"These boots have survived worse than you, sweetheart."
I laughed, relaxing into him. "Is that a challenge?"
"Maybe." His lips brushed my ear, voice dropping low. "Though I can think of better ways to test your footwork."
Heat flooded my cheeks. "Liam Walker, are you flirting with me at your family's festival?"
"Absolutely." He spun me out, then pulled me back in, closer than before. "Is it working?"
"Maybe." I slid my hands up his chest, feeling his heart beat steadily under my palm. "You might need to try harder."
"Harder?" His eyes darkened, and he dipped me right there in the middle of the dance floor. When he pulled me back up, his mouth was a breath away from mine. "How's that?"
"Show-off," I whispered, but I was smiling so hard my cheeks hurt.
The song shifted into something slower, and Liam pulled me closer. My head fit perfectly against his shoulder.
"I could get used to this," I murmured.
"Yeah?"
"Yeah. The dancing. The festival. Your family." I pulled back just enough to look at him. "You."
"You've always had me, Steph. Since we were kids."
"I know. But this is different. This is—" I searched for the right word. "Real."
He kissed me then, soft and sweet, right there in the middle of the dance floor with his entire family watching. Somewhere behind us, Clay whistled. Maggie shouted, "Get a room!"
Liam just smiled against my lips. "Want to get out of here?"
"Not yet." I pulled back, grinning. "I want to eat terrible fair food and watch your aunt destroy everyone in the pie contest and maybe win one of those rigged stuffed animals."
His laugh was warm and free, and he spun me around once, just because he could.
The evening passed in a blur of perfect moments.
I ate a corn dog that was somehow the best thing I'd ever tasted. I watched Louisa accept her first-place ribbon with a graciousness that barely concealed her triumph. I cheered while Liam failed spectacularly at the ring toss and then again at the balloon darts, finally winning a tiny stuffed horse through sheer stubbornness at the basketball throw.
"For you," he said solemnly, presenting it to me.
"It's beautiful. I'll treasure it forever."
"You're mocking me."
I put a hand to my chest, gasping. “I wouldnever.” He only grinned and wrapped his arm around me as we walked around some more.
Maggie found us near the cotton candy stand. "Ran out of informational materials," she announced proudly. "Had three serious inquiries about next spring's foals. And—" She narrowed her eyes at my head. "Is that my hat?"
“Your mom said I could borrow it."
Maggie sighed. "She says a lot of things. Fine. Keep it. It looks better on you anyway."
"Thank you."
"Don't thank me. Just tell Liam to stop making heart eyes at you in public. It's embarrassing for everyone."
Liam was absolutely making heart eyes at me. He didn't seem inclined to stop.
