Page 55 of Fairground

I don’t wait for more. I bolt for the exit on the opposite side of the building, my heart pounding the whole way. I don’t dare look back, but I can feelCash’s eyes on me, hot and heavy, all the way to my car.

When I finally make it home and slip under my covers, I stare at the ceiling, my heart still racing like I just ran from a wild bear, mind spiraling over Molly's words just like I thought it would.

What the hell am I supposed to do now?

Chapter 22: Cash

Rae’s been avoiding me.

Can’t say I’m surprised, considering how she reacted after our little steamy dry-hump session by the creek on Wednesday. I mean, I didn’t expect her to sprint the other direction when I saw her last night at the Boys and Girls Club, but hey, a guy can’t win 'em all though I'll try. I can be patient when I need to be.

That—and let’s be honest—I like the chase. I like making Rae blush, watching her squirm. I like knowing she’s trying so damn hard to fight this thing between us and failing miserably, because she wants me just as bad as I want her.

So today, I know it’s inevitable she’ll show up at the fairgrounds. She has to. If she doesn’t, she’s basically forfeiting her position as the future mayor of Whitewood Creek and skipping out on her duties. And no way in hell is Rae giving that up—not over a fully-clothed humping session and an orgasm.

I catch her scent before I see her, the faint hint of vanilla and sweet cherries on the breeze. She’s close. I grunt as I haul up one of the heavy pegs alongside Colt, adjusting it just right as we pull the main admissions tent into place. We may keep up several ofthese for summer festivals and farmer's markets, but there are still a few that need set-up before the fair can happen and that’s what I’m focusing on today.

My shirt’s off, because obviously, it’s hot as hell out here even if it’s October, and I’m not about to suffer unnecessarily, but I also love the way Rae looks at me when I'm shirtless. The way that her eyes linger on my back and pecs.

When she finally comes into view, my whole day gets better. She’s wearing a pair of denim jeans and a cream-colored shirt that’s just a shade or two lighter than her skin. But not just any jeans—brownjeans. To anyone else, that might not mean much, but to me, a man who hasn’t been able to keep his eyes off her since the day she rolled into town, it’s everything.

Her clothing is lighter andshe'slighter. A little less wound up. A little bit happier.

And it hits me how much I’ve missed seeing that smile, even if it barely lasts more than a second. How much I’ve wanted her near me again, even if she keeps me at arm’s length. Rae’s got this habit of pretending she’s unaffected by everyone, like her whole life is built on invisible walls. But I’ve felt the cracks. Heard the little noises she makes when she forgets to be guarded and is at ease. I know how she tastes when her mouth’s open with need. And I sure as hell know how tightly she clings when she thinks I won’t notice.

“What can I help with?” she says, marching right up to me like nothing happened between us. Like I didn’t have her pressed up against me a few nights ago, sucking on her tits and biting one of her nipples. Like I haven’t been walking around since then, half-distracted, wondering how wet and warm her heat would feel wrapped around my cock.

I blink, trying to keep my thoughts from derailing intoCisco’s Thong Songterritory. Because right now, I’d pay good money to trade places with whatever’s under those jeans.

She stares at me, waiting for an answer, and I know better than to tell her not to lift a finger and that the big, strong men can handle it. Rae’s stubborn as hell, and I’m not about to set her off before noon. I'll save that for later tonight when I can calm her down in private.

“Can you meet with the inspectors?” I ask, leaning casually on the nearest post. “They’re checking all the rides we’ve installed, making sure everything’s up to code. If there’s an issue, we’ll need to call Rhett in.”

“Rhett?” she asks, brow quirking.

“Yeah. Town plumber-slash-mechanic. He’ll know how to fix anything that fails or submit the right work order to get it fixed in time.”

She mutters something under her breath—probably about how this town runs like a bad sitcom where one guy has every job—and stomps off toward the rides. I watch her go for a moment longer than I should, the sway of her hips all but hypnotic and the swish of her pretty, light brown hair.

Colt snaps me out of it with a snort from behind me as he hammers the final peg into the ground. “You’re in deep.”

I ignore him, giving the peg a firm shake to make sure it’s solid before wiping the sweat off my brow. The day’s cooled off some since we started, and the gray clouds overhead promise rain. Most people hate rain in the autumn—makes everything colder, the wet leaves sticking to roads and turning them slick and the first chill that settles into your bones promising a cold winter—but I’ve never minded it. Wouldn’t even mind one last gooddownpour before the fair to freshen things up and bring a little green back to the earth.

But as Rae disappears into the crowd, all I can think about are the ways I could keep her warm this winter. The ways I want to spend the colder days and even colder nights, wrapped up in her. Maybe that’s the part she doesn’t get yet. This isn’t just about having sex to me. I mean, sure, I want her in my bed, on my truck, up against every flat surface we can find, but it’s more. I want the in-between stuff too. I want her in my kitchen, cooking eggs from my hens, and arguing with me about the nicknames I created for her.

I want the mornings after to be with her staying in my bed. The silences that aren’t uncomfortable. The weight of her head on my chest when she sleeps. I want her to feel comfortable sharing every part of her life with me.

“What was that?” Colt grumbles beside me.

“What do you mean?”

“You two are... awkward.”

“I’m not awkward with anyone.”

He lets out a deep, knowing chuckle. “I know something happened between you two. So, what’s your game here, Cash?”

“There’s no game.” I grin. “I like her.”

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