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“It’s not that I wasn’t interested before; it’s that I wasn’t ready. But I’m ready now.” I take a long, deep breath and let it out slowly, willing the butterflies to calm the hell down. “And that makes me nervous.”
“Why?” He squeezes my hand once. “I’d never do anything to intentionally hurt you, Summer.”
“I know.” I shake my head and turn in the seat to face him. “I know that about you, and I don’t even know you all that well. I feel safe with you, and I enjoy spending time with you, too.”
His eyes narrow. “I don’t see the problem.”
I can’t help but let out a short laugh. “It’s just me and my odd insecurities. I haven’t dated anyone in, well, a long time. For…reasons.”
“Reasons that you don’t have to go into.” He tucks my hair behind my ear, which makes me tingle in all the right places. “How about tomorrow night? We’ll keep it casual. How does The Wolf Den for dinner sound?”
“Did someone tell you that it’s one of my favorite places?”
“No, but that’s handy because it’s one of mine, too.” He smiles again. “Tomorrow night?”
“I’d like that.”
“Me, too.” He climbs out of the truck and makes his way around to let me out of the passenger side, and then he walks me to my door. I kind of love how chivalrous he is.
“Thank you for showing me your home,” I say after I unlock the door and turn to him. “It’s really beautiful out there on the ranch. The spot you have picked for your house is unbelievable.”
“It was fun,” he agrees. He leans in, and just when I think he’s going to kiss me, he simply presses his warm lips to my forehead, sending even more tingles—tingles on steroids—all the way down my body to the tips of my toes. “Have a good night, Blondie.”
“Thanks.” I walk inside and close the door and immediately pull up my phone and the video app so I can watch Chase. He pauses, still facing the door, and then he shoves his hand through his hair and turns to walk down to his truck. I can see him glance this way once more before he starts it up and drives away.
Lily’s sitting in her bed, giving me the side-eye.
“Wow.” I swallow, then toss my handbag onto the table by the door and kick off my shoes. “Like, wow. If having his lips just on my forehead can make me feel like that, I can only imagine what will happen if he ever kisses me for real. Now, don’t pout, Lil. I know that you were fed and loved on, and Ida texted to let me know that she left here thirty minutes ago. You weren’t alone for long.”
My eyes are heavy as I walk through the house to the bedroom and continue to my bathroom, where I start the shower.
Yeah, starting something with Chase is a little scary, and not because I think he would hurt me. I know he wouldn’t, like I told him in the truck. I’m just not used to dating someone who likes me for me, and not what my father’s political connections can get them. Sure, I was attracted to Dennis, but it wasn’t lost on me that he wanted to have a career in politics someday.
I’ve heard through the grapevine that he’s already being groomed for exactly that.
I don’t trust people easily. I grew up in a fake world, where I was expected to smile whether I felt like it or not, and where I learned early that most people can’t be trusted.
I stick mostly to myself, aside from the girls at work and Polly. And, of course, Aunt Paula. Evan has wanted to be in my circle, in my life, for several years, and he’s a friend.
But that’s all he’ll be.
And now, I find that I want to open myself up to Chase in ways that I don’t think I ever have before. I’ve always held a piece of myself back from everyone, kept that wall up so I didn’t get too hurt.
I found my best friend and my boyfriend in bed together, and I didn’t even shed a tear, for fuck’s sake.
But I think things would be different if I let myself get attached to the hot cowboy cop. And that’s exactly what he is: a cowboy cop. He’s sexier than sin in his uniform, but then seeing him in tight jeans and a black T-shirt with a cowboy hat knocked me off my axis. Chase Wild is sexy with a capital S.
He’s also kind and smart, and he lets me ramble about things. I’ve always been a chatterbox, much to my mother’s horror. And I know that I can let my excitement get away from me, like when I saw that place by the lake. I saw the house so clearly in my mind, I just couldn’t help but talk about it, couldn’t help but be excited about it. And Chase didn’t seem to mind at all.
I like that about him. Dennis used to tell me that the motor on my mouth was running away from me and to rein it in.
I can’t imagine Chase saying that to me or anyone else.
With a towel wrapped around me, I step out of the shower and walk into the bedroom and stop, frowning at the window.
“Lil?” Lily, who hopped up onto the bed while I was in the shower, lifts her head. “Is there someone at the window?”
My heartbeat quickens. I could swear I saw a shadow behind my blinds. But there’s nothing moving—now.
