He chuckles and his thumb brushes the edge of my jaw, his gaze dipping to my mouth, then he kisses me once more, softly. We stay like that for a long moment, close, tangled up in steam and truth and the ache of what comes next.
Eventually, he rolls to his side, getting up to get towels for both of us. We don’t rush to dress, we just sit on the bench, wrapped in towels, our knees touching, breaths still slowing.
“I may not know what this means yet, but I know that … I’m falling … too,” I say, wrapping my hand in his.
He swallows and smiles at me. “That’s a really good thing. I’ve got to say, though, that I lied about something before.”
And that sends my mind into a spiral, but I gulp and say, “What about?”
“Idoorganize my cutlery drawer.”
I giggle. “That’s exciting.”
“Well, if that’s all it takes to get you excited, then this is going to be fun.”
“This?”
“Whatever this is now,” Duke says. “And we don’t even have to figure it out yet. The summer’s not over.”
I can’t help but smile. I need to enjoy these moments with him and let the rest of the summer unfold as it’s meant to. I’m adjusting my towel around me when the door creaks open suddenly. A young ranch hand and another woman step in.
“Oh, hi,” she says, taking a seat opposite Duke and me.
“Hey,” the man says. “Oh, that’s interesting.” He looks at the sauna control and fiddles with it.
“It’s already so warm and steamy in here,” the woman says, putting her hair in a ponytail.
“Yeah, and the sauna’s not even on,” the man says.
“We run hot,” Duke says, winking. He takes my hand, stands,and we gather our things, giggling on our way out. I pick up my robe and wrap it around me as Duke shimmies back into his shorts under his towel.
“I don’t suppose you could give me lift back to your house?” I ask.
“Of course.”
We grab one of the golf carts and I hop in.
“So, what do we do now?” I ask. “Are you and Jameson going to move back into your own house or do I have to come get your things and do it for you?”
“I will as soon as I get back.”
My head tilts. “Get back?”
“Charlie is picking me up tonight after the Nook dinner.”
I was so preoccupied with trying to figure out how to flirt with Duke, I completely forgot he is going to LA to get more funding. “Because you still don’t think I can get us the win?”
His gaze softens. “Not at all, but if I’m being honest, we’ve put all our eggs in one basket before. We’ve had people promise to help and then change their minds.”
“I won’t change my mind.”
“I know you won’t.” He reaches for my hand. “But Charlie’s good at fundraising. He’s got some people lined up for me to meet. My parents want me to go with him to try and help the ranch, but more to help our relationship.”
“Oh?”
“Yeah, ever since he became Mr. Hollywood, we don’t get on.”
“I’m sorry.”
