Her Blind Date Cowboy - Taylor Hart Page 0,22
door opened deeper in the house, and he expected to see her all sleepy. To his amazement, she was wearing jean cutoffs and a T-shirt that had AVI on it, and her hair was wet. “Hey,” she said.
He was floored. “You’re okay?”
She paused by the counter where he’d just put everything. “Yes, thank you.”
Before he could even say “you’re welcome,” she leaned up and kissed him on the cheek. “And thank you for … forgiving me.”
Every part of him stilled. The smell of mango coconut hit him like a ton of bricks, and he wanted to embrace her and really kiss her.
Her attention was already averted to the soda crackers. “Great idea.” She opened the box and began munching. “These are so good after all of that.”
He couldn’t believe she was really okay. “What happened yesterday?”
Evie fetched a glass from the cabinet, then opened her freezer and rummaged for ice. “I must have been allergic to one of the spices at the restaurant. It’s happened once before when I got that spice in the corps, but it’s never been that bad.” She twisted the cap from the soda water and poured some for herself.
He was pleased to see that she’d recovered, but he was also mystified. “So you don’t know what triggers you?”
She shrugged. “I think it’s some spice, but I’m not sure. I do get migraines sometimes, but I’ve never been able to figure out what it is. It happened a lot in the AVI.”
His hackles rose a bit. AVI was what had initially kept them apart. “Hmm.” He tried to not be petty and to remember that he’d forgiven her last night. “That stinks.”
“It’s what it is,” she said in between mouthfuls of crackers and soda. “But seriously, thank you. You were really great.”
“You’re welcome.” His chest puffed out as he basked in her gratitude.
She put her hand over his. “Are you ready for what we’re doing today?”
The mischievous glint in her eye made him take pause. “Why do you look like you’re going to laugh your head off?”
She winced. “Okay, I’m going to tell you. Only because you were so amazing yesterday. If you don’t want to do it, I have something else in mind.”
His heart raced, and he couldn’t wait to hear whatever naughtiness she’d thought of. “Okay.”
She leaned over the counter, slightly invading his personal space. “Skydiving.”
“No.” His jaw dropped.
She pointed at him and laughed. “I knew you’d hate it.”
Then everything become crystal clear. “You’ve purposely tried to construct things I would hate.”
Evie scrunched up her nose, then playfully tapped his shoulder. “C’mon, country star. You love it.” She dashed away from him, and Liam followed. She rushed around the couch and giggled when he seized a pillow and threw it at her.
“I can’t believe you,” he said. “That’s why you terrified me on the bridge and then taunted me by telling me I was a pansy if I didn’t do it.”
She nodded and darted out the back door, scampering down the stairs. He chased her, jumping clean over the steps, but he tripped and didn’t manage to grab her shirt. She booked it down the beach.
Liam recovered and sprinted after her. “You’re going to pay!” He gained on her and seized her by the waist, bringing her down but taking care to cushion her fall. He’d had plenty of years practicing fake wrestling moves with Shay, and he knew exactly how to drag her down without hurting her.
They rolled once, laughing. He loved every minute of feeling her body against him.
They stopped, and Evie tried to shove at him, but he held her close. “I can’t believe you tormented me like that maliciously. Sneakily maliciously.”
She giggled some more. “I’m sorry.” She sucked in a long breath. “I’m really sorry.”
He stopped tickling her, and they just stayed in each other’s arms for a while. He didn’t want to cross boundaries, and he didn’t want to tick her off. He needed to let her go.
Her face softened. “You stayed by my side last night. Why?”
Did she realize that he’d do anything for her? He’d figured that out when he’d fallen in love with her all those years ago. He rolled onto his side, propped up his head with his hand and faced her. “Because you needed me.”
“Why?” Her eyelids fluttered. “I took you on that huge bridge when I knew you hated heights. And I …” She trailed, then reached out and fiddled with the necklace hanging around his neck. “I’ve done so many things that