Cowboy Up(52)

My mouth moves, but he doesn’t take his hand away, so the words just come out garbled.

“You gonna let me do this if you like the space?”

I shake my head and narrow my eyes.

“You need me to love you bad and change your answer?” he smarts off with a low rumble of his voice, eyes dancing with amusement.

I pause long enough to show him that I’m not unaffected by that in the least. He throws back his head, a booming laugh rocking his body before he drops his hand.

“You are not givin’ me a buildin’,” I finally say when he quiets down. “You can’t just give someone somethin’ as big as a buildin’ and think that’s okay.”

He leans toward me till we’re nose-to-nose and effectively kills any chance I had at arguing logic with him. “Caroline Michaels, you gave me back a life worth livin’. The way I see it, a buildin’ isn’t even close to big enough to make us even.”

Everyone laughs when I lean back in my chair and shut my mouth. Even being the butt of their laughter, I don’t feel the old feelings of nervous unease. Not now. All I feel is contentment so deep in my bones I don’t think I’ll ever be afraid of my own shadow again.

I’m finally living a life free of trepidation and wild with adoration. Who would’ve thought that one night with a dark cowboy would heal my soul of fear?

I’m still riding the high of having my own space thirty minutes later when we leave the restaurant, Clayton and I following the other two couples. His arm is over my shoulders, pressing me tight to his side as we walk. I have one behind his back and one resting against his abs. When we stop next to his truck, I lift the hand off his stomach and bring it to his neck, pulling him down and pressing my mouth to his. He doesn’t pause, deepening our kiss instantly. I hear the others talking as they move to their vehicles, but don’t pull away. When Clayton turns us and moves my front to press more firmly against his, with both his hands on my bottom, I smile against his mouth and lift my head to look up at him.

“What was that for?” he asks, his voice thick with the same pleasure I feel shooting through me.

“Thank you,” I answer simply.

His expression changes into one that makes my heart pick up speed. He’s gazing down at me like I just gave him the world in the palm of my hand. His eyes are shining bright, the swirls of green so luminous that they look like the clearest emerald stone. His whole face is smiling. One hand leaves my butt, grabs the hand not holding his neck, and pulls it to his chest. His heartbeat hits my palm with a frantic tempo as his gaze holds mine.

I open my mouth to give him every last piece of me, but before I can, the magical moment is shattered. I hear my name called in a vile tone that belongs to one woman and one woman alone. Only unlike the last time, I don’t feel the same panic that had me bolting—not with Clayton’s arms safely enveloping me.

“Well, well, looks like some things never change. Left town a whore and come back as one. At least you’re movin’ up in the world now that you’ve wrangled a Davis man.”

I can hear the slur in her voice, but I don’t let that excuse her behavior. She’d say the same thing if she were sober.

“What the fuck did you just say?” Clayton seethes angrily.

“I’m talkin’ to my daughter, not you.”

“No, you’re talkin’ to my Caroline, not yours. She isn’t anything to you.”

Since I haven’t turned yet, I see Quinn and Leighton with their husbands gaping at the scene my mother is creating. When I look up at Clayton, his rage making the muscles in his jaw clench and jump, I frame his face in my hands and force him to look away from Misty Michaels.

“I need to do this without you actin’ like my shield, honey.” I see the refusal on the tip of his tongue but shake my head before he can voice it. “I need this to finally move on.”

His chest swells with a deep breath and I know it costs him, but he nods sharply. I turn, his grip only loosening enough to allow me to face her before tightening again. He’ll give me his silence and allow me to fight my own battle here, but that doesn’t mean he’s won’t make his support known.

I address her in a strong and clear voice. “What do you want?”

She sneers at me, teeth bared, making her weathered face look as evil as I know her to be. “That’s no way to speak to your mother.”

“You’re right,” I agree. “But you stopped bein’ that a long time ago. So I’ll ask you again, Misty. What do you want?”

Her head jerks back as her scowl deepens. “You little ungrateful bitch!”