9. Ramona
— ? —
Ramona
Julius stops beside our bags with his phone still in his hand, and I hold out my palm.
“You can finish that, or you can get in the truck with me.” I keep my overnight bag against my leg. “I’m not waiting while you do both.”
“I’m checking that everything’s ready.” He looks up from the screen, then notices my hand. “For us, Ramona.”
I lower it slowly.
Behind him, the farmhouse door stands open. Somebody has left a folder on the hall table where our keys belong. Julius glances back at it before shutting the door.
“You said you wanted to leave early.” He takes my bag from me. “We’re leaving early.”
“I also said I wanted you to come willingly.” I follow him toward the truck. “You look as though I’m taking you to have a tooth pulled.”
“I’ve got horses arriving while we’re gone.” He puts the bags in the back seat, then turns toward me. “I’m trying to stop thinking about them.”
“Your staff can unload a trailer.” I lean against the open door. “You’ve taught them how. You could let them prove it.”
He studies my face before slipping his phone into his pocket.
“You’re right.” He rests his hands on my waist. “I want this weekend, too.”
“Then you can smile.” I tug his shirt so it sits right, keeping him close. “I packed the boots you like.”
His gaze drops, then returns to mine.
“The ones you complain hurt your feet?” He draws me closer.
“I’m hoping I won’t have to wear them long.” I leave him with that and climb into the truck.
He stands beside the door for a moment before laughing.
“That’s a very good reason to behave.” He closes it carefully, watching me through the glass.
***
He turns toward the private airstrip instead of the main road.
I look at him, then at the jet waiting beyond the fence. Its silver Wyatt mark catches the morning light.
“Julius, I booked a cabin.” I put my hand against his arm. “It has a bed. We don’t need to fly to another one.”
“I know we don’t.” He slows beside the steps, keeping his eyes on me. “Will you let me take you anyway?”
A crew member approaches for our bags. Beyond him, the jet door stands open, and I can see the cream leather seats.
“Where are we going?” I wait before releasing Julius’s arm.
“Jackson Hole.” He smiles when I look back at the plane. “There’s a place I’ve wanted to take you since I stayed there.”
“For work?” I lift my eyebrows.
“For work.” His smile fades slightly. “I kept thinking you’d like the mountains.”
“You could have told me that when you came home.” I pull my hand away to release my seat belt.
He catches it before I open the door.
“I should have brought you then.” He presses his mouth against my fingers. “Come with me now.”
I look at him until he stops smiling and simply waits, and then I nod.
***
Inside the jet, somebody has folded my favorite throw over a seat and left a bag of cinnamon candy beside it.
I pick up the bag while Julius puts his hat in the overhead compartment.
“You brought my candy.” I turn it over in my hands.
“You keep it in every truck.” He settles beside me. “I’ve stolen enough to know what it is.”
“You could buy your own.” I open the bag and offer him one.
“I prefer yours.” He takes a piece, then catches my hand before I can lower it.
The attendant puts sparkling water on the table and steps away. Julius keeps my fingers linked with his while the plane begins moving.
I look out at the ranch disappearing beyond the fence. The barns and the arenas slide past below us, then the private road that runs past the house, every place somebody can find him.
My phone buzzes in my lap. Dad’s name, and one line beneath it.
Gate’s holding with baling wire. No hurry now.
“Dad fixed the gate himself.” I turn the screen so Julius can read it.
“I said I’d get to it.” His thumb stops on my ring.
“He got tired of waiting.” I put the phone away and lean my head against his shoulder.
After a moment, he presses his lips to my hair.
His thumb starts moving over my ring again, and neither of us mentions the gate for the rest of the flight.
I fall asleep against him somewhere over the mountains and wake to the wheels touching down, his hand still holding mine, the candy bag open on the table where he’s been working through it without me.
A car is waiting at the bottom of the steps.
The cold gets into my coat on the walk to it, and Julius keeps me tucked against his side the whole way, then spends the drive up pointing out the ridgeline he wants me to see, the river, the place where the road bends and the whole valley opens.
By the time we pull under the hotel’s stone entrance, I’ve stopped watching for his phone and started watching him.
He gives our bags to a waiting attendant while I stop beside the windows overlooking the mountains. The woman greeting us holds out a key, and he shakes his head gently.
“Give it to my wife.” He rests his hand against my back. “She’s deciding what we do this weekend.”
I take it and glance at him.
“That includes whether you get back in.” I slide the key into my pocket.
