Chapter 5

Chapter

Five

Cassie’s heart raced out of control and her entire body was warm with longing.

Easton. Her Easton. As he’d sung to Presley, helped settle her daughter to sleep, he’d been playful, warm, and sincere. He’d been the man she’d yearned for all these years.

She’d fought so hard to care for Presley, sacrificed as a single mom fighting to protect her daughter from her dangerous father.

For this moment, in the intimate darkness of this room, as the husky strains of Easton singing “How Great Thou Art” still lingered, she wasn’t alone. Presley had a man who cared deeply for her in her life, and so did Cassie. A man who was strong spiritually and physically. Could Easton really be that man? Had he matured and learned over the years?

No! She was thinking crazy thoughts. Easton wouldn’t take all that she and Presley needed seriously. He probably had a date he needed to get to. He most likely sang for every pretty girl.

Her heart thudded dully in her chest. She walked out into the main area, her back ramrod straight. She needed to get him out of here and then she could … what? Mourn his loss again?

No. She could focus on the weddings. Of course. She’d pull out her laptop and start researching her centerpiece ideas. She had multiple files ready to present to the brides and see what they would like. Some brides came in with ideas of their own, and she would be working off of the other wedding planner’s efforts. She’d have to revamp and refocus yet keep what they loved in place. It was a lot of work, but she thrived on the process and the final product. She wouldn’t miss a single detail.

Stopping to the side of the front door so Easton would have a clear path out, she turned to face him. He studied her. Those blue eyes tugged her in, and she wished she could fling herself at his appealing chest like her daughter had.

No. He had to leave or she’d fall prey to his charming, silken tongue and the enchantment of those blue eyes. She wasn’t certain what to say to make him go.

“Thank you for being so cute with her,” she managed.

“Not a problem. She’s bussin’, and of course she fell instantly for my rizz.”

He grinned even as she grimaced. Like every other female out there, her daughter was falling for Easton Coleville. Sadly, he was right. Cassie didn’t know how to protect her daughter’s heart from him, let alone her own.

He glanced back at the bedroom and then looked to her. “Was your ex abusive?”

Her breath rushed out. Of course Easton Coleville didn’t know the meaning of decorum or beating around the bush. “That is none of your business,” she said, terror slicing through her.

If Easton found out the way Baxter had treated her and Presley—coming to the house, shoving her down and almost kidnapping Presley, the fact that he was most likely a murderer, or the creepy notes Baxter had left about killing her and taking Presley … She shivered. The good old renegade cowboy would track Baxter down, and Easton wouldn’t stop at one punch this time. If only she could turn to Easton for protection, but she couldn’t trust him not to move on and kiss the next pretty girl. He’d break her and Presley when he did.

Easton’s brows lowered. The usually happy-go-lucky and teasing cowboy was not one bit happy right now. “Really? You’re none of my business? What we had means nothing and I shouldn’t care that you’re obviously running from your ex and your angel daughter is praying that her ‘mean dad’ won’t find you? What kind of a flop of a man do you take me for, Cassie?”

Cassie clutched at her throat. She couldn’t swallow past the dryness. If only she could trust him again. “Easton, please. Just go. I can’t?—”

Easton strode to her. She could feel the angst radiating off of him. She didn’t know how he’d react, but she doubted he’d just leave.

Then he wrapped his arms around her and tugged her against his chest.

Cassie’s breath rushed out. She’d never forgotten this spot, had longed for it and cursed herself for her weakness. To be back in Easton’s perfect arms was surreal. His body was even more defined and larger than the last time he’d held her, more than six long years ago. She should’ve been strong and pushed him away, but she melted into him and savored his mint, citrus, and pine scent.

He simply held her. He didn’t make any moves or ask anything of her. She felt the beat of his heart and savored his strength and warmth.

“‘I wanna take away the hurts, but I just don’t have the words. Let me hold you …’” Easton sang to her in his manly tenor, and she longed to let him take away every hurt like he used to. For the first time in years, she wasn’t fighting through life on her own, protecting Presley from Baxter, supporting herself and her daughter in a sink or swim, dog eat dog world. She was protected and safe and loved.

