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Their mouths fall open. “Sweet Dane said that?” Harper asks, tilting her head. “That must have caused some stress.” Harper’s empathy for others is pure and genuine, having anxiety herself.
“He thinks it’s fine for him to sleep around but not me. So, I set him straight, and he apologized. Then at Timber Thrills, Nick got the boot.”
“We heard.” Adalee leans forward wanting to hear more.
“I felt a sense of relief, realizing Nick isn’t my type. Maybe I ‘date,’ I use air quotes. “Dane’s friends to stay close to him. Ughh, saying that out loud makes me sound needy and codependent. I’m not; I practically raised myself.”
Dane’s parents did a good amount of parenting me as well. They fed me, let me ride their horses, and their trainer spent many hours a week training me. They bought me every saddle I’ve ever owned.
Adalee comes over and gives me a hug. “I know how you feel. If you ever want to talk to someone who also raised herself, call me.”
“I will.” I take a drink so big that I get a brain freeze and have to press my hands on each side of my head for a minute. “Here’s the thing. Dane and I went to buy glow necklaces while the rest of the group were saving a spot to watch the fireworks. It was that dark and dusty time of night when he put my glow necklace around my neck. I closed my eyes and felt something touch my lips.”
“Oh my God, Dane kissed you, and you’re just now telling me!” Brooke screams. “We should be eating cookies on the floor like the night Reed and I…”
“First, you and Reed got it on early. I’ve known Dane since before I could ride a bike.”
Harper squeals. “How was it? Hungry? Needy? Seductive? God, you can tell Evy is interrupting my sex life.”
Adalee hugs her. “Tonight, Hap. Hagan and I are keeping Evy for a few hours. When I suggested it, you would have thought Hagan was eating moldy cheese the way his nose pinched. He definitely doesn’t like to think about you having sex, even though you have a baby.”
Harper falls back against the couch. “Oh, thank God. I need some Logan loving. But back to Lettie and Dane kissing.”
“I don’t even know if he kissed me. It was so light that it could have been my hair or his fingers.”
“Girl, if he was touching your lips with his fingers, then he has it bad for you,” Brooke says. “I’ve been around you both for a long time, and I’ve always known he has the hots for you, but you refuse to see it.”
“How? When he has perfect girls like Hannah wanting him. He’s seen me covered in mud.”
Harper lifts her eyebrows. “That’s a guy’s wet dream.”
“Lettie, I think he kissed you. He must have told Reed because why else would Reed text me?”
“I’ll talk to him this weekend.” My lips press into a smile thinking of Dane. “But I have a better idea. Why don’t you go find out what Dane said to Reed . Go. Go act like your dad needs him,” I say way too quickly.
“Me thinks Lettie likes Dane as more than a best friend,” Brooke teases.
Chapter Ten
DANE
Since when are toes sexy? The pale pink painted toes pinching the dashboard of my SUV is driving me fucking crazy. I’ve seen Lettie’s toes a million times. Tickled them. Pulled them. And I never once thought of her toes running the length of my leg and skimming over the bulge in my shorts—until now. I can’t stop dreaming of her touching me in a more than friends’ way.
And her golden tanned thighs, forget about it. I imagine her thighs squeezing against my ears and wrapped around my waist when we’re naked.
When we were in tenth grade, I started looking at Lettie differently, but it used to be easy to control. Not once did I think Lettie wanted me. For these past seven years, she’s flirted, and kissed guys in front of me. She’s never shown any signs of jealousy except prom night our senior year Because I was an inch away from kissing her then ran out and was on the receiving end of a BJ when Lettie opened the car door so in fairness she may not have been jealous, just shocked,
At the cookout, I told the guys about kissing her and how she didn’t kiss me back. While I was telling the story, Mac Callaghan came striding up. He plays baseball and football for the Stallions and used to live with Logan and Hagan.
“What kind of kiss did you lay on her?” Mac says in his Texas accent. “Maybe she didn’t know if it was a friend kiss, like 'glad you’re here’ or if it was an ‘I can’t wait to be inside you, kiss.’”
All the guys shook their heads, contemplating his words. I hadn’t told them that it was a hesitant, featherlight kiss that barely absorbed her lips. She just looked so damn beautiful with strands of her hair going every which way.
Tonight, I plan on talking to her about it. I have to know how she feels before she leaves for her equestrian show jumping competitions. Or should I wait? She needs to stay focused. Her goal has always been to make it to the Olympics and with each competition she builds up points. If she has enough, she’ll get invited to the Olympic Trials .
As I turn down the volume to Kelsey Ballerini’s, “Half of My Hometown,” Lettie says, “Hey. I was singing.” Then she proceeds to press the volume back up. We fight over the volume taking turns turning it up and down. “Stop.”
One side of her nose raises a little in a scowl before she laughs. She’s a talented singer but has never pursued it. “You’re cute when you get annoyed.” I half-laugh.
