Despite being soaked through, the picnic was actually kind of nice. The food was exceptionally good. Maybe even better than Aunt Dolly’s, not that I’d ever tell her that. And I found no small amount of joy in wearing Diego’s cowboy hat. It made me feel… I don’t know, sort of manly I guess, in a cute kind of way. Or something. Whatever.
Diego kept stealing glances at me, his eyes lingering on his hat perched on my head. Every time I caught him looking, he’d flash that annoying grin of his.
“What?” I finally asked, taking a bite of what had to be the best chicken salad sandwich I’d ever tasted.
“Nothin’,” he replied, leaning back on his elbows in the grass. “Just thinking that hat looks better on you than it ever did on me.”
I snorted, trying to ignore the warmth that spread through my chest at the compliment. “Bullshit. You probably sleep in this thing.”
“Sometimes,” he admitted with a laugh. “But seriously, you pull it off. Very... authentic cowboy chic.”
“Cowboy chic?” I raised an eyebrow. “Is that supposed to be a compliment?”
“Definitely.” His eyes traveled over me again, slower this time, taking in my still-damp clothes that clung to my skin. “Very definitely a compliment.”
I looked away, suddenly fascinated by a nearby tree. The intensity in his gaze made me feel both exposed and... wanted. It had been a while since anyone had looked at me like that… like I was something worth desiring.
“So,” I said, taking the last bite of my sandwich. “Do we need to get back? Don’t you have chores or something?”
Diego stretched languidly in the sun like a cat. He’d already scarfed down his food much faster than me. “Yeah,” he sighed, flopping back onto the grass. “I guess so.”
“But you know,” he added, sitting up and shielding his eyes from the sun, “I’m the boss. I set my own schedule.”
“Really?” I couldn’t hide the skepticism in my voice. “So, you’re telling me Mabel and Beau and whoever else runs this place would be totally fine with you blowing off your responsibilities to hang out with me?”
Diego’s laughter rang out across the creek, warm and genuine. “Okay, you got me there. Mabel would have my hide.” He pushed himself to his feet and held out his hand to me. “Come on, Freckles. Let’s head back before she sends out a search party.”
I hesitated before taking his hand, trying to ignore how warm and calloused it felt against mine. He pulled me up with ease, and for a moment we stood too close, our chests almost touching. I could smell the sun on his skin, mixed with that cologne that was driving me crazy.
“You know,” I said, taking a deliberate step back, “I’m starting to think this whole thing was a setup.”
“What do you mean?” His eyes widened with what looked like genuine confusion.
“The horse freaking out. Me falling in the creek.” I gestured to my still-damp clothes. “Seems awfully convenient that you got to play hero.”
Diego’s face broke into a grin so genuine it made my stomach flip. “You think I spooked Buttercup on purpose? That I’d risk you getting hurt just to, what, impress you?”
When he put it that way, it did sound ridiculous. “Maybe,” I muttered, adjusting his hat on my head. “You seem like the type.”
“The type to orchestrate elaborate schemes involving trained horses and perfectly timed fish?” He shook his head, still smiling. “That’s giving me way too much credit, Freckles. I’m not that clever.”
“Fine,” I conceded. “But I still don’t trust you.”
“Smart man,” he replied, and there was something in his voice that made me look up sharply. His smile had softened into something more thoughtful. “You shouldn’t trust cowboys. We’re notorious heartbreakers.”
I rolled my eyes to hide how his words had landed somewhere tender. “As if I’d let you anywhere near my heart.”
“Never said you would.” He turned away to start packing up our picnic, but not before I caught the flash of... something in his eyes. Hurt? Disappointment? “Let’s get these horses back. You can ride with me this time.”
“With you?” I frowned. “On the same horse?”
“Unless you want to try your luck with Buttercup again.” He nodded to where the white mare was grazing peacefully nearby, looking completely innocent. “But I figured you might want a break from solo riding after your impromptu swim.”
The thought of sitting pressed against Diego’s back, my arms around his waist, and my groin against his ass… it had my body reacting in ways I couldn’t control. But then again… that fucking horse was a menace.
“Fine,” I grumbled, trying to seem irritated about it to cover up my excitement. “But I want to ride in front.” At least then he couldn’t feel my dick through my jeans.
His eyes lit up like I’d just granted him his fondest wish. “Anything you say, Freckles,” he replied in a deep, sultry voice.
