“You ready?” I held out my arms, more than a little eager for Roxy to slide her hand into mine.
“I can’t believe you’re doing this.” She moved closer and put her hand on my shoulder.
“You’re the one who’s making me prove it.” We started slow, and I led her into a typical two-step. She had no trouble following along, so I added a spin, twirling her under my arm before pulling her back up against me.
“So, the cowboy has a few moves.” She gave me a wide smile before I spun her again.
“You ain’t seen nothing yet.” Laughing and having more fun than I could remember having in a long damn time, I tightened my grip.
We made it to the end of the song with only a few missteps. As the music faded, I pulled her into my chest. The next song was a slow one, and if she’d let me, I intended on taking advantage of holding her in my arms for another few minutes.
“I guess you proved your point.” Roxy looked up at me, her eyes sparkling. “You’re a better dancer than I am, and I even took four years of ballet and tap before I convinced my mom to let me play soccer instead.”
She rested her head on my shoulder, and we swayed in time to “Made for You” by Jake Owen. I couldn’t help but think how appropriate the lyrics were. The more time I spent with Roxy, the more I felt like we really could be made just for each other. I wasn’t usually such a sap, but she brought something out in me. Something that I didn’t recognize and wasn’t prepared for. Something I didn’t know I was missing until she’d walked into my life.
The song came to an end, but I didn’t want to let her go. Not even when the next song started, a fast-paced tune by Luke Bryan that was never intended for a slow dance. With the beat driving faster and faster, our movements seemed to slow. Then we stopped swaying.
I pulled back just enough to look down at her. She gazed up at me, her eyes bright and full of something I didn’t recognize.
At the moment, all I wanted was to touch my lips to hers.
So, I did.
She tasted like sugar and peppermint. Her arms circled my neck and tugged my head lower. I lost myself in that kiss. Everything else faded away: the soft noises Trixie made as she searched for something sweet to nibble on, and the bubbling of the river as it flowed over the shallow bed of rocks. My focus zeroed in on the feel of Roxy’s fingers sliding into my hair, how her body aligned perfectly with mine, and the intoxicating taste of her lips.
I deepened the kiss, wanting everything she had to offer, even though I knew whatever was happening between us would never last. How could it when I had nothing to give her? Still, that only added to my need. Knowing this was a fleeting moment that would never happen again, I wanted to make it last as long as possible.
Her palms gently pushed me back. I broke contact and reluctantly opened my eyes. She stared up at me, her eyes full of surprise. “Where did that come from?”
“Sorry if I overstepped.” I shook my head, regretting my lapse of self-control.
“Do it again,” she said, already pulling me down for another kiss.
She didn’t have to ask twice. The songs continued to play, but I barely heard the music. I was too focused on what was happening between us.
We could have stood there for days, lost in each other’s arms, high on each other’s kisses, but the sound of a car door shutting pulled me out of the haze I’d fallen into.
“We should probably get going. This is a popular spot for fishing this time of evening.” I didn’t want someone to recognize her and for word to get back to her family that she was out on a ride with a cowboy who couldn’t keep his hands to himself.
Roxy nodded and wiped her finger across her lip. Then she walked over to Trixie, put her foot in the stirrup, and pulled herself up into the saddle.
A mixture of pride and sadness twisted together in my chest. She was making quick progress and wouldn’t need my help much longer. That meant I’d have to lean into being her fake boyfriend for as long as it lasted.
I got up on the horse behind her, enjoying the new level of closeness we shared. Roxy leaned back against me, completely relaxed.
“I might be going about this a little backward, but can I take you out to dinner tonight?” I whispered against the shell of her ear. “If we’re supposed to be dating, it might not be a bad idea to be seen out in public once or twice.”
She nodded. “I’d like that, but only under one condition.”
“What’s that?”
“You come back to my place for dessert.”
6
ROXY
Ileft Jake at the ranch so he could get cleaned up and headed back to my place to do the same. He’d be picking me up in an hour and planned to take me out on a real date—the first one I’d had in well over a year. Something had shifted between us this afternoon. I hadn’t wanted to put him on the spot by asking him to pretend to be my boyfriend, but since he agreed, it was like the barriers between us had disappeared.
