The Keaton Series Boxed Set

by B. A. Wolfe

  “Finish another time? It’s getting pretty late.” It really wasn’t, but we had to go. My stomach was fluttering far too much.

  She nodded with a grin. “Deal.”

  I curled my fingers around the seat, my body refusing to move. “We should probably get to bed.”

  “Yeah, we should.” Her agreeable words didn’t match her eyes as they flickered from her lap and then back to me. Or the way her cheeks still held a red hue to them, and the way her breath hitched when she noticed me staring at her.

  Yep, it was definitely time for bed. I rooted my boots to the concrete and stopped the swing. Squeezing her chilled fingers, I slowly stood. “C’mon, sweetheart, I’ll tuck you in.” I flashed a quick wink, but caught a hint of disappointment looming in her eyes as she stood and followed me to the door.

  Five

  I HAD SPENT THE EVENING MULLING over Dan’s letter after I said goodnight to Cassie, my mind swirling with how much fun we’d had. And since I didn’t have to work or go to dialysis today, I wanted to find something equally as fun to do together. After Cassie got dressed, I took the advice Dan had given me in the letter that I’d tucked away in my drawer, and did the one thing I never thought I’d do. I took Cassie to the mall to buy her cowgirl boots.

  We spent the whole day shopping for a pair of cowgirl boots, and I had to admit it was, well, perfect. Nothing was what I had expected. I forgot about the fact that I didn’t get the kidney, that Cassandra was just passing through Keaton, and that I’d only get her until her car was done. All the things I wanted to stop dwelling on, I did. It was just what the doctor ordered. Who knew picking out cowgirl boots would be so fun?

  “What if I don’t find a pair I like, Jase?” She stopped in the middle of the aisle with her hand on the boot rack, biting her lip.

  We could go to a thousand stores and not find a single pair of boots and I’d still never regret a minute of the day. But God almighty, I wanted this gorgeous girl in a pair of boots. Something that tied her to me.

  “Stop stressing, sweetheart. You’ll find the right pair.”

  She released her bottom lip and smiled. “In case I forget to tell you, I want to say thank you. I’m having fun today.” Her voice was quiet and sweet and the urge to back her against the racks of boots and crash my mouth to hers was so intense, I had to grab hold of a shelf just to keep myself from doing it.

  “Me too, sweetheart.”

  Two rows and a few lustful glances back at me later, she grabbed a pair of boots that had me scratching my chin. Crossing my arms over my chest, a surge of jealousy struck as the young sales guy helped Cassie tug the boot on. Once that was over, she rose and her smile reached her eyes as she strutted over toward the full length mirror next to me. Her blonde locks brushed her shoulder as she looked back at me.

  “Do you like them?”

  They were turquoise. And when she pulled them off the shelf, I cringed inside, but as she stood in front of that mirror, a twinkle dancing over her eyes and those boots decorating her feet, I couldn’t help the grin that stretched across my face.

  “They’re perfect.” Just like her.

  Her grin widened and my heart skipped two overwhelming beats.

  Like I’d said, a perfect day. And it wasn’t over yet. We were headed to Grandma Maggie’s for Sunday dinner. She was still pouting in the passenger seat, gnawing on her bottom lip. I tried like hell to get her into the middle of the street, under the only stop light in Keaton, wanting her to let go and live in the moment. But friggin’ Moose ruined the whole thing by honking his horn and scaring the shit out of Cassie. On the flip side, it was funnier than hell. Too bad she didn’t think so.

  Reaching over, I rested my hand on her bare knee. My brain told me to stop, to pull away before I combusted from the skin to skin connection. I refused, because I’d rather feel ready to explode from the simple act of touching her than nothing at all. I wondered if she felt the same? “Come on now; give me a smile. It was fun.”

  She turned and finally faced me as she held up her index finger and thumb about an inch apart. “Okay, it was a little funny, but still not even close to being fun.”

