Chapter 9
Haylee sat at Tyson’s side as he drove his truck through the entrance to Apple Amy’s Sunday afternoon. The sky was a bright, clear blue, the sun shining down on the crowd as people walked from one fall festival event to another.
Tyson parked and hurried around to open Haylee’s door and help her out of the truck. He took her hand in his big one as they walked toward the main area, where the information booth sat. She glanced up at the big, good-looking man and smiled to herself.
Colorful pendants fluttered in the breeze, draped from ropes throughout the area. Balloons tied in bunches and secured in front of each building bobbed as they floated in the air. Bright orange pumpkins were arranged in front of and around bales of yellow straw near the entrance.
Haylee drew in smells of candy apples, cider, roasted almonds, and freshly baked treats. “Before we go home, I want to buy one of their famous pies.”
“I intend to get a few.” He looked down at her. “A whole one for me and a couple for the men.” His mouth quirked. “I don’t intend to share mine.”
She batted her eyelashes. “Not even with little ol’ me?”
He chuckled. “I’ll consider it.”
They reached a water basin perched on a pedestal, where a young man bobbed for apples. He came up, one between his teeth and water running in rivulets down his face and into the collar of his shirt.
Haylee applauded with the other onlookers, and this time, a teenage girl moved to the basin.
“Have you ever bobbed for apples?” She looked up at Tyson. “I used to be pretty good at it, but it’s been ages.”
He shrugged. “Never tried.”
She gripped his hand and drew him toward the line. “Here’s your chance.”
He gave her a good-natured look and took his place, two behind the teenage girl. The line went down fairly quickly, and Tyson handed Haylee his hat and took his place in front of the basin.
“Hands behind your back.” Haylee grinned. “Now go.”
Tyson tried for one of the dozen or so apples in the basin. The crowd cheered him on. By the time he’d bit into one, his face and hair were wet, and water rolled into his collar. The crowd cheered, and Tyson raised his fruit like a prize fighter’s trophy.
Haylee laughed and hugged him, water dripping into her hair.
“Your turn,” he said before biting into his apple and crunching it.
“Nah.” She shook her head. “It was fun just watching you.” She grabbed his hand and tugged him along, past a pumpkin-guts treasure hunt for the kids that was going on next to a pin-the-tail-on-the-pumpkin event for the youngest of the festivalgoers.
They reached the small bowling alley and watched a young woman put her fingers into three holes in a bowling ball-sized pumpkin and rolled it straight for a set of pins with scarecrows taped to the front. She completely missed them, and her “bowling ball” rolled into the gutter.
Haylee took a turn and missed her first throw but got a strike on her second. Tyson knocked down all but one pin but missed the spare on the next roll.
After wiping pumpkin goo from their fingers with hand wipes, they moved on to the next booth, face painting, with the proceeds going to the children’s hospital. Haylee’s sister-in-law, Marlee, was decorating their six-and-a-half-year-old twin nieces, Emily’s and Olivia’s, faces.
“Come get your face painted.” Emily jogged out and took Haylee’s hand. “Marlee’s so good at it.”
“Sounds like fun.” Haylee smiled and left Tyson behind. She plopped down on the straw bale in front of Marlee. “Heya.”
“Ooh, you’re letting me get my hands on you?” Marlee gave her a devilish look. “I could paint your face green and give you warts.”
“I’ll settle for lacy butterflies.” Haylee laughed. “Not too much.”
Tyson looked amused and settled onto a bale to watch. “Give her the works.”
“Don’t listen to him.” Haylee smirked. “Make me pretty.”
“As if you need that.” Marlee focused on Haylee’s face, using several different colors of paint. When she finished, Emily and Olivia gave enthusiastic shouts and giggles of approval as she handed Haylee a mirror.
Haylee looked at her reflection—Marlee had painted butterflies and flowers along the sides of her face and onto her cheeks. It looked pretty, and how she did it emphasized Haylee’s eyes.
She started digging in her pocket for cash to donate to the children’s hospital, but Tyson said, “I’ve got this,” and dropped a twenty into the jar of bills and coins.
They said goodbye to Marlee and the girls and walked on to where a pie-eating contest was in full swing. Tyson and Haylee cheered on her brother, Justin, who was the first to get to his second pie within the allotted time. Pie filling covered his mouth while crumbs and more filling stained the white bib at his throat.
“Justin has always been a huge pie fan, from peach to pecan to lemon meringue.” Haylee glanced at Tyson. “His wife, Miranda, spoils him rotten by baking pies frequently.”
She turned back to the contest to see a teenage boy she didn’t know catch up with Justin, and now they were neck and neck. Just as the timer went off, Justin managed to eat the last bite, and the mayor declared him the winner.
After congratulating Justin, Haylee and Tyson moved past the petting zoo to a pumpkin latte bar, where Tyson purchased two lattes and two pumpkin scones. They chatted, ate, and drank as they enjoyed the rest of the festival.
