Page 67 of Where the Music Grows

“I get that,” I say. “I think I’d feel the same way. It’s one thing to buy meat from the store. Quite another to look a cow in the eye and know it’s going to be dinner.”

Jack nods, his expression thoughtful. “Exactly. That’s why I could never stick with farming. Too much weight to it. My brothers gave me hell for it. My dad, well, it just pissed him off.”

“You have a heart and I like that you do.”

“So, New York, huh? You think you’d ever really go?”

I shrug. “Maybe. It’s not so much about the place as it is about the opportunity. I just don’t want to feel stuck, you know? Like there’s more out there for me, and if I don’t go after it now, I might never get the chance.”

He nods slowly, like he understands exactly what I mean. “I felt the same way when I left home. Like, if I didn’t leave then, I’d wake up one day and realize I missed my shot.”

“Exactly.” I nod. “It’s scary, though. Leaving everything familiar behind.”

“Yeah,” he agrees. “But sometimes scary is good. It means you’re doing something big.”

It’s amazing how well he gets me. I feel like I could talk to him all night and we’d never run out of stuff to talk about. He’s not judging me. He’s not criticizing me. He’s just there. Solid. Warm. Sexy.

Our meals are delivered to the table. We start eating, talking more about who we are.

In the back of my mind, I just keep thinking what if? What if I had waited to meet him? I ran headlong into the worst decision of my life. It was a lesson in patience. I should have just waited. Is it too late? Did I miss my chance? There’s this perfect guy and I can’t tell him the one thing he deserves to know.

Chapter Twenty-Two

Jack

I pay the bill, and together, we walk to the truck. I open the door for her. She pauses and I think this might be the perfect time for a kiss but then she climbs in.

I lose the moment.

The old truck rumbles to life. I’m so glad I took the time to tune it up. It would be humiliating to have the damn thing quit on me with a pretty girl in the passenger seat. I glance at her as I shift into gear, pulling out of the parking lot. It’s dark, making it feel cozy, intimate almost in the cab.

I don’t know why, but there’s a fluttering feeling in my chest. I’m anticipating the goodnight kiss. I’m sure there’s going to be one. It’s been a perfect day. I feel like we’ve really connected. I tell myself I won’t pressure her. If she signals she’s up for a kiss, I’ll take it, but she’ll set the pace.

But just in case, I’ve got a condom in my pocket and another in the glovebox. It’s fresh. I’m not stupid enough to carry one around, especially in the heat.

It’s too soon when I pull to a stop in front of Jinnie’s house. I turn off the ignition, and the sudden silence feels heavy, charged.

“You okay?” I ask, my voice rough.

She turns and smiles at me. “Yeah. I don’t want the night to end.”

My pulse kicks up. “It doesn’t have to.”

I stare at her, telling myself to stay put. Don’t move. Let her decide. It’s killing me, but I’m not going to screw this up. She leans across the console and kisses me.

This isn’t like the soft, teasing kisses we’ve shared before. This is heat and hunger, her fingers tangling in my hair, pulling me closer. I groan into her mouth and scoot across the bench seat. Her mouth opens and I push my tongue inside. Her soft moan has my dick hardening.

Her hands slide down my chest, her touch sending sparks through me. I pull her closer, my hands gripping her waist as the kiss deepens. I’ve never felt this way before—like I’m on the edge of something huge, something inevitable.

She breaks the kiss for a second. “Jack,” she whispers, her voice trembling just enough to make my heart race even faster.

This is the moment I dreaded.

“Yeah?” I manage to say, my voice rough.

I won’t be bummed. I’m not going to tell her how badly I want her.

She’s looking at me like she’s trying to decide the most important decision of her life. “Inside. Now.”