“I come here from time to time to just get out, usually if my dad is gone or over at your dad’s ranch.” She nodded, acknowledging my response. “Have you been here before? I know you moved right after high school graduation, and you’ve only been here to Garrity Valley one time since…”
“First time.” We sat there for a few more minutes to finish up our second round of beers. They started playing music again, and a few couples were on the dance floor. As the lively chatter and clinking of glasses filled the air, I could make out the music that was playing.Slow Handsby Conway Twitty, the OG panty dropper, had the kind of music that was hard to pass up. I was a sucker for 90s country.
“You want to dance, darlin’?” I offered my hand to Daisy. She nodded, taking my hand. I could feel the heat between us, and I was uncertain how the night would end, but I knew that I wasn’t going to pass up an opportunity to dance with her- right here, right now.
I led her onto the floor, in between the other couples. As we swayed together, I could feel the warmth of the room, wrapping around us like a comfortable blanket. Her hands were placed over my shoulders like they belonged there. My hands found their place at her waist, and I could almost feel the steady beat of her heart matching the rhythm of the song.
Daisy was looking around at the other couples, then her eyes met mine. I stared into those big, brown eyes- the ones that as a kid didn’t mean anything, but now, I wasn’t sure. Now, it felt like they were ones I could pick out of any room. In this crowdedbar, it felt like we were the only two people in the universe, lost in our little world.
I didn’t know how Daisy was feeling. I wondered if this was too much for her. I wondered if this was only a friendship... if she wanted things to go further…all I could do is take a chance. My dad always told me if you didn’t take a chance, you wouldn’t know what could happen, and this was my chance.
I wrapped my arms a little firmer around her waist and pulled her in tighter. She jerked ever so slightly with my pull, and that’s when I did it. My heart was racing, filled with anticipation. I smiled at her and she returned it. I threw caution to the wind and gave it a chance. I tilted her chin, my gaze searching hers for permission. I felt a rush of heat as I leaned in, our lips finally meeting in a soft, tentative kiss. Time seemed to stand still as we melted into each other. There was no one else, only us, even amidst the laughter and music at the bar, which had changed since we first started dancing.
Chapter Ten
Daisy
The dim lights of the bar were casting a warm glow around us and the other couples on the dance floor. The boots lightly tapped against the wooden floor as we swayed to the music. The atmosphere was intimate and magical. The music played softly, and I recognized the soothing voice of Conway Twitty that my parents loved and would always listen to. They danced in the kitchen to this song and others by him plenty of times throughout my childhood. It was a sweetcoincidence that this was the song that Colt and I were dancing to. I could hardly believe it.
The intensity grew more and more, and I could feel the heat between us. His eyes were still locked on mine, and I couldn’t help but wonder if he was going to kiss me. Maybe he wasn’t sure if I wanted him to. We had just been getting to know each other again, and maybe he was afraid this would mess that up…maybe complicate things. Would it? Would a kiss between us screw up the whole summer? If my dad found out about this, what would he think? Better yet, what would he say? What about Walt? He was never one to be afraid to share what was on his mind. What would he say to Colt and me? I could only imagine how terrifying he could be when angry. And what would my mom say or think if she were here? I never wanted to disappoint her. I wish she were here so I could have talked to her about this stuff before it all happened. Maybe then I would know if this was right…if this was the right moment…if this was the right man…if this would be one, big mistake or not…if I would live to regret it all…But she wasn’t here, and I had to make a decision all on my own…yet again.
I took a deep breath. I knew it. I knew what I wanted, and what I wanted was for Colt to kiss me. I wanted to feel what his lips would feel like on mine. This date was so nice, even if this was my only date and I didn’t have another one to compare it to, and this dance was perfect. I could feel his hands move, and a rush of nerves and excitement ran through me. Was this it? Was this what I was missing out on? His eyes sparkled with tenderness, and his grin showed a hint of mischief, and that was when it happened.
Our lips touched, and everything else disappeared. His lips felt soft against mine while his taste was sweet. I had no idea what it would feel like to be kissed...until now. Could a kiss taste sweet? Apparently so. A perfect mix of warmth and familiarity flowed through me while our electrifying connection held strong. I felt like my heart was going to beat out of my chest with the way it was pounding. For a split second, I wondered if it was loud enough where Colt could hear. I was overcome with so many emotions all at once- joy, surprise, disbelief. I was almost ashamed to say that this was my first kiss. What 25-year-old hasn’t been kissed before? It was a little embarrassing. I had imagined this moment, playing so many scenes repeatedly in my head, but experiencing this was something entirely different. It was more than I ever could have imagined.
