Chapter 4
CHAPTER FOUR
It’s her.
The stranger from Sweet Everything.
And she was even more gorgeous than the memories he’d been clinging to. Jason didn’t say a word. His hands were still at her waist, holding her in place. Everything around him faded to the background as he stared into her eyes.
She pulled her lower lip between her teeth, her palms pressed against his chest. The warmth from her touch spread with each passing second and his fingers flexed against her curves.
“Jason! You came. I wasn’t sure you’d be here since Tate couldn’t make it.” Wendy approached, dragging Jason’s focus toward her. Her husband, Tripp, held her hand, but both of them were watching Jason with interest.
Not just Jason.
The stranger.
“Oh! Have you two, um, met?” Wendy propped her hand on her hip, curiosity written all over her face but a smile tugging at her lips. The woman he’d been holding scrambled away from him, and his hands dropped to his sides.
“No,” he murmured.
At the same time, the stranger nodded. “Yes.”
Tripp grinned and Wendy’s eyes bounced back to Jason.
A blush graced the woman’s face and she clasped her hands in front of her. “Well, we sort of met.” She glanced at Jason briefly. “Jason here recommended some delicious treats at the bakery in town.”
“Oh?” Wendy was practically beaming now.
It wasn’t a secret that Jason was rarely seen with women.
It wasn’t that he was opposed to having a relationship.
Rather, he was very selective. He had no desire to connect with women who expected him to be like Tate just because they were twins.
Tate was the outgoing twin. Jason had no desire to be the life of any party.
Wendy eyed Jason up and down. “What do you like at the bakery, Jason?”
He kept his eyes on the shelf. “The truffles.”
“Mm-hmm.” Wendy’s grin could be described as one that would put the Cheshire cat to shame. There was mischief in her grin that was starting to make Jason a bit uneasy. This was why he was happy to let Tate take the spotlight.
Jason was quickly regretting coming out with the group of friends his sister Faith had inserted herself in.
She had married into the large family that lived at Sagebrush Ranch.
Wendy was now Faith’s sister-in-law, and whenever they chose to hang out with the Sagebrush clan, the Dennisons were included.
It wasn’t so bad. Not when they chose to spend time at Sagebrush. But here? At a bar that offered country dancing nightly? Jason knew this wasn’t his kind of place.
A soft hand landed on his forearm, and he glanced down to find the woman touching him. “I was actually heading outside to get some fresh air. Would you mind coming with me?”
All eyes were glued to him.
This was his second chance, and he was going to take it by the horns.
Jason offered his elbow to the woman and gave her a curt nod and flashed her a smile. “I’d be happy to.”
Wendy made a strange sound. A cross between a giggle, a gasp, and a squeak. Thankfully, Tripp wheeled her back toward his cousins who were watching with curiosity farther into the room.
The angel at his side slipped her fingers into the crook of his arm, and he led them outside.
His mind was a jumbled mess. He’d berated himself earlier for not getting her number, and he wasn’t about to let that opportunity pass him by again.
But blurting the question didn’t feel right.
He scrambled for the right thing to say and finally it came to him.
But she beat him to it.
“Thank you.”
He glanced down at her, amused and a little surprised. “For what?”
She thumbed over her shoulder toward the building they were walking away from. “It was getting to be a little overwhelming in there.”
His steps faltered. Jason knew exactly what she meant, and he hadn’t even gone inside. All he could do was listen as she continued speaking.
“Honestly, I’m fine in large groups. My job requires it.
I have to be able to organize and help my company look good to the masses.
In a conference room, I’m happy to take control and rock it.
” She laughed, the sound music to his ears.
He was entranced by the lilt of it, by how she didn’t hold back.
“But back there?” She grimaced and gestured to her dress, a detail he was only now noticing himself.
“I wasn’t exactly dressed for it, you know?
And when you’re not exactly fitting in—”
“You look amazing,” he said.
She blinked, nearly tripping over her own feet to the point that he had to reach to where her hand was still linked with his elbow so he could steady her. Then she met his eyes and smiled.
