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“Then, there’s the fact that now Emily will always be linked with my family. I’m not sure how I feel about that, to be honest.”
“Ryder—”
“It’s worse because you went all to hell on me today and I’m not sure how you’re going to be able to deal with any of this and the fact Emily’s face may become a regular at the ranch.”
I exhale as I go over everything that is filling Ryder’s mind, because it’s a lot and I know he’s truly worried. I roll my body, lifting so that I’m on top of him. I want him to see my face when I’m talking. I need him to see that everything has changed for me since the moment he told me he loved me.
“Ryder, honey, the only way any of this could tear us apart is if you still wanted her. If you had feelings for her that would kill me, but—”
“Tillie, there’s no room in my heart for any woman but you. You already own it. I love you.”
“You didn’t let me finish, doofus. Iknowyou love me now. You told me on the field. It really would have helped if you had greeted me with that when I was throwing balls at you and falling to pieces thinking you had knocked up your old girlfriend.”
“I was a little busy trying to dodge those damn balls and get your shit under control, woman. Besides, I don’t think you would have listened to me then.”
“So noted,” I huff, and I see a smile crack on his sweet face. “My point is, now that I know I have your love, I promise I’m fine now. We’re good. There are only three things I’m worried about.”
“Three things?” He’s not thrilled with this information, I can tell, but I push on. I need to get him out of the headspace he’s in.
“Yeah, first, I’m worried about finding a place I can afford that’s close to you. Considering I still have to find a job, that might not be easy. I mean, I talked to Mary while you were in the shower and she’s going to get Petal and Addie to offer my dog treats and baked goods in their businesses. I guess she has another sister-in-law who owns a garage, and they will even sell them there. Oh, and she said her brother, Blue, and his wife Meadow opened a brand-new animal shelter, and they will sell them and even buy some for their facility. I don’t think I’d feel comfortable selling to them, though. It’s a shelter, after all. I’d probably donate. Still, I doubt I will make enough to cover Dallas rent doing that.”
“You’ll live with me.”
“Ryder, I don’t expect—”
“I’ve been doing without you in my bed for way too long, Tillie. Besides, I’ve been thinking about that myself. You and I both love small town life.”
“Yeah. I won’t lie. I’ll miss it. Still if Emily is here with Tucker and they have any kind of relationship, I don’t really want to be anywhere near Pine Ridge, so I’m good with moving even more than I was before.”
“Sweetheart,” he says, his lips twitching.
“Just saying, Ryder, the thought of being in bed with you every night instead of being in my big bed alone, already had me more than ready to move.”
His face goes full-on hot and sweet and my insides quiver. “Did my baby miss me?”
“More than I could ever express,” I respond, giving him complete honesty.
“I felt the same way, Tillie and that’s why you’re moving in with me.”
He kisses me, starting by nibbling my lips, running his tongue along them, and basically toying with me. It’s hot, but it’s not near enough. His eyes stare into mine and my eyelids get heavy, closing as his tongue finally slips into my mouth coaxing mine to come and play. The kiss gets more intense then, but there’s still a sweetness, a shared sense of unhurried exploration, because now we’re finally on the same page. It's over much sooner than I would like, but he pulls away and I let him go. It’s clear he still has things he wants to talk about.
“You’re trying to distract me,” he mumbles, the pad of his thumb brushing against my bottom lip.
“I’d say I’m sorry, but I like your kiss, so I can’t.”
His grin deepens, his eyes sparkle, deep, happy, and filled with a lazy hunger that I know will work out well for me soon.Delicious.
“My teammate, Finn, is looking for a new apartment. I’ve been thinking of subleasing mine to him.”
“If you do that, where will you live—”
“We live,” he corrects me.
“Okay, where willwelive?”
“I think we should find a place in the suburbs or maybe even Mason. I can commute. We don’t have to be that close. I mean, it wouldn’t be ideal, but I think it would be better for our kids and we are having kids. Two boys and one girl and if we get lucky three boys and one girl.”
“Hang on. I’m pretty sure I said, one boy and one girl.”
