There was a hitch in his breathing and a slight smile crossing his face. “Also because she was your friend. Maybe she still is.”
“How did you remember that?” I was shocked.
“Ah, come on. I remember everything about you. The way your laugh sounded, especially from across the room. The way you purposely swished your hips when you were around me while doing your best to ignore my very presence. The way you took charge of every situation whether with your friends or in class. You did terrify the boys. Did you know that?”
Exhaling, I tried to remember my teenage years. “I wasn’t trying to. I was the ugly duckling, at least according to my father.”
“Your father is an idiot,” he said, grinning. “You were the mistress of intimidation. I almost beat the crap out of a guy I overheard talking about you in the locker room. But with you being Wade’s sister, that made it easier to keep their hands off you.”
The reminder that he’d been the reason my prom date had stood me up prompted me to slug him in the stomach.
“Ouch!”
“You deserved that for meddling into my life.”
“And you know what, Palomino Girl? I’d do it again.” He shifted toward me, inching closer.
The intense heat from his body was everything I craved and also exactly what worried me. “I’m so sorry my father put you on the spot. I’ll talk to him. If he truly wants my involvement, then he’s going to do it my way.”
After taking a deep breath, he nodded, had another gulp of coffee then placed the cheap cup on the cracked concrete. I could tell there was so much on his mind by the way he was staring at the mountains. “I wish I could help you, but I can’t. Dredging up old memories isn’t going to do my mental health any good. That much I already figured out. I’ll give you some pointers, but that’s all I can do.”
Sighing, I stared at the bitter liquid in the cup, my stomach churning from the acid. The anger I’d felt earlier remained, burning to the point I wasn’t certain how I could handle my father. Bending over, I placed my cup near his. This was oneof those moments where there was nothing truly appropriate to say.
Every muscle in his body remained tense, the sneer on his face exactly what I remembered about him. No matter how hard he tried to hide his decency behind his angry sneers, I knew all about the marshmallow personality he hid inside. The truth was the more I thought about the charity idea, the more I liked it. Enough so that if my father listened to me, I would consider going through with being his attorney.
But only if he promised to adhere to every recommendation. But for there to be any kind of success, I would need a partner.
A partner in crime.
I offered him my sweetest smile, taking my time to place just the fingertips of one hand against his naked chest. Instantly, they were seared from excessive heat. My mouth watered and seriously inappropriate thoughts flowed through my mind, having a direct effect on my throbbing pussy.
“Why do I have a feeling you have something up your sleeve?” he asked, a single eyebrow arched.
“Me? How could you think that?”
“Because I know you too well.” He tweaked my nose and I sensed how hard he was trying not to take out his anger on me.
“Here’s the truth. I could still use your help with the city council. I mean, you know exactly how to talk their talk and walk their walk.”
“Hell, no.”
“Think about the rescue animals. All the lives you can save. What you can do for the families who lost everything in a fire. Can you imagine how wonderful it will be for dozens of animals to finally find their forever homes? Plus think of your old firefighting team.”
He narrowed his eyes while I gave him a practiced sweet look. Not that I was good at it. I’d certainly never used it in court.
“That’s not fair. You have no clue if that will even fly or if your father will allow you to handle the rodeo the way you want.”
“Then he won’t receive even a minute of my help and I’ll leave town. Period.”
“God, woman, I ain’t no politician.” He used a cute Western twang, as if that would persuade me into changing my mind.
As I crawled my fingers down toward his chiseled abdomen, he emitted a single growl. Low and husky, the sound was meant as a deterrent. Instead, the deliciousness spurred me on. When I reached the waistband of his jeans, he finally grabbed my fingers, pulling them to his lips.
“I don’t know how I can help you.”
The way he brushed his lips across my knuckles nipped at my ability to breathe. I could so easily get lost in the man and we both knew that couldn’t happen. “Do you trust me?”
He laughed. “Should I dare trust a Sterling?”
