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Chapter
Sixteen
Cade couldn’t sleep. It was only nine-thirty. He’d hoped Jacey would come back out and they could talk or watch a movie or kiss. Which was silly as she’d said goodnight and he shouldn’t want to keep fighting his feelings for her.
How adorable and fun she’d been as she jumped into the lake off the highest ledge and screamed as she shot out of the water. He could add adventurous to already knowing how brave she was. He wanted to spend a lifetime working with her, riding horses, swimming, having adventures, kissing her …
‘If you could kiss me anytime you wanted to.’ The line had been cute in the movie. From Jacey’s gorgeous mouth it had almost been too much for his crumbling resistance. All his noble reasons not to kiss her were growing weak and irrelevant.
He tossed and turned on the floor of the spare bedroom. He’d brought a couple sleeping bags up and stacked them so it was decently comfortable but nothing like his king-sized bed.
That was currently occupied by the most intriguing and appealing woman ever created by the good Lord.
A woman he could protect and sometimes let himself touch or hold, but who could never be his.
She’d wanted to kiss him tonight. It was probably the dozenth time over the past four days he could’ve easily captured those straight, full, enthralling lips with his own.
He pounded a fist into the carpet. Dang his honor and loyalty. What did all of that matter if he was hurting Jacey?
She’d hurt a lot worse when she came to herself, realized she was basically American royalty, and felt awkward and embarrassed that she’d let her guard down around a simple cowboy.
He loved when she called him cowboy and couldn’t get enough of the look in her eyes when he called her sweetheart.
Closing his eyes, he let himself savor the memories of their simple touches, the times their gazes held, her screaming happily as she jumped off the cliff into the lake and screaming ‘cold’ each time she surfaced, her on Annie’s back … ahh. He’d always longed to marry a woman who loved horses as much as he did. Jacey had been born to be on a horse. Annie was a quality horse, but nothing like what Jacey was used to riding. He’d let himself Google it last night. Her father owned thoroughbred racing horses. The media had taken picture after picture of the gorgeous Jacey Oliver on those horses. She didn’t race them, but she rode them in the parade before the derbies.
Perfection. That was what Jacey was to him.
And completely, totally out of his league.
He heard the master bedroom door open and close and soft footsteps pad out and down the stairs. He should not follow her. His defenses were epically low right now.
Yet she was his to defend, and what if there was danger? In his quiet house. At midnight. With all of the digital security silent. The only danger was him kissing her for a very, very long time.
He groaned and rolled off the sleeping bags. Standing, he slipped out of his room and through the darkened upstairs. Why hadn’t she flipped any lights on?
He padded down the steps and saw a faint glow in the kitchen. Jacey only had the over-the-cabinet accent lights on. She stood by the side counter, a cookie in one hand and a brownie in the other.
“Hey,” he said softly.
She spun, cursed, and clutched the treats to her chest, crumbling them. “Cade,” she admonished, her beautiful cheeks glowing pink and highlighting those freckles he loved.
“Forgive me.” He couldn’t hide his grin. “Midnight snack?” He glanced at the clock. More than two hours shy of midnight.
She shook her head, walked to the trash can, lifted the lid, and dumped them in. “I hoped some sugar would help me forget.”
“Forget? I thought we were trying to remember.”
She gave him a look that said he was being dense. As he peered closer at her, he realized how red-rimmed her eyes were.
“Sweetheart,” he murmured. “You’re not all right.”
“I am fine,” she gritted out.
He eased closer, apprehensive for some reason he didn’t understand. Jacey had a great way of teasing, but he imagined he was about to be put in his place. He wasn’t certain what he’d done wrong, besides missing out on another chance to kiss her earlier tonight. Did she understand why he couldn’t kiss her? Because he was beginning to question it himself.
Being alone like this for five days. With the ideal woman for him. She might be the most sought-after woman in America, but she was meant to be his.
It was messing with his head.
