Curvy Girls Can't Date Cowboys - Kelsie Stelting Page 0,62
a second. “Why would I want something like this to last less than twenty-four hours?”
“You saw my parents,” I said. “They’re crazy protective.”
A mischievous light filled his eyes. “I won’t tell if you don’t.”
“But what about the fall?” I asked, not feeling as jocular as he was. “You’ll be here, and I’ll be in college.”
“What if we took it one day at a time?” he asked. He tried to keep his expression light, but I could tell my answer mattered to him.
“What are you saying?” I breathed.
He leaned forward, a twinkle in his eyes. This close, I could smell his cologne, see the small freckle atop his left cheekbone, feel the warmth rolling off his body. “I’m saying I like you.”
My heart tightened in my chest. We were signing up for heartbreak, both of us, but I realized we were also agreeing to an adventure. To an unforgettable experience, and I couldn’t say no. Not to the man sitting across from me.
“But what does that mean?”
His hand reached up, caressing my cheek, and every part of me went haywire. How could a simple touch with his rough fingertips send my heart skittering at a jaunty pace and my stomach swooping and my skin tingling?
“You’re beautiful,” he breathed, his voice husky. “And when a guy has something beautiful, he doesn’t let it go. Not when it’s easy, and definitely not when things get hard.”
And in his eyes, I saw something I never expected: the truth. He believed those words with everything in him.
His forehead came to mine, and for a moment, we stayed like that, the air charged around us. My lips physically ached to touch his, but this feeling was so amazing, I feared changing something—even taking a breath—would ruin it.
Ray wasn’t giving up, and I wouldn’t too.
Forty-Two
His brother wanted to know if we were up for hot chocolate.
Hot chocolate. Like the drink. It all seemed incomprehensible with my head, and heart, in the clouds.
He turned to me, his eyes losing heat. “Do you?”
Jerkily, I nodded. How could we come back to reality—to hot chocolate—after communicating, feeling, something like that?
“Yes,” Ray called.
The footsteps stalled and started back up the stairs.
Ray stood and extended his hand. I stood and put mine in his. It was large and easily enveloped my own, like he could physically wrap me up and keep me warm. I had to admit, at Ray’s house I felt completely safe. Sometimes even more so than at my parents’ home.
He kept our connection until we reached the guestroom doorway, then he separated from me completely. I hated the distance that formed between us. I wanted Ray up close and personal, and this time I wanted him to make his move again, to put his lips on mine and remind me how a kiss from him could feel.
Then I shook my head again, happy his back was toward me.
Get a grip, Ginger.
We’d barely started dating. He had more responsibility resting on his shoulders than I’d had in years. It wasn’t a good match. But why did it feel so good when his skin was touching mine?
We made it upstairs, and his mom and sister turned to us before looking back at what they were focusing on. My cheeks immediately heated, feeling like they could tell what we’d been doing—what I’d been thinking. Could they see the way I looked at Ray? Could they tell the way he felt about me? If so, we probably wouldn’t be allowed downstairs on our own anymore.
“Want to play a board game?” Laura asked.
“What a great idea,” Mrs. Sadler added. “That would be some great family time.”
I smiled at them. “Should I go downstairs and hangout for a while so you can spend time together?”
“Nonsense.” Mrs. Sadler dropped some marshmallows into a few cups. “Anyone who stays the night here is a part of the Sadler family forever.”
She set one of the mismatched mugs in front of me, and I breathed in steam from the sweet liquid. It smelled homemade, not like something that came out of a box. “How did you make this?” I asked.
“A little something I learned from YouTube University.” She winked.
I grinned at her. “One of my friends’ moms is actually a big YouTuber. Last I checked, she had more than a hundred thousand subscribers.”
“Jacinda Junco, right?” Mrs. Sadler sat at the table and wrapped her hands around her own cup. “She has some great tricks—especially for grass stains.” She eyed Ray’s younger brother.