Summer Love by Piper Rayne
Chapter Six
“So this is why everyone has a truck around here.”
“It’s not just because it’s a country thing,” Sierra laughed and leaned against his side.
They were sitting in the bed of his pickup, a blanket that had mysteriously appeared in the back of the cab wrapped around them to ward off the chill. The stars were bright in the sky and the moon was full, so much more brilliant than anything he saw in Nashville. It almost reminded him of his parents’ cabin in the Blue Ridge Mountains. Sadly he hadn’t been there in a long time. Work, traveling, and complicated family relationships kept him away. Sierra’s head rested on his shoulder and his arm draped over her shoulders. Somehow it was the sexiest date he’d had in a long time.
“So, is this how all dates go in Montana?” he asked. If so, he could get used to it.
“I wouldn’t know, not really. This is my first time doing this. Emma told me about the date Gabe set up at the drive-in with his truck, and I always wondered if it was as great as it sounded.”
He wondered at the wistful tone in her voice, and at the kind of dates she was used to. “Does it live up to your expectations?”
“Exceeds them, though I think the company is the critical piece. I don’t think any of my previous dates would have been caught dead sitting in the dark staring at the stars.”
He looked out over the lake, at the reflection of the moon on the still water, at the brilliant night sky, and had to agree. “Maybe we’ve been dating the wrong people.”
“Maybe we have,” she said quietly. After a few minutes of quiet, she shifted against his side. “Colt, we have an expiration date.”
His arm tightened reflexively around her, holding her close, as if trying to shut out her words. He sighed. “I know. I don’t think I can walk away.”
“I’m afraid,” she admitted quietly. “Afraid to get hurt.”
He turned to her, tilting her face up to him. “I don’t know about you, but I haven’t felt this way about anyone in a long time. And I don’t want to give up without trying.”
She blinked up at him, a sheen in her eyes. “I can’t see a future for us. I can’t leave Granite Junction and you have a life a whole country away and on the road.”
“Why do we have to think about that right now? Why can’t we live in the moment, like you wanted to last week?” He knew there was something between them—something like what was between his sister and her husband, something he wanted for himself. It didn’t come around every day and he wouldn’t walk away just because of fear or a simple geographic situation. His sister had solved that problem. Even his parents had figured it out. Why couldn’t he?
“Because I’m not drunk right now. If you wanted me, you should have taken me then, and not waited for sober Sierra. She is way too sensible.”
He shook his head. “I refuse to believe that. I think I saw the real Sierra last week, the one who wants to break free. Spend time with me, Sierra. Be the woman you want to be, just for a while. Let the future take care of itself. Live in the moment.”
She shuddered. “You really don’t know me, do you?”
He shrugged. “Maybe not. Aren’t you a little bit interested in seeing if there’s fire under all this smoke? It could be amazing.”
“And it could burn us both badly,” she retorted, but he could see she was weakening.
He waited, letting her make her own decision. He could live with blue balls. He’d done it before, though not as bad as it had been this past week, especially after she’d had her hands on him during the massage. His dreams that night had been particularly erotic, reminiscent of his high school days, and it had been embarrassing. It would be worth it if he had a chance with her tonight and maybe a future with her tomorrow.
She bit her lower lip, her eyes fixed on his torso. One hand rested on his chest and slowly she moved her fingers, tracing the muscles under the dress shirt he wore. He held his breath, his heart pounding, blood rushing through his body. She slowly lifted her eyes, heat and desire in them.
“Only while you’re here. I won’t wait for you to come back. And I won’t follow you.”
“I’m not asking you to.” Though he feared he might beg her to before this was all over.
He slid out of the truck and held a hand. “I can’t do this in a truck bed. I need a real bed.”
She looked horrified. “Oh my God. Your back. I can’t believe I was so insensitive.”
She scrambled out, evading his hand. He grabbed her waist and lifted her down, holding her against him and letting her slowly slide to the ground. She stilled, her eyes wide.
“My back is fine. I had this amazing massage that cured me. Now, another part needs some attention and I refuse to deal with it in a pickup where anyone could drive up.”
She giggled. “Yeah, Emma and Gabe got caught by our deputy. The whole town found out. I really don’t need that.”
“Me, neither. So I have one question. Your place or mine?”
* * *
They drove to his cabin on the grounds of the Redemption Ranch since Sierra wasn’t too keen on everyone in town seeing Colt’s rental truck parked outside her apartment all night. She loved Granite Junction, but the last thing she needed was nosy neighbors or worse, her best friends poking their noses into her business. Not that there was much more privacy on the ranch, since three of her friends lived there, but she might be able to be a little more discreet.
He opened the cabin door and let her precede him inside. She was immediately charmed by the rustic interior: the exposed wood beams, the loft area that looked like it could double as a bedroom space or sitting area. The plain wood furniture was clearly made by their local artisan, Gene Woodruff. The cozy living area looked quite lived in, with paper strewn over all available surfaces and a guitar resting on the couch. Colt cursed quietly under his breath and rushed past her.
“I’m sorry. Piper swore my clutter would come back to haunt me. Don’t hold this against me, please.”
Even his rush to clean up charmed her and she reached down to pick up some papers from the seat of a leather swivel chair. “Is this a song you’re working on?”
He glanced up, a lock of hair falling boyishly over his eyes. “Yeah. I’m supposed to be writing music and getting ready to go into the studio this summer in between tours. Piper got inspired up here. I’m still waiting.”
“If I recall, she found her inspiration. Maybe you need to spend some time with Ty,” she teased.
He snorted. “How do you think I hurt my back?” Her eyebrows raised and he burst out laughing at her expression. “Not that way. He is not the kind of inspiration I need. Are you applying for the job?”
She shook her head, bemused by the idea. “I’m nobody’s inspiration. I’m boring Sierra. I’m sure there are plenty of other people who could give you better ideas than I could.”
He narrowed his eyes and drew her down onto the couch, then picked up his guitar. He strummed a few times, humming, then started singing. Slowly the words sank in, about a beautiful girl dancing with abandon, eyes closed, swaying to the music. The way he sang was so moving, so heartfelt, that tears pricked her eyes. He finished and glanced at her, a hint of vulnerability in his eyes.
“Is this what you saw last week? Because I’m pretty sure I was a drunken mess.”
He cupped her cheek, his thumb tracing her lower lip. “I saw a beautiful woman feeling the music, loving life, embracing life. Not caring what anyone thought, and confident in who she was. I had to meet that woman.”
Heat flooded her cheeks, but she was mesmerized by his intense stare and couldn’t break the hold he had on her. “Oh, God. That’s not who I am, Colt. I’m basically a workaholic, no time for play.”
His thumb continued its maddening caress. “Are you sure about that? Because you’re sitting here with me and I definitely want to play. And I think you do, too.”
She sucked in a shaky breath and nodded, finally admitting the truth to herself. She wanted him and didn’t want to resist it anymore. And why should she? She’d damn well regret it if she didn’t take this one chance, this one night with him. She wanted to remember him when she was driving down the road and his song came on the radio, maybe even the one he was writing about her. She could hold onto those memories when she was in his rearview mirror. Because he was leaving and she was staying. That was unavoidable. But she could have this one night. Have what she wanted last week, only stone-cold sober.
“Hell, yeah.”
