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Overhead, special animal-friendly fireworks lit the sky, exploding with almost no noise. The warm Texas night filled with sprays of gold and silver sparks and ohs and ahs. I sunk into my slight buzz from the beers and the mound of food I’d consumed.
The finale of the fireworks show filled the night sky, lighting up the crowd like it was midday. Applause followed the last explosion. Kate and I joined in with the rest of the town.
I told Kate I’d be in touch and followed the throngs leaving the party, letting them carry me along to my minivan. My minivan was the only one that turned left on the ranch road. Everyone else went right—back toward town. I drove slowly, distracted by the stars that looked like thousands of water droplets glimmering in the moonlight. I’d forgotten how beautiful the night sky was, away from the bright lights of the city.
I parked in the same place as before and got out lingering, my head tipped back to admire the stars. A couple of low-pitched woofs from a big dog inside the nearby house reached my ears. A light flipped on, and I turned. Framed in the window was a silhouette I knew: Atley.
The back of my neck tingled. The ghost of his calm, possessive touch slid seductively down my spine. I longed for the commanding, dirty-talking cowboy of last night to come outside and sweep me off my feet. Ugh, one night of mind-blowing sex had transformed me into a nymphomaniac.
I rubbed a hand over my nape, banishing the thoughts of last night. No more sexy Atley thoughts. Period. I was going cold turkey.
He had to know I was looking at him, but he made no move to come outside, and that was fine. We’d had our awkward conversation earlier. Once a day was enough. Yet I kept looking in his direction, held in thrall by the sight of him and the memories.
The light in the house flicked out.
Now I was exposed, my dress a pale enough blue that it would be a stark contrast to the dark night. I wrapped my arms around myself. Only a pane of glass and circumstance separated us. It might as well have been the Grand Canyon.
With exhaustion weighing me down, I turned away from his house.
I shined the beam from the flashlight app on my phone on the rocky path, walking carefully back to the guest house. With every step, I reminded myself not to think about how good his rough fingertips felt on my body or how many times I screamed his name last night.
Chapter 6
Rae
“I’m so happy foryou and Cameron. The fireworks were a perfect time to get engaged. You’re more romantic than I ever guessed.” I patted Wilson’s leg affectionately and ignored the recurring twinge of jealousy at my brother’s happiness.
“It was all her.” He turned the oversized ranch golf cart UTV thing we were riding in down a path carved through a grove of scraggy oaks. It was early in the morning, two days after the BBQ. He’d lured me from the guest house with coffee and a promise to show me a big surprise.
I braced my hand on the dash as we bounced over ruts and rocks. I was excited for the surprise but not my brother’s driving. The last gully we zoomed up, over, and through may have left me with a bruised tailbone.
“That sounds right. You’re not that cool.” I bumped my shoulder into his, and we both laughed.
“Thanks, big sister. Keeping me humble.”
“Tough work, but someone’s got to do it.”
“I am cool enough to be flying her to California to see my place there and go ring shopping.”
“Nicely played.”
“I apologize for ignoring you yesterday… we were distracted.”
“You were celebrating your engagement by doing the naked mambo… own it!”
“Alright, we were. But I still should have put on pants and made a trip to the guest house to see how you were doing.”
“I slept in, then started packing up the Santa Fe knickknacks in the house and unpacking my things.”
“Yeah, we ignored the guest house and the winery so we could plan for the Fourth of July party. It was on the list for a full gut renovation, but now that you’re living there, I can keep pushing it down the list.”
“Happy to help with prioritizing. But seriously, you’re still okay with me staying like six months or a year? I want to get the brand established and have something kick-ass for my resume before I apply in Napa.”
“The longer you stay, the longer I can put off renovating…so I’m cool with it.”
“Gee, thanks for the warm welcome.” I slugged him in the arm. It had been years since he and I joked around like this. It felt good.
“Cameron is right. I bought this place to be closer to family. And while I’d been thinking mostly of Mom, Dad, and all the aunts and uncles, you are my family too. It’s nice you’re here, especially without Matthew. I wasn’t a fan.”
