Chapter 36
“You got a tattoo for me?” I sit up, admiring Connors handsome face. The tattoo I’ve admired since his eighteenth birthday, was for me.
“I’ve gotten several tattoos for you. But the sun was first.” Connor brushes my sex-tousled hair from my face.
If there was any lingering doubt about Connor’s feelings for me, it just evaporated. The first thing he did when he turned eighteen was permanently mark his body with a symbol of me.
“So, does this mean I’m your girlfriend?”
The devotion in his chocolate eyes melts me. “Yea doll, you’re my girlfriend. You’re the sun in my sky and light of my life. I’ve been in love with you for so long, you’re woven into my soul. You’re so much more than my girlfriend—you’re my world. Always have been, always will be,” he vows.
“Delilah, you are mine just as much as I am yours. I need to hear you say it.”
I love him so much it hurts, but some of the pain releases when I say, “I am yours, and you are mine.”
“Mine,” he says, kissing my forehead.
“Is this really happening? I’m afraid to go to sleep because if I wake up and this was a dream, I’ll never recover.” My throat’s tight with emotion.
Connor pops the comforter open for us to slip beneath. I lay beside him, covered only from the waist down, uncharacteristically comfortable with my body on display. His eyes rove my naked skin, but only for a moment.
“Tomorrow when you wake up, I’ll be right here, holding you and kissing you good morning. I’ll remind you every day for the rest of our lives how real my love for you is. I’ll tell you with my words and prove my words with my actions.”
He motions for me to settle into the crook of his shoulder—my spot—and curls his strong arm around me.
“Go to sleep, doll. And trust me to still be in love with you when you wake up.”
Instead of the normal kiss to the top of my head, I tilt my face, and Connor places the sweetest kiss on my lips.
Connor Hayes is in love with me. He’s finally mine.
The frayed heartstring connecting us weaves back together like braided steel cable.
I fall asleep with his taste on my lips, dried evidence of his love on my skin, and peace in my heart.
After waking me up overnight to fill my body and lavish me with pleasure, Connor insisted I take the day off from the ranch. I wake long after the sun had risen, a stark contrast to the pre-dawn start our days have had since adopting ranch hours.
I pause as I reach for my phone. A crisp note is neatly folded and propped against my favorite water bottle.
Hydrate. I’ve got big plans for you tonight.
Pamper yourself and spend the day oversharing with the girls.
But be ready for me to pick you up at seven.
I’m finally taking you out on our first date.
Love, your boyfriend.
My ears ring like my eardrums have burst. Izzy and Livy are screaming like preteens. My god, the high pitch may cause long-term hearing loss.
“I KNEW IT!” Izzy screeches.
“Oh my god, will you shut up! I don’t want Reid or anyone else hearing about my sex life,” I chastise.
We’re in the privacy of her and Reid’s cabin, but the ranch is one giant revolving door. Someone could come in and hear us at any minute.
They resume screaming and while I want to bury my head and hide, I’m a hundred times more excited than them. So, I join them.
My voice grows hoarse from screaming but I’m floating on a cloud.
We settle into the chairs on Izzy’s back porch with glasses of iced tea and a sleeve of double stuffed Oreos and can of Pringles each.
“Spill. Tell us everything. Don’t leave out a single detail.” Livy bounces in her seat.
“Not everything…I don’t want to know what Connor’s junk looks like.” Izzy gags.
“Speak for yourself,” Livy says, waggling her eyebrows. “I bet he’s packing.”
The flaming blush that saturates my cheeks answers for me, eliciting a squeal of joy from Livy and disgusted groans from my sister.
“Start from the beginning,” Olivia demands. “You left dinner last night in such a rush, we were worried.”
“I’m sorry if the wedding talk went too far. I didn’t mean to upset you,” Izzy says, taking my hand.
“Don’t be ridiculous. I’m over the moon happy for you sissy. Sure, for a minute there I was upset by how far away marriage was for me, but it was the push I needed to finally tell Connor I’m in love with him,” I assure my sweet sister.
“All the things we’ve held back over the years bubbled to the surface and once everything was out in the open, I asked him to kiss me.”
Livy flails her arm out in excitement and sends her glass of iced tea careening to the ground.
We flinch, expecting the glass to burst but Izzy says, “Shatterproof. Reid says you can’t grow up on a ranch with three boys without having shatterproof dishes.
” Izzy dries the floor and picks up the glass without a second thought.
“Anywayyyyy,” Livy pushes.