Colt pulled back, his eyes never losing the intense gaze they held on mine. I could feel my cheeks flush, and I couldn’t help but smile. He smiled back at me, with his crooked grin revealing a playful charm that made my heart skip a beat. Thekiss lingered on my mind, filling me with a sense of giddiness that made me feel so alive, as if I were a teenager. I knew this moment would always stay with me, and I wondered if this could change things between Colt and me forever. Would our relationship be permanently transformed from this moment? From this one kiss?
I had a crush on Colt when I was a kid, yet I never told him. We were such good friends back then, and I never wanted to mess with that, especially seeing how happy it made my mom when she got to see her friend, Rose, and how happy they both were seeing that Colt and I had a friend in each other. He and I stayed friends until my mom died, and after that, I closed out everyone. I still spoke to my dad, but our relationship never seemed the same. When I came to Colt’s mom’s funeral, I didn’t speak but a word or two to him. Only a few years before, it had been me standing up there, and no one knew what to say. I watched as people came through to pay their respects, some hugging me and my father, and some offering their condolences of I’m so sorry for your loss and we will be praying for you.
Colt was the cowboy I had grown up with and who had always made me laugh. He was the one I could always be myself around back then. Now, though, I was seeing Colt differently.
I saw his hair with the perfect curls- the ones that curled toward the brim of his worn-out Stetson in the back, especially after the sweat of a long day’s work. That was one of my favorite things about Colt. I saw his brown eyes and the intensity within them- sparkling lightly from the glow of the bar lights. His eyes were something you would notice almost immediately about him. But I saw some other things, too. I saw a scar near his jawline, rugged like the ones I noticed on his hands after only a couple of days on his ranch. While we were still consumed by each other’s gaze, I placed a hand on his cheek, rubbing the scar gently with my thumb. I wondered how he got that.
“Are you ready to go?” I nodded at him, unable to controlmy smile. He let one hand fall down my side, grazing me gently, and took my hand in his. He squeezed a little as we walked outside the bar and made our way over to his truck. I got to see his truck a few times before everything became a big, sad blur. I went with him a time or two for a drive in it. When we stopped at the truck, I glanced at our hands still intertwined and saw a run in my tights. It was so embarrassing, and I placed one hand on them, but he moved it to the side.
“Colt…”
“Yes?”
“I have a run in my tights. Can we go?” He looked down, and I wondered if he even knew what I was talking about. He cocked his head to one side, almost as if he were examining it.
“Looks like a stairway to heaven to me.” I playfully punched his shoulder. I was shocked by his words, but they ran off his tongue so well. I turned and reached for the door handle, but my efforts were stopped by those same calloused hands.
“Hm?” I turned around to look at him, leaning my back against the weathered, old truck, feeling the cool metal pressing against my back, a nice welcome after the heat of the day. I put one hand against the truck, feeling the faded blue paint that had seen better days. I slid my hand down until it met my waist, and I could feel the rust spots and dents- telling stories of countless adventures we had shared. My other hand was still clinging to his hand. He hadn’t let go since we were inside.
“I’ll get the door for you, darlin’, but first…”
With one hand still holding onto mine, he raised his other arm above his head, resting it casually on the roof of the truck in one swift motion. He was several inches taller than I, and his height was perfect to look down on me. He leaned closer to me, his smile infectious. The closeness sent a flutter through my chest, and I could feel the intensity between us. His playful gaze met mine, and the world had once again faded away. I couldsmell his cologne-a warm, woody tone. I could only smile back at him, my mind at a loss for words as I held on to this feeling of connection to him that made my heart beat faster.
Our quiet moment was up, though, when he released my hand from his. In a swift, tender motion, he cupped my face with his hand, his other arm still resting above his head on the roof of the truck. Was he about to do what I think? This evening was turning out to be so much more than I ever could have anticipated. He tilted my head slightly upward, glancing from my eyes to my lips as if he was taking it all in, contemplating whether to let go again. I wanted him to just kiss me already, and that’s when he did. He pressed his lips against mine. The kiss was gentle at first, like a sweet brush. I could feel butterflies in my stomach and sparks between us. I felt like I was melting into him, and I could feel the world around us dissolve even further as Colt deepened the kiss. We were two people in the middle of a parking lot, leaning against a truck, and it felt like there was no one or nothing around. It felt like he was pouring all of the affection he had into this moment. It was a kiss that spoke of promises and laughter, a perfect blend of comfort and excitement that left me breathless yet again. I knew this would be another one that I wouldn’t forget.
Chapter Eleven
Colt
As we approached the old truck, the sun hung low in the sky, casting a warm glow that made everything feel right. I admired how those tights fit her and how the dress she was wearing hugged her in all the right places. Daisy placed a hand quickly on her thigh.
“Colt…”
