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“I’ll find something to do here. I don’t want to be without you.”
“Are you sure about this, baby? I’m ready to leave everything behind for you. I’ll follow you wherever you go so we can be together.”
“I know.” His love was the only thing I was one-hundred percent sure of in this world. That and my love for him. “Take me home, Nate. Please?”
His lips crashed down on mine and we stood on the side of the highway, oblivious to the traffic whizzing by. His grip on my butt loosened and I set my feet on the pavement, finally noticing the other trucks and SUVs on the side of the road.
“What is this? Were you and your friends planning on preventing me from leaving town?” I swept my gaze over some of the guys I recognized. Miles bit down on his lip and looked away. Owen kicked at a rock with the toe of his boot.
“They were going to help me stop you and force you to take me with you. I figured you’d be gone by the time I got back to the cabin. You’re kind of predictable, Firefly.” He tossed the guys a sheepish grin. “You can all go home now. She’s come to her senses.”
“You think I’m predicable, huh?” I asked, a little disappointed that he knew me so well, and also bound and determined to find a way to surprise him.
“I know you, Ains. You’ve been the best part of me for as long as I can remember. Nothing you can say or do will surprise me anymore.”
He nuzzled his lips against my neck. Goosebumps exploded over my skin. “I’m going to take that as a personal challenge, Nate Fisher. Why don’t we go back to your place? I’ve got a few ideas that might make you change your mind about me not being able to surprise you anymore.”
“Is that so?” He nibbled on my earlobe. “I can’t wait to see what you have in mind.”
I handed my keys over to Dean so I could ride back with Nate. “How long would you say we have until we pull into your driveway?” I asked him.
“A good twenty minutes.” He looked over at me sitting in the passenger seat of his truck. “Why?”
I leaned toward him, my fingers already going to work on the button at his waist as he pulled onto the highway. “That ought to be long enough to make sure you more than enjoy the ride.”
It might have taken us a while to come together, but I planned on making sure we never grew apart. Wherever he went, I’d go. And right now the only place I wanted to be was back in Mustang Mountain, where a future I never saw coming waited for us.
Together.
EPILOGUE
DEAN
“Congrats,Dean. Looks like you’re next on Ruby’s list,” Jenna says as I walk into the Merc to grab an order for the women’s shelter.
“Are you kidding me? I stop in the middle of the sidewalk, and that’s when I notice the Mountain Man of the Month flyer in the window of the mercantile. “Dammit,” I mutter.
I know there is no point in making a scene. What’s done is done. I’ve watched it happen to my brothers-in-arms for the last eleven months. With eleven wins under her belt, Ruby sure as hell won’t stop now.
“I’m sorry,” Jenna says, placing a hand on my arm before passing me and heading to her car.
I take a deep breath, step into the mercantile, and head to the back to get the order for the women’s shelter so I can take it and the Christmas trees up there. It’s a favor Jensen and Courtney asked of me, but now I wonder if they were conspiring with Ruby.
“Dean! Good to see you. Have you seen the new peppermint line? I just got it in for Christmas, and it’s already been a big hit. I brought back the peppermint bark you liked last year,” Ruby says with a wink. “Orville, go grab the bags that Jensen and Courtney ordered,” she says to her husband, who’s working with her today.
As the town mayor, Orville wears many hats, including offering extra help when Ruby needs it. All these years later, that man is still in love with her, as much or more so as the day they met. That’s the kind of love I’m holding out for. I don’t dare tell Ruby that because she will take it as a personal challenge, and that’s the last thing I need right now.
“You could have at least given me a heads up about this match of the month crap, Ruby,” I say as we wait for Orville to grab the stuff from the back.
“Now, why would I do that? With all the holiday events coming up, why would I give you a heads-up so you can get out of it like you tried to do for the harvest festival? Not a chance, boy,” she says with an evil glint in her eyes.
I can’t even say anything because she’s right. I probably would have found a way to get out of town for the entire month if I had known. Now, it’s too late, and she knows it.
“Fine. When that doesn’t work, and I’m your first failure, you can end all of this and leave the rest of the guys alone.”
“Oh, but I’m not going to fail. I can feel it in my bones. You’re going to be the best match yet.” She walks off to help another customer, and my gut says she already has plans to set something in motion.
Orville helps me move the some boxes and some mail into my truck, along with a few bags of stuff Courtney has ordered for the shelter, before I head out of town.
