18. Chapter 18
Chapter 18
Joy
“S o, are you going to tell me where you’re taking me?”
Tate flashes a smile before returning his attention to the road. “I can tell you if you really want to know. I already gave you pretty big hints.”
I scoff. The only thing I was able to get out of him was that I should wear jeans and boots. That’s pretty much all I wear anyway, so I wouldn’t call that a hint. I’m torn between the suspense killing me and wanting to be surprised. I’m still undecided when he pulls into the entrance of a fast-food place.
“Okay, I’ll give you a hint.” His smile would make my knees weak if I wasn’t already seated. “It’s nearly two hours away, so I figured we might want to eat first.”
I laugh. None of his hints have been actual hints at all. It’s only been a few days since I’ve seen him, but I’ve missed him. The crinkles around his eyes deepen as he continues to smile at me. It does things to me. I’m not sure if it’s how sexy his smile is, or how rare it is, but it literally takes my breath away.
“Fine, just surprise me. I’ll have the nuggets and fries combo.”
We make small talk while we eat, and it isn’t long before I’ve forgotten how badly I want to know where we’re going. There’s something about riding down country roads on a sunny day. It’s early spring, so flowers are just beginning to bloom, and green buds are sprouting on the trees.
Tate places his hand on my thigh and gives it a squeeze as he pulls onto a gravel driveway. As the trees clear, I can see a huge plot of land in front of us. It’s all fenced off, and there are horses scattered about. And then I see the stable. It’s a huge structure, with red distressed wood making it look like a painting and not real life.
“Where are we?” I’m in awe as I take in my surroundings.
“This place made me who I am.”
Tate doesn’t say anything else as he pulls into a gravel parking area and finds a spot. I know there’s a story behind it. From what I understand, Boulder Ranch has been hosting the rodeo practically forever. And Boulder Ranch is next door, while this place is hours away. Accepting Tate’s offered hand, I step out of the truck and fall into step beside him.
“My dad’s best friend owns this place,” he explains. “When I was little, we came down here nearly every weekend. They host the rodeo, so even though we didn’t necessarily come down for the rodeo, I watched everyone practice. I was obsessed. Riding broncs is where I started. But once I was old enough to get on a bull, it was all over. I was hooked. And then I started going to Boulder Ranch.”
I swallow hard. “And you just wanted to show me?”
Flashing that panty-melting smile, he shrugs. “Yeah. I was thinking about you while I was here, and I realized how much you’d probably like the equestrian center.”
“The building we passed when we first came in?” I ask excitedly.
He smiles and nods. “Yeah. I remember what you said about your aunt so…”
“Holy shit, that place is huge!” I squeal. “It’s okay that we’re here? Can we go inside?”
“Of course. I mentioned to the Eglestons that I would like to show you this place some time, and they insisted. And when I suggested today, they also insisted we stay for dinner.”
I’m practically vibrating with excitement. This place is much larger than Boulder Ranch. The arena and stands seem to be similarly sized, but the rest of the ranch makes Boulder Ranch look like some small private property. The equestrian center is probably twice as big as the stables I help take care of. Tate points out different buildings as we walk to the equestrian center, but I’m not paying attention. My focus is on the beautiful land.
Once we reach the building, Tate takes my hand before opening the door and leading me inside. I’m at a loss for words. For as large as I thought the structure was from the outside, it’s probably twice that size. There are barrels set up and I stop to watch a girl with two long braids lead her horse around them. The woman standing at the entrance with a stopwatch cheers when she passes.
We walk further into the building and nearly every stall is occupied. I thought Boulder Ranch housed a lot of horses. There’s no stopping the grin that spreads across my face as I look around the facility. When we get to the far end, Tate spins me to face him, and I’m momentarily lost in his disarming gaze.
“What do you think?” he asks.
I do a slow spin and look around one more time before I answer him. “I think it’s amazing. I’ve never seen anything like it. Thanks for bringing me here.”
Tate leans forward and brushes his lips against mine in a tease of a kiss. He moves to step back, but I grip his shirt and pull him close, capturing his mouth with mine. He briefly smiles against me before taking control and sliding his tongue against mine, finally ending with a gentle nip.
Our silence is comfortable as we slowly move to the other end of the facility, stopping to visit each horse along the way. I can’t get over how clean the place is. All of the stalls seem freshly cleaned and it doesn’t smell unpleasant. I briefly wonder how many people help run this place. We come to a stop to watch the girl practice. Aside from the roughstock events, barrel racing has always been my favorite. I wish I hadn’t let my mom talk me out of learning. One of the trainers at my aunt’s facility had a background in it, but I passed up on the opportunity.