Loved? No. Easton didn’t love her, not anymore. He loved gorgeous women, not one solo woman. He wasn’t the type to settle down with his high school love and raise a child who wasn’t even his. She knew Easton well, and though he might be the man of her teenage dreams, he wasn’t the man to step in and be a stable husband and surrogate father. No way was the player of the year going to do that.

Cassie stiffened and pulled back.

He let her go, his blue eyes hyper-focused on her. “I’m here, Cass. Let me watch out for you and Presley.”

It was exactly what she’d wanted him to say. He hadn’t even used teenage lingo, and his gaze said he was as serious as she’d ever seen him.

He waited, but she had no idea what to say.

“I haven’t sung to anyone in six years.” He tilted his head to the bedroom. “You and Presley. I want to be here for both of you.”

Cassie’s heart walloped against her chest. He only sang for her, for Presley. If only he could be the man she’d always wanted him to be.

No. She couldn’t trust that he would follow through. He might even mean his words, until they spent two days apart and a hot cowgirl distracted him.

She backed away and shook her head. “We’re fine,” she lied through her teeth. “My ex was controlling and emotionally abusive, but we got away and he doesn’t know where we are.” If only she could tell him all the horrifying details and beg him to protect her and stay close.

“I don’t think you’re fine,” he said. “I’m going to keep an eye on you, whether you like it or not.”

“You don’t have time for that. All those rodeos and women you need to be there for…” She wished he would refute her words, but even if he did, she knew he wouldn’t follow through. Pretty words didn’t equate to trust. Not with him.

He edged closer to her, those blue eyes solemn and focused. She backed into the wall, and he kept on coming. Like the most handsome cowboy anybody had ever seen, he leaned down close to her, pinning her against the wall. “These scars on my forehead mean I’m officially out of commission for rodeos and women. Except for one woman. The most important woman in the world.”

Cassie was going to hyperventilate if he kept this up. She wasn’t the most important woman in the world to him. Not anymore. She felt bad about his scars, but was his accident the only reason he wasn’t after other women?

“You can’t rodeo?” she managed to squeak out.

He shook his head. “I was in a coma for two days. The doctors officially grounded me. Can’t risk a repeat head injury. I’m out of commission until next spring. ”

“You sound happy about it.” She pressed her palms flat against the wall behind her rather than reaching out for him like she longed to do.

“Oh, I haven’t been. Believe me. I’ve been furious, depressed, floundering …” His gaze swept over her face, lingering on her lips for long enough that she was left panting for air and wishing he’d kiss her like he used to. “But now that you and Presley were brought here by our good Lord above and I have a renewed purpose, I’m exactly where I want to be.”

He leaned down close. His warm breath brushed her lips. If she arched up just an inch, their lips would meet.

“‘Are you going to kiss me or not?’” He sang their song, and he was her Easton, and for that moment they didn’t have years of pain and him cheating surrounding them.

Cassie almost arched up. She struggled mightily to remain still. It was torture not to kiss him and end every pain she’d experienced.

His gaze searched hers, and something changed.

“Hold that thought,” he whispered against her lips. “You’re not ready, but we’ll be in this position soon, and then you can share everything you’re feeling with me.”

He straightened, put on his cowboy hat, and winked at her, but he wasn’t just being the gallant cowboy flirt. He was serious. She’d never known Easton to show such restraint.

Was he only playing games with her? Making her long for him even more so she’d throw away all her resistance?

She used to know exactly what Easton was thinking, but the distance between them was clouding her mind.

Cassie leaned against the wall, trying to catch her breath, not certain her legs would support her.

“Deadbolt this behind me, my sweet but sassy Cass. I’ll make sure Bennett and Clint know to be on the lookout for you, and I’ll be close by.”

He swept through the door and closed it behind him.

Cassie pivoted on unsteady legs and deadbolted the door. His sweet but sassy Cass. She wasn’t that girl any longer, though she wanted to be.

“That’s my girl,” she heard him say on the other side.

She leaned heavily against the door. What was he doing to her? In what world had she believed she could come back to Coleville, interact with Easton, and not fall for him all over again?

She touched her lips. He hadn’t even kissed her, but she still felt weak and completely gone over him. She had to pray for strength. She needed help from her Savior. Heaven above would not want her broken like only Easton could do to her. Even more, she needed to protect her innocent daughter.

They were both in deep trouble.