CHAPTER SEVENTEEN #2
“That’s awesome.” I was impressed. And a little jealous.
I wondered if they’d let me borrow it so I could come see her more often.
Then I wondered if her family would be supportive of her dating me again.
I grimaced inwardly. They might be friendly professionally, but I wasn’t sure how they felt about me personally.
I respected the hell out of Lyle Hargrave. He’d stood by me during my darkest days to help make sure the orchard survived the death of my father.
I wanted him to be pleased I was with his daughter, but I had to wonder if that would be the case. I wasn’t sure how much he knew about what had happened between Cara and me, but I was willing to bet he wasn’t completely in the dark.
We ate for a while in relative silence, but I had to say something.
I reached out to hold her hand. “Last night meant something to me.” It meant a hell of a lot more than something, but I didn’t want to scare her away.
I couldn’t very well tell her that in my mind she was mine now.
At least, I wanted her to be. I felt as close to her, as consumed by her as I’d felt in my teens.
More so, even. I’d only ever felt this way about Cara.
And it was shocking how fast those feelings had overwhelmed me once again.
She looked me in the eyes. “It meant something to me, too. I don’t have sex very often. And what happened between us has only ever happened with you.”
“What do you mean?”
Her face turned red. “I’ve only been with a few guys since that night with you when we were eighteen. And, well, none of them ever made me…” she trailed off, shyly.
“I’m the only one who can make you come?” I shouldn’t be smiling, but there was no way I could stop it. My chest also shouldn’t be puffing out with pride. But a large part of me didn’t care.
She laughed. “God, you don’t have to look so happy about it. Yes, you’re the only one who has ever made me come. It was unreal. I don’t even really have the words for it.” She lowered her voice. “I didn’t know it could happen that many times in one night.”
I couldn’t help the cocky grin I knew was on my face.
I felt like I’d performed an amazing feat, like I’d won a gold medal in the Olympics or something.
I’d made Cara Hargrave have multiple orgasms for the first time in her life.
Or maybe the second. That night when we were eighteen was burned into my memory, and I knew I’d made her come more than once then, too.
But then reality set in. I had to leave today to go back to the orchards. She would be busy as hell with her career. We lived in separate states. Even if she got hired by another dance company, our time together would be severely restricted.
I looked at her for a long moment. “I found out I have to leave today.” She looked disappointed as I explained the problem at the orchards.
“I had wanted to get to spend the rest of the week with you.” I reached across the table and squeezed her hand.
“What are we going to do about it? I want to be with you.”
She looked upset. “I wish it was more, but we’ll only be able to meet up with each other when you’re here or I’m home. That’ll have to do for now. At least until I can get a dance position somewhere closer to Wixby.”
I looked out the window, still holding on to her hand. I wanted so much more, but I would take pretty much whatever she could give me. I wasn’t a complete fool. She was so fucking beautiful. She could have any man she wanted. Hell, the son of the richest man in the state wanted her.
So, if she was willing to be with me whenever I could come to town, I would be thrilled with that. I’d just have to make sure I came to Charleston more often. “You know what?” I asked, a slow smile spreading across my face.
“What?”
“My clients in South Carolina are about to think I’m the best, most attentive fruit distributor they’ve ever worked with.”
“And why is that?”
I leaned across the table, held her face in my hands, and gave her a gentle kiss. I stroked her jaw lightly as I pulled back. “Because I’m going to be here so damn often they’re going to think I don’t have any other clients.”
She laughed and pulled me back to her for another kiss. “That sounds wonderful.”
“And if you need company going to auditions, just give me a call,” I said, though I knew I needed to be careful about what I promised.
Running the orchards was time-consuming and difficult.
I couldn’t just step away whenever I wanted to.
A thought crossed my mind. “Why aren’t you dancing for the Atlanta Ballet? ”
She snorted, surprising me. “I know you think I’m good enough for a bigger city, but that’s not necessarily true.
I worked hard to get where I am in Charleston.
I’m pretty sure I wouldn’t even make the corps de ballet in a company like the Atlanta Ballet, much less be a principal dancer.
The ones I’m applying to are considered minor companies. ”
“I don’t see how that’s even possible. You’re the most amazing thing I’ve ever seen. I can’t imagine anyone being able to dance better than you.”
She patted my hand and smiled. “That’s sweet. But I’m not even the best dancer at the Moonlight.”
I didn’t believe that for a minute, but I wasn’t going to argue with her. “How long is it until the season is over?”
“May,” she said softly, looking away from me. “That’s when I’ll be leaving Charleston as long as I have another company to go to. But I have a break in January after the holiday season wraps up.”
“Maybe we can go somewhere together on your break. Do you like the beach or mountains better?”
She started laughing, and I realized I was moving kind of fast.
“Or,” I amended, “we can think about that and decide later.”
“That sounds good.” She gave me a sweet smile and stood on her toes to give me a quick kiss. I wrapped my arms around her and turned the kiss into something much less sweet.
Just as things were getting heated, an alarm on her phone went off. She pulled back from me and we stood there for a moment, breathing heavily and looking at each other.
“I have to go,” she said sadly. “Can you take me home? I have to get ready and go to practice.”
“You already showered. Can we have more time together if I just drop you at the dance studio?”
“I need to change clothes,” she explained, picking up her large tote bag and putting it on her shoulder.
I started to ask her why she didn’t have practice clothing in that huge magic bag of hers but thought I might be starting to sound kind of pushy.
“I don’t mean to come on too strong. I’m just like that sometimes.
When I decide what I want, I go for it. I don’t give up easily.
I did that once before and have regretted it ever since.
” I swept her hair aside and stared into her eyes so she’d know I was referring to what happened with her.
“And I think the added weirdness with the Hart family just heightened everything for me. I’m worried about you,” I admitted.
Cara pulled back from me. “You’re not bothering me.
I’m looking forward to spending more time with you, too.
” She reached up and patted my cheek. “But you’ve got to let that thing with the Harts go.
They might be over the top, but they don’t mean me any harm.
Did some strange things happen the night of the party?
Yes, and I don’t know why. Is it freaking me out that Libby and Garrison are telling people I’m going to marry Monty?
Yes. But they’re not… bad people or anything. I swear.”
I still had a bad feeling about them. No matter what she said, I was sure there was something beneath the surface of the Hart family that she was missing. “Just promise me you’ll be careful around them.”
“I promise.”
She looked around the hotel room one more time before walking towards the door. “I think I’m ready to go.”
“Okay,” I said, knowing I could talk to her along the way. I was glad this wasn’t goodbye yet.