“Yeah, I think I’m tapping out,” she says, giving me a sheepish grin with gazed-over eyes.
“All right, let’s go,” I say, taking her hand and walking away from the crowd.
“Cade, where the hell are you going? We have one more song!” Wyatt bellows.
“You can do this one without me,” I holler, not stopping until I reach my tent.
It’s far enough away from the fire that we no longer feel any of the heat, but it’s a little quieter. Not that anywhere would be quiet right now, not with all the singing and carrying on happening.
I bend down and lift the zipper, stepping aside to allow her to enter first. The windows are open now, but I know I’ll be closing them soon. It may be September, but the nights still get cool. However, it’s perfect sleeping weather, outside in the tent in the fresh air with a blanket.
It’s pretty damn close to heaven.
I flip on a battery-operated lantern and catch Oaklee’s eyes zeroed in on my bedroll. It’s not as comfortable as an air mattress, but it sure beats the hell out of sleeping on the hard ground.
Since she doesn’t have anything to change into, and frankly, I never really bring anything to sleep in, I point to the bed. “Have at it.”
She toes off her athletic shoes and slowly climbs beneath the blanket, making sure to only take a corner of the pillow. I pull my flannel off, tossing it in the corner of the tent and zip up the door and windows, leaving only a sliver open to ensure we get a little fresh air. “I can close that all the way if you get too cold,” I tell her before bending down and unlacing my boots.
Finally, I turn off the lantern, crawl onto the bedroll, and lay my head on the pillow. She wiggles toward me, shifting to her side, so I do the same. “I had the best time today.”
“I’m glad,” I reply as the opening notes of “Friends in Low Places” comes to life.
“You have a beautiful voice,” she murmurs, listening to the chaos erupt that usually ensues with the song.
“Thanks. I like to sing.”
“You can do it anytime you want,” she tells me with a smile.
My grin matches hers. “Just say the word.”
We lie there for several seconds, humming along to the song until it finally ends.
“Cade?” she asks after a minute of silence.
“Yeah, beautiful?” I whisper, letting the heat of her body soothe my soul. I never knew lying beside a woman like this could be so damn comforting.
“Remember when you told me you’d kiss me when I was ready?”
My heart starts to beat harder, my breathing lodging firmly in my throat. “Yeah, I remember.”
“Well,” she starts, placing her hand on my arm and sliding it up to my shoulder. “I’m ready.”
“For a kiss?”
She nods. “Yes.”
We’re already close, but I go ahead and lean toward her a bit more until our mouths are aligned. My brain shuts off and the alcohol swims through my veins, mixing with lust and anticipation. I suddenly feel drunk, but I know it’s not from the beer. It’s Oaklee. That’s the effect she has on me.
I focus on her lips, on the way they part as her breathing picks up. Her tongue darts out, licking at the plump bottom lip in preparation.
She wants this.
She asked for me to kiss her.
“It would be my pleasure.”
CHAPTER
