Chapter 22 Fletcher
Fletcher
Damn, I’m good.
I’ve never had to work this hard to impress someone before, but I think I finally did it. Then again, maybe I don’t get to take all the credit, since the Wright family and their staff were the ones that truly went above and beyond to make this happen.
They had our afternoon packed, and I’m not even sure I could’ve planned it better even if I tried.
We kicked things off with Boone and his younger brother, Austin, as we partook in some friendly competition. There were wheelbarrow races, hay bale tossing, and horseshoe throwing—giving me the ultimate opportunity to prove to Hollis that I am, in fact, a real cowboy at heart.
Boone even got us to try our hand at cattle roping, giving me yet another chance to show-off as I "accidentally" lassoed Hollis instead of the dummy steer. What can I say? I’m a sucker for being close to her. Sure, I’d prefer to not have to do so by force, but her smile made it all worth it and I’d do it again.
After that, we went on a trail wagon ride around the property as Boone pointed out all the popular landmarks Hollis recognized from TV, while telling all the hilarious behind-the-scenes stories from filming his reality show.
Sure, it was interesting enough, but it was Hollis I couldn’t stop staring at as she leaned into me, our bodies incredibly close.
Hell, Boone could’ve been confessing to murder and I wouldn’t have noticed or cared.
Then came the massive barbeque dinner with all the fixings. Maybe gorging myself wasn’t the most attractive move I could’ve made, but when I’m surrounded by all-you-can-eat, brisket, smoked sausage, baked beans, and cornbread, what’s a guy supposed to do?
And just when I thought I couldn’t eat another bite, they had the audacity to bring out the fresh peach cobbler with homemade vanilla ice cream.
By the time we’d polished off our dessert and I was only one bite away from needing to be rolled out of there in a barrel, Hollis asked if that was all for the night.
I'm never going to want my time with Hollis to come to an end, but I can’t help feeling a thrill as I let her know I have one more surprise up my sleeve—or rather, two.
“There’s more?” she asks, her eyes lighting up.
“With me, there’s always going to be more.” I wink and stand, offering my hand to help her up.
She follows as I lead her toward the barn where Boone is waiting with two horses, saddled and ready to go.
Genuine, childlike excitement radiates off her as she steps toward one of the horses, her fingers lightly brushing over its mane. “You know, I don’t think I’ve ever been this grateful that you still haven't figured out when to quit,” she giggles, glancing at me over her shoulder.
“When it comes to you, quitting’s never been an option,” I say before we’re helped into the saddles and mounted on our horses.
We ride out past the pastures, the air cooling with each slow trot of the horses as we follow the guide Boone hooked us up with.
Rounding a small bend, the final surprise comes into view—my truck pulled up alongside a shimmering creek as it catches the last rays of sunlight.
That isn’t all though. The bed is piled high with luxuriously soft pillows and blankets.
Just in front, a newly lit fire crackles to life.
Next to it, a log sits beside a tray laid out with all the fixins’ for s’mores.
Hollis glances over her shoulder, a few stray hairs escaping her braid to brush across her cheek as she smiles—and damn if it doesn’t hit me like a fastball to the heart.
She looks like she belongs on the cover of a country music album.
Hell, I’d buy the deluxe version if it meant I could keep replaying this moment over and over again.
“You really did all this?” she asks.
“What can I say? I’m a man of many talents. Baseball, kissing, cowboy shit,” I list and shrug. “Is it really that much of a surprise that I’d be a master at date planning too?”
Okay, so maybe Boone helped—or rather did most of the heavy lifting here—but she doesn’t need to know that.
She laughs, the sound a perfect accompaniment to the soft rush of the nearby creek. “You’re too much.”
“Maybe,” I admit, slowing my horse to a stop. “But you’re still smiling, so clearly I’m doing something right.”
I swing off my horse and step toward her, offering her my hand.
She takes it, and the moment her boots touch the ground, we’re stuck.
A perfect moment—her hands on my shoulders, mine on her waist. Everything around us fades and it’s just the two of us, or at least it feels that way as she stares up at me.
“Anything else you need from us before we head out?” our guide interrupts. The spell shatters as Hollis takes a step back and rubs her hands down the side of her jeans.
