No, I think Gabby is right.” She stepped forward and messed with the candy centerpiece.
“There. That looks good to me.”
Gabby nodded. “Yes, now it is. Thanks.”
Her mom touched her arm. “You should probably get changed. Stephanie and I will finish the rest, okay?”
With a chuckle, Gabby looked down at her clothing and touched her hair. “Yeah, guess I built up a sweat, huh?”
“I could smell you from my room,” her sister teased.
Gabby playfully popped her arm. “Shut up. I’m gonna go now.”
She left the room, walked through the house, and hit the stairs at a jog. As her feet touched the top of the landing, she bounced off a body, smacking her head hard against the wall. She sucked in a sharp breath, her vision blurring.
Strong arms grabbed her around the waist. “Whoa, Gabby, are you okay?” Wyatt asked.
She wanted to respond, but she was dazed. Her knees buckled, and a second later, she was being lifted into his arms. The next thing she knew, she was being lowered onto a bed.
Wyatt sat next to her. “Gabby, are you okay?”
“I…I think so.” She blinked a few times to clear her head.
“I’m so sorry. I was rushing to get downstairs and not paying attention.”
She lifted onto her elbow and said, “It’s okay. I think I’m all right now.”
He took her jaw in his hands, his eyes roaming over her face. “Are you sure? You nearly passed out.” He dropped his hands from her face but continued to keep his intense gaze on her.
“Guess I’m not just tenderhearted; I’m tenderheaded too.” She chucked and winced. “I may need some aspirin.” She pushed herself into a sitting position.
Wyatt took her in his arms and held her. “You scared the dickens out of me.” He pulled back just a fraction, kissed the side of her face, and held her tight again.
“It’s okay, Wyatt. It was just an accident. I wasn’t watching where I was going either.” Now that her head was clearing a little, she was keenly aware of how tightly Wyatt was holding her. Her head was dizzy again, but it had nothing to do with cracking it against the wall.
“I still feel bad you got hurt.”
Gabby leaned back and smiled. “It’s just a bump on the head.”
Cupping her cheek, he rubbed his thumb across her cheek. “I think it would break my heart if something happened to you. No, I know it would.”
What was going on with him? He’d kissed her when they’d returned from Lubbock, and they’d had little interaction since then. “Really, I’m fine.”
“If I ask you something, will you be honest?” He dropped his hand from her face and sat back a little, his gaze continuing to bore through her.
She knitted her eyebrows together. Wyatt was acting so strangely. “As honest as I know how to be.”
“Are you and Bandit serious?” He held her gaze. “Like, really serious?”
She didn’t know how to respond. Did she ‘fess up and tell him it had been a lie? What then? If she told him the truth, he’d want to know why, and she wasn’t sure she could tell him. “Well…”
The word was barely spoken before he brought his lips down to hers. Was this his form of truth serum? If so, it had an excellent chance of working. His arms wrapped around her, pulling her flush to him.
With the second brush of his lips against hers, her lips parted, and he deepened the kiss. She slid her hands up his chest and around his neck, her fingers stretching into his hair. This kiss was nothing like the one they’d shared in the truck. It was hard and demanding, making her heart quicken with every second that passed.
He broke the kiss, trailing feathery open-mouth kisses from her lips to her collarbone, across the sensitive skin of her neck, to just below her ear where he stopped. “I’ve been thinking about kissing you since we came back from Lubbock.”
Blood rushed in her ears, making her almost ask him to repeat himself. “You have?”
He leaned back and held her gaze. The intensity was nearly smothering. “I’m a little mixed up as of late.”
“Me too,” she whispered.
“You and Bandit being together…”
Was that why he’d kissed her? Because he thought she was with Bandit. It sure didn’t feel that way. Plus, she knew Wyatt. He’d never hurt Bandit like that. She shook her head. “I’m—”
Carrie Anne charged into Gabby’s room. “Hey!”
Startled, Wyatt jumped up and stuffed his hands in his back pockets. “Hey.”
“Am I interrupting something?”
Wyatt strode to the door. “Nope, and I’m late meeting the guys. You ladies have fun with your party. Just don’t do anything I wouldn’t do.” The hard look he gave Gabby made her want to crawl under something.
With that, he was gone, and Gabby felt blindsided. Beyond that, her head was beginning to throb.
“What just happened?” Carrie Anne asked.
Gabby blinked. The last thing she wanted to do at the moment was talk about Wyatt or kissing him. Not when her head was pounding. “I ran into him coming up the stairs and hit my head. He was just making sure I was okay.”