  By the look on her face I knew she liked it, but I’d play along. “I’ll get you to have some fun in the street, you just watch. Can I at least get a smile, pretty girl?” I murmured, dying to see that mouth curve up like it had at the store as if it were the very thing keeping my heart beating.

  She stared at me with a pursed face for a long second before looking forward at the road. But when her lips curved up, my heart fluttered, especially when her cheeks turned a light shade of red.

  “I knew it was in there somewhere.” Except, it wasn’t as mega-watt as I had hoped. Something was bugging her. “Are you nervous about tonight?”

  “Actually, I am,” she said in a small voice, finally breaking her silence.

  That was one thing I didn’t want her to be. My family was going to love her. In fact, I was pretty sure my mom would adopt her if she could. She fit in so well. “Don’t be, you’ll have fun. It’s not hanging in the street with me, but it’s still a good time.” I smirked.

  “Very funny, Jase. But really, what if they don’t like me or what if I don’t like the food, and what if—”

  My hand flew up from her knee and cut her off. “Whoa, there, you need to calm down.” I lowered it, and even though the pull to go back to her leg was magnetic, I told myself not to push my luck and gripped the steering wheel instead. “First of all, they will like you. Just don’t be so nervous and uptight. Relax, okay?” She nodded, looking like she was contemplating big life decisions. “Second of all, the food is delicious and you’ll love it. It’s not salads and burgers,” I teased, “but if you don’t, we can use a code word.” What were we? Twelve? I couldn’t believe I had suggested that. Maybe she’d think it was a joke though and then I could play if off as that.

  “A code word? What do you mean?”

  Was she serious? She didn’t scoff at my idea? “Hang on, sweetheart.” The road turned to dirt and the vibrations rattled the seat, making it impossible to talk. I made a right turn toward my grandma’s house and once the drive got steadier, I thought of how to answer her question. “A code word, it’s like something you can use in place of the real word so people don’t catch on.”

  That got a scoff. “I know what a code word is, Jason.”

  I wanted to snicker, but I held it back. “Well, then why did you ask?”

  “I just was unsure of what you meant by using a code word for food.”

  You’re in this, Jason. No going back. Think of something that fits her as well as those bold cowgirl boots. Something else that’ll tie you to her forever.

  And then I had it.

  Something so epic that even I couldn’t hide the enormous grin plastered to my face. I parted my curved lips. “Well, let’s use green light, since you are so fond of them.” I turned my head, and the sight of her so vulnerable and uncertain pierced my heart. I immediately forgot what I was thinking as I stared at her for what could’ve been hours but was mere seconds.

  “Hahaha, you’re so funny,” she sassed, taking my thoughts away from my chest and back to the task at hand.

  “Green light will be love, yellow light will be like, and red light, obviously, you hate it.” That feeling was back, as if it ever really went away, as I glanced her way to soak her in. She was processing my code words, yet, something in me had already processed them and wanted to use them.

  Boom-Boom

  Boom-Boom

  Boom-Boom

  I think I green light you, Cassie.

  My lungs held tight and I told myself it was too soon. Way too freaking soon to tell her, but then why did I have this urge to let my lips surrender the words?

  “I’m just supposed to shout out ‘green light’ while I’m eating to let you know I love the food?” she asked, unsure of the idea that I felt more sure of than anything.

  Among other things, sweetheart.

>   Trying my best to act normal, I glanced at the road, made sure there were no cars, then looked back at her. Really, I just needed a beat to regroup. “Of course, why not? That way if there is something you ‘red light,’ then I’ll know and I’ll eat it for you. We don’t want you making a bad impression do we?” I chuckled, hiding the fact that my lungs were on fire, that my chest ached, and there was no way I could use the term ‘green light’ as an example.

  She slapped my arm and laughed with me. “Fine, but if people give me strange looks, I’m stopping.”

  “Deal.” There was one person that would never be able to give her a strange look and he was sitting right next to her. Completely falling in love. In a green light fog.

  I parked the truck at Grandma’s and helped Cassie out, placing my hand on the small of her back as we walked up the packed driveway. Her eyes were wide and full of terror. “Don’t worry. They are going to love you, Cassie.”