“No, I think we’ve got it from here,” I say, attempting a smile, despite the man being a bit of a cock blocker.
The two ranch hands who’d been responsible for driving my truck and setting this up grab our horses and follow our guide out back toward the Ranch.
“So…” I trail off, turning my attention back to Hollis, who seems stuck in a perpetual state of awe as she gazes out at the setting sun.
I don’t blame her. The sky is ablaze in hues of orange and pink, but I’m the pathetic man who instead of looking up, is staring at the gorgeous woman beside him. Nothing will ever compare to the picture-perfect view that is Hollis Clemmins.
“I still can’t believe you did all this.” She lets out a contented sigh as she gazes out.
“Why wouldn’t I?” I ask, and in no way am asking it as a hypothetical question. “Plus, with this being your last first date ever, I had to make it extra special,” I add, only half-joking.
She shoots me a quick, disapproving look, but it doesn’t last long as her face falls. “With how horrible I’ve been to you, one could argue I don’t deserve this at all.”
I chuckle, shaking my head. “No way. That was all foreplay. If anything, the only thing you being ‘mean’ did was turn me on. Did I ever tell you how sexy you looked whenever you ripped into me?”
“Only you could ever see that as foreplay” she giggles, giving in as she laughs along with me. “Seriously, though. This is truly amazing, even if I’m still convinced I don’t actually deserve any of this.”
I reach for her hand and gently tug her closer. “You deserve not only this,” I say, nodding toward our setup, “but so much more. And for the record, I never would’ve cared to do something like this for anyone else, which just goes to show how truly special you are.”
Her expression softens, the guarded look she seems to wear like a badge of honor cracking as her eyes search mine.
“Either way,” she says, placing a hand on my chest, giving me a playful push until my back hits the open tailgate.
“I appreciate you not giving up, and maybe because of that...” Her eyes dip toward my mouth as she bites down on her bottom lip. “Maybe it’s you who deserves this.”
Rising on her toes, and with her hands still pressed into my chest, she kisses me.
One hand lands on her waist as the other cradles her cheek with my palm.
As much as I want to wrap her up tight and lose myself completely, I force myself to hold back.
The kiss remains sweet, slow, and steady as I savor every second.
I know from experience how quickly her mind can change, and I’m not ready to let that happen anytime soon, not when we’ve come so far.
When I finally pull back, I don’t go far, resting my forehead against hers as our shallow breaths mingle.
“As much as I appreciate the thank you,” I murmur, my thumb tracing slow, easy circles along her cheek. “You know that’s not why I did any of this, right? Just you being here is more than enough for me.”
“I know, and that’s exactly why I want to do it,” she says, and without warning, she reaches up and plucks the cowboy hat off my head and slides it onto her own with a smug grin.
My eyebrows shoot up. “Are you sure you want to do that?” I ask, a slow grin tugging at my mouth. “You do know what taking the hat off a cowboy means, right?”
“Wear the hat, ride the cowboy?” she asks, and I nod.
“I grew up in Texas. Of course I know what that means. Why do you think I did it?”
My last bit of restraint snaps. I lean in, capturing her mouth with mine. There’s nothing tentative this time as I give into the heat and the want as my lips move hungrily against hers. The kiss deepens, and I lose myself completely until she’s all I can taste—all I can feel.
Her response is just as instant, her fingers curling into the hair at the nape of my neck as her other hand grips the fabric of my shirt and pulls me closer.
It’s clear neither of us want this moment to end, but somehow, despite how badly I want this—how badly I want her—I manage to pull my lips away yet again.
She blinks up at me, breathless and confused. With her lips parted, she tilts her head to the side, as if asking a silent question.
“Sorry. I want to kiss you, and I will, but I also don’t want to be the one responsible for making you miss out on all of this,” I explain, nodding toward the now nearly setting sun.
“My plan tonight was to show you a good time, and while I know I can do it that way,” I add with a knowing smirk, “I also don’t want you thinking this was all I wanted from you tonight. ”
She exhales loudly, seeming to collect herself as she nods. “I suppose I can respect that, even if my body isn’t exactly thrilled with all this back and forth.”
My body isn’t happy with me either, but I want to believe I’m capable of proving that what we have between us runs deeper than the physical.
