“What’s all this for?” I ask as we sit down and I fold my legs under me.
Here he goes again making me feel like a kid and all giddy inside.
“I wrote you another song. It just sorta came to me one night and I couldn’t wait any longer to sing it to you.” He blushes
I fan my forehead and fake faint as I swoon at him. He laughs.
“I told you before. You’re my muse. I’m in love and I can’t help it.”
His eyes, drop a shade deeper, and he takes my face in his big hands and brushes his soft lips against mine, teasing me. I close the gap andkiss him.A deep hungry kiss. My core aches and throbs for him. I reach for his shirt and tear it open, unfastening the pearl snaps—revealing his smooth chiseled chest. He pulls the tank top over my head; the cool air makes the skin on my chest prickle.
I have to have him now. We both work at each other's pants and they’re off in seconds. Denton lifts me up off the ground and I let out a surprise yelp before he softly lowers me on my back. He takes me in, admiring my body like it’s the first time all over again.
“Fuck, Sorrel, you have me speechless and you know damn well that’s a rarity for me.”
I give him my best seductive grin and pull him down onto me. I run my hands through his soft curls and tilt my head back listening to the sound of the water rippling. Once we’ve thoroughly gotten enough of each other we dip off in the creek and then sun our naked bodies until we're dry.
Denton cracks us each open a beer while we lie there and attempt to fix our farmers' tans. We put our clothes back on and I lie out on the blanket, staring up at him while he finally sings me the song he wrote for me.
It’s called “Everything He Didn’t Do.” I choke back tears as he sings.
“I know he hurt you, just give me one shot to pick up where he left off, ’ cause you deserve more than that. Yeah, you deserve better, you deserve forever. Baby, give me one shot, he put you through the ringer, damn sure won’t put a ring on your finger, but you deserve forever, so let me do everything he didn't do…”
“You deserve the world, Sorrel,” he says, when he finishes singing.
I’m momentarily struck speechless as I sniffle and smile, unable to find the right words to say.
“Sorrel, you already know I’m in love with you. Before we leave on this tour, I want to ask you if you’ll do me the honor and officially be my girlfriend?”
He falters when I don’t immediately respond, his face turning into a frown.
“I love you too,” I say as I press my mouth against his
He perks up in surprise. While my mouth is pushed against his, he mumbles, “And what about the girlfriend part?”
I laugh. “Yes, yes, of course I will, Denton.”
My heart swells and I can’t be any happier than I am in this moment right now. Tomorrow, we leave for the tour and I’ll be Denton Reed’s fucking girlfriend. I didn't expect to have that on my bingo card this year.
When summer started, I was a broken fucking mess. Huck hurt me in so many ways. I wasn’t sure I would ever move past it. I’ll never forget what he did to me but I can see now what a good man really is. My walls were up and I had no room for love in my heart when I met Denton. I never in a million years would have thought someone like him would be a good and loving man. But I judged who he was and assumed that all cowboys are the same. I was so wrong. And I’m happy to say so.
I feel more confident than ever now to go on tour with Denton. I’ll miss my family and the ranch but I’m excited for this adventure to come.
. . .
Our last night at the ranch is of course filled with family time and one of Jo’s specials. She made us a large roast with mashed potatoes, carrots, and gravy. My mouth is watering and my stomach is grumbling. Denton and I sure worked up an appetite this afternoon. When we walked into everyone already seated at the table, they stared at us like they knew what we’d been up to all afternoon. Well, everyone except Dad. He’s always oblivious to it all—probably on purpose. He likes Denton but he doesn’t ever get too involved. As long as us girls are happy that’s all that matters to him.
After we're done with the main course, Jo brings out my favorite, brownies and ice cream. Trotter has finished his and moved onto mine as he sits in my lap and I share with him. Chocolate covers his mouth and little round cheeks. His fingers are sticky and covered in ice cream. I laugh as I try to dodge him from putting them on my face. Dash jumps up, paws on my thigh, and laps the ice cream off his hands. Trotter breaks into a fit of laughter. My cheeks hurt from smiling so much. I’ll be counting down the days until I’m back at this table with my family again. I love them so much it hurts. But that love is growing and a sweet cowboy has squeezed his way into the tiny space that was left in my heart.
—
Morning comes quickly and I wake before Denton. Dash and I quietly sneak out of the cabin to go watch the sunrise.
The chill of the cool morning breeze hits my face as I wrap my blanket around me tighter. I sit on the porch swing, Dash in my lap. The sun begins to rise behind the mountains—a true masterpiece. Fiery red and orange clouds scatter the sky as acurtain of light lay over the green valley below. A brood mare and her baby trot through the pasture coming in to be fed.
Denton joins me—I must not have been as quiet as I thought. He wraps his long arms around me—right where I’m meant to be. I settle in resting my head on his chest. We swing back and forth without saying a word, just admiring the view. When I’m old and gray this is where I’ll go—the memories I’ll look back on. Just me and him here in the quiet. No work, no worries—just us and this land.
. . .
