“Because I was embarrassed and terrified,” she admits. “I was terrified of ruining the friendship we had—that you had with Truett—if I convinced you to give us a chance and then things went wrong.”
“You’re not going to lose me,” I tell her firmly. “Not ever. You’re stuck with me now.”
“Good,” she says, rising up on her toes to press a quick kiss to my lips. “Because I’m not letting you go either.”
We stand there for a moment, just looking at each other, and I marvel at how different everything feels now. How the air between us has changed, charged with possibility and promise.
“What about you?” she asks suddenly. “Are you happy?”
I consider the question, thinking about everything that’s led us to this moment. The years of friendship, the careful distance we maintained, the fear and uncertainty, and finally, finally, the moment when we stopped fighting what was between us.
“Yes,” I tell her, and the certainty in my voice surprises even me. “All because a beautiful woman tempted me with a kiss.”
Her smile is radiant, lighting up her entire face. “Just one kiss?”
“Well,” I say, pulling her closer again. “Maybe it was more than one.”
“Maybe it was,” she agrees, and then she’s kissing me again, soft and sweet and full of promise.
When we break apart this time, I rest my chin on top of her head, breathing in the scent of her hair, the smell of sunshine and hay that clings to her skin.
“We should really finish these stalls,” she says again, but she makes no move to pull away from me.
“We should,” I agree. “But first, there’s something I want to ask you.”
She pulls back to look at me, curiosity in her eyes. “What?”
“Move in with me,” I say, the words tumbling out before I can second-guess them. “I know we said we’d figure out the logistics later, but I don’t want to wait. I want to wake up next to you every morning. I want to fall asleep with you in my arms every night. I want to build a life with you, starting now. I’ll even build you a fireplace like the one here.”
Her eyes widen, and for a moment I think maybe I’ve moved too fast, pushed too hard. But then her face breaks into a smile that could power the entire ranch.
“Yes,” she says, laughing. “Yes, of course, yes.”
And as I spin her around in the middle of that barn, her laughter echoing off the rafters, I think about how perfect this moment is. How right it feels to have her here, in my arms, choosing me the same way I choose her.
When I set her down, she’s still smiling, still glowing with happiness. “I can’t believe this is real,” she says.
“It’s real,” I assure her. “We’re real.”
She nods, and I can see her trying to process everything, trying to wrap her mind around the fact that she’s finally home, finally where she belongs.
“Now,” I say, picking up the pitchfork and handing it back to her. “Let’s finish these stalls so we can go celebrate properly.”
She takes the pitchfork, but she’s still smiling that radiant smile. “What kind of celebration did you have in mind?”
“The kind that involves a lot less clothing and a lot more privacy,” I tell her, and her cheeks flush pink.
“Jesse!” she protests, but she’s laughing.
“What? I’m just saying, we have a lot of time to make up for.”
She shakes her head, but she’s still smiling as she gets back to work. And as I watch her, as I help her finish the last few stalls, I can’t help but think about how different my life was just a few days ago. How empty it seems now in comparison.
The sun is starting to set by the time we’re done, painting the sky in shades of orange and pink that match the warmth spreading through my chest. Aubree is tired, her hair even messier now, dirt on her jeans, and contentment in her eyes.
“Ready to go home?” I ask her, taking her hand.
She looks up at me, and the way she smiles makes my heart skip a beat.
