10. Chaps And Cowboy Hats Will Be The Death Of Me
CHAPS AND COWBOY HATS WILL BE THE DEATH OF ME
PAIGE
Watching Cash get thrown around on the back of a horse never got easier, but seeing the smile on his face when he wasn’t violently thrown off made my heart soar in a way that was not platonic.
He’d never really gone into detail about how he had grown up—not even when we would hang out doing chores—but I knew enough to know this praise was not something he was used to.
I met Buck and Tweety at the gate where they were waiting for Cash to run out of the arena. They clapped him on the shoulder as he passed to walk up and speak with some of the other contestants who were offering congratulations.
I stood off to the side for a few minutes, just admiring Cash for the man that he was—sue me, I was just a girl. Cash had always been attractive, but seeing him in chaps and a button-down shirt with dirt stains and sweat dripping down his face?
It should be criminal.
I’d replace that horse in a second.
Over the last few weeks, Cash and I had fallen into this place where we subtly flirted and bickered, teased even. He was a charmer and could always flirt his way out of trouble. That was all he was doing. None of it was real, but a girl could fall for it so easily.
I closed my eyes and tipped my head back, begging my brain to turn off and stop drooling over a man who would never love me as more than a friend. It was a stupid school girl crush on my older brother’s best friend and I needed to reel it in.
As if the universe agreed with me, a deep chuckle snapped me out of my thoughts. I whipped around to see another cowboy in equally hot chaps leaning against a fence about ten feet from me.
“You doing okay there, sweetheart?” He flashed a charming smile at me.
I flipped my hair over my shoulder and smirked back. Flirting came naturally to me, I just rarely followed through. Today, though? Today I needed to get the asshole who was Cash Leonard off my mind.
“Wouldn’t you like to know?” My voice was sweet as I fluttered my lashes.
He chuckled and shook his head. “I would like to know, actually.”
The man pushed off the fence and walked in my direction, stopping a few inches in front of me and making me tilt my head back to meet his gaze.
“What’s your name?” he asked, bringing one hand up to run his thumb over my chin.
“Paige.”
“Nice to meet you, Paige. I’m Carter.”
I raised my hand and ran a finger up his chest, toying with one of the buttons near his collar. “What can I do for you, Carter?”
“We’re all going out to a bar in Colhead tonight. You should come by.”
I hummed and smiled up at him. “I’ll think about it.”
“I’ll see you tonight.” Carter leaned down and placed a gentle kiss on my cheek. It didn’t have that fire behind it I felt when Cash touched me, but it still made my heart flutter with the idea that this man wanted me.
Carter stalked off in the opposite direction, and I couldn’t even pretend like I didn’t watch his ass as he went—maybe rugged cowboy was my type. I turned, ready to burst into giggles when I came face to face with Cash, who had the most murderous look on his face.
“What is your problem?” I asked, brushing past him.
“You’re not going.” He followed on my heels.
“Is that right? Is Daddy Cash telling me I’m grounded?” I asked over my shoulder.
“Guys like that don’t have good intentions,” he barked behind me.
I whirled on him, causing him to stop in his tracks. “Guys like you? Maybe I don’t want a man with good intentions.”
Cash’s chuckle was deep, maniacal. “Exactly like me, baby. He will chew you up and spit you out onto the street in nothing but a ratty T-shirt and dirt-stained hat. Is that what you want?”
No. I want you.
“Maybe it is. You have no idea what I want.”
“I know you, Pip. You want the wedding and the white picket fence. You want commitment and four kids. You don’t want a dirty one-night stand. So don’t sink to that level.”
“I want to be wanted. I’m not going to break, Cash, so stop treating me like I’m made of glass.
I went to college. You think I’ve never had one-night stands?
” I stepped closer to him and tilted my head back so our lips were only inches apart.
“Do you want a list of all of the men I’ve had in my bed?
I’m not as perfect as you think I am, baby.
Maybe I like to get as dirty as the rest of them. ”
Cash didn’t say anything, his eyes pinned to my lips as we remained impossibly close. There was no world in which Cash suddenly admitted he wanted me, and this game was exhausting. He wasn’t my brother and he had no right to tell me what to do.
I took a step back. “You can stay home. I’m going to have some fun and you don’t get a say in that.”
I turned on my heel and marched toward the parking lot. Fire rose in my chest as my interaction with Cash played on repeat in my head. I was ready to look hot as fuck and end up in a cowboy’s bed tonight.
The bar was packed as we walked inside. We barely made it five feet before Cash was stopped by multiple people to congratulate him on his winning streak. I rolled my eyes at the third girl to step in our path and kept pushing up to the bar.
A whistle caught my attention, pulling my gaze to Carter surrounded by girls a few feet away. I shot him a sweet smile but didn’t jump at the chance to speak to him. I needed a drink and a whole lot of courage if I was going to see this through.
I assumed Carter was the type of man who loved the attention of women falling all over him, but it wasn’t like I was looking for a serious connection. I couldn’t get in my head about this. I was ready to turn my brain off and have some fun.
“I was hoping you’d come.” Carter’s deep voice sounded behind me as a hand found my hip.
“I haven’t been out much since staying in town so I thought I should check it out.” I shrugged.
That wasn’t exactly true, we’d been in Colhead for about a month and we’d been to this bar almost every weekend. Usually it was filled with locals playing pool and shouting absurdities, but he didn’t need to know that.
“See anything you like?” he whispered into my ear.
“I see some things that could get my attention,” I said over my shoulder, leaning forward so my ass stuck out just slightly.
Tonight, I dressed to turn heads. I was wearing skintight bell bottom jeans with a wrap top that covered less than some of my bras did. My hair was down and extra bouncy, and I opted not to wear a hat so men knew I was available.
I had yet to meet a country man who didn’t absolutely fall to his knees when you let him place a hat on your head. Some stereotypes really rang true.
A large hand clapped Carter’s shoulder as Cash’s face appeared.
“Get me a beer, Pip?” he asked in a tone that sounded more intimate than it should’ve. I nodded and leaned forward to shout my order to the bartender.
“You two know each other?” Carter asked, pointing between us.
“You could say that.” Cash winked at him.
Uh, what on God’s green earth did he think he was doing?
Carter just laughed awkwardly and eyed us both. “I’m going to go check in at the table.” He leaned forward to whisper in my ear. “I expect a dance later.”
I bit my lip with a subtle nod as he turned and pushed into the crowd.
I thought Cash was going to drop his smile as soon as Carter was out of sight, but instead, he stepped closer to me and placed a firm hand on my hip.
“What are you doing?” I whispered, looking up into his eyes.
“I meant what I said, Paige. I won’t sit around while you wear another man’s hat.”
My heart threatened to stop beating as he placed his hat on my head and pulled me against him.
“Let’s dance.”