“Sounds good,” he agreed.
She slipped out of his arms as he pulled his phone from his back pocket. She went into the living room, taking in a breath and all that happened this evening. She picked up the remote, turned on the TV, and pushed buttons until she got to the On Demand feature. As she scrolled through movies looking for something she and Tate would both like, a movement outside the window drew her gaze. At first she thought it was one of her neighbors walking a dog but her gaze rose to the glimpse of the parking lot between two neighboring buildings and Clint standing there staring at her while he leaned against the back of his car. Too far away to really see his expression, she knew he saw her. Watched her.
A cold chill raced up her spine.
He raised his hand and typed something into his phone.
Her phone buzzed a few seconds later with a text. Afraid to stand there letting him watch her like some creep, she walked to the dining table, retrieved her phone, and stared at the message.
CLINT: We’re not over!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Tate’s hands gripped the tops of her shoulders. She jumped under his soft touch.
He read the text over her shoulder. “Bullshit.” Tate snagged her phone. “I’ll make him believe.”
LIZ: This is Tate Liz is with me now
LIZ: Leave her alone
LIZ: Or you deal with me
CLINT: She’s mine!!!!!!!!!!!
Tate’s head snapped up and his gaze locked with hers. “He’s delusional.”
“I told you, he wouldn’t listen to me.”
“You need to stay away from him.”
“I intend to, but . . .” She glanced at the window.
“What?”
“I saw him out in the parking lot watching me.”
Tate ran to the window and stared out, his head turning one way then the other. “Where?”
She came up behind him and peeked around his shoulder, not wanting to see Clint or feel that creepy shiver up her spine again. But . . . “He’s gone.”
Tate glanced down at her with a question in his eyes.
“I swear. He was there.” She pointed to the empty parking spot between the two buildings across from hers.
“I believe you, Liz. I’m just wondering, what’s his game? You broke up with him, but he still thinks you’re his.”
“Ever since that night at the bar, nothing between us has been the same. He’s been . . . possessive, demanding, and a little mean. It was all good the first two months, but . . . something about him always bothered me. I could just never put my finger on it. Until now.”
Tate stared down at her. “I didn’t know you were seeing this guy for that long.”
“I don’t tell you everything.”
“You used to.”
She pressed her lips tight, then confessed, “This time I wanted to really make a go of it with someone. He was nice and flirted and made me feel like he really wanted me.”
Tate let out a frustrated sigh. “Okay. But then it changed.”
“It was subtle. But when you came into that bar demanding to talk to me, I don’t know, he took it as a threat to our relationship.”
“Maybe it was.” Tate handed her back the phone. “You stopped talking to me, and I saw you with him, and I thought . . .”
“You thought I left you for him?” It sounded so implausible he’d think that.
“Yeah. And for the first time, I really thought about what we have and how much it means to me.”
“Declan prodding you had something to do with that.”
He nodded, but added, “Kinda. But it’s more that what he asked wouldn’t let me shove the thoughts and feelings away again.” He took her hand. “And before you start thinking that I wanted to do just that, you’re wrong. I’ve been trying to tell you since that night at the bar. It’s why I came to your work for lunch. I tried to tell you when you came to the ranch. It’s what I came here tonight to tell you.”
“The kisses told me a lot, but what exactly are you saying?”
“It’s simple, Liz. Be mine.”
She went up on tiptoe and kissed him softly, eyes locked. “If I’m dreaming, don’t wake me up.”
“You’re in mine.” His dazzling smile made her belly flutter. “And they’re really hot.”
He never failed to make her laugh, even at the end of a very difficult day. His words and what they shared today held a truth she couldn’t deny.
He pressed his forehead to hers. “Is that a yes?”
“Yes.”
He gave her a quick kiss because the doorbell rang. “Good. And if that’s Clint and not the pizza, I’m going to deck him.”
Liz held her breath while Tate opened the door. He looked completely at ease and ready to take on any threat at the same time. He just had that kind of confidence. Luckily, the only thing he needed to do was pay the pizza guy.
Tate handed her the box and went into the kitchen to get napkins, plates, and drinks while she set the pizza on the coffee table and pulled up the haunted house series everyone had been talking about at work.
Tate took the seat beside her.
“Since you’re my new boyfriend, I thought we could start a new series together.”
He chuckled and shrugged one shoulder. “Why not.” He read the series description. “I heard Trinity talking about this show. Sounds good, but I thought you hated scary movies.”
“Well, I have you here to chase away the ghosts.”
And so they sat eating pizza like they’d done a hundred times or more. After they ate, she snuggled against his side with his arm around her and laughed when he poked her in the side during a particularly tension-filled scene where she anticipated a scare, but he jumped the gun and spooked her instead.
She didn’t think about Clint at all because all she could think about was the buzz of electricity between her and Tate and the anticipation that he’d kiss her again.
She wanted him to stay the night. The desire in Tate’s eyes said he did, too. But after three episodes, he stood, helped her clean up, then kissed her like he wanted to do a hell of a lot more, said, “Sweet dreams, Liz,” and went home, leaving her giddy with anticipation to see him again.
As soon as possible.
And she did in her dreams that night, though they didn’t do justice to one real-life kiss from Tate.
For the first time in a long time, and with Clint in her rearview, she woke up smiling and happy and eager to start her day because she’d get to see Tate later that day.
Chapter Nine
Liz jumped when Trinity came up behind her and put her hand on Liz’s shoulder.
“What is with you today?” Trinity reached past her for another postcard advertising Almost Homemade to add to the bag that held her customer’s order.
People crowded the farmers market. They’d had an endless line at the Almost Homemade booth, which Tate helped them set up this morning before he rushed back to work on the ranch.
Ever since he left, she got this creepy feeling. Like someone kept staring at her. But no matter where she looked in the crowd, she couldn’t pinpoint anyone paying her special attention.
She didn’t see Clint, but she felt his presence. Whether real or imagined, the sense of danger loomed.