Page 18 of One Reckless Moment

Strong hands made their way onto my waist, and I smiled up at the guy who had deemed himself my dance partner. When I didn’t protest his advance, he held me tighter to his hard body and started to spin us around.

I threw my head back and gripped my hat as I laughed. As we passed the guys, confusion washed over me when I only saw Buck and Tweety at the table—both wearing shit-eating grins.

A broad hand slapped on my dance partner’s shoulder, dragging my attention to Cash standing there with a stern look on his face. I had literally never seen Cash frown as much in twelve years as I had in the past forty-eight hours. Usually the guy was all smiles and golden retriever vibes. I guess I brought the broody side out of him.

I loved the overly friendly, silly side of Cash, but had to admit that his protective side was hot.

“Mind if I cut in?” Cash asked with a tense smile, squeezing the guy’s shoulder until he winced. He let me go and started backing away, muttering, “sure,” as he disappeared into the crowd.

I rolled my eyes as Cash stepped closer to me. “Why was that necessary? I can’t even dance now?”

“He was doing it wrong.” Cash shrugged.

“And you can do it better?” I raised a brow at him.

“Yep.”

I opened my mouth to argue, but Cash looped his arm around my waist and pulled me into him. I squealed and grabbed my hat as Cash stepped between my legs and took the lead.

The man could dance.

I threw my head back laughing, and for the first time since we left Ashton Creek, Cash broke into a genuine smile. He twirled me around the dance floor and into the growing crowd until we were pressed firmly against each other. Cash’s hands moved down my back until they rested just above my ass. He pulled me even harder into his broad chest, his fingers splayed on my hips.

I let my eyes dance between his and his lips, the heat of the moment tempting me to make a decision I knew I’d regret—a decision I’d regretted in the past. My brain knew it was a bad idea, but the look in Cash’s eyes was just hypnotizing enough to make me forget. I pushed onto my toes until our lips were only an inch apart, my fingers toying with the hair peeking out from under his hat.

Cash’s fingers dug into my skin as he visibly swallowed.

“We can’t,” he whispered, our lips so close I could feel his breath as he spoke. The man looked like he was fighting as hard as he could against his instincts.

“I know,” I whispered back. “But at least now when you see me dancing with other guys, you’ll know what it feels like.”

I pushed off his chest and turned to walk off the dance floor. Without looking back, I headed up the stairs to where Buck and Tweety were sitting. I draped myself across Tweety’s lap and picked up his beer, taking a sip with a satisfied smirk.

Cash’s smile instantly fell as soon as he saw Tweety’s arm around me.

Tweety snorted, clearly reading what I was doing correctly.

Cash had to get this idea out of his head that I was fragile and unable to handle myself. I wasn’t going to sleep with any man who called me pretty, but I also refused to be watched all summer. If I wanted to dance or sneak a kiss once in a while, I was going to. If he was too much of a wimp to make a move, even in the heat of the moment, that simply wasn’t my problem.

Cash was in for a rude awakening if he thought I was going through this summer without a single drop of male attention. If he wanted to cockblock me, two could play at that game.

The crowd went absolutely wild as the scoreboard counted down and Cash remained firmly on the bucking bronc. The pick-up man began guiding the horse around as Cash dismounted and bowed to the crowd.

I snapped picture after picture of the man as he smiled and jogged out of the arena.

Cash Leonard surely knew how to play to a crowd. The man oozed charm.

I stepped out of the media area—which was a glorified rope containing about three local gazette reporters and me—and went in search of the man of the hour.

This was his first time competing, and he absolutely rocked it. Years spent fearlessly riding and taming horses gave him an advantage.

Who knew being a reckless idiot would actually pay off for him?

It didn’t take long to spot Cash backed up against a fence, surrounded by buckle bunnies ready to take him home—or suck his blood and drain the life from his body by the look in their eyes. The moment one of them trailed a hand up his chest, I had an uncontrollable urge to march over and cut it off.

I wasn’t a possessive person, okay?

I just hated how women assumed a man was single. Even though Cash was single.