“I promise.”
Chapter 28
Cole
“Today’s the day,” Jesse said, his naked body wrapped around mine under the covers. “Our one year of torture is finally over.”
“Torture?” I scoffed. “That’s not what you were saying last night while you were riding my dick.”
He smirked, pressing a kiss to my shoulder. “Different kind of torture altogether.”
I rolled over to face him, tracing my fingers along the stubble of his jaw. The early morning light filtered through the curtains, casting golden patterns across his skin. Even after all these months together, the sight of him still took my breath away.
“You nervous?” I asked.
“About Whitaker? Nah.” But there was a tightness around his eyes that told me otherwise.
Today marked exactly one year since we’d agreed to the terms of my father’s will. Twelve months of working the ranch together, building the business, and falling deeper in love than I’d ever thought possible. Mr. Whitaker would be here at noon for the final audit. If we passed—and I was damn sure we would—the ranch would be officially ours. No more monthly check-ins, no more proving ourselves.
“Liar,” I said, poking him in the ribs. “I can see right through you, Jesse.”
He caught my hand, bringing it to his lips. “Maybe a little nervous,” he admitted. “I’m just ready for it to be over with.”
“It will be,” I assured him, leaning in to kiss him properly. “We’ve done everything Dad asked of us. The ranch is thriving. The business is booming. Most of it thanks to you.”
“And we haven’t killed each other yet,” Jesse added with a mischievous smile. “That’s probably the biggest miracle.”
I laughed, pulling him closer until our foreheads touched. “That was the real test, wasn’t it? Keeping you from driving me insane with your city-boy ideas.”
“My city-boy ideas made us a fortune,” Jesse retorted, his fingers trailing down my bare chest. “You’re welcome, by the way.”
He wasn’t wrong. The online business had exploded beyond anything I could’ve imagined. We were shipping premium Montana beef to customers in every state now, and even had a waiting list for our specialty cuts. Jesse’s marketing genius had turned Nelson Ranch from a struggling operation into one of the most sought-after boutique beef producers in the country. And our campaign about being gay cowboys? Absolute stroke of genius.
“Yeah, yeah,” I said, trying to sound unimpressed though we both knew better. “Don’t let it go to your head.”
Jesse’s expression softened, his hazel eyes searching mine. “You know what I was thinking about last night?”
“How to drive me crazy in new and inventive ways?”
“No,” he said, smacking my arm playfully. “I was thinking about that first night you kissed me. In the barn. When you were so goddamn angry and confused.”
The memory sent a rush of warmth through me. “I wasn’t confused. I knew exactly what I wanted.”
“Bullshit,” Jesse laughed. “You were terrified. You practically ran away after.”
I couldn’t argue with that. Those first weeks after Jesse returned had been the most confusing of my life. Fighting my attraction to him, denying what I’d felt since we were teenagers, trying to convince myself it was wrong.
“Well,” I said, brushing my thumb across his lower lip, “I figured it out, eventually.”
“Only because I’m irresistible.”
I rolled my eyes but didn’t contradict him. We lay there for a few moments, just breathing together, his leg hooked over mine beneath the sheets. These quiet mornings were my favorite part of us. The easy intimacy we’d built, the comfort of his body against mine.
“We should get up,” I finally said, though I made no move to do so. “Evelyn will be here soon, and we need to make sure everything’s ready for Whitaker.”
Jesse groaned, burying his face in my neck. “Five more minutes.”
His warm breath against my skin made me shiver. “You said that twenty minutes ago.”
