“You okay?” His voice is low, private.
“Fine. Why wouldn’t I be?”
“Because you’ve been gripping that camera like you want to strangle it for the last twenty minutes.” His gaze searches my face. “You’re jealous.”
“Am not?—”
He chuckles and moves back to his position, leaving me flushed and flustered and way too aware of my own heartbeat.
Kai catches my eye from across the booth. He’s supposed to be smiling for the camera with a pair of women who are practically climbing him, but he’s looking at me. Through me. Into me.
I see you,his expression says.Only you.
Finally—finally—Hazel calls the last group forward, and then it’s over. The crowd disperses, the booth empties, and I can actually breathe.
“You were amazing,” Hazel says, bouncing over. “These shots are incredible. But I’ve got to run. I have a date.”
“Oh?” I grab her arm. “Since when? With who?”
“Since this morning. And I’ll tell you everything tomorrow, promise.” She’s already backing away, phone in hand. “Love you, bye!”
And she’s gone.
I’m left standing with Don and Connor, who immediately start packing up the signs around the booth.
“Well.” Kai strolls over, hands in his pockets like he has all the time in the world. “Looks like you’re free.”
I force my face into something neutral, even though my body is still remembering where his hands were earlier. “I should probably head home.”
“Or,” Carter says, sliding in beside Kai like he belongs there, “you could stay. Enjoy the fair. Let us return the favor for being such a good sport tonight.”
My stomach tightens, not from nerves exactly, but from the way his voice lands low, right under my ribs. “What favor?”
Kai’s grin turns sharp and delighted. “I may have put our names down for something.”
I narrow my eyes, because the sparkle in his gaze is never innocent. “What exactly?”
“The Cowboy Carry race. You and me.” He tips his chin toward the main area where people are gathering. “It’ll be fun.”
“A piggyback race.” I stare at him.
“I knew you’d say no if I asked.” He shrugs like it’s the most reasonable thing in the world. “This way, it’s already done. No backing out.”
I should be annoyed and tell him that signing me up for something physical without checking is presumptuous at best. But Kai is staring at me like he already knows I’m going to cave, like he’s watching my willpower wobble. Carter is close enough that it’s hard to concentrate.
I lift my chin, trying to drag control back where it belongs, reminding myself that I did enjoy the photo shoot with them, their company. Then I cave… “One race.”
Kai’s brows lift, pleased. “Done.”
“Then I go home.” I shift my weight, forcing myself to focus on the noise around us instead of the warmth at my sides. “Just give me two minutes,” I tell them. “I need to take this stuff to the office and lock it up before someone walks off with these expensive lenses.” Before either of them can argue, I duck away and into the staff area, past the guard there. Then I slip into the tiny office by the lockers and tuck my gear away, snapping the lock closed.
I return, and in no time, we’re up near the races where they hold lots of games. Locals love them, but I rarely participate. There is a roped-off track about fifty yards long. A dozen teams are already lined up, some bouncing on their toes, some laughing, some already arguing about who is going to drop whom.
I manage one full second of normal.
Then I spot Tanner.
He’s near the starting line, wearing that smug expression I know too well, like the world was built to applaud him. The moment our eyes meet, his face twists into something ugly.
