Page 42 of Country Charm

“You bringin’ a date?” He sounds strained and I feel a twinge in my chest.

“No, I have maid of honor duties, so I’ll be too busy to entertain someone.” He nods to himself, and I try to imagine what he’s thinking. I’ve never brought a date to events with close friends, I never had a man meet my dad, and I don’t think I want to start now. On the other hand, this is Hunter’s hometown and he kind of has already met two of the girls. Not technically, but sort of.

Hunter goes to undo his seatbelt, but I place my hand over his.

“You don’t need to get out. I’m just going to scurry inside and pack before I leave. No reason to stay and linger.”

He nods again and kisses my temple. “Don’t be a stranger, Cass.”

I smile as I climb out of his truck and throw him a quick wave before speed-walking into the B and B.

Mary, Trent, and his mother are all sitting in the large front room that serves as an eating space. I spot them as soon as I walk in the door, drinking coffee with a small plate of pastries in front of them. Mary shoots me “hurry the fuck up” eyes so I dash up the stairs to my room.

Once I’m in the space all by myself, I lean my back against the door and take a few cleansing breaths. Usually after my encounters with men I feel energized and rejuvenated, but today I feel slightly hollow. I’m sure most of the feeling is just from being so out of my element.

Once I am back in the city, I’ll be fine.

Chapter Twenty

Hunter

You’re a fucking idiot.

I’ve been home for hours and I haven’t even gone back inside. I’ve just been sitting on the top step of my damn porch looking around and thinking about what I’ve done.

Cassidy was even more perfect than I had imagined and trust me I had imagined her plenty. She’s even more complex than I thought, and that only adds to her appeal. She doesn’t have nasty baggage, she’s not as heartless as she thinks, and she’s damn near perfect.

Her only issue is that she doesn’t believe in herself. She only wants to do what she knows she can excel at. She knows she is great at her job, so she doesn’t push for a higher position. She doesn’t try to seriously date men because she doesn’t want a repeat of college or any drama. That just means she will continue to sell herself short. No risk, no disappointment.

I look over to the green meadows where Cassidy and I stood the night before. I’ve made out with girls on this property plenty of times. Skinny-dipped in the pond and snuckgirls into the barn or bunkhouse. Every single one of those moments was so… forgettable. I’ll remember them because I did them, but the girls and the feelings weren’t anything special.

Last night when Cassidy stood on the rail of my fence yelling about seeing the fireflies, it felt as though everything was different. I was frozen in time, feeling every muscle in my heart contract with each beat. I couldn’t move from where I stood; I was stunned by her. She let her walls down for just a second and her excitement was simple and genuine.

I stereotyped her in the back of my mind. Since she was from the city, I thought it would take so much more to excite her. Throughout the night she blew me away, from scarfing down the entire slice of deep-fried apple pie to outshooting me and hopping a fence on my property.

She lit up out here, and I watched her do it. Would she like waking up at the ass crack of dawn every day? I am almost positive that is a hard no. Would I let her sleep in and make sure the coffee warmer stayed on? Absolutely.

I don’t know what it is about that girl that makes me think like that. I have never imagined a woman in bed in the morning. I’ve never thought about walking in from a hard day’s work to a woman on my porch waving me in. I’ve never imagined someone joining me on the porch swing at night. Until Cassidy. Two weeks of this girl and my brain is rewired.

Two weeks ago, I’d be doing my usual Sunday shit. I’d finish some odd jobs, do laundry, and make sure my pantry and fridge were stocked. This week I’m knocked on my ass over a girl.

I wish I could either erase the past two weeks or get more time with her. Even saying that makes me feel likeHarrison times twenty. Has he ever even felt like this before? He’s always talking about finding the right girl and settling down. I don’t remember him ever being inside out over a girl, just in love one minute and disappointed the next.

Shaking my head, I run my hands through my hair and give the ends a little tug. Better get up and get shit done. Pushing up on my legs, I get up and look over to the meadow one more time before heading inside.

I’ve made my rounds through the entire house, making sure it’s clean, and shit is where it needs to be. My fridge is pretty well-stocked, as is my pantry. I went over my list of priorities this week and added a few last-minute things. Last on my list is laundry. I usually start a load before doing anything else so I can get things done while it runs, but I’ve been avoiding my room.

Foolish? I know.

I walk into my room and my vision tilts. My bed is a hot mess. Being a man of routine, I never leave my bed unmade. Today my white linens are tossed messily about. The pillows are left askew but two are closer together on the side where I slept.

Cassidy likes being the big spoon. I would like a chance to get to hold her, but her reaching out for me in her sleep was satisfying. She’s so powerful yet timid. I like that she is the kind of woman who says what’s on her mind and goes for what she wants, but she does it conservatively. It’s an intoxicating mixture. A strong woman who knows when to push and pull on her strengths.

My back heats remembering Cassidy’s lips pressing between my shoulder blades when she thought I was asleep. It sends a shiver down my spine. My cock swells thinking back on taking her in the bed in front of me. Herflushed, creamy skin turning that rosy pink against my white sheets. Her brown hair tossed messily around as her moans cut through the air.

I undo my pants and begin to tug at the swollen flesh.

She was so eager to get fucked. I could have let her meet my strokes, but my dominance turned her on. Every time I pushed her further into the bed, or restricted her movements more, she would tighten that vise around me. I think about how tight her little body was as I tighten my grip, but it doesn’t compare. I knew when I slipped my fingers inside her that I was going to be a tight fit. The thought of her cumming on my mouth in the library is my undoing, so I quickly grab my shirt from the floor and empty myself on it.

---