That dazzling smile about brought him to his knees.
What was it with this woman that had him so enthralled?
She was gorgeous. Adorable. Had a nice laugh.
And she understood the strain of being the center of attention.
But most of all, she didn’t look at him with any expectation.
She seemed content to speak without being bothered by his preference to choose his words.
“Thank you,” she murmured. “But you don’t have to say that because—”
He didn’t look away. “I wouldn’t have said it if I didn’t mean it.”
She dipped her head and heat shot through him when he caught a glimpse of her smile. He would never get enough of seeing her happy. Already, he knew that. “Well. Thanks.”
Jason nodded. He couldn’t take his eyes off her. If they spent the whole night wandering up and down the street like this, he’d be happy. “I didn’t catch your name,” he murmured.
She pulled them to a stop. “Oh my gosh. You’re right!” She shook her head and a tentative laugh bubbled out of her. “I’m Cece.”
“Cece. Pretty name for a pretty girl.”
She snickered but before she could put herself down, he cut her off.
“How long will you be in Rocky Ridge? I assume you’re just visiting?”
Cece nodded. Footsteps approached from their back, and they moved closer to the building to let them pass on the sidewalk.
Each of them leaned against the wall, facing the street.
Cars drove by. Voices broke the quiet evening.
The sky was clear, allowing them the opportunity to watch the stars in this small town. But Jason only had eyes for her.
She hesitated, then peeked at him. “I’m not sure, actually.”
“You don’t know how long you’ll be in town?”
She shook her head. “I’m here on business.” Her grimace made it plain she was uncomfortable with the topic and there was no way he would force her to tell him what she didn’t want to. It was the little tells he was good at reading. Sometimes the obvious ones were harder to decipher.
“Do you like what you do? For work?”
She turned to him, surprise flickering in her eyes. “Um, yeah. I really do.”
He smiled and her focus dipped to his mouth. Was she as enamored by him as he was by her? Boy, he hoped so. He dipped his chin so he was closer, and she was forced to meet his gaze. A pretty blush spread across her nose and into her cheeks. “What do you like about it?”
At that, she scrunched her nose and looked away.
“Let me guess, it’s not the commanding a boardroom that gets you all warm and fuzzy. It’s something else.”
Cece grinned and returned her eyes to his.
Score.
“I like solving problems and honestly, I’m good at it.”
“I don’t doubt it.” This was probably the most he’d spoken to someone he wasn’t related to, and he was surprised at how easy it was becoming.
“What about you? What do you do?” She made a point of staring at his boots and then swept her gaze up to his hat before flicking the brim. “Let me guess. You’re a cowboy.”
One side of his mouth quirked upward. “In a manner of speaking.”
She arched a brow. “What does that mean? I don’t think you can be half a cowboy.”
He laughed and the sound nearly startled him.
How long had it been since he laughed like that?
Shaking his head, he grinned at her. Jason loved the way she looked at him.
It was awe and intrigue. Curiosity and perhaps something more.
“No, I’m not half anything. I’ve competed in the rodeo with my brother off and on for several years.
But we focus more on training young men to enter the arena. ”
“Really? That sounds so interesting.”
He shrugged noncommittally. It didn’t draw him like it used to, but saying as much would put a damper on the flow of their conversation.
At that moment someone parked their truck and trailer on the side of the street. There was some shuffling in the trailer, and Cece gasped. He turned to what she was looking at and understanding dawned. Through a small window, they could both see a horse peeking outside.
The truck tilted as the driver exited. He paused and gave Jason a double take. “Jason?”
“Chet.” Jason nodded back.
“How’s it going, man?” He closed the distance between them and they shook hands. “It’s been, what, two years?”
“Sounds about right,” Jason answered.
Chet turned to Cece and he gave her a warm smile.
“Cece, this is Chet. A friend from the rodeo circuit.”
She held out her hand and Chet accepted. “Nice to meet you.”
