“Congrats,” I muttered.
“You’re not happy?”
“I am. Thanks for the update. Good night, Willa.”
I turned toward Jamie, grabbed the reins, and started walking him toward the barn.
Behind me—silence. She didn’t move.
“I know you’re mad at me,” she called out. “But just because I didn’t talk about my ex doesn’t mean he means anything to me. You get that, right?”
“I get it,” I said without turning. “Thanks for that too. Time to head home.”
Still nothing.
So I kept walking. One step at a time. Maybe she’d get the hint.
“Cash,” she said. “I don’t feel anything for him. He just followed me. I left to start over. Part of that list? It was because of him. Because there were so many things I wasn’t allowed to do when I was with him. And now I finally did them. Because ofyou.”
I stopped.
Just for a second.
Fingers tight around the reins.
Didn’t turn.
Didn’t answer.
But I heard her.
She moved fast.
Before I knew what was happening, she was in front of me, both hands on my face, forcing me to look at her. I froze—caught off guard. My body forgot how to resist.
I hated the way she did this to me. To my chest. My hands. My goddamn bloodstream.
I’d told myself never again.
But her scent hit me like a memory I hadn’t meant to keep. Her skin was soft. Too soft. I wanted it on me. Everywhere.
“Cash,” she said, eyes locked on mine. “I’m gonna say something, and I need you to really hear it.”
I didn’t blink.
“Trying the mechanical bull was on my list. That part’s true. But the three minutes? That was never part of it.”
Something started to stir in the back of my mind. A flicker of recognition. A maybe. Afuck, is she saying what I think she’s saying?
“When you shouted that dumb bet across the bar,” she went on, “all I could think was: I want to make it to three minutes. Foryou.”
Then she laughed. Just a little.
“Okay, I didn’t. I flew off. But I tried.”
I couldn’t speak. Couldn’t think. Everything in me was short-circuiting.
“You get what I’m saying?” she asked, softer now.
