Page 34 of In Full Bloom

Tell her why? I’ve completely lost track of the conversation. At this point I’ll tell her whatever she wants me to. I’m completely under her spell. Why … why won’t I take her home again? My brain clicks back into gear.

“We’d have to renegotiate the terms,” I murmur as her palm connects softly with the edge of my jaw. I turn my face into the feeling.

“What’s wrong with the terms?” A fingertip traces along my eyebrow and I close my eyes. I hadn’t meant to tell her why. I was supposed to just keep denying this could ever happen. “Hey, cowboy, tell me.”

The way she says ‘cowboy’ is what does it.

Usually when she’s calling me that there’s sarcasm and threads of disdain woven into it. It’s sassy and mocking. This time there’s none of that, just a gentle softness like she really wants to know, and isn’t going to use it against me later.

“I’m not a one-night kind of guy,” I say after a steadying breath. I open my eyes and meet hers head on. Ready for her spark of defiance. But all I see there is confusion.

“You werebefore.”

I shake my head. “No, princess, I wasn’t.”

“But, that’s exactly what we did. One-night. We weren’t even supposed to see each other again.”

I laugh softly. “Yeah, that probably would have been easier for us both.”

My hand is still on her body and I know I need to move it, but it’s like it’s magnetised there. I can’t pull it away. Her hand is still on my face and I also know I should pull back so it falls away. But the sensation is too good and I can’t quite bear to end this moment.

“Why did you do it? If you don’t usually?”

I sigh. This conversation is so far outside of my control. “Let’s start walking,” I say. “That way when you freeze solid I don’t have to carry you as far.”

Katie snorts, but drops her fingers from my face. The movement feels reluctant, like mine is when I finally pry my hand away from her side.

She takes her jacket from the hand I’ve been bracing against the wall this whole time. She slides her arms into it and wraps it tight against her body. “Happy now?”

“Better, but come on.” I head down the street, towards the little house Katie lives in on the edge of town.

Katie falls into step beside me. She reaches out and slips her hand into mine. I startle, but try to cover my reaction. This is entirely unexpected. “Talk, cowboy.” She squeezes gently.

I sigh. I’ve effectively cornered myself into having this conversation. “I was having an epically shit day.” I shrug, but Katie doesn’t comment. She’s clearly waiting for me to elaborate. “I was meant to just go drown my sorrows a little. But youwere there. And honestly, you lookedsad. I wanted you to look less sad. I wasn’t expecting you to be pissed at me.”

“To be clear, I wasn’t actually pissed at you. Just this place.” She circles her hand in the air, encompassing the town as a whole. “I was pissed about being back here. You just bore the brunt of my frustration. But, please,” she shoots me a small smile, “continue.”

I take a deep breath. I really want to get into this some more. Dive into what she just said. But she’s urging me to carry on, so I do. We can come back to her story later.

“So, I wasn’t expecting the feistiness, or for you to proposition me. I figured since nothing else has ever worked for me, maybe I should embrace that persona you put on me.”

“But you’re not a cocky cowboy are you?” Her voice is gentle, a soft whisper in the fresh spring night.

“Not really, no … well, maybe.” I shrug. “I guess that’s for you to decide. I try not to be an ass anyway.”

She watches me as we walk for a few long silent moments, the only sounds are our boots hitting the concrete footpath. I avoid meeting her gaze.

“No,” she says eventually. “You’re not a cocky-ass cowboy.” Another long pause. “I’m still going to call you cowboy though.”

I glance down at her and she’s grinning up at me. That smirk that means she knows she’s pushing my buttons. “Whatever you want, princess.”

Her eyes flash at the nickname and she bites her lip. I jerk my gaze away, unwilling to stare at her teeth catching the soft flesh, trying not to remember her doing the same thing tomybottomlip.

“So, you’re not willing to try again? I could call you a cocky cowboy again, be sad or angry or whatever, if it’ll help?”

I stay silent. I can’t answer her.

I want to go again. God, who wouldn’t want another night with her? I want to pick her up right now, wrap her legs around my waist and feel her hot, strong body pressed against mine.

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