Her gaze zoomed to his.
Taking her hand, he kissed her palm before placing her hand on his chest. “And because of this. My heart is damn near ready to beat out of my chest. My hands are shakin’ at the thought that I might actually get to put them on you.”
“Carson.”
“Say yes.”
“Yes to what?”
“Bein’ with me.”
“Yes.” Carolyn framed his face in her hands and kissed him. Mimicking the way he’d kissed her. The soft wet glide of lips. The gentle rub and swirling tease of her tongue against his. She let all of the nuances of kissing him wash over her, not wanting to miss a single one. The smoothness of his cheeks, the strength in his jaw, the wonderful scent of his body heat drifting from beneath the collar of his shirt. The tightening and releasing of his fingers on her butt. How his big, strong body shook with need.
For her.
She slowed the kiss gradually, rather than just ripping her mouth free. She rested her forehead at the base of his throat and tried to figure out a way to calm the blood pumping, body tingling effect the man brought out in her.
Carson’s lips connected with the top of her head and he stayed like that for several long minutes before he released her. “I want to see you tomorrow. Can you get away?”
“Probably. As long as it’s right after church gets out.”
“What time is that?”
“Around eleven.”
“Which church?”
“Our Lady of Perpetual Help in Gillette. Do you know where that is?”
He ran the backs of his knuckles down her jaw line. “I’ll find it. I’ll try my best to be there by eleven, but I’ve gotta check cattle and do a bunch of other stuff before I can get on the road, so I might be a little late.”
“I’ll wait. But right now I have to find my brother and convince him to take me home.”
Carson’s eyes sharpened. “You make sure that jackass Randy doesn’t volunteer to give you a ride.”
“Carson—”
“I mean it. He touches you or comes on to you in any way, I will pay him a visit, because I know where he lives.”
“Fine.” She’d never had a guy show jealousy and it surprised her how much she liked it.
“Good girl. Until tomorrow.” One last kiss and he headed toward the parking lot.
She watched him walk away, that cowboy swagger such an innate part of him she knew he’d been born walking that way.
Within ten minutes of returning inside the bar she found Thomas and pleaded a headache, asking him to take her home. She felt Randy’s suspicious gaze on her but she didn’t acknowledge him. When they reached the car, Carolyn crawled in the back seat. Thomas dropped Randy off at the ball fields.
He didn’t say a word until they’d parked at home. “So is your headache from bein’ in too tight a lip lock with Carson McKay?”
She scrambled upright from her prone position in the back seat.
“I saw you with him, Carolyn.” Thomas whirled around and glared at her. “What the hell are you thinking, getting mixed up with him? The man has a bad reputation. He uses women and dumps them. He’s reckless and rude; the typical McKay.”
“So says you. I’ve not seen him act like that. He’s different around me.”
“Because he wants to get into your pants. Literally. If Dad finds out—”
“Thomas. Please. You can’t tell him.”
He sighed. “He’ll find out. Trust me. There’s bad blood between the Wests and the McKays and someone will tell him.”
She leaned over the seat. “Do you know what happened between our families?”
“Dad refuses to talk about it. I’ve just heard him muttering about them bein’ above the law, and bein’ a bunch of liars and thieves.” Thomas pointed at her. “So if that McKay is sneaking around with you, it just proves the point. The McKays can’t be trusted.” He paused. “But I can. I’ll keep your secret since you agreed to keep mine.”
“But?”
“But I’m rescinding my offer of help with the dishes.”
Chapter Four
Carson
“Why’re you in such a damn hurry this mornin’?” Cal asked as they sped across the pasture to check the bulls.
“I’ve got plans so I wanna get this done.” Carson scowled at his watch. If he took the shortcut on the back roads he might only be fifteen minutes late.
“What kinda plans?”
“None of your business kinda plans.”
“It’s her, ain’t it?”
“Yeah.”
“Why you even bothering with this, Carse? You know it can’t go anywhere.”