Page 14 of The Bull Rider & the Wedding Planner

Loved? No. Easton didn’t love her, not anymore. He loved gorgeous women, not one solo woman. He wasn’t the type to settle down with his high school love and raise a child who wasn’t even his. She knew Easton well, and though he might be the man of her teenage dreams, he wasn’t the man to step in and be a stable husband and surrogate father. No way was the player of the year going to do that.

Cassie stiffened and pulled back.

He let her go, his blue eyes hyper-focused on her. “I’m here, Cass. Let me watch out for you and Presley.”

It was exactly what she’d wanted him to say. He hadn’t even used teenage lingo, and his gaze said he was as serious as she’d ever seen him.

He waited, but she had no idea what to say.

“I haven’t sung to anyone in six years.” He tilted his head to the bedroom. “You and Presley. I want to be here for both of you.”

Cassie’s heart walloped against her chest.He only sang for her, for Presley. If only he could be the man she’d always wanted him to be.

No. She couldn’t trust that he would follow through. He might even mean his words, until they spent two days apart and a hot cowgirl distracted him.

She backed away and shook her head. “We’re fine,” she lied through her teeth. “My ex was controlling and emotionally abusive, but we got away and he doesn’t know where we are.” If only she could tell him all the horrifying details and beg him to protect her and stay close.

“I don’t think you’re fine,” he said. “I’m going to keep an eye on you, whether you like it or not.”

“You don’t have time for that. All those rodeos and women you need to be there for…” She wished he would refute her words, but even if he did, she knew he wouldn’t follow through. Pretty words didn’t equate to trust. Not with him.

He edged closer to her, those blue eyes solemn and focused. She backed into the wall, and he kept on coming. Like the most handsome cowboy anybody had ever seen, he leaned down close to her, pinning her against the wall. “These scars on my forehead mean I’m officially out of commission for rodeos and women. Except for one woman. The most important woman in the world.”

Cassie was going to hyperventilate if he kept this up. She wasn’t the most important woman in the world to him. Not anymore. She felt bad about his scars, but was his accident the only reason he wasn’t after other women?

“You can’t rodeo?” she managed to squeak out.

He shook his head. “I was in a coma for two days. The doctors officially grounded me. Can’t risk a repeat head injury. I’m out of commission until next spring.”

“You sound happy about it.” She pressed her palms flat against the wall behind her rather than reaching out for him like she longed to do.

“Oh, I haven’t been. Believe me. I’ve been furious, depressed, floundering …” His gaze swept over her face, lingering on her lips for long enough that she was left panting for air and wishing he’d kiss her like he used to. “But now that you and Presley were brought here by our good Lord above and I have a renewed purpose, I’m exactly where I want to be.”

He leaned down close. His warm breath brushed her lips. If she arched up just an inch, their lips would meet.

“‘Are you going to kiss me or not?’” He sang their song, and he was her Easton, and for that moment they didn’t have years of pain and him cheating surrounding them.

Cassie almost arched up. She struggled mightily to remain still. It was torture not to kiss him and end every pain she’d experienced.

His gaze searched hers, and something changed.

“Hold that thought,” he whispered against her lips. “You’re not ready, but we’ll be in this position soon, and then you can share everything you’re feeling with me.”

He straightened, put on his cowboy hat, and winked at her, but he wasn’t just being the gallant cowboy flirt. He was serious. She’d never known Easton to show such restraint.

Was he only playing games with her? Making her long for him even more so she’d throw away all her resistance?

She used to know exactly what Easton was thinking, but the distance between them was clouding her mind.

Cassie leaned against the wall, trying to catch her breath, not certain her legs would support her.

“Deadbolt this behind me, my sweet but sassyCass. I’ll make sure Bennett and Clint know to be on the lookout for you, and I’ll be close by.”

He swept through the door and closed it behind him.

Cassie pivoted on unsteady legs and deadbolted the door. His sweet but sassy Cass. She wasn’t that girl any longer, though she wanted to be.

“That’s my girl,” she heard him say on the other side.

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