“Our date is here? I mean, I’m not complaining, but…”
I shake my head and chuckle. “I knew I shoulda blindfolded you.”
We get out of the truck, and I grab the picnic basket full of food from behind the driver’s seat. When I come around to the front, Kat looks at me with wide eyes. “Why do you have Gigi’s picnic basket?”
“Woman…” I laugh, holding out my hand until she grabs it. We walk around the B&B and toward the shed where a four-wheeler is waiting. After cranking it, I latch the basket on the back rack, then climb on, gesturing for Kat to slip on behind me. As we cruise down the trails, she wraps her arms around my waist tightly, and I never want her to let me go. After we take the green trail to its end, we go off track a bit until we come upon a bonfire.
The four-wheeler slows, and when I turn it off, Kat laughs. “Pulling out all the stops, aren’t ya?” I hear the smile in her voice, so I know she likes it.
“Well, I was told this is the place to take pretty ladies,” I tell her, turning my head, feeling her breath brush against my face.
Kat hops off, and I grab our food. I had Colton help me get this all together because he couldn’t stop talking about how magical it was when he brought Presley here not too long ago. He willingly agreed to start the fire and set out a blanket with some wine.
Kat sits on the blanket, and I start pulling out containers from the basket.
“Braxton!” she squeals when she sees exactly what’s inside. “What? How? You got Gigi to cook my favorite!”
I nod, feeling pretty proud of how surprised and happy she is right now. We peel off the lids, and I hand her a fork. As she dives in, I open the wine and hand her a glass. With every bite she takes, she releases a small moan.
“You keep that up, and dinner’s gonna be over,” I warn with a cheeky grin.
She bites down on her lower lip, smirking. “Sorry. I haven’t had this in so long. It brings back a lot of good memories from growing up,” she admits before taking a sip of the wine. While we eat, we chat about living on the ranch and what it was like growing up in a small town, and once we’re done, I pack everything back up and attach it to the four-wheeler.
As we lie down, a brisk breeze brushes over us, and when Kat shivers, I add more wood to the fire and we move the blanket closer. We watch the flames lick the sky as we lie huddled close on the blanket. She leans up on her elbows and sips her wine, then looks over at me with a small smile playing on her lips.
“What?” I ask.
She shakes her head.
“Tell me.” I wrap my arm around her and pull her even closer, wrapping my leg around her waist.
“I was just thinking about everything. About us. How we managed to have dinner together without wanting to murder each other. Tonight has been amazing,” she admits, her brown hair blowing softly.
“I have a confession,” I say, wrapping a loose strand around her ear. “I knew the first time we spoke in that worn down bar that you were special, Kat. And I know I’ll be kicking my own ass if I let you walk away again. So, I have to know if you’re willing to give this a chance, give us a chance. If you have reservations, I’ll understand, but if you kick me out on my ass again, I’m not sure I’ll be able to get over it. I’ve not been able to get you out of my head and every—”
Her lips crash into mine, knocking my hat from my head. The next thing I know, Kat’s arms are around my neck, and she’s straddling my lap, the fire at her back. I instantly grow hard, wanting to feel her, needing her more than anything I’ve ever needed in my life.
When we finally pull apart with swollen lips, we’re completely breathless and happy. “So that’s a yes?”
She nods and runs her fingers through my hair before kissing me again. “Don’t make me regret it, cowboy.”
I flash her a wide grin and wink. “I won’t, Kat. I can promise you that.”
Chapter Eleven
Kat
Ever since Braxton begged me to go on an official date three months ago, everything’s changed. At first, I was hesitant, but continuing to ignore the way I felt about him was impossible. He laid his feelings on the table, and I agreed to take a chance on us to see where it led. And God am I glad I did. Everything he promised me that night under the stars…it took my breath away. He still takes my breath away.