Her friend approached the bed and sat down. “You hit your head? Should we call a doctor?”
“No, I’m okay. Just some pain medicine, and I’ll be good.” She pulled her cell phone out of her pocket. “I have less than forty-five minutes to get ready. I need to hurry and get a shower.”
“Are you sure? My party isn’t worth my best friend being in pain.”
Gabby patted Carrie Anne’s hand. “I’m fine. Let me get ready.”
Carrie Anne gave her a hard look before standing. “Okay, but knowing you have a bump on the head, I’ll be watching you like a hawk tonight.”
“Okay.” Gabby chuckled.
Carrie Anne walked to the door and shut it behind her as she left.
Gabby palmed her forehead and lay back, staring at the ceiling. She knew she had to hurry, but her thoughts were in a whirlwind. Wyatt had kissed her when he thought she was with Bandit. He’d been cheated on, and now he probably felt like he was going behind his friend’s back.
If given the opportunity, she’d be setting everything straight with Wyatt. She hoped he didn’t hate her forever.
* * *
Gabby leaned her stomach against the counter in front of the sink. Bandit had told her not to worry about the dishes, but unable to sleep, she’d quietly slipped downstairs into the kitchen.
Carrie Anne’s party went off without a problem. The conversation was lively, the games were fun, and the food was delicious. Overall, Gabby was pretty pleased with the way things had gone. Mostly, she was happy that Carrie Anne seemed to love it. With as little time as she had to prepare, that was the most important thing to Gabby.
The only dark cloud over her now was Wyatt. Over and over, she’d practiced telling him everything. Each scenario left her in tears and him wishing he’d never see her again. None of them were what she wanted, and if she could go back, she would have never gone along with Carrie Anne’s plan.
“You’re up late.”
Gabby jumped, dropping the glass she was washing, and soapy water splashed onto her shirt. “Wyatt!” She snatched a drying towel and patted down her shirt. “I thought you were in Amarillo for Israel’s bachelor party.”
He stepped a little farther into the kitchen and leaned his hip against the island counter. “I was supposed to be, but I had trouble sleeping.”
“So you drove home? I didn’t even hear you come in.”
“I didn’t want to wake anyone up.”
She braced her hand against the counter and palmed her forehead. Her whole body shook as the adrenaline rushed through her blood. “You scared me to death.”
“I didn’t mean to, but I’m glad I caught you.” His voice held an edge.
She nodded. “I’m glad you did too. I need to tell you something.”
Crossing his arms over his chest, he nodded. “That you and Bandit aren’t really dating?”
Gabby jerked her head up and looked at Wyatt.
&
nbsp; He locked eyes with her, and she nearly withered under the glare. “He told me tonight. After I pleaded for his forgiveness for kissing you.”
“Wyatt…”
He dropped his arms and held up his hand. “I don’t want to hear it. Not only did you lie to me, but you let me believe I was cheating on my friend. Do you have any idea how guilty I’ve felt? I thought I had fee—” He cut himself short of finishing the sentence, looking disgusted with himself.
What could she say? That it was Carrie Anne’s idea? That didn’t make it any better. It didn’t change that Gabby had gone along with it. There was no amount of excuses that could make any of what she’d done okay. “I know, and I’m sorry. I was waiting for you to get back to tell you the truth.”
“Why did you do it?” His voice broke, and along with it, the last shred of her heart.
“I thought if you believed I was unavailable, you’d see me differently. I thought…it’d make you…” Now that she was saying it aloud, it was stupid. Games and tricks and deceit weren’t how you started relationships. If she’d just been honest from the beginning, he may not have seen her as someone he wanted to date, but at least he wouldn’t be looking at her like she’d gutted him.
He crossed the room and stopped in front of her, piercing her with a look. “Those kisses we shared meant nothing to me. I’d thought about giving up the rodeo to move home. I was going to do it for—” He stopped short. “It doesn’t matter. You lied to me. Played me for a fool. I won’t do anything to hurt our families, but you should stay away from me from now on. You’re right. Those five years you were away, you did change. Just not for the better.”
Gabby fought to hold back tears as each venom-coated dagger hit. He had every right to be angry. “I know.”
Wyatt turned and walked out of the kitchen. As soon as he was out of sight, Gabby lost the fight, and tears streamed down her cheeks. A soft sob escaped and then another until she slid to the floor, covering her face with her hands. She’d made such a mess of things. And she couldn’t see how it would ever be fixed.
The Best Friend's Billionaire Brother (Caprock Canyon Romance Book 1) Page 14
