“Uh-huh. And the fact that he almost kissed you has nothing to do with your change of heart?”
I glared at her. “No.”
She laughed. “God, you’re such a terrible liar. Lincoln, just admit that you like the guy.”
My eyes peeked over to Brock, who was now pacing as if he was worried I’d jump in the car and take off. Or maybe he was wondering if Kaylee was trying to talk me out of staying. Either way, nervous Brock almost made me giggle.
“I already said it . . . to him.”
“What?” Kaylee shouted.
I hit her again. “Be quiet! And by the way, the little honk was totally not called for.”
“But it sure was fun watching you lift up on your tippy-toes, so ready to kiss him, and then bam! You jumped out of your skin!”
Rolling my eyes, I replied, “Payback is a bitch. Listen, I’ll see you in a couple of hours, if you’re still up.”
“I took a nap an hour or so ago. My eyes needed rest. I’ll be up. Don’t worry.”
She flashed me an evil grin that said she planned on staying up to hear all the details of today . . . and whatever was about to transpire tonight.
“Be careful driving back.”
“I will. Make sure you put a saddle on that stallion before you ride it!” she called out as I walked toward Brock.
My face instantly heated. Lifting my hand, I shot her the finger, dying of embarrassment. “Okay, you have two hours,” I said to him.
Brock took my hand in his. “First, I want to dance with you.”
My stomach dipped at his touch and the softness in his voice.
“Okay,” I replied, letting him lead me back into the barn.
The band was doing a cover of Brantley Gilbert’s “Fall into Me.”
Brock pulled me into his arms and against his body. His leg went between both of mine, and his hand pressed on my lower back, drawing me in closer. I had never two-stepped this close with a guy before, but with Brock, it worked. We were practically one as we slowly danced on the makeshift dance floor. I’d never had such an amazing dance partner before. It was as if we had danced together a million times.
Neither of us said a word as we danced. Brock kept his blue eyes pierced on my gaze. His face was filled with an emotion I couldn’t read. A part of my mind started to drift off, and I couldn’t help but wonder how many women he’d danced with like this. He certainly hadn’t danced with his cousin like this, that was for sure.
As he expertly guided us around the floor, the song changed to a faster one.
Brock smiled. “Tell me you can swing dance, sweetheart.”
Laughing, I nodded. “I can.”
“Let’s show these people how to do it, then.”
And show them we did. Brock spun me, dipped me, and ground against me to the point that I almost felt like I might pass out from being so close to him. I hadn’t even noticed the crowd of people watching as I was spun around. Finally, he nestled his knee between my legs as he dipped me again and then slowly pulled me back up.
My heart was pounding, and it wasn’t from all the fast spins and dance moves. It was because Brock was looking into my eyes like he wanted me more than the air he breathed.
Then, the shouts and clapping came, and we were both pulled out of our trance.
Dirk came up and slapped Brock on the back. “Damn, son, if I didn’t know any better, I’d swear you two had done that a time or two.”
I pulled in a few deep breaths as I tried to focus on the pounding in my chest and not the throbbing sensation between my legs.
“I need a drink,” Brock said, taking my hand and guiding me off the dance floor.
“So I have to know . . . are all the stares because you’re the local famous guy?”
“It’s probably because you’re the first woman they’ve seen me with since my wife, Kaci.”
“Oh.” It was the only thing I could get out. That seemed to be the only word I used when he talked about his wife, because I was afraid of asking for more information on what had happened between them.
“Come on. Let’s go somewhere quieter.”
I nodded as I followed him out of the barn and down a path. “Where are we going?” I asked.
“Dirk and I used to hang out in the old hunter’s cabin when we were in high school. If I know Dirk’s mom, she still keeps it clean in there.”
We walked up a rock pathway to the cabin and stepped up two steps, and Brock fished for a key under the old mat. He held it up and smiled.
My hands started shaking at the idea of being alone with Brock in a small, private space. It wasn’t that I thought he would try something; it was because I desperately wanted him to. This feeling of wanting him shook me slightly. I hadn’t known him long, and our first interaction hadn’t been very pleasant. But spending today with him had made me giddy with anticipation.