Cassidy
What the hell did you wear for a date with a cowboy? I mean I’d been on with him once before, but I hadn’t kissed him then. I hadn’t seen him at work. Hadn’t heard how he dealt with people who weren’t doing their job properly. It was kind of hot.
Now, I was desperately searching through my closet for something suitable to wear. I wanted to call Lily and ask for her advice, but Gunner was right. We should keep it between us until we knew it wasn’t going to be a huge mistake.
Sitting on the bed I gazed at the contents of the closet, some of which had spilled out onto the bed and floor. It struck me as I looked at the whirlwind that had hit my bedroom, aside from Lily I didn’t have anyone else to call. I had a few friends, like Lola from the library and Katelynn who taught fifth grade and shared supervision of recess with me. Mrs. Wright was always there for advice but more educational than fashion. Lily had become my best friend, though, since she moved back to Silver Peaks, and itshould be her I was asking. I couldn’t, though, so I had to figure it out myself.
“Okay,” I sighed, standing up and going to my closet. “You will not beat me.”
“Wow,” Gunner said as I stood in the doorway of my apartment. “You look incredible.”
I felt my cheeks heat as I looked down at myself. “I hope I picked the right kind of outfit.”
Gunner blew out a breath, his eyes looking directly into mine. “Like I said, incredible.”
I’d gone for leather look pants, a cute red sweater that finished just above my waistband and some high black boots with a silver buckle at the ankle. The heel was so high and thin, I was grateful there wasn’t still snow on the ground. I just had wind and rain to contend with.
“I’ll get my coat.” I reached behind the door for it and then grabbed my bag from the console table. “Okay, let’s go.”
Gunner stood back and let me walk in front of him, down the stairs and to the main door to the street. My apartment was small and cozy and above the bookstore which I loved. It was like having my own personal library. Deidre and Wallace, the owners, were always happy for me to go in and browse, sometimes for hours. They even made me cups of English tea to drink while I curled up in a chair and read the book that I always ended up buying. Hence why my own bookshelves were full to bursting.
Gunner’s brand new sleek black F-150 truck was waiting and instead of parking in one of the diagonal spaces he’d parked itclose to the edge of the sidewalk. He rushed around me and opened the door.
“You need help getting in?” he asked, letting his eyes drift down the length of me in a not-so-subtle once-over. “You’re kind of tiny even in those boots…and those pants are...”
Tight. They were tight. Hence the choice of a tiny thong that was already riding the fine line of comfort.
“I can manage,” I said, channeling all my independent woman energy.
Gunner grinned and tilted his head, all smug cowboy confidence. “Go for it.”
He stood back, one hand braced on the top of the truck door, watching me with undisguised amusement as I heaved myself up as gracefully as possible. Once I was in, I smoothed my top, pretending the move hadn’t winded me a little. The interior was surprisingly clean, all rich leather and still carrying that faint new-car scent. That was, until the driver’s door swung open, and Gunner’s scent wrapped around me like a hug I wasn’t ready for, woodsy, warm, and unmistakably him.
“Okay?” he asked, buckling in beside me.
“Yep,” I said, voice breathier than I meant. “You ready?”
“I am.” He threw me a crooked smile.
“So, where do the family think you are tonight?”
“Boys’ night with my high school buddies,” he said, voice low, conspiratorial. “I was suitably sketchy about it.”
I laughed. “Same when Lily asked me. I mumbled something about grading and face masks.”
“It’s for the best,” he said, giving me a wink that flipped my stomach.
I stared at the side of his face as he pulled onto the road, his features lit in gold from the dash lights. How could a wink make me feel off-balance? I wasn’t the girl who blushed at smiles andswagger. But Gunner had this way of being so casually charming that I couldn’t find my footing around him.
“Where are we going?” I asked, needing something to hold on to.
“Somewhere nice.” His grin grew wider. “You’ll see.”
As he drove, his left wrist rested over the steering wheel while his right elbow leaned against the center console. The picture of effortless control. It wasn’t fair how good he looked doing absolutely nothing, just driving with calm confidence, bathed in the glow of passing headlights. I wasn’t the kind of woman who fell for the strong-and-silent type. But somehow, I was starting to think I’d underestimated just how dangerous Gunner Miller could be to my resolve.
“Cassidy, you okay?”
I blinked. “Yeah. Sorry. Just thinking. Long day. We talked about Shakespeare today.”
