“I’m sure sorry, sugar. I didn’t mean to upset you. If you really want to be rodeo queen, you’ll be the prettiest one ever. I swear it.”
“Please go away.”
“Not until you get your pretty self up and come down and join your party.”
She shuddered when the warmth of his hand caressed her back.
He rubbed her slowly, comfortingly. “Come on.”
She turned toward him. She couldn’t hide forever. He’d never love her, so what did it matter if she looked a fright? “Give me a minute, okay? Where’s Marnie?”
“I’ll give you all the time you need. Marnie’s down there playing with her cousins.” He laughed. “Seanie and the twins, that is.” He got up, walked to her dressing table, and retrieved her brush. He sat down, pulled a red bandana out of his pocket, wiped her tears, and held it over her nose. “Blow.”
She giggled. Chad McCray, the love of her short life, was holding a hanky for her to blow her nose into. What else was there to do but laugh? She blew as daintily as she could, which wasn’t very. She’d always been a honker.
“There, that’s better.” He stuffed the bandana back in his pocket. “Sit up now.”
She obeyed, and surprise gushed through her as he began to brush her long hair.
“I remember when this pretty hair was always in two pigtails, and that cute little nose of yours was covered in freckles.” Chad’s touch was so gentle as he brushed. Even with the snarls, he didn’t pull once. “Whatever happened to that little girl I once knew?”
Catie gulped. “She grew up.”
Chad put the brush down on the nightstand and cupped both Catie’s cheeks in his hands. “She sure did, sugar. You’re about the most beautiful woman I’ve ever laid eyes on.”
Her heart thundered, and butterflies flew around in her tummy. Had he just called her beautiful? Her eyes swollen from crying, her nose still congested? Beautiful? Her lips shook as she spoke. “Ch-Chad?”
He brushed one calloused thumb over her bottom lip. “These are the softest, sweetest lips I’ve ever kissed, too.” He smiled a crooked smile.
Had Catie not known better, she’d have thought it was a shy smile.
“Have you let a lot of men kiss these lips?”
“N-Not too many,” Catie stammered.
“I’m right glad to hear that, sugar,” Chad said, and replaced his thumb with his lips. He brushed over her lips gently, slowly nibbling, taking only the smallest taste. She closed her eyes and savored the masculine feel of him. His tongue peeked out and traced her lips, and a soft sigh escaped her throat.
“Mmm, sugar,” he said against her mouth. “You still taste like raspberries. Raspberries and sweet tea.”
“Th-That’s what I’ve been drinking. Raspberry tea.”
He chuckled. “You tasted like raspberries last night, and you were drinking ’ritas. It’s just the sweet flavor of you, Caitlyn.”
She couldn’t help smiling. It sounded all wrong. “Catie.”
“Catie it is, then.” He crushed his mouth onto hers.
The kiss was open-mouthed, wet, and hungry, and she responded with her whole body and heart. She reached for Chad’s head and tunneled her fingers through his thick hair. Silk, just as she’d always imagined. She let the strands sift through her fingers and then she grabbed the back of his head and pulled him closer. Their mouths already meshed together, they kissed frantically, their tongues tangling. A low rumble escaped Chad’s throat.
His hand crept from her shoulder to her breast, and he stroked it through the thin fabric of her dress. Her nipple puckered, and she leaned into him, wanting to feel his hard chest against hers.
When he ripped his mouth from hers, she whimpered.
“Damn,” he said. “What the hell am I doing?”
“I don’t know,” Catie said, “but please don’t stop.”
“Catie, this is all wrong.”