She snagged his hat and set it beside her, running her fingers through his hair. “Tell me the truth, Nick. Why did you let me stay at your house the first time?”
“Because you were hot.”
“Well, duh.” She giggled.
He looked up at her, and his expression turned serious.
“What’s that look for?”
He slid his hand beneath her hair to the base of her neck. “I’m just realizing that you’ve always been special.”
“Ha! I could have told you that.”
He pulled her down and kissed her. “Smart-ass.”
They both laughed.
He closed his eyes, and she played with his hair, listening to the sounds of the creek, her cheeks warmed by the sun. She gazed out at the water, wishing he’d want her to stay, or that he’d come to Oak Falls. But even though their friendship had turned into so much more, while she loved him wholly and completely, she knew he was still catching up, trying to get over the last of his walls, and that was okay. They had plenty of time. But she wanted to know all the little things about him she hadn’t yet learned. Things she could hold on to while they were apart. “Tell me something I don’t know about you.”
He squinted up at her. “I’m kinda diggin’ this couple stuff.”
That made her feel good all over. “Me too. I’m going to miss you when I leave.”
He looked at her for a long moment before saying, “Yeah. I’ll miss you, too. Your turn. Tell me something I don’t know about you.”
I love you was on the tip of her tongue. “I’m thinking about stealing Pugsly.”
He smiled. “That’s one way to break us up.”
“I’m kidding. Well, I’m not really kidding. If I take Pugsly, you’ll definitely come see me.”
“You know I’ll come see you, darlin’. I promised to come down the weekend after you get there and set up your mock hospital room. We’re going to be fine.”
“I know.” But that didn’t mean it wouldn’t be hard to be apart.
“Don’t overthink it.”
Easier said than done. She tried to think of more things she didn’t know about him. “I just realized that I have no idea what your favorite song is.”
“I know what yours is.”
“You do?”
He flashed a cocky grin. “Save a Horse, Ride a Cowboy.”
“Now who’s the smart-ass?”
“I just tell it like it is.”
“Okay, cowboy, cough it up. What’s yours?”
“I have two. ‘Hurricane’ by Luke Combs because it reminds me of you—”
“Really? Or are you just saying that?”
“What’s our safe word?” They said, “Umbrella” in unison. “Do you have any doubt?”
She ran her fingers along his jaw and pressed her hand to his cheek. His scruff was rough, but his skin was soft and warm. “I love that you think of me when you hear it.”
“Want to know my other favorite song that makes me think of you?” When she nodded, he said, “‘Black’ by Dierks Bentley.”
She looked at him curiously. “Why?”
“It’s about a blow job.”
“Ohmygod!” She laughed. “I need to listen to that one more carefully.”
“We’ll play it tonight, and you can act it out.”
She wiggled out from beneath his head and crawled on top of him, gazing into his smiling eyes. “You’re such a guy.”
“Damn right.” He grabbed her ass and kissed her. “Your turn. Favorite song?”
“Don’t let this go to your head, but ‘Sunshine and Whiskey’ because that’s what I always thought your kisses would be like.”
A sea of emotions stared back at her. “And are they?”
She wrinkled her nose, opened her hand, and wiggled it in a so-so fashion. He smacked her ass, and she laughed. “They’re about a million times better.”
He rolled them onto their sides, kissing her slow and deep and oh so deliciously, and she said, “I take it back. A million and ten.” She sat up and took off her boots and socks.
“I like where this is heading.” He pulled off his boots.
As he took off his socks, Trixie rolled up her jeans and pushed to her feet. “Come on, cowboy, you need to cool off.”
She went into the creek and splashed him. He stood up, shooting her a warning glare. She kicked more water at him, and he sprinted toward her. She squealed and ran through the shallow water, but he was too fast. He swept her into his arms, soaking her in the process, which made her laugh even harder. He captured her laughter with a kiss as she wound her arms and legs around him, and they both came away laughing.
“You, darlin’, are a thief.”
“I am not!”
He arched a brow. “You steal all the covers at night.”
She grinned. “Okay, maybe that’s true.”
“You want to steal my dog.”
“Guilty,” she whispered.
“And you’ve obviously stolen a big damn piece of my heart, because I’m so crazy about you, I can barely see straight.”
She threw her arms up toward the sky and said, “Praise the Lord. Miracles do happen!” winning more delectable kisses on the most wonderful afternoon of her life.
Chapter Twenty-Six
“DID I TELL you that Jilly is bringing the unicorn horn and the wings for Alfie and Annabelle? I can’t wait to see them.” Trixie leaned closer to the bathroom mirror late Saturday afternoon, putting on makeup for the barbecue. “I can’t wait to see how Walt and Irene react to each other. I’m glad we didn’t tell him she was coming…”
Nick sat on the bed listening to her rattle on about everything under the sun as he pulled on his socks and boots. She was leaving tomorrow at noon, so she’d have time to get the horses settled in at her parents’ ranch before nightfall. Where had the month gone? Had it really been five days since their picnic at the creek? Man, he was going to miss her, and this—all of it. He’d miss her feminine scent surrounding him, her voice, her snark, the sight of her wiggling into her tight jeans, and the feel of her when he stripped them off. He’d miss the way she played with the dogs and loved the horses and goats. He’d even miss collecting eggs with her in the mornings, when she ran around the chicken coop just to see Cluck follow her. His gaze swept over his shirts she’d claimed as her nightshirts, lying in a clean stack on the chair. Hell, he’d even miss the way she stole the damn blankets. Last night they’d watched a movie, and she’d fallen asleep in his arms on the couch. They’d stayed there all night, with Pugsly curled up at their feet.
He looked at Pugsly now, standing outside the bathroom door watching Trixie. He’d been following her around all day, as if he knew this was her last night there, too. She’d been going a million miles an hour since she got out of bed. First with chores, then working with the horses, and then she’d baked and cooked all afternoon while he’d hung strings of lights all over the damn place because she wanted tonight to be festive. She was so excited to thank everyone and to host his family and their friends, she bubbled over with it.