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I accepted it and popped the lid open, inhaling a deep breath of that sweet, cinnamony scent. Callie shivered in the chill evening as the heat of the sun wore off. She shifted closer until her shoulder was pressed to mine. Did she do it intentionally? Or was she simply seeking warmth?
“It was amazing to see everyone working together today,” she said. “I’m still waiting for it to sink in that you were the one to put it all together.”
“Miss Cora was a driving force behind the idea,” I countered. “I can’t take all the credit.”
Callie fully leaned into my shoulder now with a playful smile and a look as if to say,no need to be so modest.
“Admit it. This whole thing has been miles outside of your comfort zone.”
I smoothed my hand over Applejack’s cheek, saying nothing. Callie plucked a blade of grass, fiddling with it. My skin burned where her shoulder still touched mine.
“I broke up with Beau,” she whispered, softly enough that I almost missed it.
My gaze snapped toward her, studying her expression. A dozen questions flew to the tip of my tongue but I held them back. Callie lifted her head to look across the pasture as she swept a lock of hair away from the corner of her mouth.
“I had no idea,” I replied.
“Yeah. I did it a day or two after you told me about the barn raising. I like him, of course. I think everyone likes Beau. He’s just that kind of person, but…” She shook her head and tossed the blade of grass aside, hugging her knees to her chest. “I don’t love him.”
I swear my heart skipped a beat. My tongue felt as if it was glued to the roof of my mouth. I shouldn’t feel so…relievedto hear that Callie wasn’t with Beau anymore. He was the only friend I had in the world. Although judging by the way he’d been looking at Callie earlier today, it didn’t seem like Beau even had the wind knocked out of him.
Callie turned back to face me. When she chewed her lower lip, my gaze fell to her mouth.
We were alone out here, except for the horses. Far away from the party and prying eyes. I could kiss her if I wanted to.
God, I wanted to. I wanted to so badly that it ached deep in my chest, making it hard to breathe. But a little voice of misgiving nagged at the back of my mind. It was too soon. She broke up with Beau barely two weeks ago. What if I was nothing but a rebound for Callie? What if she didn’t like me in return?
Instead, I heard myself speak before I realized what I was saying.
“I should go. If we intend to finish that barn tomorrow, we’ll have to get back to work bright and early in the morning.”
Callie blinked, brushing off her skirt.
“Oh. Yes, of course, you’re right.”
I thanked her for the cobbler and headed across the pasture to my house, cursing myself the whole way. As soon as the door was closed, I leaned against it, tossing my hat onto one of the hooks by the door. Why did I let a perfect opportunity like that pass me by?
I put the Tupperware into the refrigerator and braced my hands on the back of a chair at the kitchen table. It wasn’t too late. I could turn around, march over there, and kiss Callie the way I’d been thinking about pretty much since the moment I first laid eyes on her.
Before I could make a decision, a firm knock came at my door.
In no mood for company, I considered ignoring it, but I was already moving on autopilot. When I opened the door, I stopped dead in my tracks.
Callie stood on my threshold. Without waiting for an invitation, she stepped inside and grabbed the back of my neck.
“Since you didn’t take the hint, I guess I can’t be subtle about it anymore.”
Then she rose up on tiptoe and kissed me, tasting as sweet as peach cobbler.
Chapter Nine
Callie
Landon made a noise of surprise against my mouth that broke off into a rumbling moan. I pushed him into the house until his back hit the wall. Without pulling away, I fumbled at his shirt, tugging it free from his belt. He plowed his fingers through my hair, betraying just how much he wanted this, too.
“Callie—Callie, wait.”
I felt Landon’s chest heaving, his heart pounding, while we were pressed together. He searched my face, slowly bringing his hand up to brush his thumb along my cheek.