So I do the only thing I can, looping a finger through her belt loop and spinning her around until she’s facing the horizon as the sun slowly sinks into the hills.
She melts into me, her back against my chest as I wrap my arms around her waist and lower my chin to rest in the soft curve of her shoulder. She lays her hands lightly on mine, and something inside me settles, a quiet place just for us that I never even knew existed.
I’ve traveled across the country for baseball, especially during my college and minor league days, and I thought I’d seen it all.
Big cities, oceans, and stadiums filled to the brim with cheering fans, but this is entirely different.
Standing here with Hollis, bathed in the final glow of the setting sun, I realize that nothing has, and nothing ever will come close to this moment.
This, and the woman beside me, is without a doubt, the most beautiful thing I’ve ever seen.
I’m transfixed, and despite trying to control my burning desire, I can no longer hold back. I nudge her braid aside with my nose and press a few soft kisses to the side of her neck.
She doesn’t seem to mind, and tilts her head, giving my lips the full access I crave.
“So…” I mumble against her skin, creating a trail up her neck and toward the shell of her ear. “I think it’s time you finally admit it—you like me,” I whisper into her ear before giving it a soft nip.
“I never disliked you,” she admits, her voice dreamy and light. “I just don’t think we’re what the other needs, and I stand behind that.”
“And I stand behind the fact that I know you’re wrong. You’re exactly what I need, Hollis Clemmins, and I also happen to think I may just be what you need, too.”
She lets out a frustrated huff, and spins around, her hands landing on my chest.
“I need you to hear what I’m saying, Fletch,” she pleads, her eyes deadly serious as they lock onto mine.
“I like you. I like you a lot, actually, but that doesn’t mean we’re allowed to be anything.
So, if we cross this line and take things any further, I need you to understand exactly what this is, or more importantly, what this isn’t. ”
Back in the day, and with anyone else, those words would have been music to my ears.
No strings attached and absolutely no pressure?
Hell fucking, yeah! But this is different.
Everything with Hollis is different because for the first time I don’t just want her for her body or for a good time.
I want her. Every single part, flaws and all.
Unfortunately, as much as I want to tell her this, I’m also aware it’s the very thing that will send her packing.
“So what you’re saying is you just want me for my body?” I joke instead.
She lets out a breathy laugh. “If I was, could you blame me?”
I keep my disappointment hidden, and force a smile. “So, let’s say I am interested in moving forward with this. What exactly are you proposing here?”
She tilts her head to the side as she mulls it over, her teeth catching her bottom lip.
“I’m not normally a friends-with-benefits type of girl, but right now I think that’s all I have to offer.”
I study her face, catching the flicker of uncertainty despite the mock confidence in her words.
“Are you sure you’re really okay with that? As much as I’m willing to take whatever you’ll give, I don’t want to force you into this. You know you don’t owe me anything, right?”
Her lips twitch. “Since when are you the one to turn this down?” she asks, the playful edge back in her tone.
“When I’m dealing with someone I care about I can’t just ignore what happens next. I want you, Hollis, you know that, but I won’t let things go any further if I know it’s only going to hurt you in the process.”
She lets out a loud breath and presses her hands against my chest, gently breaking free of my hold.
“I’ll be fine. As long as we keep this a simple friends-with-benefits situation, I won’t get hurt. You, on the other hand...” she trails, her gaze trailing over me in a soft but teasing way. “Are you sure you’re going to be okay if that’s all I can give?”
“Yes.” I reach for her hands and pull her back until there’s no more space left between us. “I’ll be fine. All I want is you, and I’ll take it in whatever form you’re willing to give.”
Her lips curve into a faint frown. “Fletch…”
“Stop worrying. I’m a big boy. I can handle my emotions, and while we both know it’s obvious I want more, if this is all I’ll ever get, then so be it.
I’ll be fine, I promise.” I lift a hand, and brush back a fallen strand of hair as I place it behind her ear.
“Just give me what you can, and I’ll deal with everything else. ”
I don’t wait for a response and instead kiss her again, slow but more sure. There’s so much I want to say, but instead, I let my lips do the confessing.
Am I happy with this current arrangement? Hell no, but I’ll play by her rules, at least for now.