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“I didn’t get shot at the vet clinic, so that one’s all yours, darling,” I teased, and she scoffed.
“Except we also had our first kiss there, so I don’t know if that gets to be only mine.” She took a sip of her hot chocolate as we turned off of the main road and began winding up through the trees at my ranch. Tenley leaned forward, that sparkle of awe returning to her eyes, and I swept my thumb back and forth across her leg.
“Which is another reason that you getting shot only counts as a half,” I quietly replied, and she shook her head lightly, still watching out the window.
“Is that all you think about when it comes to the clinic?” she shot at me, the mood shifting a little.
“What?” I asked, furrowing my brows and pausing my movement as we emerged from the trees to enter the expansive ranch entrance. Untouched snow glittered on top of the fence line, cattle speckled out amongst the fields. Horses meandered about, steam escaping their nostrils with each breath. It was an effortless sight of peace.
“I’m just saying, you keep focusing on me getting shot,” she grumbled as I pulled the truck up to park near the fence beside my parents' home.
“We were joking about how many scary encounters you’ve faced, darling. It wasn’t—”
“Well, which is more important to you?” She pulled her legs down from the dash, shaking my hand off. I killed the engine as a cold chill swept between us. Swinging to face me, she glared at me. “Me getting shot or our first kiss?”
I honestly wasn’t quite sure what to make of this. One moment we’d been joking, the next, she seemed—
Oh, wait. Closure. She needed closure and reassurance. Just as she had concerning her father.
Reaching across the seat, I didn’t hesitate as I cupped her cheek and her brows twitched. She didn’t pull away from my touch as I brushed a thumb back and forth across her delicate skin. The tension in her body slowly faded, and she eventually closed her eyes.
“They’re of equal importance to me, darling. Since one could have taken your life, while the other gave me mine back,” I finally whispered, and her lashes fluttered.
“What?” she gasped quietly, her eyes shooting open.
I simply smiled as she exhaled in relief, leaning heavily against my hand.
“I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have snapped,” Tenley muttered, and I slid my fingers beneath her chin, gently raising her head.
“Don’t apologize,” I replied, and she nodded, caught in my gaze. Her emerald-green eyes seemed to be staring directly into my soul, capturing my very essence and entangling it with hers. Whatever part of me that I still held in my own control was lost immediately, melding with hers, becoming all of hers.
I leaned forward, my entire body groaning in excitement, and she smiled.
Clicking her buckle off, she slid across the seat as I let my hand fall away from her face. Tucking her legs beneath her behind once more, I shuddered. Unable to resist her, I wrapped a hand around the nape of her neck and tugged her close.
Her petite fingers twisted into the sides of my hoodie, dragging me toward her. Sweet honeysuckles blanketed me, and she closed her eyes.
My heart thumped heavily in my chest.
Velvet waited for me, her kiss so close.
Hot breath washed against my skin, scented of peppermint and chocolate, as I brought my lips to hers.
And hay suddenly came crashing down onto the hood of the truck.
Tenley’s eyes shot open right before my lips met hers, and we both spun toward the commotion. She flinched as hay continued to tumble down, crashing into the ground and snapping apart. Hay stems flew across the sky, landing against my windshield and everything around us.
Silence filled the cab of the truck as the debris settled, and Tenley exhaled slowly. The massive stack of bales I’d parked in front of had toppled in half. Some of it was smashed against the fence posts, while other bales had luckily landed in one piece on the opposite side of the fence.
I furrowed my brows as I stared at the now massive disarray of hay that was no longer neatly lined up on top of the raised, cement platform.
Confused, my eyes slid across the mess, noticing the lack of cover that should’ve been amongst the remnants of the pile. No matter how irresponsible Cassidy could be, he wouldn’t have forgotten that. Doing another pass on the surroundings, I finally found the blue tarp crumpled in a pile off to the right.
The wind couldn’t have done that, we’d tied it down. Plus, there was no wind, nor was it snowing. So, that begged the question as to how this entire catastrophe occurred. What was going on?
Suddenly, Tenley patted my leg and pointed out the front windshield.
I watched through scattered stalks of hay as a figure slowly rose from the smashed pile on the ground.
