Chapter 19
Lauralee
He’s distracting in such a good way.
I practically fell off the float when I first saw him. Seeing Baylor back in a cowboy uniform has me rethinking why I’m at the festival instead of attacking him in bed. He looks good in his regular clothes, but the man always knew how to look beyond hot back in the day. He hasn’t forgotten.
His body is broader, and I swear he’s taller than yesterday.
Impossible, but to me, he’s becoming larger than life.
Could it be that my feelings for him are growing exponentially?
Probably. That would be reasonable, but I don’t want to be sensible when it comes to us.
I want to have a good time, and he’s giving me that repeatedly.
I need to trust my gut for once. No time like the present.
It’s not only his appearance that has drawn me in.
I’m a sucker for a guy who has the world at his feet.
Strong, intelligent, successful, kind, and confident.
He wears his heart on his sleeve only for me to see.
Baylor’s done a damn fine job of revealing his to me, and it makes me a bit weak in the knees.
It’s like a secret he’s dared to share only with me .
He’s still been walking around this festival like the hometown hero he is, soaking in the attention he’s been getting.
I’m not surprised, though. The Greenes are original to the area, and every generation is more beloved than the previous.
He, his brother, and Christine are carrying that torch.
They’re almost like local celebrities— good and bad —everyone knows everything about them.
It made it hard to sneak around when we were teens.
As for Baylor, it’s another reason we need to keep things on the quieter side. If he wanted to stop seeing me, everyone would know. God, that would be so humiliating.
Why even put myself in that position?
My heart starts racing, so I take a few steps away from the cart and the other employee to inhale a deep breath. Slowly, I exhale through my mouth and wipe the sweat from my hairline with the back of my hand.
It’s ridiculous that the consequences of a relationship ending gets me worked up and sweating. Will it ever change? Will I? I thought I’d worked through these issues. I guess my dad leaving unannounced caused damage that my mom’s love wasn’t enough to fill despite her best efforts.
But Baylor’s not my dad. I can’t make him pay for the aftermath. This is an opportunity to change things, and I’m taking it.
I look around, hoping to see him, though I don’t expect to.
Getting stuck managing the line wasn’t in the plan, but I had to do what needed to be done.
I wrap up at the cart, collecting the till proceeds for the day before night falls because it’s already overflowing.
To say this has been good for business would be an understatement.
The festival brings in enough money to cover months of rent.
Adding the cart has almost doubled that.
I tuck the money in my purse, and then loop the strap around my chest, letting it hang across my body as I wander through the fair, looking for Baylor, Christine, and the others. Seeing a friendly face working the hot dog cart, I ask him, “Have you seen the Greenes?”
He replies, “I sold the kids hot dogs by the arena about an hour ago.”
“Thanks.” I take off toward the rodeo arena, hoping to find them watching the show. I walk around, but it’s not crowded enough for me not to spot them quickly. Working my way back out, I cut through the back of the tents and start toward the fairgrounds.
Pulling out my phone, I text him: Where are you?
My hips are grabbed, and I’m spun around. “Right here, baby.” He kisses me. I forget the noise and the crowds, the fear I was worrying about not ten minutes earlier, and my concerns disappear.
Baylor and me, and our lips connected is all I need.
But reality has a way of sneaking in, and it does this time to ruin the good time. As much as I want to sink into the deeper end of where this is heading, I start worrying about others seeing us.
I lick my lips when we part, my eyes fluttering open to see this handsome devil smiling down at me under the wide brim of his cowboy hat. “That’s quite the greeting.”
“You’re quite the woman.”
“Well,” I state with a poke to his chest. “You’re lucky I realized it was you, or you’d be lying flat on the ground right now from a cross punch to that perfect face of yours.”
“Why does that turn me on?”
I burst out laughing. “Because you’re utterly incorrigible. That’s why. ”
“No lie detected when it comes to how I feel about you.”
Is it in my head, or is he getting more charming by the hour? I glance around, and when I see the coast is clear, I sneak attack a kiss to his incredible mouth. Biting my lower lip, I drop back on my heels and ask, “Where are the others?”
“Ferris wheel.” Offering his elbow, he asks, “You want to take a spin?”
