Page 69 of Thaw My Heart

Not the truth I was expecting, but it warms all the right places inside me, bringing a smile to my face. “Ask me on a date, Cowboy.”

Worry creases his brow. “Sadie, I⁠—”

“Ask me,” I insist. “This is your last chance.” If he pushes me away one more time, I’m done.

He rolls his tongue. “And after we go on this date. What happens after that?”

I’m not sure if he’s trying to flirt with me, but he looks serious about his question. “What do you want to happen?” I smirk. There are plenty of things on my list.

He roughly sighs. “That’s not what I meant.”

I continue to smirk, biting my lip.

He eyes me carefully. “Just one date?”

“One date,” I confirm.

He moves his hand to my face, brushing a lock of hair behind my ear, moving down my braid. The movement is so smooth, graceful, and soft that I swallow hard, completely caught off guard by the sweet gesture.

“Why?” he asks. “You don’t even like me.”

“Let’s stop lying to each other, Cowboy.”

Warm breaths and unspoken words pass between us as he slowly trails his hand down my neck, stopping at my collarbone. The orange light drifting in through the win­dows warms his features. I find myself staring at his lips, begging with my eyes for him to kiss me, to end this tension between us before it burns through.

Damn, I need to know what he tastes like, and I don’t even care that we’re standing in the middle of the tack room. I want him to kiss me, to throw me against the wall, and put his hands all over me.

“Kit—”

“Tomorrow, then?” He moves his hand to my chin, stopping my words with his gentle touch.

“Tomorrow,” I repeat, but it comes out breathless.

“Good,” he nods, keeping his gaze on my lips.

And then he’s gone, glancing back with the sexiest smile before he opens the door and turns the corner out of sight.

I’ve never been more excited for a date.

The next day drags on, like it knows I’m excited for some­thing. Minutes feel like hours, and hours feel like days. To keep myself from panicking about this date, I’ve been messaging Averie, filling her in on all the details and using it as a distraction while I spend the day staring at cattle and the ass of Blake’s horse.

Averie:

What are you wearing for your date?

Sadie:

Something hot, and probably a little slutty.

Averie:

Get it, girl.

I have a few ideas of what I want to wear, not that I have any idea what we’re doing, or even the time, but I’m assum­ing we’re meeting after work. Only another hour from now, if I don’t turn into ice from this shit Montana weather. At least it’s not snowing today, and the sun is out. But it’s still cold enough that it bites, leaving my skin feeling rough and dry.

Averie:

Make sure you show him what he’s been missing while he’s been such a grumpy asshole.