“You don’t have to apologize to me.”
His gaze darted up to mine and then back down. “But, I do. You’ve always been there for me.” He laughed softly. “I mean, you even had my back against that roid-rage jerk out there. I’m not sure what I’d do without you. I’d be lost if it wasn’t for you—”
I leaned forward and pressed my lips softly to his. I couldn’t help myself. There was no questioning the move. It felt completely and totally natural, as if I’d done it a hundred times. But as I did, Hunter stiffened under my palm, his thumb ending its soft caress of my hand.
“Char...” His voice was low and full of warning.
I pulled back, fear jolting through me. What had I done? Hunter would never be able to look me in the eye again. I’d completely ruined everything. All because I couldn’t control one stupid urge.
“I’m...I’m sorry.” I gasped for breath, looking anywhere but his face. “I don’t know what I was...I don’t know why I did that.”
I needed to get out of there. To flee like Cinderella, except without the prince in pursuit and the fancy glass slippers. To be anywhere but here.
My attempt to rise from the grain bags was halted by Hunter holding tight to my hand. He used his other to cup my chin and gently turn my head toward him, drawing my gaze directly back to the smoldering intensity in his eyes.
“Charlotte, wait.”
It was a whispered order that held the weight of a mountain. He stared at my mouth, the hunger in his expression making me weak. Moving his hand to my cheek, he stroked the pad of his thumb over the corner of my mouth, his eyes following its path. Every nerve he touched on my body was on fire. Every cell crying out for more. I froze in place, my lungs not daring to inflate.
He leaned slightly toward me, his mouth parting as his hazel eyes darted from my lips, to my eyes, and back down again. I saw the indecision in his face and the widening of his pupils as he paused slightly. A battle raged inside his head, and he was waiting for one side to win out. Still, my body cried out for him, my breathing becoming difficult as I tried my best to not jump on him and kiss him again.
In a reflex I couldn’t control, I flicked my tongue over my lips. That tiny movement seemed to add fuel to the fire raging in his eyes. The battle was over. His jaw hardened and his nostrils flared with a deep intake of breath as he suddenly moved in closer.
His lips brushed gently against mine, causing the low-burning embers in my gut to burst to life. This was it. The point of no return. I sighed, fully ready to give into this powerful urge inside my head demanding more of him. Wanting Hunter felt so natural. So right. But when his fingers drifted toward the back of my head to pull me closer, the door swung open behind him, causing us both to jump away from each other in shock.
“There you are.” Sarah stood in the doorway, the lightbulb from the hallway illuminating the back of her head like some sick joke of a halo. She wore a smile that looked like it had been carved into a wooden puppet. “You promised me a dance tonight, Mr. McNally.”
“Oh. Um...yeah.” Hunter rubbed a hand over his face, his shoulders drooping. He glanced at me and I could see the millions of questions whirling about behind his eyes, but he covered them with a pained smiled. “I’ll catch up with you later, Charlotte?”
“Yeah. Sure.”
I breathed in shakily. I should’ve realized the impending sense of doom that had followed Sarah into the room was affecting Hunter just as much as me. It had settled deep in my gut, and I could barely contain the blips of anxiety shooting through me.
What had we done?
Hunter’s eyes narrowed at me, as if he were still trying to decide whether to stay or leave. I kept my face as neutral as possible, despite my own jumbled thoughts and feelings currently battling inside my head. I wanted him to stay. I needed him to stay. But instead, with a sigh, he pushed off his knees and stood to follow Sarah out the door.
As the door swung shut behind them, I clutched tight to my legs and allowed a stream of emotions to wash over me. It wasn’t until I’d sat in that musty closet for about ten minutes was I finally able to make sense of what had just happened.
Ten minutes ago, kissing Hunter had felt so right.
But why did I feel like I’d seriously messed everything up?
Chapter Thirteen
I was going to put everything back together today.
Starting with this broken zipper.