“Kissing led to grinding, which led to the bedroom. To be honest, the sex was the least important thing that happened last night. We admitted we’re in love with each other. And aside from rings and a marriage license, we’re committed to each other for life,” I say wistfully.
“Who cares!” Livy says. “YOU FUCKED CONNOR!”
A deep voice from the sliding glass door scares the pee out of us. “I told you so,” Reid says to Izzy, reaching over to drain her glass of tea.
“I told you at their birthday party last year and you didn’t believe me,” he says smugly, but with no malice behind the words, my sister making moon eyes at him.
Reid pats his front and back pockets—“Where’s my phone? James owes me a hundred bucks”—and disappears back into their cabin.
We dissolve into giggles, and I don’t care if it’s at my expense. I have everything I’ve ever wanted.
I check the time on my phone for the millionth time this hour and nearly cry. Connor will be home to pick me up for our first date in twenty minutes and I’m nowhere near ready.
I’ve tried on every piece of clothing I own, styled and re-styled my hair, and am now so sweaty I need to take another shower. Why am I so nervous? Connor’s taken me out for dinner before.
But this is different—we aren’t going out as friends. He’s taking me out as his girlfriend and I’m freaking out.
I want to impress him and make tonight perfect since he’s been dreaming of our first date as long as I have. I don’t know where we’re going and I’m afraid to be underdressed or overdressed.
I’m spiraling into a panic attack when my phone chimes.
Studmuffin: I’m on my way. I can’t wait to see you. You’re probably freaking out, so I want to remind you I’m madly in love with you and you are perfect exactly the way you are. Don’t overthink it, dollface.
And just like that, the tornado in my chest settles to a dust bunny. As I thumb through my discarded outfits, I reflect on our relationship, and if he’s loved me the way he says he has, that means he loved me when I’ve been ugly, sick, sweaty, dirty, angry, and puffy from crying.
Connor loves me. I can do this.
You can never go wrong with a little black dress, so I choose my favorite one. It’s flattering and not too tight, so I can eat comfortably. The stretchy fabric slinks down my body, caressing me seductively.
I’m careful to pull the bodice up to cover the bra I’m wearing. It’s a sinful set I bought for myself as a reward for landing my internship but haven’t had a reason to wear. I hope Connor likes it.
I slick my hair back into a high ponytail and put on my favorite earrings and an extra spritz of perfume.
I’m sitting on the edge of the bed, putting on my dressy cowboy boots when someone knocks at the front door.
Who’d be knocking our door? Connor has a key, and everyone else texts before they come over.
I pause on my walk to the door. What if it’s my mom?
She’s not supposed to be anywhere near me.
Quietly, I take the last few steps to the door and peer out the peephole—to find Connor on the other side, holding an enormous bouquet of flowers.
His eyes drink me in as soon as I swing the door open, admiring every detail I fretted over. It was silly getting so worked up. This is Connor. He’d never make me feel anything less than wanted.
“You’re…beautiful. So pretty, Delilah.” He gulps, a blush tinting his cheeks.
“These are for you,” he says, offering me the flowers.
The heady, floral scent invades my senses, and I swoon like a fool.
I’ve never gotten flowers before, and these are my favorite.
Carnations are often overlooked, but I’ve always loved them, and Connor remembered.
Shades of yellow are accented by the occasional light pink carnation.
I want to take a picture to keep them forever.
“Are you ready to go?” Connor asks, clearing his throat nervously.
“I need to get these in some water,” I say, turning back towards the kitchen, but Connor gently cups my elbow.
“It can wait—but I can’t.” A sinful smile curves one side of his mouth and my stomach erupts into butterflies.
I set the flowers on the counter as Connor tucks my phone and other things into his pockets. I’ve never needed a purse around him, and I love he’s my same Connor tonight.
He escorts me to his truck, opens my door with a flourish and helps me inside. He reaches across my body to buckle my seatbelt, and on his retreat, kisses the sun pendant hanging between my collar bones.
The breath I suck in is masked by the door shutting, and as we drive away from our apartment, Connor’s hand never leaves my thigh.
Water nearly comes out my nose from how hard I’m laughing.
“You did not!” I exclaim.
“I did. Your freshman year, I scared off every guy at school who dared to look at you. The school nurse had never been busier because boys at school had come down with a severe case of clumsiness. Jammed fingers, bloody noses, skinned knees,” he says with the brightest smile on his face, as if he didn’t assault half the student body.
“So, I have you to thank for never being asked out on a date?” I ask, dabbing my eyes from laughing.