Page 34 of Country Charm

His name leaves my lips and he drops his head to capture them. His lips are soft but strong. The tension in hismouth isn’t stiff or weak. It’s guiding and encouraging. I couldn’t deny kissing him back if I tried, so I don’t.

I kiss him back and he puts an arm around my shoulders, pulling me close to him. I sigh into his hold and relax. It feels so damn good to be in this man’s arms. As the thought crosses my mind, I stiffen a little. Hunter stops the kiss and puts his forehead to mine.

“Come back to my place.”

I breathe him in.God, he smells so good.

“I don’t think I should.”

He rubs his head side to side a little against mine.

“Come over, Cassidy.”

I mull it over. I shouldn’t. I know that I shouldn’t, but I was going to sleep with him last weekend.Why not this weekend?What could honestly be the worst thing that happens? He stops texting me and I never see him again. We live over an hour away from each other. This is practically a safe bet in my book. Like vacation sex.

“Okay,” I whisper. He kisses me deeply, appreciating my answer.

He steps back and grabs my hand, pulling me along. We walk through the people and cross the dance floor, heading straight for the stage. My eyes widen wondering where the hell he’s taking me.

As we walk, I catch the eyes of someone staring at me. Looking over, I see it’s Franny. That shooting daggers look I said you can get in the city, oh I’m getting it right here in this small town.

I blush but stand a little taller. I’m not ashamed to be heading home with this man. I will never see that girl again; I don’t need her judging eyes trying to convince me I’m doing something wrong.

Hunter walks around the stage and I see a line of trucks on both sides of the street. He walks right up to his and opens the passenger door for me. He’s about to close the door but stops for a moment and looks directly at me. I can tell he wants to say something, but he doesn’t. When he closes the door, he pulls out his phone, brings it to his ear, and he walks around back. I can hear his muffled voice as he rounds toward his door. He stands outside it for a beat, his hand on the door handle.

“Yeah, time and a half for your trouble. The tasks are in the barn on the big board. Thanks, man.” I look over to him as he slides the key into the ignition, starting the truck up. I’m about to buckle myself in, but he grabs my arm and slides me across the bench seat closer to him. Once my thigh is pressed against his, he reaches over my lap and grabs the belt to buckle me in.

“I can buckle myself in, you caveman.”

“Cavemen didn’t have cars, Cass.”

“Fred Flintstone did.”

He chuckles and kisses my temple. Putting the truck into drive, he takes off into the night, tossing that arm over my shoulder and pulling me to him. I watch as the buildings in the square change to groups of homes, then to a few sparse houses. Pretty soon we’re surrounded by nothing, no streetlights, just pitch-black nothingness.

“I came here with Mary, and people saw me leave with you. If I go missing, people are going to eventually come looking for me.” He laughs and I smile.

“Nah, I know this land better than anyone in that town. If I wanted you gone, Cassidy… you would be.”

“Is there going to be a stop sign anytime soon? I don’t think jumping out of the car right now would be in my best interest.” He just laughs harder.

“Ain’t nothin’ stoppin’ me from here until we hit my bed, Cass. Not a single fuckin’ sign or light.”

Heat blossoms within me. Uncertainty has been lingering in the back of my mind all night. Suddenly, all I can think about is Hunter’s back hitting his bed and me on top of him, riding him like a blue-ribbon cowgirl.Is that a thing?

“That sounds awfully better than being buried in a field in the middle of nowhere.”

“You’re comparin’ sleepin’ with me to dyin’?” he says, and I laugh hard.

“The way you left me feeling last week was close to death, Hunter Hill. A girl has needs, and you seemed to like to deny mine.”

“Funny, it felt like torture to me too. No sense in rehashin’ the past, Cass. How about I make it right this time around?”

We pull up to a long driveway with a huge open ranch gate.

“Was all that land yours?” I look around but can’t see anything past the headlights. Everything is just black.

“Most of it,” he chuckles.

---