Before walking to Cabin B, I fired up the truck and cranked on the air conditioning.
At six-thirty on the dot, I knocked on Tag and Bea’s cabin door with my heart in my throat and a smile etched into my face. A long, quiet pause upped my anticipation.
When the door swung open, the breath left my lungs like I took a punch to the gut.
She wore a red, floral sundress that had tiny straps and an angled neckline. It didn’t show nearly as much skin as the blush dress she wore the night of the wedding, but the flowy, relaxed fit highlighted her femininity and made her curves look like the softest place in the world. And red was her color. I swallowed the lump of cotton in my mouth, groping for words that would do justice.
What came out was a very charming “Holy shit.”
Hollie giggled. “You look nice, too.”
I dragged my eyes up to her face, noticing her curls were down and free, brushing against her bare neck. “You don’t look nice, Hollie. You look sexy as hell.”
She bit down on her lip, smoothing her dress with an open hand. “This is actually Bea’s. She suggested it.”
I noted the small canvas bag over her shoulder. “You have a swimsuit?”
“Yep. In the bag.”
“I’ll take it.”
Hollie handed it over then strode down the porch steps, revealing thebackof her dress which was completely open, the tiny straps loosely zigzagging all the way down to her waist. I sucked a breath, nearly going to my knees at the sight of her tank top tan lines.
Bea wasapparentlytrying to kill me.
I could only hope Hollie’s swimsuit wasn’t a Bea suggestion, too.
I followed Hollie to the truck, opening the door for her and offering her a hand up. Her apple smell wafted around me, turning my desire to kiss her into aneed. Even though I did have some alone time scheduled for us, the first thing on our agenda was dinner out and some country dancing in a public space.
I shook my head. What a dumb plan.
There was no way I’d be able to choke down some food while she sat in a restaurant booth looking like a goddess. No way inhell.
By the time I got into the driver’s seat, I was rethinking everything.
She chirped as I backed out of the drive. “So, where are you taking me?”
I swallowed hard, disallowing my eyes to wander over there. Pulling her across the console into my lap wouldn’t be a classy move, but I might cave if I looked. “Well…” I faltered, my tongue dry. “Uh…” I swiped a hand through my hair then dragged it down my face. I couldn’t even think straight.
My rear tires hit the railroad ties used to contain the gravel near the cabins, I cut the wheel hard left, then hit the gas before the truck fully straightened out, causing the truck to give a wild lurch forward.
Did I forget how to drive?
I suddenly wanted to laugh at myself. Hollie walking out of that cabin had so thoroughly wrecked me that I was useless. I couldn’t answer her questions, couldn’t think, could hardly take a damn breath. I accelerated to speeds that didn’t mesh well with gravel, bumping us past the barn.
I had to get her off this ranch. Now.
Everyone here had been in our space way too much, and I was over it. If anyone had the audacity to interrupt us, I would lose my everloving mind. Dinner and everything else I had planned when I was still sane got tossed out the window. Next up was yanking her out of that seat and getting whatever happened next out of our systems.
“Jesse?” Hollie’s voice pitched with worry in the passenger’s seat. “Are you okay?”
My boot lifted off the accelerator as I looked over at Hollie who bit down on her full bottom lip. Belatedly, I realized she’d asked mesomething when we were still parked at the cabin. What was it? Me driving like a lunatic had probably scared her. I breathed out a laugh, the humor of the situation starting to hit me. “I’m sorry. I’m fine. Wait, no, I’m not fine.” I chuckled again even as I tossed my head back in disbelief. “Um, I cannot think rationally when you look like that. I don’t mean to be one-track minded, but shit, Hollie, you know how to torture a man.”
A smile spread across her face.
“And if I can’t kiss you in the next few minutes, I’m going to need someone to tranq me.”
Her eyes went wide.
