Chapter 5
CATHIA
The smell of burgers on the grill and the sound of happy people fill the air.
The Fourth of July has always been at the top of the list for me.
Sure Thanksgiving and Christmas are always the fan favorite, but there’s just something about sitting outside, laughing with friends and soaking in summer nights and exploding fireworks. It all just makes my heart happy.
“Daddy, let me get you another one. You sit.” I take the beer bottle from him before he has time to argue, and kiss his cheek.
I toss the bottle in the recycle bin and make for the beer trough when I hear the house phone ringing.
“Cam. Your house phone is ringing. Want me to answer it?” I shout to her.
She nods and mouths “yes, please” and I step in through the back doors and over to where the phone sits. They really only get calls on their home phone if it has something to do with the ranch, so I know she’d want to know.
I grab the receiver and answer, “McCallan Ranch,” but I don’t hear what is said on the other end because the phone is ripped from my hold and set on the base.
A large hand with calloused fingers wraps around my wrist and tugs me away from the phone and into a dark niche.
“Hey–” a hand gets clamped over my mouth and my eyes grow wide.
“Shh. It’s just me.” The hand around my mouth relaxes and I calm my breathing.
“Jesus, Hayes. You scared the crap out of me. There was someone on the phone,” I tell him.
“I know. It was me.” I look at him with furrowed brows and confusion. “I was just trying to get you away from everyone.”
I tilt my head to the side and push on his shoulder. “Why would you do that?”
“So I could do this.” He takes my face in his hands and plants his lips on mine, kissing me hard and making my body tingle from head to toe.
I waste one second fighting him on it, then wrap my arms around his neck and sink into our kiss.
Remnants of cold sweet tea hang on his tongue and it cools the fire that is already running through my body.
I moan when his hand finds my ass and squeezes.
He hooks it under my leg and lifts it to his trim waist.
Memories of that one night almost a month ago come racing back, and I’m reminded of the way his muscles flexed when he ripped his shirt from his body, revealing his chiseled chest and rippling abs.
I hear loud laughter spill in from outside and pull back from him.
“Hayes, we can’t do this here.” I adjust my shorts and fix my hat that was thrown askew when the brim of his hat bumped mine.
“I know. I was just dying to have a little taste of you.” I swipe my thumb across his plump lips, wiping away evidence of my lipgloss. “Come home with me tonight.”
“I can’t. You live kinda close to here and someone might see my car,” I remind him.
“Then when can I see you again? And I don’t mean at a barbecue. I mean see that gorgeous body and worship you.”
Shivers roll across my body thinking of the dirty words he whispered to me. “Come to my place. I’ll tell Cami I have a virtual meeting with our office in Scotland and leave right after the fireworks. You follow as soon as you can.”
“Okay. But under one condition,” he says.
“What’s that?”
“You let me take you out on a real date.” I chew on my lip, wondering if he and I are a good idea. “Soon. It doesn’t have to be tomorrow.”
With an exhale I tell him, “Okay.” He kisses me once more then slaps my ass when I turn around.
I smooth over my t-shirt and plaster on a smile as I step back out on the porch.
“Who was it?” Cami asks.
“They hung up. Guess it was the wrong number.” I shrug and reach into the cold trough, grabbing a beer. “Who else needs one?” I ask, holding up the bottle by the neck.
“I’ll take one.” Hayes comes out and I bite my tongue in order to keep a straight face.
I dig into the ice and grab another, handing it to him. “Thanks darlin’,” he says with a wink, and it has me squeezing my thighs together and checking my watch.
How long until the fireworks?