I hadn’t meant to say that last part out loud and really hoped he couldn’t hear the bitterness laced through those words.
Raylan’s eyes flashed wide, a burst of surprised laughter shooting past his lips. “My harem? You make me sound like a man-whore.”
My mouth hooked to the side in a smirk. “If the condom fits...” I made sure my tone came off playful, even though it was the last thing I felt as I spoke that particularly painful truth.
He snorted at my jab, his lips curling up into a smile that, even in the darkness, was gorgeous enough to take my breath away.
I forced my gaze from his face before he could read everything I was feeling. “Speaking of your harem, shouldn’t you be getting back to your date?” My insides shriveled from saying those words, but my feelings were too close to the surface. I felt raw, like an exposed nerve, and I worried that the longer I spent in his company, the more likely it would be that I’d do something incredibly stupid and make a fool of myself.
He waved my statement off without a care. “Nah, I’m sure she can entertain herself for a while longer. Last I checked,she was preening on the dancefloor, tryin’ to catch that hockey player’s attention.”
There wasn’t a hint of jealousy or anger in his voice. He didn’t seem to care, but I couldn’t stop my top lip from curling up. Sure, Tanner Fine had money and fame and muscles for days, but he still had nothing on the man standing beside me.
What an idiot.
“Besides, I came to find you because you haven’t given me a dance yet. Can’t let the night pass without cuttin’ up that floor with me, Chaos.”
God, he was killing me.
I wanted nothing more than to curl up in his arms and let him lead me around the dance floor, soaking up his scent and the warmth from his steady embrace, but I couldn’t risk it.
My smile was small as I gave my head a shake. “I’m not ready to go back in there just yet.”
His scrutinizing gaze tracked across my face. “That’s okay. We can dance right here.”
I harrumphed. “You can barely hear the music all the way out here.”
His strong, rounded shoulder lifted in a casual shrug. “Who needs music? Besides, without it, you won’t be tempted to sing along to whatever’s playin’, so I won’t have to worry about my ears bleedin’.”
“Jerk.” I smacked him in his firm, toned stomach with the back of my hand, my lips trembling as I fought to keep from smiling. “My singing isn’t that bad.” That was a bald-faced lie. I knew how I sounded. I wasn’t delusional enough to think I’d be winning any singing competitions in my lifetime. I’d most likely end up on one of those episodes where they featured the worst, most embarrassing auditions.
“You’re right. It’s worse,” he chuckled. “Now come on and dance with me, Lenni.”
I bent to place the now-empty champagne flute in the grass, careful not to break it. As I reached to place my hand in his, I knew I was making a mistake, but I couldn’t help myself. He issued a challenge, and he knew I could never back down from something like that.
He pulled me closer, clasping my hand firmly in his and wrapping his other arm around my waist, his palm pressed against the center of my back, the pressure of his touch bringing me even closer to him. It wasn’t anywhere near where he’d been touching Wedding Date Barbie earlier, but I was still a sucker for it all the same.
I closed my eyes and melted into him, soaking in every second I had in his arms, knowing it would end far too soon. We remained silent as we swayed together, our only music the gentle, soothing chirp of crickets and the occasional hoot of an owl or distant howl of a coyote.
“I really meant it, you know,” he said a few minutes later, breaking the peace of the moment.
I tilted my chin to look up at him. “Meant what?”
“You look beautiful tonight, Lenni.”
From this close, I could see the flecks of gunmetal in his blue eyes, and as I stared into them, something inside me snapped. I didn’t think. I simply acted.
I slid my hand across his shoulder and wrapped my arm around his neck, pulling him down as I rose up on my tiptoes and pressed my lips against his. In that instant, I finally got the answer to my burning question of how soft Raylan Bradbury’s lips were and how they’d feel against my own. The answer: transcendent.
I was so lost in the feel of him that it took me a moment to realize he’d frozen in place, his entire body locked up like he’d been encased in concrete. And he was absolutelynotkissing me back.
Oh God. What have I done?
A bead of cold sweat trickled down my spine and my heart began to race as I pulled away and slowly lowered myself back down. His expression was something I’d never seen before. Utter bewilderment mixed with something else... something that looked a lot like pity. I shot up a silent prayer, willing the ground beneath me to open up and swallow me whole.
“I—” I started at the same time he said, “Kiddo...”
I couldn’t help but flinch as I took a wobbly step back. Out of all the endearments Raylan had for me, that was the one I absolutely hated. Every time he called me kiddo, I wanted to scream. Shout at him that I was a grown woman, for Christ’s sake.