When they came to a pumpkin throwing contest, where contestants threw the squash like shotputs, Haylee moved closer to the sidelines. “This looks like fun.”
Tyson handed his almost-empty latte cup to Haylee and rolled up his sleeves. “I’m gonna give it a try.”
Haylee laughed and watched as he took his place in line. When he reached the front, he selected a pumpkin and stood in the shotput ring. He moved forward and put his body into the throw, barely keeping inside the ring as he released his squash.
She held her breath as she watched it sail in an arc and splat on the ground a foot from the farthest shattered orange mess on the dirt.
Haylee handed him his drink when he returned to her side, and she gave him a quick hug. They stood and watched the remaining shotput throws. She held her breath again as the last person’s throw sailed high through the air, then landed a few inches behind Tyson’s.
She cheered and jumped up and down, almost dropping her remaining latte. “What did you win?”
“Looks like a gift card for Apple Amy pies.” Tyson smiled. “I’ll take that in a heartbeat.”
He accepted his award and slid the card into his wallet. “Are you ready for the corn maze?”
“You betcha.” She handed him her empty cup to throw into a nearby garbage barrel with his.
Tyson took Haylee’s hand and led her away from the festival grounds to the cornfield and the entrance to the maze. No one was in line, so they were sent into the midst of the corn.
“Oh, wow.” Haylee looked around them as they rounded the first corner of the maze. The corn grew ten to twelve feet tall, and she felt lost already.
They came to a junction. “This way.” Tyson tugged her to the right. They walked around another corner, came to a dead end, and retraced their steps.
It seemed like they’d walked around for an hour, but it was probably only about fifteen minutes when Haylee stopped Tyson. “I think we’re going to have to send smoke signals.”
He looked up at the position of the sun in the sky. “I’m sure we’re almost there.”
She shook her head. “That’s what you said last time.”
He grinned and led her on. A few minutes later, they walked out of the maze. “What did I tell you?”
“You got lucky.” Still, she smiled and accepted a treat bag one of the attendants offered her.
“Great job,” the young woman said. “There’s candy in the bag, and you’ll find some Apple Amy coupons, too.”
“I love coupons.” Haylee peered into her bag. “Oooh, chocolate caramels and candy corn.”
Tyson popped some candy corn into his mouth and looked at the sky. “It’ll be dusk soon.” He turned to Haylee. “What do you say to a hayride after we pick out our pumpkins and put them in the truck?”
She unstuck her jaws from the caramel she’d just chewed. “I’m game. I haven’t been on a hayride since I was a kid.”
He chewed more candy corn as they headed back to the pumpkin-picking area. “Supposed to be a harvest moon tonight.”
“Perfect.” Haylee breathed in the scents of candy and caramel apples as they came to a display stand.
“Which would you prefer?” Tyson guided her up to the display. “Candy or caramel?”
“I haven’t had a caramel one in forever.” She gestured toward a medium-sized version covered in nuts and milk chocolate, drizzled with white chocolate. “That one looks amazing.”
He bought it along with a candy apple for himself and two bottles of pumpkin spice beer. They ate their treat and drank the beer as they went toward Apple Amy’s store. When they finished eating and drinking, they tossed the sticks and beer bottles then went inside to buy some pies.
Now carrying pies and their bags of candy, they wandered over to the pumpkin-picking area. Haylee chose a tall, medium-sized one, picturing the crazy face she’d carve into it. Tyson’s was medium and round.
“I’ll carry these if you can manage the bags of pies,” he said.
She took his bag. “I’ve got ’em.”
“Have you made pumpkin pies?” he asked as they carried their loot to his truck.
She nodded. “One of my favorite versions is a deep-dish pumpkin mousse. I’m not bad at pies—some of them. I make a pretty good lemon merengue, too.”
“You did say you liked to bake.” He unlocked his truck as they reached it. “I’m willing to be your taste tester.”
“You are formally offered the position.” She waited as he loaded the squash and candy bags. He took the pie boxes from her and put them onto the back seat.
It was almost dark when they made their way to the hayride starting point, and lights were ablaze around Apple Amy’s in the not-so-far distance.
Three couples and a few teenagers waited for the next hay wagon as it approached with the clop of horse hooves and jingle of the reins.
Two beautiful roan horses drew the wagon to a stop. Tyson helped Haylee up, swung himself into the back, and settled beside her in the straw. The driver waited for everyone to load up, and then the wagon lurched forward and jolted into motion.
“I left my sweater in your truck.” The desert cooled off quickly when the sun went down, and Haylee’s skin had chilled.
“Maybe this will help.” Tyson rested his arm around her shoulders and drew her close, and she leaned into his body heat.
“It does.” She wriggled against him and looked at the harvest moon on the horizon. “The moon looks so big.”
