God, I love hearing her say my name.
I stop in front of them, and Everette glances between us.
“You finally made it.”
“I did.” I look at the groom. “Think I can steal her for a minute?”
He looks from me to her. “Sure. It was nice meeting you, Jovie.”
“You too.”
He disappears into the crowd.
The moment he’s gone, I reach for her hand. Glancing around to make sure no one’s paying attention, I start leading her toward the barn.
“Where are we going?”
“Somewhere private.”
The sounds of the cookout fade behind us as we slip through the large open doors.
The barn is cool and quiet, and the scent of hay and leather replaces smoke and barbecue.
A few lanterns burn near the far wall, but most of the space is in shadow.
Jovie follows me several steps inside. “Axle?”
I set my hat on the hood of a John Deere, then turn toward her.
She barely has time to blink.
I grab her around the waist, and a surprised gasp escapes her.
“Miss me?” I ask as I back her gently against the wooden wall.
“You have no idea how much,” she whispers.
I cup her face and bring it to mine. The second our lips meet, her hands glide up my chest and around my neck.
I pull her closer.
Outside, another round of applause erupts from the cookout.
I deepen the kiss as I slide my hands to her ass, lifting her. Her legs wrap around my hips instantly, and her hands skate up my neck as she grabs a fistful of my hair.
She moans into my mouth as I press into her.
And after the longest day imaginable, I’m two seconds from laying her on the hood of the tractor.
A light flashes on, blinding me, and I bring my arm up to shield her.
“What. The. Fuck?”
I turn to see Cabe standing just inside the open doors with an extension cord wrapped around his shoulder.
Royce comes in half a second behind him, carrying a small generator. He stops dead as he takes in the scene. “Son of a bitch.”
Jovie
