I’ll be gone soon.
And maybe I’ll scent-match to a pack that lives in a skyscraper somewhere. No chickens. No wild horses.
“What are you thinking?” Derrick asks as we make our way to Storm.
“Nothing!” I deflect. “Why?”
“Your scent is like… sour candy.”
“Oh no.” I jump away from him. “Now you can smell me when I’m upset, too?”
He frowns. “Why are you upset?”
Oops.
“Don’t worry about that. Explain your sensitive nose.”
He narrows his eyes. My deflection is clear, but he allows it. “Now that you’re getting stronger, it shows a little more. You always smell delicious, don’t get me wrong, but I can tell the difference. You still smell like sugar… just sour too.”
“Well, try not to smell me so good.” I push my nose up and walk a few steps ahead of him.
“Tell me why you’re upset.”
“It’s silly.”
“I don’t mind.”
I turn around and walk backward, watching him just as intensely as he’s watching me. He’s not going to give up, so I shrug and turn back around. It’s best if I don’t look at him as I say it.
“I’m going to miss the ranch.” His silence is enough for me to keep talking. “When I scent-match with a bunch of strangers, and they whisk me away to their skyscraper.” I look at him over my shoulder for just a second. “That’s what I imagine, at least. There are no guarantees they will be ranchers. And even if they are… Am I even going to love their ranch as I love it here?”
We arrive at the Golden Acre just as the words are out of my mouth. The tall sunflowers are fully facing the sun, basking in it all. I sigh, trying not to get emotional about how much I truly love this land.
“You don’t need to worry about those things, darlin’,” Derrick finally reaches me.
“Don’t I?”
Stupid hope blossoms in my chest. I remind myself that they won’t keep me. It was pretty obvious that a scent-match is the most important thing around here. They want me paired with my soulmates, but what if I want to choose for myself?
“You’re going to love your scent-match pack,” he says, crushing my dreams. “It’s biological.”
“Well, I might like my choice better.”
Derrick takes a sharp intake of air, and his voice goes slightly lower, darker.
“And what’s your choice, Veda?”
He comes closer, and I wonder if he's even conscious of what he’s doing. I crane my neck up and watch those beautiful blue eyes sparkling bright under the rim of his cowboy hat.
“What is the point of torturing us all?” I ask, barely breathing.
Derrick groans and dips his head down until he kisses me. I’m so surprised, I stumble into his arms, but he holds me close, devouring my mouth in a hunger like no other.
I sigh and melt into the kiss. I’m not going to fight the feelings growing in my chest. I like the three cowboys, and I wish they were mine. There. I said it.
Derrick’s tongue searches mine as he deepens the kiss. His hand cradles my head, sinking his fingers into my curls. My hands grip the material of his shirt as if I have to have him closer, just a little closer.
But the kiss ends too quickly.
