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He sucks in a deep breath and runs his fingers across my cheek. “Then how about we don’t? Let’s just focus on the now.”
Tipping my chin up, he crushes his lips to mine, and I inhale his scent. He’s all I can smell. I’m completely and utterly encapsulated by him as he steals my breath away. Nothing else in the entire world matters at this moment. The only thing that pulls us apart is the sound of feet shuffling down the trail, and I see one of the women who’s also staying at the B&B.
“Don’t mind me, kids,” she tells us as she walks past us, and we both hold back our laughter.
Riley leans forward and gives me another peck on the lips, and we continue. “Mrs. Dennison has the worst timing.”
“Yeah, she does because if she would’ve been a minute later, I might’ve been riding you like a horse,” I whisper.
He swallows hard and adjusts himself. “Don’t you dare tease me, woman.”
My laughter echoes on the path. Our conversation becomes lighthearted as we travel farther down the trail until we end up at a lookout on a hill. The trees are sparse, but we take cover from the brutal sun under one. We’re both sweaty, but the smiles on our faces don’t falter as we eat the granola bars he packed. Though it’s hot, I can’t seem to sit close enough to him under the shade. I could stay right here in this spot for the rest of my life. I’ve found my solace.
Riley and I stay like that for another thirty minutes before it’s time to go.
“If you could do or have anything in the world, what would it be?” he asks as we head back.
“Change someone’s life for the better,” I say without thinking about it.
He falls in line beside me and holds my hand. “You’ve already done that, Zoey.”
A blush hits my cheeks. He knows exactly what to say and when to say it. “I think I’m always searching for happiness. It’s one of the reasons I do things on a whim, like travel and hike alone. It’s all about the adventure to finding what’s missing.”
“What about now?”
I glance over at him and smile, not even having to lie. “I’m the happiest I’ve ever been in my life.”
That adorable boyish grin touches his lips as we continue.
“What about you?”
“Now that I have you, I have everything in the world. And as crazy as it sounds, I’m doing exactly what I want to do. I work on the ranch with my family and have a hot wife. My life is made.” He snickers, but his sexy smile is genuine.
“Well damn, you’re easy to please,” I tease. “I like that. A simple life on the ranch.”
In the distance, I can see the B&B, and I’m sad our time together is almost up, but the sun has also kicked our asses, and we’re sweating like crazy.
Riley brushes his hand over his chin, scrubbing through his facial hair as if he’s contemplating his next words. “Could you see yourself spending forever here?” he asks me as we make our way up the back steps of the B&B. I turn around and look out at the land, see the sun high in the sky, and can hear laughter inside. From the corner of the barn, the edge of one of Mila’s beautiful gardens is visible, and I think of everything I’ve experienced so far.
“That’s still to be determined. Is there Wi-Fi?” I joke, but deep down, I know I do. The ranch is one of the only places I’ve ever felt at home and comfortable in my own skin. There isn’t another place like it.
With a quick swoop, Riley picks me up and swings me over his shoulder, carrying me inside the B&B like a caveman.
“Oh my God! Put me down!” I can’t stop laughing as I try to wiggle free from his strong grasp.
“Riley Bishop,” his father says from a table. “Stop acting like that around the guests.”
Riley lets out a booming laugh and sets me on my feet, and I playfully slap at him. “Listen to your father!”
“That old man? I’m married now and can do what I want!”
When his father stands and crosses his arms over his chest, glaring at him, Riley backs down quickly.
“That’s what I thought,” his dad says with a chuckle. “I might be an old man, but I’m not too old to whip your ass.”
We sit with Alex and eat lunch as he talks about all the trouble Riley used to get into on the ranch. I laugh until I nearly choke on my food. It’s safe to say he was a mischievous little kid, always getting into trouble and finding new ways to scare his parents.
Once our plates are empty, I tell Riley I need a shower. He’s yawning and admits he wants to take a nap, which he deserves because he works like crazy. Before we say our goodbyes, we make plans to watch a movie later tonight.
