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“I understand,” Jill whispered. She raised her head and looked into his eyes. “That was a pretty perfect speech. Have you been practicing that?”
“A little,” he said. “But there was this bit about Colorado, and Luke, and your pretty eyes, and I didn’t say any of that.” He smiled at her, the moment between them soft and perfect.
“You didn’t tell your friends you were coming.”
“I didn’t come to see them.” He bent his head further and traced the tip of his nose down the side of her face. “I did call Ginger last week, and she burst into tears when I asked if there might be something for me to do around the ranch.” He smiled again, just before placing a kiss along Jill’s jaw.
The night wasn’t particularly warm, and she shivered. He pulled her into his body and wrapped his arms around her. “I didn’t stop at my grandparents’. I didn’t stop for anything. All I could think about once I got things squared away in Austin, was getting to you.”
“Well, you got here.”
“Mm.” He closed his eyes and took a deep breath, getting the scent of her hair in his nose. “I’ll do whatever it takes to get you back and prove to you that I’m not going to run again.”
Jill pulled away slightly and looked at him. Her eyes danced with a mischievous smile, and Slate’s whole world brightened, though he felt sure she was going to make him work for his forgiveness.
“Whatever it takes?” she asked.
“That’s right.”
“Even wear a Santa suit and that sexy cowboy hat while you hold children on your lap, smile for pictures, and flirt with a pretty elf?”
Confusion raced through him. “What are you talkin’ about?”
“It’s a yes or no question, Slate,” she said, teasing him. At the same time, a distinct river of seriousness accompanied her tone. “Will you wear a Santa suit and a cowboy hat while you hold children on your lap, smile for pictures—and a real smile too. None of this fake business I’ve seen you do before—and flirt with a pretty elf…with the most amazing short, black hair?” She ran her hands up his chest, and that caused Slate to shiver. “Yes or no?”
“This is a hard question,” he said, though it really wasn’t. He wasn’t entirely sure what she had up her sleeve, but she’d be there. She wanted him to flirt with her. “Can Axle be in the pictures too?”
“I’m counting on it,” she said.
“Then yes.”
“Then I forgive you.” She rose onto her toes and took his face in both of her hands. “And I love you too.” She smiled and added, “Now kiss me, cowboy, before I self-combust with all this body heat you’re pumping into me.”
Slate chuckled and did what she wanted, because it was exactly what he wanted too. He ran his hands through her dark hair and kissed her like it was the first time. In a lot of ways, it was. He wasn’t entirely the same man he’d been on his birthday, and he and Jill were in a brand-new place.
A good place.
An amazing place.
Axle barked, louder this time, but Slate couldn’t tear himself away from Jill. She carried magic in her lips, and he wanted to taste every last drop.
Unfortunately, Axle wanted to reunite with Jill too, and he jumped up on the pair of them, giving one final bark.
“Okay, okay,” Jill said, laughing. “Hey, buddy. Yes, I missed you so much.” She scrubbed him down while he wound himself around her in circles, such joy on his canine face. She giggled at the dog one final time and looked at Slate. “You have a lot of stories to tell.”
“Do I?”
“Don’t play coy with me, Mister.” She slapped at his chest. “This leather jacket, for one.” She grabbed onto the lapel with both hands. “What is this about?”
“It’s cold in the winter, even in Texas,” he said.
“Yeah, I think you bought it because you know I’m a sucker for a cowboy in a leather jacket.”
“You may have mentioned that once,” Slate said, not really admitting to anything.
“You lived in Colorado?”
“I do not want to talk about Colorado,” he said.
