Chapter 41
Riley
“Wait for me!” I shout, following Willa, who’s walking up to the end of summer campfire. Summer has come and gone like a thunderstorm, and the only thing left behind, unlike the usual wreckage, is the hope this place will be alright.
That we will be alright.
She’s working somewhere close by, so it won’t be years before we see her again, and that works, considering she’s all smoochy smoochy with her bestie. I saw that coming years ago. I should’ve placed a bet on it or something.
“I told you I was coming,” I say, out of breath.
“For someone who’s always running around, you sure are slow.”
“Yeah, yeah, yeah.” I link my arm with my peacekeeper sister, and we finish the trek to the bonfire. The counselors are sitting around it, laughing, talking, Lilly tucked in the arms of her love.
That, I also saw coming. I would have earned good money if I’d listened to my gut and started placing bets on my sister’s love life.
And I might have won this one, but I definitely lost the one where I believed finding myself again was something that could happen in the place I call home. Or finding much more.
“Go, go,” I tell Willa when I see her man standing all alone with a smile on his face the minute he sees her.
“But I—”
She’s always worrying about everyone else’s feelings, even now. “Girl, go. I’m not going anywhere. Go smooch!”
She rolls her eyes and does as I say.
The ranch is about to be empty again. No more children running around or busy schedules. It will be time to reset, and I’m so excited at the potential of helping do so this time around.
“Hey, Firefly,” Dom’s raspy voice says from behind me, eliciting goosebumps down my back and bringing a warmth I’ve come to associate with him.
Falling in love with this man so fast has been the scariest thing I’ve been through in my life, but in the best way. I’m still terrified, but at least I’m terrified with him.
“Hey, cowboy.” I turn as he takes my hand and pulls me to his chest. No kids around means we can be public about our feelings, and this man’s feelings are really loud.
I love it.
He grunts. “Not a cowboy.”
“Same, same.” A giggle escapes me as I link my fingers behind his neck, the same way the unwavering, all-encompassing feeling of being comfortable in his arms wraps around my heart.
I love him.
There’s no denying that.
These past two months exploring our relationship out in the open, not in the shadows, has taken away the forbidden allurement, but it has opened up the door to a love I never thought possible, let alone at my age, in my home.
“I didn’t know if you were going to make it. You’ve been so busy doing cowboy things.”
His narrow eyes threaten me, but just with a good time, nothing else. Hell, I’ll take a good time with this man any time. “I was busy, but work will always be there. You wanted to come to this, and I wanted to be here for you.”
I take his cheek in my hand. “Awww, look at you, softening up. I’m starting to believe you’re a ‘looks like he could kill, but is a cinnamon roll’ kind of guy.”
“Riley, what?”
“Ugh, nothing. You wouldn’t know, given your old age and such.”
He smacks my ass, pulling a yelp from me, then flinches when he realizes what he just did, in front of everyone.
“Get a room!” someone shouts.
“Nah, we have two of those. This is just fine!” I reply before closing the space between our lips. The way he kisses me is like a hello and a you belong here all in one. It’s my favorite treat after a long day and before starting a new one.
He groans on my lips when my hands tug at his hair, breaking the kiss in one motion, dropping his lips to the shell of my ear. “Not now, not if you don’t want to give them a show.”
His voice is filled with desire, and if I didn’t truly want to enjoy this last night with these people before the quiet settles again, I would take the challenge.
“Fine. Let’s go enjoy our friends like regular people, I guess.”
“I brought you something too.” I notice for the first time the bag he’s holding.
“Oh yeah? I love presents. Gimme, gimme.”
Dom shakes his head but hands me the bag, nonetheless. Inside, there’s a wooden box with a clear front and lettering that reads ‘Paper Messages’, splattered with paint. It’s beautiful.
Wait.
“Is this what you painted in my last class?” Dom has been taking my late Friday night classes and then helping me clean up while simultaneously making a mess of me.
He nods.
“What is it?”
“Do you remember when we first met, and you had me get that vase for you? The one with all the small papers you kept calling a jar?”
“Same, same, Dom. Jar, vase, tomato, tomato, remember?” I tease.
“Well, this is for you to put the papers in. That way, you don’t have to struggle getting them out of the bottle neck.”
I’m speechless. This is beautiful and thoughtful. Every day, I’m flabbergasted at the fact this man once thought he wasn’t enough. What a beautiful thing, the girl who thinks she’s too much with the man who feels like he’s not enough. As it turns out, you’re the perfect fit for the right person.
“Thank you. This is beautiful.” I hike to my tiptoes, dropping a kiss on his lips and sliding my gift back on the bag. “Remind me to thank you later.” I wink, earning me a smile he freely gives now.
Dom lifts my hand, pressing his lips to my knuckles, his gaze locking with mine in a silent declaration. He sees me. He loves me. Deeply. Wholeheartedly. And so do I.
We join the bonfire hand in hand, spending the rest of the night wrapped up in the feeling we’ve always longed for—like home.