  Green light.

  ***

  So, I was right. My family loved her. So much, in fact, they all ganged up on me as we left. To say that I was embarrassed from all the teasing after dinner was an understatement. Try mortified. So when we left and headed home, I kept my focus on the dirt road, because I knew that if I looked at her, she’d cause my face to flush even worse. Forget the fact that she’d already had me flustered before dinner.

  “You know, your cheeks look good in blush.” Her teasing interrupted my thoughts.

  I grinned. “Oh yeah?” I was embarrassed that my cheeks were still on fire, and now she had to rub it in more.

  A little giggle that I swore would be my undoing escaped her, filling the truck and I wished I could bottle the sound and replay it every day.

  “You’re clearly on the other end of the teasing now, mister. Not so fun is it?”

  My smile deepened. “Touché. You know, for being a stranger in this family, you fit in all too well.” She jumped right in with my parents and grandma as they joked tonight. It was like she fit in better than me.

  A few seconds passed and she said, “I like your family. They’re really nice, Jason. You’re a lucky guy.”

  She had no clue. “I am, aren’t I?” We had our problems, but things could always be worse.

  “More than you know.”

  Something about the way she said it made my heart constrict. What had this girl been through?

  My thoughts vanished as I pulled up to the infamous light. It started to hold too many meanings. The color, the first attempt at getting her in the intersection. My heart raced as I stared at it.

  What I wouldn’t give to park this damn truck, take her out in the middle of the road, and dance under the stars with her. Even though I was Mr. Live In The Moment, this idea was even new for me. But, Cassie was that girl, the one who had made me want to do wild and crazy, show her the world, show her Keaton. Even if our small town wasn’t the size of the world, it was still something. Size didn’t matter, did it? Of course it did, Jason.

  She turned a little and looked out the window. A slight smirk lifted my lips. I knew she was stewing about the light, thinking back to earlier, when I almost had her out of the truck until Moose came up and ruined it all.

  But maybe he hadn’t ruined it. Maybe this was the moment we were supposed to share all along. It was decided then. I was about to make it a reality and not a what if anymore.

  The light turned green and I refused to go. Instead, I eased the truck into park and without a single doubt in my mind, stepped out with a huge smirk across my face. This was happening and there was no one else I wanted it to be with than the beautiful woman in my truck.

  Her eyes locked on mine as I sauntered to her side. My heart pounded like a caged animal against my chest as I opened the door and reached for her. I hoped like crazy she’d just go with it, and she did. There wasn’t even a second of hesitation as she placed her hand in mine and held onto it as I helped her out of the truck.

  My heart leaped into my throat as she stared up at me, not an ounce of fear in her eyes like there was earlier today. I had her, in this moment, she was here, all of her. Goddamn, she was going to bring to me to my knees. And she didn’t even know it.

  Not letting her go, I ushered us to the middle of the intersection where the green light changed to yellow and then to red, keeping the road lit up just enough so we could see each other. My lungs pumped hard, but I welcomed the sensation. I was alive and this was what life was all about, feeling each breath, each heartbeat, and every bit of this moment that would be etched into my mind forever.

  With the light still bright red, I twirled her around so she faced me, her smile widened and her breath moved in shallow spurts. It was as if we both felt the same way. Unsure of what was going on between us, yet we didn’t want to be anywhere else. The breeze blew around our bodies and the sweet smell of Cassie enveloped me. She was so perfect. Was there such a thing? A year ago, a month ago, hell ten days ago, I’d have told you no. My mind was slowly changing minute by minute, second by second, beat by beat.

  As if we were in our own little bubble and not out in the open, I moved her hand that was in mine and set it on my waist. She glanced down at her free hand and a sideways grin teased my lips. Two seconds later it was warm inside mine, exactly where it belonged. I held our palms tightly at my chest, and started swaying us back and forth to absolutely nothing but the sound of our heavy breathing and the wind.