“You okay?” Tate’s voice startles me a bit, completely derailing my train of thought.
“Yeah. I was just watching her. I’ve always loved barrel racing.”
“You know how to ride. You should give it a shot.”
I stare at him, wide-eyed. “I don’t know how to ride like that,” I protest. “And I am thirty-three years old. Way too old to be falling off a horse trying to do something cool.”
Tate chuckles and pulls me close before returning his attention to the arena. I’m not sure how long we watch the young woman practice, but I could have probably watched all night had a sweet voice not interrupted us.
“Tate, honey, I’m so glad you made it back here.”
I turn to find a woman who appears to be in her late fifties approaching. She’s pretty, and not the sweet grandma-looking type. Her skin is tanned, and she’s wearing an off-the-shoulder tee, boot-cut jeans, and worn cowboy boots. Her brown hair is streaked with gray and piled on top of her head in the perfect messy bun. She’s very pretty in an effortless kind of way. If it wasn’t for the smile lines and slight crow’s feet around her eyes, I would mistake her for my age.
“Hi, Mrs. Egleston. Thanks for having us,” Tate says, pulling the woman into a hug.
“Tate, don’t go calling me that just because your beautiful friend is with you.” She turns and directs her attention to me. “Hi, honey, I’m Martha. I’ve heard a lot about you. It’s nice to put a face with the name.”
I reach out my hand, but she pulls me into a brief hug. “Thanks for having us. This place is amazing.”
“Oh, sweetheart, you’re welcome anytime. You both are. If you’re interested, you two can ride a few trails before supper. John will likely be out working for another hour or so.”
My ears perk up at the suggestion of a trail ride. I’ve been dying to get back to it ever since my first time at Tate’s. There’s nothing better than enjoying nature while on the back of a majestic animal.
“Really? Can we?” I look from Martha to Tate, and back.
“Yeah, come on,” he says before turning to Martha. “We’ll be back in time for supper.”
Martha is an amazing cook. I didn’t even realize how hungry I was until I started eating. But each bite was so delicious, I just couldn’t stop. I sip my coffee and look around the table, watching the conversation I’m not paying attention to. This feels a lot like some version of meeting the parents, and I don’t hate it. John is just as friendly and welcoming as Martha. He doesn’t look as young as Martha, but judging by his strength and energy, his age doesn’t mean anything.
“Can I get you another piece of pie?” Martha offers.
“Oh, I couldn’t, but thank you. I’m not even sure how I managed to eat so much. Everything was delicious,” I respond.
“Oh, thank you; I’m glad you enjoyed it. Will you be staying the night? I wasn’t sure, but I went ahead and got a room ready.” Martha stops clearing dishes while she waits for a response.
My brows shoot up. Tate never said anything about staying the night anywhere. Well, Tate really didn’t say much of anything at all. It’s a bit awkward since we haven’t even been seeing each other for long, but I don’t hate the idea.
“What do you think, sweetheart?” Tate asks while he places a hand over mine. “If you want to leave, we can. If you want to stay, that’s also okay.”
Tate keeps his voice low, and Martha has gone back to clearing the table and chatting with her husband. The conversation is just between the two of us. I’m not sure how I should answer, so I shrug.
“Joy? It’s okay if you want to go back. This is like a second home to me, and it’s practically a bed and breakfast as often as they have people staying here. Wherever they put us it will be somewhere private. But I’m also fine driving home. It’s your call.”
My call? “Well, what do you want to do?”
He looks down before a shy smile slips free. “I kind of like the idea of stealing you for a little getaway.”
And just like that, I don’t care what we do or where we go, as long as he looks at me like that. Shy smile still in place, his dark eyes search mine. His gaze is intense, but I don’t want it to leave me. I feel like he’s seeing all of me, and I like it.
“I don’t have clothes…”
“Yes, you do. In the bag Rayna packed for you,” he says, interrupting me.
“Wait. What?”
“We’d love to stay,” Tate says, speaking loud enough for John and Martha to hear. “Is it my usual room?”
Martha nods as she loads the dishwasher. “Yes. Same room. There are two sets of towels in the bathroom and an extra blanket on the bed. Holler if you need anything.”
I follow Tate to the room. It’s early, but all I want to do is take a shower and put on clean pajamas. My smile returns as I think about the fact that Tate planned this whole thing. Tate thought of me. It probably shouldn’t be that big of a deal, but it is to me. It’s all I think about as I wash off the smell of outside and horses. It’s all I think about as I crawl into the bed and into his arms. It's all I think about as he slides a hand over my naked body, teasing along until he reaches my already wet center.