I hook my arm with his before I realize how this will look to everyone. Hiding what feels natural is already annoying. I slowly pull away and nod. “Guess we should keep some space between us.”
“What impression do you think us walking together will give?”
I shrug. “Not sure, but I don’t want to find out either.”
“That’s fair, but one day, my beauty queen is going to be right where she should be. On the throne of my arm for the whole world to see.” As if he hadn’t already made me swoon, there he goes again. His expression turns serious, and then he says, “I have something important to talk to you about.”
Although we’re walking, my feet start to drag. Is this when I wake up from the dream I’ve been living with him? “What is it?”
“You admitted yourself that my face is perfect?—”
“Oh God, here we go.” I laugh. “Go on and get it out of your system now so I don’t have to listen to it all night.”
He’s already chuckling. “Hey, it’s not every day you hear how attractive someone thinks you are . . . Oh wait .”
Shaking my head, I laugh again. “Yeah, exactly.” Throwing my hands up in surrender, I add, “I’ve learned my lesson to never feed Baylor Greene’s ego because I know I’m not going to hear the end of it.” I eye some pink and blue cotton candy up ahe ad.
He nudges me with his elbow. “Ah, come on, Shortcake. If it makes you feel better, you’re the only woman who I care feels that way about me.”
“Sadly, that does make me feel slightly better.” I keep teasing, but to know that’s what he thinks does make me feel special in a way I didn’t before. He likes that I find him attractive the same as I like that he feels that way about me.
What’s not to love about a man I’m insanely attracted to finding me sexy, struggles to keep his hands off me, and likes to spend time with me like last night in the kitchen when it’s purely innocent.
Just the two of us talking and getting a job done.
But I need to keep him on his toes, so I joke, “As much as I love talking about your face, your ego, and everything else about you, I might need some cotton candy if this is going to continue.”
He veers off to the stand to the left. “Pink or blue?”
“Pink, please.”
He looks as proud as a peacock when he presents it to me. “As you wish.” He’s so cheesy that it’s adorable. Does he act this silly in New York?
I have a feeling he doesn’t, which makes me treasure him more. “Thank you, sir.”
“I like the sound of that.”
Opening the bag, I reply, “I bet you do.” I hold it out to him. “Want some?”
“It’s all yours.”
“You would have thought eating three cupcakes for lunch since I was too busy to break away from the cart would deter me from more sugar. Guess not.” I laugh, but he doesn’t. When I glance at him, he seems to be deep in thought. “What’s on your mind, stud?”
A smile b reaks free when he looks at me. “Sorry, I was just thinking about you and me.”
“I like this topic.”
The tips of his fingers graze my wrist. It’s barely felt, and I’m sure no one could see, but his touch shoots right through me like electricity. “Me too.” He stops, shifting in front of me, his eyes setting on mine again, and asks, “Remember how I mentioned you coming to the city?”
Not sure why I suddenly feel shy, but I whisper for only him to hear, “I remember.”
“Would you consider helping me?”
“Is it illegal or illicit?”
Chuckling, he replies, “No.”
“Disappointing.” I smirk. We come around the corner from the last large tent and start toward the games section. “Try me anyway. What is it?”
He stops in front of the ring toss, and says, “The company I work for is hosting their annual summer event over the Fourth of July weekend. In the Hamptons.”
“Say less. The Hamptons? I’m there.” I start laughing because I crack myself up sometimes. “Just kidding. I’m not inviting myself to your event.” A kid screaming over a dropped ice cream behind him briefly steals my attention.
When I look back at him, he says, “I am.”
“You are what?”
“I’m inviting you to the Hamptons. If you have any interest in going as my date.”
I rest my hand on his chest. “I was just giving you a hard time. I didn’t mean to make you feel guilty.”
Covering my hand, he grins. “No guilt. I was going to ask you if that weekend would work for you to visit, and if so, if you wouldn’t mind a night suffering through a work event in the Hamptons.”
“Sounds like torture?— ”
“The property is huge, and it’s on the water,” he’s quick to add as if he didn’t pick up on my sarcasm. “I think you’ll love it.”
I lower my hand despite my desire to keep it right over his beating heart.
I love that it’s beating harder as if his nerves have kicked in.
I didn’t even know this man got nervous until now.
