Then we go back to watching the show before he turns back to me again.
"Are you hungry? I can go grab some food," he says.
I panic just a little as I don't want to be left alone and he seems to sense it.
"You can come with me and see what they have," he suggests, and I nod.
As we're looking at the food options, it's very hard not to notice all the girls that stare at him. Some of them walk by and giggle, but when I look at him it's like he doesn't even realize they’re paying him so much attention.
Maybe he's just being polite with me here and all. I shake my head and try to focus on the food choices in front of me.
"Don't pay them any attention." He leans down and whispers into my ear.
"So, you did notice them." I try to say in a flirty tone with just a hint of a smile.
"No, I noticed how comfortable you were and then put two and two together. Most of us guys moved out here to the mountain for one reason or the other, so we're used to being stared at in crowds either for our size or our scars."
"Trust me, that's not why they're staring." I shake my head but get into line to grab a hot dog.
"Their opinion doesn't matter. What matters is if you like what you see," he says completely shocking me.
Taking the opportunity, I run my eyes over him as slowly as he did me when I stepped out of the bedroom earlier.
"Yeah, I like what I see," I tell him honestly.
That seems to be all he needs because he relaxes and wraps an arm around my waist as we wait in line together. Though it’s a small gesture, it signals that I'm his now, and he's mine. Even if it's only by a contract.
We get our food and head back to our seats just as the bull riding gets ready to start. Watching these men try to go for eight seconds on a prancing bull is pure madness.
These animals weigh so much that when their feet hit the ground I can feel the vibration in my seat. Every time one of the men gets thrown to the ground, my heart stops until I know that they're okay.
Finally, I begin to relax and enjoy myself until I see a photographer walking closer to us taking photos of the crowd. Inching closer to Bennett, I bury my face in his arm when she aims her camera our way. He shifts and wraps his arm around me and pulls me into his side allowing me to hide.
The last thing I need is for a picture of me to go public and show exactly where I am. My uncle will be looking for things like that, so I have to be careful. If Bennett picks up on it, I'm hoping he thinks I just don't enjoy having my picture taken.
"She's gone. You okay?" he says after a few minutes.
I'm not and thankfully he doesn't push the subject any further, at least not right now. Though I'm sure we get home, I'll hear about it.
The rest of the night goes smoothly. We leave before the rodeo is over to avoid most of the traffic in the parking lot. On the way home, he keeps the topics light, but looks over at me like he's expecting me to not be okay or for something else to come up. Not sure what to say or do, I keep trying to offer a reassuring smile.
"I had a really good time tonight," he says when we get to the front door.
"So did I," I tell him. Because despite being uncomfortable and for that roaming photographer trying to take a picture, I really did have a good time.
He smiles, placing a hand on my hip as he gently drops a soft kiss on my lips. I've dated before and I've been kissed before, but holy hell, nothing has felt quite like Bennett's lips on mine.
The kiss is soft and a bit unsure like he's expecting me to pull away. One thing I do know, it's way too short. Does it mean anything that he's the one that pulls away first?
My heart's racing like I just ran a marathon, and my lips tingle where his were was touching mine. Even though his eyes are heated and he’s acting like he wants more, he takes a step back. Then like nothing happened, he opens the door and we go inside.
"Goodnight, Willow. If you need me, I'll be here on the couch."
I want to ask him to come to bed or even just stay there until I fall asleep but the thought of having to tell him why terrifies me. So once again, I head to bed, alone.
Chapter 4
Bennett