“It’s beautiful.” He squeezed her to him, and she felt warm within and cared for in his embrace. “You are even more so. I haven’t been able to take my eyes off you all day.”
She tipped her head back to meet his gaze. “You’re sweet.”
“Nothing sweet about me.” He moved his lips close to her ear. “Nothing at all.”
She shivered at his nearness and the warmth of his breath on her skin. “I’ll be the judge of that,” she said lightly, but her words came out low and throaty, indicating how much he affected her.
She rested her head against his chest and listened to the sound of his heartbeat, the teenagers’ laughter, and the other couples’ murmurs. It had grown dark save for the yellow-orange light of the harvest moon.
It felt cozy and intimate despite the others as if it were just the two of them. Tyson nuzzled her hair, and she let out a shaky breath. She tipped her face and looked into his gaze as he raised his head.
He moved his lips to hers, kissing her softly as they rocked in motion with the movement of the hay wagon. The straw felt itchy through her clothing, but it was a minor discomfort compared to the way Tyson made her feel with the intensity of his kiss.
He kissed her so long and sweet, and she tasted candy apple and the pumpkin-spiced beer on his tongue. It pleasantly combined with his masculine flavor.
Heat pooled in her abdomen as he kissed her. The low murmur of voices seemed more distant as Tyson moved his lips over her.
He slid his fingers over her belly, resting it beneath her breasts. She wanted him to move his hand up farther, to cup the weight of one.
He shifted against her, his big body hiding hers so that no one could see a thing, then moved his hand exactly where she wanted it. She sucked in her breath as he traced her nipple with his thumb, sending shards of desire through her.
She moaned into his mouth and wriggled beneath him, silently begging for more. He obliged and moved his hand to her other breast, teasing the nipple with brushes of his thumb, then pinching and pulling it between his thumb and forefinger.
The desire to beg him for more was so strong that she had to fight to hold it back. For one, it was the wrong place. For another, she didn’t want him to think she wanted to return to his ranch instead of her own home. It would be so tempting.
“We need to stop.” He let out a low groan and placed his forehead against hers. “I’m sorry.” His words came out low and almost harsh. “I shouldn’t have touched you like that.”
“I wanted it.” She had to struggle to get her breath back. “But you’re right, we shouldn’t go any further tonight.”
He kissed her forehead and shifted her in his lap so that her head rested against his chest as their bodies rocked with the motion of the hay wagon.
It seemed too soon when the conveyance pulled up before a roaring bonfire. Tyson jumped down from the wagon then helped Haylee out. They went closer to the fire, which heated her blood and chased away the chill.
When she was warmer, they enjoyed hotdogs they purchased at the small stand, then complementary s’mores handed to them. When they finished the treat, Tyson rested his arm around her shoulders and guided her toward the parking lot.
She rested her head against his shoulder as they walked. “I had a great time, Tyson.”
He kissed the top of her head. “I did, too. Thanks for coming with me.”
When they reached his truck, he helped her in, then jogged to the driver’s side and jumped in. He turned over the big engine, and in moments they were headed back into King Creek.
“This was such a great day.” She smiled at him as he drove. “We did so much, and I had such fun.”
“That makes two of us.” He glanced from the road to her and back. The amber glow of the dashboard lights illuminated his features, making his cheekbones and chin look even stronger.
They didn’t talk much on the way back. It had been a long day, and they’d packed in a lot of activities.
Once they reached her home, he walked her to the front door. She unlocked the door and turned the knob. “Would you like to come in? I think Jill and Leeann are out.”
“I’d better be going.” Tyson drew her into his arms. Her eyes widened as he brought her flush against him, and she felt his desire pressed into her flesh. “My control around you is paper thin.”
Haylee shivered, needing him even more than she had earlier. But they both had to be smart about this. She let out her breath slowly, then raised herself on tiptoes and brushed her lips over his. “Goodnight, Tyson. Thank you for a wonderful day.”
“Not so fast.” He drew her into his arms and kissed her long and slow until her mind spun and she felt dizzy.
“Goodnight, hon.” His breath warmed her lips as she clung to him to steady herself. “I’ll call you tomorrow.”
She stepped back. “Goodnight, Tyson.” Her legs felt shaky as she slipped into her home. She gave him one last long look and closed the door.
A moment passed before she heard his boot steps on her front porch stairs, and then down the walkway. His truck door slammed shut shortly after, and the motor came to life. Gradually, the sound faded into the night.
It was then she realized she’d been holding her breath. She inhaled deeply, then let it out and started for her bedroom. Tonight had been too soon to take things further, but next time…the next time they were together might not be.
In another two weeks, they would be headed for a BB in southeastern Arizona, and she had a feeling they wouldn’t be sleeping in separate rooms.
She smiled as she entered her bedroom and closed the door behind her. Tyson Donovan was a hell of a man, and right now, she considered herself one lucky woman.