“I’m sorry.” His lips crimp, his throat working hard. “If I could go back -.”
I press a finger to his mouth, silencing the regrets and the what ifs. I know he’ll always have them, but they’re part of our past, not our future. “Things worked out pretty well in the end, don’t you think?”
Light filters through the trees and he squints as it falls on his face, illuminating his smile. “I don’t want to cue the credits just yet.”
“Me either,” I murmur, pressing my mouth to his curved lips. His happiness tastes like cherry pie and tomorrows, and I don’t stop kissing him until I’ve had my fill.
“Damn,” he murmurs when I finally pull back, an echo of my hunger in his eyes. “I want to lie here forever and let Lily Percy ravish me.”
“Ravish you?”
“You seenFrom Here to Eternity? We could roll around on this riverbank like Burt Lancaster and Deborah Kerr.”
I narrow my eyes at him. “Wasn’t that a beach scene?”
He heaves a sigh. “I’m prepared to move the earth for you, sweetheart, but a beach in Colorado is probably beyond my reach.”
“Then I guess we’ll just have to make do with this riverbank.”
He smirks, and we make out some more, rolling from one kiss to the next like we’re charting each other’s mouths. His hands stroke the warm skin under my shirt, while I nibble at his jaw, and thread my fingers through his hair. It’s lazy and indulgent, but there’s an urgency building inside me, and I’m not surprised those old-time actors ended up rolling around in the surf. Just the thought of Ellis in a pair of tight black swim trunks is enough to ignite a burning hunger under my skin.
When it's his turn to pull back, he pushes to his feet, and I give a disapproving whimper. “I swear, you scramble my brains every time you look in my direction.” He grins as he holds his hand out to me, and as much as I don’t like the interruption, I’m glad his lips are now swollen by my ravishing ways. “Come on, there’s something I want to show you, hot stuff.”
“Hot stuff?” I huff as he pulls me upright. “If it’s a bunch of haybales, I can promise you, I’ve seen them before.”
He steers me towards the house, and when I raise my brows at him, I realize he’s back to being nervous. I bite my lip as he opens the door, and the interior is as snug and sturdy as it looked from a distance. But instead of opening into a living room, it’s some kind of reception area, along with a hand-carved desk and leather chairs around a small meeting table. The floorboards and roof beams are all a glossy, golden wood, and there are picture frames on the wall, gleaming in the light of a rustic chandelier. I take a step closer, my mouth falling open when I recognise the horses in the photographs. Moondance andTomorrow’s Roses are both there, but Hercules is staring back at me from the third frame, looking impossibly regal. “Ellis?”
“Tristan,” he says softly, pressing something into my hand. “He used his magic on that photograph in the farm office.” I nod, my throat tight, but my breath disappears altogether when I look down at the wooden plaque in my hands. “It goes on the reception desk there, if you want it to.”
I watch my hand tremble around the glossy piece of wood, the words dancing before my eyes:Lily's Horse Rest & Refuge. “What is this, Ellis?”
He cups the back of his neck, his words rushing out in a gush. “If it’s not obvious, I want this for you. Your dream. And I guess it’s a courting present, in a way. Not that I’m going to take it back if you decide I’m too much trouble. But if you want to make a life here, then this piece of land is yours. The house, the barn, and whatever else you need to make it work. Ot even had a separate deed written up.”
“A horse rescue?” I don’t know if I sound terrified or overjoyed, because both emotions are bubbling inside me. “But I don’t know anything about it, really. I mean, it’s just a dream….”
“That’s why Zander’s sticking around. He wants to help.” His lips quirk up in a rueful smile. “The guy doesn’t cross state borders for just anyone, but he believes in this, almost as much as he believes in you.”
Some of the panic in my belly eases a bit, because if there’s anyone I believe in when it comes to horses, it’s Zander.
“I don’t know what to say...” I look around the beautiful office, realizing I wouldn’t change a thing here, either. It’s like Ellis has looked into the deepest part of me and carved out the keys to my soul. “Is this real?”
“It is to me.” He wraps his arms around me, and even with the scent of sweat and horse clinging to him, his caramel and clovesscent makes my stomach clench in the best way. “More real than anything happening out there.”
It’s just a sliver of a reminder, but I shiver, overwhelmed by the choices in front of me. “And what about Knotty Falls?”
There’s more than just Rosie’s Blooms, after all. There’s Logan’s gym, Kaysie’s coffee shop, Leo’s best friend Cody, and there’s even the damn Knotty Falls’ Book Club. Not to mention that Beau will be so pissed if he doesn’t get to work front-of-house at Lexington’s, which according to him, is his lifelong dream. I’m pretty sure he’s mostly interested in bagging a bossy alpha chef, but who am I to ruin his chances?
“We can make it work.” When I look at him, his nervousness is gone now, his smile soft and sure. “Zander will hire some people to show you the ropes and they could manage things while you're in Idaho. If you want anyone from Knotty Falls to visit, the airport in Eagle County is only thirty minutes away, and we have plenty of guest rooms.”
He makes it sound so easy.And so, so tempting…
“Idaho, California, Colorado. That’s a lot of distance to cover.” I blow out a shaky breath. “You’re not worried we'll all splinter off to our different worlds?”
“We go where the work is, but we always come home,” he says with a shrug. “And for me, at least, I’m looking forward to a little time off.” He tips my chin up, his eyes gleaming as he presses a soft kiss to my lips. “Where you go, I go. And if that means rolling on riverbanks and mucking out stalls, I’m your guy.”
I smirk at his playful tone, because as crazy as it sounds, I can tell he means it. “You want me to be your sugar mama, Ellis Castle?”
“Mmm.” He smirks as he drops kisses from one side of my face to the other. “You’re definitely sweet enough for the job.”