Tugging on the homemade dress I wore as people rushed by me, I looked around desperately for help. Where was Lexi when I really needed her? She’d done my hair and my makeup and ran away. Now, I couldn’t get my clothes on right for the 4H fashion show. How was I supposed to sweep past Sarah in the competition if I strutted down the runway with my bare back hanging out?
“Here, I’ll get that for you.” Geminia came to the rescue, bending over to tug expertly on the zipper and free it from its cloth imprisonment. She stood back with a satisfied grin, eyeing my gown with the halter top and flowy skirt. “Girl, you’re rocking this crimson look. I’m totally jelly. I mean, I love denim. What girl doesn’t? But this is a bit much.”
She swept a hand over her outfit and I had to muffle a giggle with my hand. The denim shirt, acid-stained denim vest, and jean pants with wide legs were more than a bit much. They were hideous. Still, if anyone could pull them off, Geminia could. Ms. Gentry had chosen the right girl to wear them.
“So, any movement on our vengeance plan for Miss Stuck-Up?” she whispered as Sarah strutted by in an elegant sheer blouse and pencil skirt.
I wrinkled up my nose and shook my head. “Nah. Not yet. I’ll let you know if I come up with something good.”
“Sounds good. But just in case...” She stared hard at Sarah’s backside for a long moment and then turned back to me with a satisfied grin. “I just wished for a hundred years of bad luck on her head. If real life is anything like the movies, she’ll get what she deserves.”
I had to laugh at Geminia. She was fast becoming one of my favorite human beings.
With everything that went on last night, I hadn’t had time to consider how to take my revenge on Sarah for burning my pie. At this point, all I wanted to do was return to normal. Finish this competition without coming in last place. Make my parents happy so I wouldn’t be stuck in the diner for the rest of the summer.
And just be best friends again with Hunter.
He and I hadn’t spoken since the incident. It’d taken me exactly three minutes after leaving the bar and grill to convince myself that what had happened between us was just an accident. A weird, emotional, and heart-throbbing accident.
Hunter had been extra vulnerable, opening up about Steven. I was still recovering from the trauma of this past year. We’d kissed during a moment of weakness and that was the end of that. I was putting the whole thing out of my head today, no doubt just like Hunter had.
Like I said—I was going to fix everything.
“Move it, ladies, move it.” Ms. Gentry stood near the black curtains that separated us from the catwalk and audience. She sharply clapped her hands together twice and scanned the room with her no-nonsense stare. “Remember—this event is another ten percent of your total score. You only have moments to impress on that runway. They’d better be your best.”
Geminia shot me a wide-eyed look, although her lips twitched with a suppressed smile. We hurried behind the other girls in line. Music with a heavy bass beat started on the other side of the curtain and the chatter of the crowd died down.
“I’d like Miss Hale to go first,” Ms. Gentry said, her gaze falling on me.
I gaped up at her, a million excuses fluttering around in my head as to why that was the worst idea since rationing lifeboats on the Titanic. But the slight narrowing of her eyes and lift of her chin as my mouth flapped uselessly put that to an end. This was a challenge. She was testing my commitment to this competition. I had to do it, or I’d be out.
“Good luck,” Geminia whispered.
The music
grew a little louder as I waited next to the catwalk entrance for my cue. My heart thundered a little too loudly. I’d never modeled anything in my life, let alone in front of a crowd. But I needed to nail this if I was going to make up some ground on Sarah. All those years of binging on America’s Next Top Model were about to pay off. It was time to channel my best Tyra Banks impression.
“Now,” Ms. Gentry ordered, nodding sharply at me.
With a deep inhale, I took a step out onto the catwalk. It wasn’t anything fancy. We didn’t even have flashing lights or local celebrities crowding the front rows. It was a simple raised platform that stretched between a few rows of metal folding chairs. Most of those chairs were full of 4H kids and their family. Lexi and Beth sat near the end.
And Hunter was nowhere to be seen.
The unexpected thought about him made my heel slip a little on that first step. But I rebounded, throwing my shoulders back and strutting down that platform as if I owned the place. It honestly wasn’t hard to feel like a million bucks in my crimson gown. The kid who designed it was a senior at Rock Valley and incredibly talented with a sewing machine. It swished around my feet like flames, a layer of sheer red crinoline adding to the effect.
