And just like that—I was back in. An attention-starved female to the end.
“No, it was closer to the house,” I said.
“Nope. Right there. I remember you took off running and I had to go all the way across the creek to grab the four-wheeler, but you were already halfway to the house and I had cattle to finish rounding up.”
The long, embarrassing run back to Grandma’s house did come into mind. I guess I had tried to block it all out.
Arms pulled me back a fraction closer. “Confession time.”
My eyes widened. Confess? What? That nothing much had changed from when I was a sixteen-year-old girl? I still wanted to kiss Dusty Bennett. It was as if nothing had happened in my life for the past eight years. I was still a hormonal teenager back in the same place it all started.
“Come on…fess up. It was so out of the blue. I knew your sister was the one who liked me, so I was pretty confused when it was you coming out of nowhere.”
I laughed softly but still said nothing. The cold bit at my nose but the crisp breeze swirling outside of us didn't touch me. I was heated to the core.
Puffs of air warmed my ears as he whispered, “I was confused, but not unhappy. If you catch my drift.”
I shook my head, getting off the machine. Dusty followed behind me and soon we were standing side by side, taking in the snow-capped winter wonderland before our eyes.
“I’m afraid you’re going to be disappointed,” I said, rubbing my hands together and trying to dispel the nervous energy that had overtaken me.
“A pretty girl kissed me when I was geeky and fifteen. I wasn’t disappointed. That was the most action me or any of my friends had at that age. They all had to live vicariously through me.”
“What?”
He leaned closer. “I was pudgy with braces and a girl kissed me. Well…kissed ‘at’ me.” He laughed and dodged my hands trying to push him away. “I was king for a whole year with all my friends.”
I put my head in my hands. “Great. I was a locker room punchline.”
“Locker room?” He scoffed. “As if we would sink that low. Rodeo arena.”
I laughed. “Oh, right. That’s much better.”
His arm brushed against mine as stood next to me and pointed out toward a crop of aspen trees. “It was right there.”
I squinted, raising my hand to block the glare from the glistening snow. “Are you sure? I remember being closer to the house.”
“Positive. Now fess up.”
I sighed and turned toward him, knowing he wasn’t going to stop until I just told him. “Alright. But don’t say I didn’t warn you. I absolve myself of all guilt for making you feel bad.”
“Did you mistake me for another handsome cowboy who lived with us on the ranch? Your eyes were closed pretty tight.”
“Julia was driving me crazy so I kissed you to make her mad.” The words came out rushed and bumbling. My eyes had been closed at my confession, face scrunched, but I popped one eye open to gauge his reaction.
His mouth dropped, his eyebrows furrowed dramatically.
I pushed past the gust of laughter threatening to burst from my lungs. “I told you. I’m sorry. I did not wake up that morning with a pre-meditated make-out planned.”
“Make out? If you think that’s what that was, I need to teach you a few things.”
His eyes flashed as he moved closer to me, but I pushed him away, laughing. “Julia had been so bratty that whole summer because she had gotten kissed after school one day. She was only fourteen and had been kissed before me. See how mature this makes us sound? Anyway, she was teasing me about it again and so I planned to kiss you on our last day of the summer because she had always had a crush on you.”
He fairly beamed. “Two sisters, fighting desperately for my love, and I had no idea.”
“Keep dreaming.” I attempted to push his body away, but he was just as determined to stay close and refused to budge.
He took a step closer, his arms wrapping around my waist, bringing his face close to mine and giving the vibe of barely restrained laughter. “I always do.”
