“Sorry, dude. Mila gets the front.”
Rio did a double-take. Then a slow smile lit up his movie-star handsome face. “I see.”
Cole didn’t respond, just kept his gaze steady.
“Well, then. I’ll be seeing you tonight at five. Thanks for volunteering to be the DD.”
“You’re welcome.”
As Rio started rolling up his window, a loud whinny drifted from the forest. Pausing with the window halfway up, he glanced at Cole. “Interesting.”
“Probably a mustang.”
“Maybe.” Amusement sparkled in his eyes. “Sure sounded like Sol, though. That horse really likes me. Calls out like that when he hears my voice.”
Cole shrugged. “I guess Mila could be taking a ride this morning.”
“Guess so. See you tonight.” Flashing him a big smile, he rolled up the window and drove through the gate.
Dragging in a breath of cold air, Cole made his way back to Mila. “Did you get any of that?”
“Clear as a bell. He knows.” She’d buttoned her coat and likely zipped her jeans, too. “That’s on me. I was taking a risk coming out here, but I wanted to see you.”
“I wanted to see you, too. As I’m sure you could tell.”
“Claudie can keep a secret but Rio won’t. This is too good a story and he won’t be able to resist.”
“I don’t care. Do you?”
“Not really. The word would’ve gotten out sooner or later. Now that the party’s replaced our private evening together, we might as well go public. Then nobody will be surprised if I end the night at your place.”
“I like the sound of that.” He kept his hands in his pockets. “I want to kiss you again, but?—”
“Better not.”
He sucked in another breath. “I only meant to kiss you.”
“As I recall, that’s all you meant to do the first time.”
“Evidently I can’t just kiss you without pushing for more.”
She smiled. “I like that about you.”
“You don’t think I’m some uncontrolled maniac?”
“Oh, I do.”
“And you’re okay with it?”
“I’m very okay with it. That’s what I’ve been looking for all my life.”
He held her gaze and let those beautiful words sink in. “Me, too.”
Chapter Twelve
A little past noon, Mila climbed behind the wheel of her powder-blue truck and Cole swung up into the passenger seat.
“Nice truck.”