I kept my eyes on the back of the room, determined not to let myself look for Hunter. Just the idea that he could be here, watching me, was giving my stomach butterflies hopped up on Red Bull. With a dramatic flourish of my dress, I turned at the end of the runway and headed back, feeling utterly exhausted by my small stint as a supermodel.
This job was harder than it looked.
“Very impressive, Miss Hale.” Ms. Gentry ushered the next model in as she nodded at me. “You seem to have at last found your footing in this competition.”
“I’m just sorry it took me this long.” I bit my lower lip, sincerity entering my voice. “I’m not the fastest learner.”
She peered down her nose at me and frowned. “It’s not the speed that matters. It’s the dedication.”
Finally! I was in the game!
I smiled at Ms. Gentry in thanks and hurried away to return my dress to its rightful owner. By the time I’d wrestled my way out of it, the fashion show was done. The curtains were being torn down and most of the audience had begun to mingle in with the contestants. Lexi and Beth found me first, with Lexi grabbing ahold of my arm and screaming in excitement, while Beth crossed her arms and quietly waited for the embarrassment to pass.
Hunter was still nowhere to be seen. He must’ve had better things to do this morning than watch a bunch of kids model homemade clothes. Part of me was relieved I wouldn’t have to face him yet. The other part...felt strangely disappointed.
“You did so amazing. Your dress, your walk, your makeup. Out of this world.” Lexi began hyperventilating and started to fan herself. “You really were made to be in this competition, Charlotte. You rocked that.”
“You really think so?” I asked.
Honestly, I was just trying to keep my head above water at this point. But hearing that I’d rocked an event was giving me all kinds of blips of excitement.
“You’re a Rodeo Queen shoe-in,” she added, grabbing onto Beth’s arm. “Right?”
“Don’t quit your day job just yet,” Beth said with a smile and rolling of her eyes. “But yeah, you killed it.”
Geminia came rushing out of the crowd on our right side, still dressed in her denim. She lunged toward me, her eyes sparkling with glee. “Did you hear? Did you hear?”
I shook my head, completely at a loss for why she was so excited. “What?”
“Sarah totally biffed it.” She giggled behind her hand, her eyebrows raising. “She tripped on her heels and nearly fell off the platform. And afterwards, Ms. Gentry found her chewing out her designer. Sarah had the poor girl in tears. She blamed her for making her trip. Sounds like she’ll be getting a poor score in the gentility category.”
“Are you serious?” My mouth fell open. “Are you saying your bad luck trick worked?”
Geminia made a face and then pointed at the ceiling. “I don’t know, but I’m thanking my unlucky star for that one. Anyway, I need to ditch these clothes. I’ll check in with you later.”
I waved goodbye to her as she made her way to the changing rooms in the back. Lexi squealed again when I turned back to them, Beth adding one more eye roll.
“I knew it!” she said. “You’re totally back in the running! You can win this!”
Disbelief spread from my head to the rest of my body like a warm shower. I clenched my fists and bounced a little on my toes, Lexi’s excitement spreading to me. Maybe I could win. Ms. Gentry seemed pleased with my performance today. I still had to get my scoresheet, but I was pretty sure I’d be near the top. My mission to unseat Sarah was coming back into reach.
Maybe I’d never get an apology from her for treating me the way she did, but this would be nearly as sweet.
“Okay, this is for real,” I said, leaning toward them to whisper. “There are two events left. What’s the strategy?”
“Well, honestly, I think you should put your focus on the last event.” Beth shrugged matter-of-factly as her gaze darted between us. Her eyes always seemed to light up at the hint of any competition. Gamer girl to the rescue. “According to your itinerary, it’s worth forty percent of your overall score. That’s where you can edge Sarah out.”
“Exactly. That’s where we put the squeeze on her,” Lexi added with a nod.
I groaned into my hands, nerves rippling over me. “But that’s the part where we ride into the arena. I’ve never even ridden a horse before. How am I supposed to dominate?”