Why is he? “I was just teasing, Baylor. It sounds like a dream. Truly. But on the surface. What are you not telling me? Is there a catch?”
“There is.” He reaches for my hand, but then realization dawns in his eyes, and he shoves them in his pockets. “I’ve been working for a promotion.”
“Okay.”
“Well, they feel they want their executives to be more established.”
We start to stroll again, maneuvering away from the crowds forming at the games, but I glance up at him.
“You’ve done very well, so I can’t imagine you haven’t already proven yourself.
” The cowboy hat shades his face, but those blue eyes are still so captivating.
All he has to do is look at me, and I’m willing to say yes to anything.
Good thing he doesn’t know that. Yet . . . I’m not exactly a closed book.
“They value family.” I see him shake his head, but I'm not sure I was supposed to notice. With his hand over his heart, he’s quick to clarify, “I value family. They only value the image of family since it’s no secret in the city that the partners have wandering eyes away from their wives.
” He laughs, but the humor isn’t heard. “Ironic since they’re worried that my .
. . let’s call it bachelorhood. My being single is an impediment to my promotion in the company. ”
I'm not sure if I should laugh or be mortified. “Your dating life is being used against you? ”
“To put it bluntly.”
This doesn’t help quell my earlier concerns about relationships. I’ve not been in many even though I can justify it because of lack of options in the country, not finding the right guy, or protecting myself. But deep down, I still wonder if my dad leaving us high and dry plays a part.
Why can’t I just enjoy myself for once? Not everything has to be analyzed or overthought to the point of exhaustion. I take a breath. Just enjoy your time with him, Lauralee.
Redirecting my energies back to him, I bump into him. “You’re a hot bachelor.”
“Hot, you say?”
Pointing at him, I narrow my eyes playfully.
“Zip it, Greene. As I was saying, you have . . .” I correct myself since I’m not sure where we stand, but him telling me he’s falling for me feels like a line in the sand for us.
Our relationship changed right then. To what, I’m not entirely sure, but I’m willing to find out.
“You had every right to date who you like. It’s your personal life, and it shouldn’t matter if it’s not affecting your job.
You also said you needed my help.” Totally forming my own conclusions, I ask, “Do we get to play ‘couple’ in the Hamptons?”
“I was hoping you’d agree to be my girlfriend for the weekend.”
That sounded a lot like he wanted to ask me for more.
And I’d be lying if I didn’t acknowledge that I’m over-the-moon flattered by his proposition.
“I’ll be your girlfriend for the weekend.
” He thought of me to help him out of this predicament when he has every right to ask someone else.
Confessing he’s falling for me doesn’t mean he’s shackled to me forever.
Our relationship is finding a stride we’re both comfortable with. That’s a good thing that I appreciate .
A rogue smile crosses his expression before he rubs the edge of his jawline. “It’s a selfless sacrifice, Ms. Knot. I do appreciate it.” His kicking in a little country accent wins him some bonus points, even if it’s done in jest.
“I’m not totally selfless, Baylor. I get to spend time with you out of the spying eyes of Peachtree Pass.” When he looks at me, I waggle my eyebrows because he’s not the only one who can flirt.
He smacks my ass, then he raises his hand high in the air to wave. “Hello, Mrs. Marion.”
“Good to see ya, Baylor Greene,” she replies.
Oh great. Our old Sunday school teacher bore witness to him smacking my ass. We share a look and start laughing, which dispels the embarrassment that tried to take over.
We reach the edge of the Ferris wheel and look up. Christine, Tagger, and the kids are in a car near the top. Beckett waves at us, so we both wave back.
Baylor produces two tickets, almost like he’d planned this all along, and hands them to the operator. The guy says, “You’re next. Get up on the platform and stand to the side.”
The ride comes to a stop. He unloads the car before welcoming us in and shutting the door. Sitting across from each other to balance it, I’m given full opportunity to stare at him. He takes advantage of the situation by staring at me.
His smile evokes mine.
His laughter tickles mine out of my throat.
But it’s when he sits forward and takes my hand that I lose my breath. Rubbing his thumb over my knuckles, he asks, “You ready to get out of here after this?”
“I’ve been ready since I saw you in that hat.”