Reckless Love (Cowboys & Angels 7)

The entire drive to Lilly’s my hands shook. What in the hell did this girl do to me? For the first time in my life, I wanted to be with a girl not only for sex, but to find out more about her. I was curious about Scarlett. Curious about why my heart seemed to beat faster when she looked at me. The little girl with the braces and braided pigtails was fun to play tag with when our mothers would visit, but now she was fucking stunning. I wanted to get to know everything about her, and I wouldn’t turn down a game a tag, if she insisted.

Walking into the café, I spotted Scarlett in a booth. She glanced up and waved to me as I made my way over to her.

“Hey,” I said, slipping into the booth.

“You made it.”

I frowned. “You didn’t think I’d come?”

She shrugged. “I wasn’t sure. I guess I shouldn’t put too much stock into those rumors after all.”

I tried to smile, but it fell short. What if she knew all those rumors were most likely true? Most of the girls I asked out were sure bets who I’d be making out with within an hour of said date, and if I was lucky, sleeping with that night. Hell, most of the girls were only interested in hooking up as well, just so they could say they had fucked me.

After ordering two coffees, Scarlett and I were lost in conversation. I’d never been able to hold conversations with any of the girls I took out. Scarlett was different. So fucking different. She laughed at my stupid jokes and listened when I talked. She asked what having six siblings was like, told me she hated Boston but didn’t want to disappoint her parents, and said she planned on moving back to Oak Springs after college. I told her my plan was to go to college and work on the ranch with the goal of someday running it. Hopefully with a couple of my brothers.

With a sigh, she dropped back against the booth seat. “It must be nice to have a dream.”

“You don’t have a dream?” I asked, watching those beautiful light brown eyes study me before she answered.

“Not really. I mean, I want to go to school, but there’s nothing I feel passionate about. I love animals and wanted to go to vet school, but my parents didn’t think that was something I’d stick with.”

I frowned. “Why would they say that?”

She shrugged, her eyes turning sad as she glanced down at her coffee cup. Running her finger over the rim, she stared at it, lost in thought.

I studied her hands. Moving up, I watched her chew on her lip, and I ached with a need to kiss her.

“I want to kiss you, Scarlett.”

Her eyes jerked back up to meet mine. The corner of her mouth rose slightly as she asked, “Why?”

With a laugh, I shook my head. “I don’t know.”

Her brow rose.

“I mean, I know why, but I don’t know…why.”

She giggled. “That makes zero sense, Trevor.”

I cleared my throat. “Okay, I want to kiss you because you’re beautiful. Funny. I like you, and you’re different from any other girl I’ve ever talked to.”

My tongue darted over my lips, her gaze taking in the motion. When her eyes lifted back to meet mine, she said, “Then maybe you should kiss me.”

I smiled.

She smiled.

And my heart felt like it was going to explode on the spot.

“You kids want anything else?” Lilly asked, glancing between me and Scarlett and breaking our intense connection.

“No thanks, Lilly,” I said with a polite smile. Scarlett pulled out the money for her coffee, but I tapped her hand. I barely noticed the slight gasp she made from my touch because it felt like a zap of electricity.

“I got it.”

“Thank you,” she said, blushing. She started to slide out of the booth.

“Where are you going?” I asked.

“I have to leave for the airport early in the morning. I better head home.”

“Your folks taking you?” I asked.

She nodded as I tossed a ten onto the table and followed her out of the café.

We walked toward her car and with each step closer, my heart raced in my chest.

Scarlett stopped at her door, then faced me. When she looked up and smiled, I knew that Scarlett Littlefield made me feel something I’d never felt before and that scared the shit out of me. Maybe it was a good thing she was leaving town. I had a feeling she would keep my stomach in knots if she stayed in Oak Springs.

“Thank you for the coffee and conversation, Trevor. I really enjoyed it.”

The way she said my name made my chest squeeze even more.

I stepped in, making her lean back against her car. When I lowered my mouth, I paused inches from her lips. Closing my eyes, I breathed in her scent.