I nod, at a loss for words. He slides a hand around my waist, pulling me gently but firmly against him.
“This one’s ours,” he murmurs, low and commanding.
The opening lines ofShe’s My Kind of Rainspill through the speakers. My breath catches. I’ve heard this song a few times before, Grace listens to it in her room, and I fell in love with it too. His chest is solid against mine, warmth radiating off him like wildfire. His hand grips my hip, firm but careful, sending shivers up my spine.
Cas starts to sing along.
The words vibrate against my skin, his lips close enough that I can taste the whiskey on his breath. His voice, rough, beautiful, low, makes my heart stutter. My body trembles in ways I can’t hide.
“You’re blushing again, Sunset,” he whispers, eyes locked on mine.“Makes me wonder what else I can do to put that color on your cheeks.”
I gasp softly, pulse hammering, body betraying me. But I can’t look away from him. He’s everywhere, his voice, his touch, his scent.
We sway slow and steady, the song wrapping around us like a secret promise. I feelsafeandwanted. I never want this moment to end.
When the song fades, he brushes his lips against my cheek before stepping back.
“Didn’t want to steal you away from Summer on your Thursday fun and beers,” he says, a teasing lilt in his voice.
I laugh, and he leans in again, his breath warm against my ear.
“But when this song came on, I couldn’t fight the need to hold you in my arms tonight.”
Then he steps back, hat tipping slightly.“See you later, Sunset.”
That dimpled grin,God, that grin makes my heart skip a beat.
It takes me a while to notice the upbeat song that’s started playing. Cas sits back at the bar, beer in hand, eyes fixed on me with that knowing smirk that makes me flush all over again.
When I finally slide back into the booth beside Summer, she smiles wide.“I did something.”
“What?” I ask, suspicious.
She waves her phone like it’s magic, then taps a few keys. My phone buzzes.
I open it… and my heart jumps. It’s a picture of Cas and me dancing, his hand on my waist, the other holding mine, our eyes locked.
“Gotta love smartphones,” she laughs.
I stare at the picture, breath catching.“Thanks,” I whisper, closing my phone quickly.
“That’s what BFFs are for,” she winks.“Now you can stare at him whenever you want.”
I can’t help smiling back.
Hours later, after the laughter faded and the music slowed, the crisp night air carries the scent of woodsmoke and autumn leaves as Summer drops me off at the B&B steps. I pause… Cas sits on the porch swing, one arm draped over the backrest, the soft glow from the porch light haloing him in gold. The sight sends my heart into a tumble.
“Didn’t mean to scare you,” he says, his voice low and calm, that smooth, magnetic drawl curling through the quiet night.
“It’s okay,” I breathe, stepping closer. The air between us shifts, cool, but threaded with the heat radiating off him, steady and unshakable.
“So…” His grin is slow, teasing, the kind that makes my chest tighten.“Thursday beer and fun?”
I groan, laughing softly.“You’re never going to let that go, are you?”
“That depends,” he says, eyes glinting.“Are you ever gonna admit that you just made that up on the spot?”
I can’t help but smile. The ease between us feels effortless, natural, but underneath it, there’s something deeper. Something that hums quietly in the air, pulling us closer without permission.