“Easy.” Lexi grabbed my arm and giggled. “We just need to snag you that cowboy.”
It was hard to take Lexi seriously. One minute, she seemed ready to map out a plan for world domination, and the next she was gushing about boys.
Beth gave her a frown. “Hey, I’m all about the tight denim and belt buckles, but how is that supposed to help her?”
Lexi’s wide-eyed incredulous look would’ve been hilarious, if I wasn’t feeling so impatient with her. “Because, he can teach our poor Char to ride. That’s how. And I’m thinking Hunter might be our best bet.”
“Hmmm...yeah. I’m not so sure about that plan.” I shook my head at her. The whole cowboy-crazy thing was getting a bit annoying. Enough was enough.
I turned and headed toward a booth on the side of the room, where my keys and purse had been stashed for safe keeping. The crowd around us was beginning to disperse and I had a shift to work at the diner. Despite my dedication to the contest, my parents had yet to lift my summer punishment. They probably wouldn’t until I had a crown on my head.
“Why is that?” Lexi scrambled after me, Beth following behind. “I thought you guys were best friends. He’d probably love to teach you.”
I paused in front of the booth, glancing back at her. “Because.”
Riding lessons with Hunter might have seemed innocent on the surface, but after the kiss from last night, it was the last place I wanted to be.
She arched one eyebrow and crossed her arms. “Because you like him?”
I hissed and scanned the crowd around us. Hunter or one of the rodeo guys could’ve been nearby. It would’ve killed me to have him hear her say that—especially after the way he’d left me in that storage closet all alone. We weren’t a thing. Hunter obviously didn’t like me like that. All I could do was damage control at this point, and that meant keeping Lexi from getting any crazy ideas about us.
“No, because he’s got better things to do than babysit me on a horse.” I reached under the table to grab my things.
“That’s funny.” Beth leaned against the table in front of me, the right side of her mouth curling up. “Because when Lexi asked him after the fashion show ended, he said he’d be happy to. He’s expecting you at the Sweet Oak Ranch today at four.”
I froze, still leaning down for my stuff, my fingers curled tightly around my keys. “Hunter was here?”
Beth’s grin grew a little brighter. “Yep. He had to run, but he told us to say hi.”
My mouth went dry as I straightened my spine. Hunter had been here. He’d seen me rock the runway. But yet, he hadn’t stuck around. Hadn’t texted or called since last night. And now, he was going to teach me how to ride a horse. I was getting seriously mixed messages from him.
This never would’ve happened if we hadn’t kissed.
But as much as I wanted to crawl into a hole and hide until the whole thing blew over, I had goals. The biggest of them was to see Sarah defeated at her own game. If I was going to do that, I had to learn how to ride. And Hunter was my best bet.
“Okay, fine, I’ll practice with Hunter,” I told the girls, eyeing them both. “But only if you stop with the harassment. Hunter and I are just friends. Got that?”
They both made thumbs-up signs and grinned, but I wasn’t convinced my message got through to them.
It was a good thing I hadn’t told them about what happened in that storage room last night, or I’d never hear the end of it. If we were going to move on and have the best year ever, Hunter and I both had to forget about that kiss.
No matter how impossible that seemed.
Chapter Fourteen
The Sweet Oak Boys Ranch was unlike anything I’d ever seen before.
A pristine white gravel road led to the sprawling ranch with a massive red barn, out buildings, and a large farmhouse. White picket fences ran along the driveway, holding in a dozen or so gorgeous sleek horses that tossed their heads and ran alongside as I drove my mom’s van toward the house. Hunter’s empty blue pickup was already there. I parked beside it and hopped out.
The air smelled like freshly turned dirt and green grass baking in the sunshine. I inhaled deeply, allowing the scent to calm my mind. The whole drive here, I’d been bugging about what to do when I saw Hunter again. Act like the kiss never happened? Address it head-on? I couldn’t be sure.
Dare You to Resist the Bull Rider (Rock Valley High Book 4) Page 11