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He reevaluated the space and nodded. “You love a challenge.”
“I do now.” Two months in Elmer had changed me. When I first stood in the dancehall, I’d worried I’d screw everything up, from the winery to my relationship with my brother.
I stepped up to Atley and wrapped my arms around his neck. “You helped me grow a set of lady balls.”
“Is that a good thing?”
“Yeah, a fantastic thing. I’m braver and bolder.”
“I didn’t do that.” His hands rested lightly on my hips.
“You helped me find my wings.” From the first night we’d been together in Dallas, he’d been there like an updraft helping me soar. A bit cheesy and reminiscent of that Bette Midler song, but true, nonetheless.
I rose on my tiptoes and brushed my lips over his. “Thank you for the support. It was exactly what I needed.”
I took his mouth in the most epic slow and sensual kiss ever, teasing his lips apart to feast on his mouth and drinking down his moan. He clutched my waist, his long rough fingers burningthrough my clothes, scorching my skin. The embrace stole my breath and silenced my thoughts. Need replaced sanity. Only with Atley had I experienced desire this powerful.
The shrill ring of his phone cut through our haze of lust, and with a reluctance I shared, he pulled back from our embrace.
“I’m sorry.” He accepted the call. “What’s going on, Leroy?”
I couldn’t hear Leroy’s response, but his muffled voice sounded frantic, and based on the scowl on Atley’s face, it wasn’t good news.
“Both of Satan’s minions are loose. Shit, saddle Jet, I’ll be at the barn in five.” He looked at me and amended his answer. “Make it ten.” He shoved his phone in his pocket.
“Do I want to know who Satan’s minions are?”
“The damn donkeys. One of them opened a gate, and now they are both free roaming.”
I couldn’t stop the small giggle that escaped. The big badass cowboy looked truly terrified of the donkey jailbreak ramifications. “So, this is a first for me.”
He rubbed his chin and raised an eyebrow, waiting for me to explain.
“Cock-blocked by a furry ass.”
Laughing, he grabbed me and kissed me again. It was hard and fast and full of promise. He ended the kiss by nipping my bottom lip and groaning. “I’ll pick you up at seven.”
“Tonight?”
“I promised you romance and three proper dates. I didn’t say I was going to spread them out. Seven tonight, assuming the donkeys don’t kill me. We have reservations at Bowie’s.” He tipped his hat at me before he walked away. Major jumped up and jogged after Atley like the good boy he was.
My little terror, annoyed that he was losing his friend, pawed my leg until I picked him up. Georgie was dirty and dusty from roughhousing with Major, and I couldn’t have cared less. He wasa happy punk rocker farm dog. Life at Blue Star was way more fun than any dog show for him and me.
“So, what should I wear on my date tonight?” I headed inside the dancehall to triple-check that the preparations for tomorrow were all set with Georgie cuddled against my chest.
Chapter 32
Atley
I’d made it righton time. It was exactly seven pm when I walked up to the guest house. No help from the damn donkeys. Those two were the scourge of the Hill Country. I should have made the old owners of Blue Star take them when they sold. As if the braying and biting weren’t enough, the little one had figured out gate latches.
Yes, they had names. And no, I didn’t like them enough to use them. They were the long-eared bastards from now on.
After an afternoon of searching, we’d found the bastards, roped them, and escorted them with prejudice back to their pasture from the vineyard where they’d been eating grapes leftover from the harvest. They didn’t enjoy leaving their sugarysnacks behind. I had a bruise on my thigh the size of the big one’s hoof to prove it.
I jogged up the guest house porch steps while running through my list one last time. Flowers, check. Wine, check. Condoms, check. Yep, I was nailing the romance thing.
As soon as I knocked on the door, Georgie started barking up a storm. His mohawk may have looked tough, but as a guard dog he lacked about eighty pounds of authority, and his killer instinct only extended to mice. Still, he had to be the cutest damn thing on the ranch.
