Chapter 2 #2
“You still seeing Willa?” I ask as I help him toss the hay into the last stall. I’m trying to be casual because Seth’s pretty private about his relationship.
All I know is that he’s been seeing the sheriff’s daughter for a couple of months now. Joey literally had to catch him sneaking her out before our brother even admitted to seeing her.
His face goes red instantly. “Not seriously.”
“So that’s a yes.”
He rolls his eyes. “We might go dancing tonight.”
I grin. “Have fun.”
“You should go dancing with Sedona. It’s been so long since I saw the two of you at The Dusty Boot.”
“Well, between her job and this ranch, we barely have time for dancing.” But my brother does have a point. I should take my girl out on a date soon.
“Make time,” he counters.
“I will,” I concede.
When we finish, the sky’s edging toward late afternoon. My shirt sticks to me, and my arms feel heavy from hauling and lifting all day. Seth waves, heading toward the house to clean up.
I rinse my hands at the pump, scrub the dirt from my nails, and splash cool water onto my face. I change into the clean flannel I keep in my truck and put on fresh jeans. By the time I drive toward the clinic, the shadows are long and the ranch hums with evening sounds.
Prairie Pine Veterinary Clinic sits right off the main road, a crisp white building with blue trim and a big sign shaped like a paw print out front.
The parking lot smells faintly of the livestock brought in daily. Wind chimes hang by the door, tinkling softly when I step inside.
The lobby’s warm and clean, decorated with wildflower art and an old quilt framed on the wall. A bulletin board near the desk is crowded with photos—goats, horses, dogs, barn cats, even the occasional raccoon someone nursed back to health.
Sedona’s in almost every other picture, smiling wide, freckles bright.
My girl.
Old Roy sits in the corner, his hat clutched in his hands, his old hound Buck lying at his feet. The dog’s tail thumps lazily when he sees me.
Sedona’s at the front counter, talking to Roy. She’s so damn pretty it hits me right in the chest.
She glances over her shoulder, and her face lights up. “Hey! I’ll be right with you.”
“Take your time,” I murmur.
She finishes up with Roy and gives Buck a fond scratch behind the ears. Roy tips his hat at me as he stands. “Take care of this one, Billy.”
“Always do.”
He chuckles and heads out with Buck following.
And then it’s just her and me in the quiet lobby, the hum of the fridge in the corner filling the air.
I stride toward her, hook a hand around her waist, and kiss her slowly, savoring the taste of her. “Missed you.”
Her fingers slide along my jaw, thumb brushing my lower lip before she deepens the kiss. A soft sound escapes her—I feel it more than hear it.
Heat curls low in my belly. I pull back just enough to whisper, “Where’s your dad?”
“At Wildflower Hollow Ranch. Rhett called about that cow they helped calve last night. She’s acting out, so Dad went to check her.”
I nod, relieved. “You wanna have dinner with me? We could head to the diner.”
She smiles, brushing a curl behind her ear. “I just have some paperwork left. Then we can go.”
I dip my head to kiss her neck, letting my mouth drag lightly along her skin. She shivers, her hands fisting in my shirt.
“Billy…” she breathes. “You’re insatiable.”
“For you, baby? Always.”
I kiss her again. Her little whimpers slip into my mouth, and I swallow each one like a promise. I hold her hips, rubbing my thumbs along the strip of skin between her T-shirt and her jeans.
She melts into me, her body arching, her breath warm against my cheek.
When I pull back, I mean to tell her she’s gorgeous. Or that I love her. Or something simple and sane.
Instead, what falls out is—
“Marry me.”
She goes still, hands pressing against my chest, eyes wide. I feel the shift before she even speaks.
“What… what did you just say?” she asks.
My heart kicks against my ribs. “I said, marry me.” I reach for her hand, bring it to my chest. “I love you. And I want you to marry me.”
She swallows hard. Her pupils are blown wide. Her breath comes uneven. I don’t know what I expected—smiles, tears, maybe even laughter.
Not this.
Her silence sinks like a stone straight through me.
“Say something,” I whisper, voice rough. “You’re my best friend. You know that, right?”
“Yeah,” she murmurs. “And I love you.”
“Yes.” The word scrapes out of me. “But is that you telling me no?”
She cups my jaw gently. “Billy… look at me.”
I do. I always do.
Her eyes are soft at the edges but wild in the middle, like her heart’s sprinting. “Your question just stunned me,” she says. “Can you give me a minute to think about it?”
My stomach drops somewhere near the floor, but I nod. “Okay.”
She tugs me down into a kiss before I can crumble. I kiss her back because I can’t not—because her mouth is home and her touch steadies me even when nothing else can.
Her hips press against mine. Her fingers slide up my spine. My palms skim the warm skin beneath her shirt again. She shivers for me, a tiny tremor that shoots straight through my chest.
For a heartbeat, I almost forget she didn’t say yes.
Almost.
But the question hangs there between us like dust in sunlight.
I hold her close anyway.
Because she’s mine.
Because I’m hers.
Because loving her has never once scared me—until now.