I smile as I watch them go. He’s not just falling for Summer; he’s already wrapped around Mia’s little finger.
We talk with Summer and laugh at Cas’s jokes. Suddenly, the music grows louder, and Cas takes my hand.
“Dance with me?” He smiles down at me.
“Lead the way, cowboy.”
The night hums around us. The square glows beneath golden lights strung between the buildings, leaves swirling through the crisp October air. Country music mixes with laughter and the soft stomp of boots on wooden planks. Everywhere I look, couples twirl and spin, children dart between hay bales, and the scent of cinnamon and woodsmoke fills the air until my chest aches with warmth.
Cas’s hand is firm in mine, grounding me as we step onto the dance floor. My heart skips at the feel of him close, his body pressed lightly against mine as the music melts into a slower, sweeter rhythm. Heat radiates off him, and I shiver, nerves and desire tangling together.
“You look like you were born for this place,” he murmurs against my ear, his voice low and smooth. The brush of his lips against my skin sends sparks up my spine. I catch a whiff of his cologne, smoky and warm, and melt into him.
I laugh, breathless. “I just… I don’t know. I’ve never felt like I belonged anywhere,” I admit, my fingers tracing the edge of his hand. “But this is starting to feel like home.”
“You belong here,” he says, pulling me closer. His eyes hold mine, steady and certain. “With me. With this town. With my family. This is a new start, Sunset. You can do anything you want.”
I bite my lip, my heart hammering. “Anything?”
He leans in, pressing his forehead to mine. “You could steal the moon and all its stars if you wanted to, Penny.”
His words warm my heart.
“You have dreams, don’t you?” he asks, tilting my chin up.
I swallow. “I’ve always wanted to open my own photography studio,” I confess, heat creeping into my cheeks. “But I’m scared. What if I fail?”
His hands tighten around me, steady. “Penny,” he murmurs, “what if it’s everything you ever dreamed of?”
My chest aches. His faith in me burns brighter than the lights above. I’ve never felt anyone see me this way, make me believe I’m capable of everything I ever wanted. He makes me feel unstoppable.
He twirls me under his arm, and I laugh as I spin, my dress flaring out. He pulls me close again, hips brushing mine, his hand tracing the small of my back. A shiver races through me.
“God, you feel like home,” he whispers, his lips brushing the corner of my mouth. “Like I’ve been looking for you my whole life.”
I can’t stop myself from leaning in, letting my lips graze his. Around us, couples sway and whisper, but in his arms, it feels like we’re the only ones dancing in the world.
When the song slows, he dips me slightly, and a soft sound escapes my throat. “Cas…” I breathe.
He pulls me back up, his lips brushing my temple.
“There’s an empty store downtown. I want to take you there tomorrow. I saw it a few days ago and thought it would be the perfect place for a photography studio. What do you say?”
My eyes widen. “Tomorrow?”
“Tomorrow,” he confirms, pressing a kiss to my hair. “But tonight I just want to hold you.”
I can’t stop the smile spreading across my face. “I like that idea,” I whisper.
He holds me close under the fairy lights, whispering promises that make my toes curl and my heart soar. Around us, the Harvest Gathering stretches on, laughter and music spilling into the night.
“Wanna go for a walk?” Cas murmurs against my ear.
“Okay.”
The music fades behind us as we slip into a quiet side alley, the laughter and music softening into a distant hum. The air cools, the world narrowing to the sound of our footsteps and the thud of my pulse.
Cas stops, turns to me, and presses a hand to the small of my back. His eyes darken, a dangerous kind of softness in them. “Come here,” he whispers.