  Damn it, I wished I’d left the radio on. Way to kill a perfect night, Jason. I guess I’d make up my own song in my head. It’d talk about Cassie, her hazel eyes that speckled gold when she was happy, her smile that widened the longer she stared at me, her chest that heaved, giving her away every time she was nervous. And the way she blushed when she was around me, just like when I was around her . . .

  “Jase?” she whispered, breaking through the lyrics in my head. “There’s no music?”

  I chuckled to myself. I knew I should’ve put it on. “Stay here,” I whispered before darting to the truck and pulling the door open. I pushed several buttons, sifting through the pre-set country stations on my radio until I found anything that was slow. We needed mood music here, not a honky tonk. Bingo! Eight stations later, I wore a cheese-ball grin, cranked up the volume, and left the door open.

  “Wanted” by Hunter Hayes filled the small intersection as I walked back to her.

  “Jase,” she muttered quietly.

  I didn’t answer. Instead, I moved her hands back where they’d been and drew her waist closer to me, so that we were touching. And since she didn’t pull away, I went a step further and rested my cheek against hers, while we swayed under the stars to “Wanted.”

  I wondered if she’d heard this song before, but I bet she hadn’t. There wasn’t anything country about this girl, and yet this country song fit her to a T. Maybe not completely, we were still getting to know one another, but God, the bits and pieces she did give me were winning me over more than they should have.

  And the funny part was a girl like her, she could have any guy she wanted. So, how was I the one able to wrap my arms around her under the most perfect sky? How did I get so lucky?

  I wanted to ask her and find out the answer, but luck didn’t last . . . and honestly, it was the last thing I needed to think about. I wanted to stay in the moment, and live here forever. She had a way of making me feel like the man I’d always hoped to be—strong and loving.

  This was real. The stars as our light, the illumination of red, yellow, and green. I’d never forget these colors.

  The longer we swayed, the more relaxed she became. Her body was melting into mine, her head fully resting against my cheek, but her heart . . . it was pounding against my body through our clothes. She was either nervous as hell, or anxious that something was about to happen between us. I knew, because my heart was knocking the same upbeat rhythm back against hers

  I slid away from her cheek and met her stare, my hold leaving her waist. The second I cupped her cheek, she leaned
into my touch and my heart slammed into my chest. I eased my other palm up to her face, now framing her soft, flushed skin with my rough hands.

  Her breath hitched, and the world around us stopped. I didn’t even know where we were the longer her golden gaze held mine. Sucking me in, further, deeper, not knowing how far they’d take me before there was no returning. Maybe I was already there?

  She released a soft breath, drawing my attention to her parted lips. I swallowed, loving their bright red color, the way they were full and plump, enough to know they’d be soft, like feathers to the touch. Slowly, I moved forward, her lips only inches away. My pulse went crazy and my breath stilled. Was I about to kiss her? God knew I wanted to. Did I have any control over this?

  No, I didn’t.

  Each small breath I took, the distance grew shorter. And shorter. And. shorter. The sweet scent of Cassandra, blowing all around me. Her mouth was maybe a centimeter away and I was ready to crash my lips against hers and never let them go.

  This was it.

  Breathe.

  The anticipation was killing me.

  Breathe harder.

  I gulped and parted my lips.

  Couldn’t breathe.

  Cassandra sucked in a sharp breath and my brain triggered. Reality rushed in like a downpour, ceasing my every move. I almost kissed her. How could I do that? Sure, I’d wanted a girlfriend. A hand to hold, a mouth to kiss. But hell if I didn’t feel guilty when I kept such a hideous secret from her. It wasn’t the right time.

  I inhaled, filling my lungs to the brim. God, she was flawless. My heart swelled and I knew if I could create any woman, inside and out, she’d be the one I’d want.

  “God, you are so beautiful, Cassandra,” I murmured, using every ounce of willpower I had to let go of her face.

  She blinked and her golden hue faded. Had she wanted me to kiss her?

  It didn’t matter. I couldn’t take when I hadn’t given. She also deserved full disclosure of the man she was about to kiss. She didn’t have a clue what she’d be getting into with me.