“Your steel steed. Maybe you’ll let me take you for a spin on Daisy.”
“I prefer wheels.”
“Did I do okay on the back?”
Grady rakes a hand over his head, sending the dark strands to stick up in sexy disarray. “You’re a natural. At the turns, you leaned with me like a pro. Horseback riding has given you natural balance. Your body is made for this.”
Shit, that sounds naughty. “Oh?”
Fire licks up my neck while I consider what other hidden talents he’ll uncover for me. Our conversation hits a lull and the silence surrounds us again. There’s nothing except the distant sound of crickets.
“It’s so quiet,” I whisper.
“Almost scary, huh?”
I nudge his boot. “Not with you here.”
He steps into me. “I’ll always protect you.”
“Good.” I tip my face up and Grady presses our lips together. The kiss is chaste, sweet, and over before I can attempt to take things further.
He turns and lifts the seat, hefting out a small cooler. “I grabbed dinner.”
Did you hear that? It’s my fantasies knocking. This man is the end of me. “You’re so thoughtful,” I muse.
Grady threads our fingers together. “You bring it out in me.”
We begin walking toward I’m not sure where. Letting him take control and lead has been in my favor. Why stop now. I feel the soft brush of cotton before seeing anything. A glance down proves my suspicion. I hadn’t been looking in the right direction for our destination. It’s all around us.
To anyone else, this would be an abandoned yard full of overgrown weeds. It’s a happy something for us.
I scan the countless rows of dandelions. “What is this place?”
“An escape.” His throat bobs with a thick swallow. “A reminder.”
I tug on his arm, bringing us to a stop. “It’s beautiful.”
Grady’s mouth twitches. “I was banking on you thinking so. Otherwise it’s just a field no one tends to.”
“Thank you for bringing me.”
We sit in the center of a dense patch. Puffy white non-flowers form a perimeter around us. It’s been at least ten years since we did this. I release a long exhale at the memories.
Grady unzips the cooler and takes out a few containers. He pops the lids, arranging everything between us. Cheese and pesto tortellini. Caesar salad. Strawberries and watermelon. Unsweetened iced tea. More favorite things. Pressure builds behind my eyes. I blink at the blur in my vision. A utensil I can’t see gets placed on my palm.
“This looks delicious,” I manage to croak.
His gaze leaps to mine. “You okay?”
I’m nodding too fast. Accept the past, live in the present, and look toward the future. I’d planned on coasting. But impulsive adrenaline still pumps through my veins.
“So,” I broach the subject that’s been mixing me up. “We’re really together? All in?”
The fork he’s using freezes in midair. “Why would you think otherwise? Do you doubt me?”
“No.” My answer is instantaneous.
Grady’s face dips toward mine. “Then why?”