Chet jerked his chin toward a nearby building. “Just picking something up before heading out of town for a competition. It’s too bad we can’t catch up.”
“Is that your horse? It’s gorgeous,” Cece blurted.
He glanced toward the trailer and gave her a nod. “She is. Thanks.”
“Mind if I—” She inched closer.
Jason took her in with another new sense of awe. This was no country girl. She was city bred through and through. And yet here she was, drawn to the very creatures Jason loved the most.
Chet turned and moved with her. “Be my guest. She loves everyone.”
Metal screeching shattered the quiet night air and he winced.
Chet unlocked and opened the trailer then gestured with a wave of his hand.
“Her name is Lola.” The horse was a beautiful, warm chestnut color.
She was a show horse trained for dressage.
Jason had seen her compete, and she was one of the best he’d seen.
Cece showed no fear as she reached out toward Lola.
“Hey, pretty girl,” she crooned. When Lola nudged into her touch, Cece went still and her eyes connected with Jason.
It was a shared moment between two people who each had a love of animals, nothing more.
He’d like to see how she’d do with a more skittish creature.
The woman had a knack for calming him and that was by simply being in her presence.
He wouldn’t be surprised if animals could sense that she meant no harm just like he did.
Chet nudged him with his shoulder. “She’s a natural,” he whispered. “Where did you find her?”
Jason stiffened. How Chet said it made this sound like they were more than that. And boy, did that notion sound better than it should. He’d only interacted with this woman twice, and he was already craving more. “At the bakery,” he murmured.
“Nice,” Chet whispered. “Hey, I’m going to head into the store. I’ll be back. You good here?”
Jason nodded. “We’ll wait for you to get back.”
“Thanks, man.” Chet disappeared without another word, leaving Jason alone with the woman who was quickly becoming someone he’d thought could only be concocted in his dreams.
“Wow,” Cece whispered. “I’ve never done that before.”
His brows shot up. “Don’t tell me you’ve never seen a horse before.”
“Not up close. My dad, well, he’s incredibly protective. Anything that could put me at risk wasn’t allowed. Sports? Yeah, right. Dangerous pets? Nope.” She twisted around to look at him again, her whole countenance shining bright. “This is so amazing.”
Right then, Jason vowed he’d give her more opportunities to try new things. At least while she was still in town, especially if she’d be here for a while.
She nuzzled into Lola’s face, her arms going around the animal’s neck. “Do you have a horse?” It came out muffled but he caught it loud and clear.
“I do,” he said. The offer to let her meet his horse was on the tip of his tongue, but with Chet’s arrival, he was interrupted.
“Thanks for keeping her company, guys. But I best be getting on the road.”
Cece rubbed Lola’s nose once more then stepped back. Her focus remained locked on the animal until the trailer doors clanged shut.
Chet shot them each another smile. “It was nice meeting you, Cece. And I’ll see you around, Jason.”
Jason dipped his chin and Chet drove away.
“That’s it. I’m addicted,” Cece muttered as soon as the taillights turned the corner up ahead.
He cut her a strange look.
“Horses. I want one.”
Jason chuckled, then he jerked his chin back the way they’d come. “Shall we?” This time she didn’t hold onto him and he fought the urge to be disappointed. Instead, she hugged herself, and he shoved his hands into his pockets.
They walked in a companionable silence. He wasn’t sure where she was leading him until it became painfully obvious she had no intention of sticking around.
“Well, this is me.” Cece hovered at the side of a car that was more sporty than practical. She peered up at him from beneath her lashes. “Thanks again for saving me, Jason.”
How his name sounded coming off the tip of her tongue could have ended wars.
He nodded again then started to ask her for her number when her phone vibrated in her purse.
She startled and pulled the device out. Her eyes widened and she gasped. “I’m so sorry, Jason, but I have to take this. Tonight was so fun.” She yanked open her car door and settled behind the wheel. “Maybe I’ll see you around.”
Before he could stop her, she pulled the door shut, waved, then answered the phone and started her car. Jason stepped back, giving her a wave of his own as she drove away.