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I’m perched highon a ladder, snipping away at reluctant maple branches. They rustle and resist beneath my shears, but then the world blurs for a second as a glint of chestnut hair catches the corner of my eye. I pause, balancing carefully on the rung to squint down at the orchard.
Below, McKay hesitates among the rows, doe-eyed as she takes in the maze of trees. A gentle exhale escapes me involuntarily at the sight of her. There’s a gravitational pull I can’t explain, something deep and intangible drawing me to this near-stranger. A crooked smile tugs at my lips, unbidden but genuine.
Slowly, I descend the ladder, leaves crunching under my boots as I approach. “Well, hey there,” I call out, swiping the sweat from my brow. McKay turns, relief flooding her face when she spots me.
“Lost or just admiring the view?” I ask lightly, a teasing lilt to my voice. Her answering grin tells me it’s both.
The sunlight creates a halo around her, making her hair look like the changing leaves—fiery, passionate, and alive. I’m not sure what it is about McKay that attracts me. She’s like the first breath of crisp fall air after a stifling summer—refreshing, grounding, reminding me of cozy firesides and the warmth of home, even when the world grows cold.
“My grandmother suggested I come to help you with the Fall Festival preparations,” she says, biting her lip nervously as I approach. Up close, her hazel eyes are even more stunning, flecks of gold sparkling in the afternoon sun.
I lean against the ladder casually. “You’re not intruding at all. I can always use the company out here. It gets pretty quiet when it’s just me and the trees.”
“Why am I not surprised to find you up in a tree?” she teases, her voice a soft murmur mingling with the distant birdsong.
“I prefer it more when I’m brewing cider or beer,” I confess, arching an eyebrow suggestively. “That’s an art. I’d be happy show you how sometime.”
Her cheeks turn a pretty pink that makes me wish I could whisk her back to my place and have my way with her. The palpable tension between us is growing with each passing day. There’s undeniable attraction, though I don’t think I’ll ever be ready to admit what’s happening between us out loud. This is the story of my life: falling for someone clearly out of my league who enjoys the lifestyle and luxuries of big cities. I’m just a simple man.
“So, you want to help me with something else instead?” I ask, arched brow belying my casual tone.
McKay smiles then, relaxing a bit. “Well, I don’t have much experience with festivals, but I’m happy to help however I can.” Her voice feels like a caress against my skin.
She looks so earnest standing there bathed in dappled orchard light. Wisps of hair dance around her face, catching the breeze, and it takes all my willpower not to reach out and sweep them back behind her ear.
“Thank you so much for the offer, but everything’s set for the festival,” I say, rubbing the back of my neck. “Bethany’s got it handled.”
McKay clears her throat, unable to hide her disappointment. “Oh, well I’m glad you have it covered then.” She shifts her weight awkwardly, not meeting my gaze.
I narrow mine, studying her reaction. Is she jealous thinking there’s something between me and Bethany?
“Knightly suggested I use the event planner for the ski resort, so I don’t fuck up the festival,” I explain, wanting to make it clear there’s nothing beyond professionalism with my employee. “If you want to help Bethany, she’s probably at the resort having lunch with her husband.”
“Oh,” McKay says, noticeably relaxing her stance. A tension I hadn’t realized was there seems to seep from her shoulders.
Before I can stop myself, I reach out, tucking a stray strand of hair behind her ear. It’s an innocent gesture, yet the air crackles with electricity at even this faint touch. McKay’s eyes dart to my lips for the briefest moment before she whispers my name. “Bishop …”
The longing in that single word makes my heart thunder in my chest. Unable to resist any longer, I draw her closer, murmuring her name like a prayer. “McKay.”
Her breathing grows shallow, hands trembling ever so slightly. This is the moment I’ve been waiting for since we met. Though it feels far longer.
“Can I?” I rasp, voice thick with desire.
McKay gives the subtlest of nods, eyes shining. That’s all the consent I need to close the distance between us at last.
Cupping her face gently, I tilt her chin upward. Our lips meet, soft and questioning at first, cautiously testing this new boundary. Then, as if a dam breaks, pent-up desire surges through me. I deepen the kiss urgently, unable to get enough of her sweet taste, the plush give of her lips against mine.
The world fades away as I lose myself in this moment. Time seems to stop, granting us a stolen interlude. McKay responds with equal fervor, her fingers weaving into my hair, pulling me impossibly closer. I pour all my unspoken feelings into the kiss, wishing to freeze this perfect moment in amber.
When we finally pull back for air, foreheads touching as we gasp raggedly, the enormity of what just happened washes over me. Our mingled breaths speak words we cannot yet say aloud. I caress her flushed cheek reverently, knowing I am utterly lost to this woman. There is no going back now, but there’s also no future for us.
“That …” she begins, voice shaky, eyes still glazed with desire.
“Was just perfect,” I complete her thought, unable to keep the grin from my face.
McKay smiles brightly, hazel eyes dancing with mischief and joy. I chuckle and pull her close, savoring the feel of her in my arms.
The thought of eventually letting her go already pains me. One day, maybe I’ll find a woman who sees me as enough, who will stay instead of disappearing back to her big city life. But for now, I know how fleeting this is. We only have a few days, weeks at most, before she’ll leave.
