The oversized tee she refused to change out of slipped up a little, riding just above her hips, giving me a dangerous glimpse of skin. She’s barefoot. In my pasture. Picking wildflowers like she’s lived here her whole life.
Fuck.
A rich girl like her should be cursing about the bugs, thedirt under her nails, the smell of cow shit lingering in the air. Instead, she looks like she belongs here—Like she belongs withme.
I lean against the fence, drinking her in. She plucks another flower, tucking it behind her ear, tilting her head back and letting the sun kiss her cheeks.
It hits me so hard, I swear I stop breathing for a second. She’s not the same woman who stormed into my life, raising hell in designer heels. She’s real, and fuck me, she’s fucking radiant. She’s my angel with a loud mouth and bedazzled boots.
She’s gonna be my wife. Whether she knows it yet or not, she’s already mine.
She catches me staring and flashes that smug little smile that never fails to make my chest flutter.
“Like what you see, cowboy?” she calls out, twirling a purple pansy between her fingers.
I smirk, pushing off the fence. “Just shocked you’re not screaming about the bugs yet.”
She gasps, hand to her chest. “I’ll have you know, I am basically a professional outdoorswoman at this point.”
“Professional, huh?” I tease, stalking toward her.
“Mhm.” She hums, tucking another flower behind her ear proudly. “I’m a cowgirl now.”
“Let’s not get ahead of ourselves, darlin’. You nearly passed out last week when you saw that garden snake.”
Her eyes narrow dangerously. “First of all, that was an anaconda.”
“It was six inches long, tops.”
“It had fangs the size of my arm.”
“It had a mouth, Catalina.”
She mutters under her breath, turning back to her flowers, but not before I catch the small, secret smile tugging ather lips. I stay standing there like a fucking fool, watching her. Watching the way she fits perfectly here, with me.
She unknowingly buries herself deeper and deeper into my heart. I think to myself, as sure and steady as the rising sun—I’ll do whatever it takes to keep that smile on her face.
For the rest of my life.
catalina
. . .
I’ve been researching about leasing a business. Clearly, I’m in over my head, but fuck it, I don’t care.
I’m stretched out on my bed, my laptop propped against my thighs, the warmth of the motor humming quietly beneath me. My fingers fly across the keyboard, diving headfirst into research about leasing a building and what it would take to run a bookstore.
The afternoon light spills through the window, casting a warm glow across the room. It warms the notebook lying beside me, already covered in my messy handwriting.
I’m buzzing with excitement, my mind already racing ahead, imagining shelves full of romance novels, cozy reading nooks, maybe even a little matcha cart tucked in the corner. It feelspossible.Like, for once, something real and mine could actually happen.
The door creaks open, before I can turn around, Carter’s strong hands slide around my waist, tugging me back against his chest.
I giggle, dropping my laptop onto the mattress. “You’re supposed to be leaving.”
He growls low in my ear, pressing his mouth to the side of my neck. “I am, but you make it real fuckin’ hard to walk away.”
I tilt my head, giving him better access as he kisses down my neck, slowly, making my toes curl against the comforter. When I turn to face him, he cups my jaw, brushing his thumb across my cheek like he can’t get enough of touching me. His mouth crashes down onto mine in a kiss so deep, so fucking consuming, that I forget about the laptop, the notebook, and the entire goddamn world.