“I’m going to be excellent company.” He leans closer while the attendant leads us toward the private elevator.
“You’ve made promises before.” I keep my eyes on the doors as they open, and his hand stills against my back.
He waits until the doors close before turning me toward him.
“I know.” He brushes his thumb over my wrist. “I’m asking you to let me try, even if you can’t forget.”
I touch the front of his shirt, smoothing a crease that doesn’t need fixing.
“I came, didn’t I?” I lift my face toward his.
He kisses me before the elevator reaches our floor. When the doors open, I pull back laughing, my hand still caught in his shirt front, and the attendant looks firmly at our bags while Julius straightens himself without releasing my waist.
***
The terrace hot tub is already warm when we step outside.
“Eyes up, Julius.” I settle onto the seat beneath the water while Julius stands beside the chair with my robe in his hands.
“I’m trying to fold this.” He looks down at it, then gives up and drapes it over the back. “You’re making it difficult.”
“I took off a robe, Julius. You’ve seen it happen.” I stretch my legs beneath the water, but I keep watching him as he climbs in.
“I’ve also seen you give me that look before.” He sits beside me, close enough that his thigh presses against mine. “I’m hoping it still means the same thing.”
I turn toward the mountains instead of answering. His arm rests behind my shoulders, and he brushes a wet strand of hair away from my neck without asking me to come closer, and that makes me want to.
You don’t have to stay angry to make sure he knows it hurt.
I lean against him, letting my hand settle on his knee.
“I’m glad we came.” I look down as his fingers find mine beneath the water. “I know I gave you a hard time about the plane.”
“You wanted me in a cabin.” He kisses my temple. “I’m still taking that as a compliment.”
“I wanted you somewhere nobody could walk in with a clipboard.” I lift my face toward his. “The cabin was cheaper than firing everybody.”
“I’ll mention that next time somebody complains about you.” He smiles when I pinch his knee.
“Who’s complaining about me?” I turn farther toward him, and his free hand finds my waist.
“Nobody brave enough to give me a name.” He draws me gently onto his lap, waiting while I find my balance.
I put my hands on his shoulders. His hair is damp at the ends, and I smooth it back even though it falls forward again immediately.
“You look younger when you stop frowning at your phone.” I trace the crease between his eyebrows.
“You make me sound ancient.” He catches my hand and kisses the tip of my finger. “I carried both bags.”
“You complained about mine.” I rest my palm against his cheek.
“You packed enough to leave me.” His smile falters before he adds, “I’m glad that wasn’t the plan.”
My fingers stop against his jaw, and I wait until his eyes meet mine.
“I told you about the boots this morning so you’d look at me.” I keep my hand where it is. “That’s how far I’ve had to go.”
He draws me closer, his hands warm against my back.
“I look at you, Ramona.” He says it quietly, then pauses when I lower my eyes. “But I haven’t been giving you much time to notice, have I?”
I shake my head. He doesn’t argue or point out the plane waiting to take us home.
His thumb moves slowly along my side while I work my fingers into the hair at his neck.
“I miss flirting with you without checking whether you’re busy first.” I look at his mouth, then back at him. “That sounds pathetic when I say it.”
“It sounds as though I’ve been an idiot.” He lifts one hand to my cheek. “You’re sitting in my lap, and I’m wondering how I managed to make you think you had to ask.”
“You’re a very busy idiot.” I try to smile, but my lips tremble before I get them under control.
“I’m not busy now.” He leans forward and waits close to my mouth. “Can we start there?”
I kiss him before I have to answer. He keeps one hand against my cheek while I move closer, taking my time because he finally seems willing to let me.
When he starts to draw back, I catch his chin.
“I wasn’t finished.” I brush my lips against his again.
“I’m getting that.” He smiles, then holds still while I kiss the corner of his mouth.
The next kiss lasts until somebody knocks beyond the terrace doors.
I freeze, my fingers tightening in his hair. Julius closes his eyes and lets out a breath against my cheek.
“Please tell me you didn’t bring a clipboard.” I glance toward the doors without getting off his lap.
“I brought you fries.” He rubs my back until I look at him. “You said dinner was delicious but you’d like the rest of it.”
“I was hungry.” I start laughing as he presses his forehead against mine.
“I noticed you checking whether the garnish was edible.” He kisses my cheek, then reaches toward the chair for my robe.
I stop his wrist before he gets it.
“You ordered for me.” I keep looking at him while his smile softens.
“I ordered enough for two.” He turns his hand beneath mine. “Although I’m prepared to negotiate.”