Chapter 17
Small Town Something - High Valley
Wyatt
T he flickering flames of the bonfire danced mockingly before my eyes, every crackle and pop seeming to taunt me. Idiot. Coward . I scrubbed a hand down my face, the heat from the fire doing nothing to burn away the disgusted feeling burning in my gut.
What the hell was wrong with me? The words had been right there, sitting on the tip of my tongue. I can’t lose you. You’re too important . After Kinsley’s accident, after realizing how easily I could have lost her for good, it was like all the bullshit between us just melted away. And she had been right there, those big blue eyes locked on mine practically pulling the truth out of me. I had been a hairsbreadth away from finally laying it all on the line.
Then, what? I choked? Got spooked by my own damned honesty? Let my typical emotionally constipated male pride get in the way of finally saying how I really felt?
“Stupid son of a bitch,” I muttered under my breath.
I could still see it playing out—Kinsley’s hopeful expression crumbling as I deflected and slammed that door shut yet again for no good reason.
Groaning, I buried my face in my hands, trying in vain to physically wipe away the image of the hurt look in her eyes as she’d turned away without another word, leaving me rooted in place like an idiot. She had every right to be pissed at me.
Kinsley sat as far away from me as she could, and I didn’t blame her; I was a jackass. She and Maisey had spread out a blanket on the ground next to Rhett. Grady set up a chair next to the girls for Abby to sit in, and he sat next to her, though she looked like she might bolt any minute. Finn and I sat across the fire from them.
“Should I welcome you to the forever bachelor club now or…?” Finn said.
“I don’t think I’m there quite yet,” I replied.
“No? Sure looks like it to me. Just think, you and I can grow old together with all our horses. Is that a thing? Crazy old horsemen? You know, like crazy cat ladies, only men with horses,” he joked.
“I get it. That doesn’t sound appealing.”
“No, it doesn’t. I don’t think I could live with your cranky ass, so you better figure your shit out because I plan to be a lone bachelor,” he said.
“I can’t wait for you to fall in love and then mess it up,” I told Finn before clamping my mouth shut. Fuck. “I don’t know why I said that. I’m sorry.” I couldn’t believe I’d said that to him.
Finn shifted in his seat. “Don’t worry about it,” he brushed me off, but I knew him better than that. That one stupid comment was going to drag him down.
Kinsley chatted with Rhett and Maisey. I was captivated as her hands moved animatedly, accentuating her words with vibrant gestures. The firelight cast a warm glow on her face, making her eyes sparkle like stars in the night sky.
I strained my ears, desperate to catch a snippet of what she was saying, to know what was making her light up like a Christmas tree. I remembered when I used to be the reason for that radiant smile, the cause of that infectious laughter. I longed for those moments and craved her undivided attention on me. It was like basking in the sun after a long, cold winter.
Kinsley leaned closer to Maisey, her grin turning mischievous. Maisey’s cheeks flushed a deep crimson, and she ducked her head, trying to hide her smile. I chuckled to myself, realizing that Kinsley was probably talking up Maisey to Rhett. Kinsley had a heart of gold.
As if sensing my gaze, Kinsley’s gaze flickered in my direction. Our stares locked, and for a moment, the world faded away. The corners of my lips twitched upwards in a small smile, and she mirrored it with a dazzling grin of her own. Kinsley did nothing halfway; her smile was as bright as a supernova, threatening to blind me with its intensity.
In that instant, a wave of desire crashed over me, stealing the breath from my lungs. I wanted her, needed her like a drowning man needed air. My fingers itched to tangle in her golden hair, to pull her close and never let go.
“Hey, Kinsley! Speak up! We’re getting bored over here!” Finn called out over the fire, pulling me out of my daydream.
“Well, that’s what you get for being boring!” Kinsley retorted.
Finn faked offense. “I’m not boring.”
“Oh, really?” Kinsley asked.
“Is there a reason we’re sitting so close to the fire when it’s this hot out?” Maisey questioned—a valid point, given the hot, sticky night, unusual for spring.
“Go jump in the creek,” Finn dared.
“After you, Mr. Not Boring.” Kinsley’s eyes twinkled as she stared down Finn over the flames, bringing him back to life with a challenge.
“There’s a creek?” Maisey inquired, sounding interested.
“Back through the trees there.” Rhett gestured behind him.
“Well, Finn?” Kinsley raised an eyebrow.
“Let’s go.” Finn stood up, grinning.
I dropped my head into my hands.
“Swimming?” Grady clapped his hands together. “I’m in.” He grabbed Abby’s hand and pulled her to her feet.
“No, no, no,” Abby protested, shaking her head and digging her heels in. “I’m not swimming.”
Everybody got up, and we made our way through the trees to a wide, still creek. There were large, smooth rocks beside it.
Kinsley sat down, put her feet in the water, and moaned. “Oh my gawd, that feels good.” She kicked her legs, sending up a splash. The cool drops landed on my face, offering a brief respite from the heat.
“Grady,” Finn called out. “Race you in.”
After a brief pause, both guys stripped down to their boxers, ran to the edge, and jumped into the water, creating a big enough splash to make the girls shriek.
“Who won?” Finn asked when his head broke the surface.
“Me,” Grady declared, slicking his wet hair out of his face.
“It looked like a tie to me,” Maisey commented. She was sitting beside Kinsley, dangling her feet in the water.
“Unacceptable. To the other side and back,” Finn challenged him, and they were off, kicking hard to splash the girls.
“Well, we’re already wet.” Kinsley peeled her shirt off and then stood up to wiggle out of her cutoffs.
The other guys looked away, but I couldn’t. My eyes took in every inch of her smooth, bare skin, and a surge of heat swelled inside me.
Kinsley looked back at me, catching me staring, but still, I didn’t look away. I couldn’t. I devoured her with my eyes. God, she was so beautiful it hurt.
Kinsley smirked at me and dove in, wearing just her bra and underwear. I only averted my eyes when Maisey moved to follow.
“I think you’re going to need that cold water.” Rhett patted me on the back before joining the girls in the water.
Fuck. I stripped and jumped in to cool off before my blood started flowing in directions I didn’t want it to.
Only Abby stayed on the shore, dipping one foot in the water while pulling her other knee up. She wrapped her arms around her leg and rested her chin on her knee.
“I won!” Grady called out.
“You did not! You were two feet behind me!” Finn yelled back.
“Liar! You saw I won, right?” Grady asked Abby as he pushed himself out of the water and sat down beside her, shaking the droplets from his hair.
“It was pretty close, but…” Abby smiled. She was looking a little more relaxed.
“Okay, never mind. I’ll get him next time,” Grady conceded with a shrug.
The water was cold and refreshing. I dipped my head back to get my hair wet.
“Do not float on your back,” Finn warned me. “I do not want to see any masts up.”
I glanced at Kinsley, who was trying to hold back her laughter.
“Got it,” I said. “It’s under control. The cold water is doing wonders.”
Kinsley burst out laughing. That was better. I grinned at her, and she bit her bottom lip the way I liked, though I would’ve preferred biting it myself.
Reaching over, I grabbed her wrist and yanked her toward me so her chest was flush against mine. “We’re playing chicken,” I announced.
She threw up her arms in celebration. God, I loved making her happy.
I looked over at Maisey. “Up for the challenge?”
Maisey looked back and forth between Finn and Rhett.
“Rhett, I’m going to let you take this one. All this winning is going to my head,” Finn said, stepping aside.
Kinsley bounced beside me in excitement. The girls climbed onto our shoulders, and I wrapped my hands around Kinsley’s smooth, toned thighs.
“Three, two, one, go!” Finn shouted.
Rhett and I stepped towards each other, and the girls began wrestling and screaming. I held on tight to Kinsley’s legs, trying to keep her from falling over. A guy had definitely invented this game. Kinsley and Maisey were well-matched in strength and were stuck in a deadlock.
“Ready to give up?” I asked Rhett.
“Not a chance.” Rhett grimaced as Kinsley pushed Maisey backwards, but he held on, and she regained her balance.
“Harder,” I urged Kinsley.
“That’s my line,” she retorted.
Rhett choked back a cough. Well, shit .
“Sails up yet, Wyatt?” Finn called out.
“Getting there,” I shot back, trying to focus on the game and not on being between Kinsley’s legs, which gripped tighter around my head. “That’s not helping.” I patted her thigh.
“You can deal with it later. I want to win,” she replied, determined.
“How are you handling this?” I asked Rhett.
“Who says I am?” he replied.
Then, splash! Maisey fell into the water and came up sputtering. Rhett helped steady her, which only made her turn a deep shade of red.
“Yes!” Kinsley cheered, her hands threading into my hair and digging blissfully into my scalp.
Okay, we were done.
I dumped her into the water. “I’m out of here,” I declared, swimming away from the victorious chaos.