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  "I kind of want to kiss you right now," he says.

  The sun is setting over the barn, I can hear baby goats bleating in the background, and the fireflies are starting to come out. It has to be the most perfect moment for a kiss and I couldn't have arranged it better if I'd tried.

  "I kind of want you to kiss me, so we're in agreement," I say.

  First, Smitty laces his fingers through mine and brings my hand to his lips. "Oh my," I breathe, feeling the butterflies in my stomach when his lips touch my skin.

  He sits up slowly and angles his face in. Our lips meet with a soft, quick kiss. Just a taste, but it's enough to make me want another one.

  "Just the one?" I ask.

  Smitty laughs. "I think I got another one around here somewhere, let me check." He comes back in for another kiss, this time longer, softly swiping his lips over mine, building a gentle warmth inside my tummy.

  "You're pretty good at that," I say.

  "Just pretty good?"

  This time it's my turn to laugh. "I don't know, let's try again for an upgrade."

  I expect groping hands. I expect him to pull me down on top of him and press me against his body. But he doesn't. Smitty is entirely focused on the kiss itself. His mouth presses harder, then softens, tasting my lips one by one. He softly brushes our lips together again then goes back to a more intense pressure that I can feel in my toes.

  "That was better," I say with a teasing look.

  "Just better?"

  "Hey," I say. "Better is better. You should be very proud of yourself."

  I'm enjoying the banter but Smitty is done. He catches me off guard when he sits up completely straight, tossing his hat to the ground and cupping my face firmly. I've been thinking about those full lips of his on me since the moment he single-handedly lifted me onto his horse like a damn action-movie hero, and now that it's happening I'm as excited as a teenager on prom night. Nobody has ever made me feel this way before. The last thing I see before my mind and body are overcome by the deep, wet, warm tongue kissing is the smoldering look in his eyes. He's done with the teasing and the playfulness. He licks the seam of my lips and I open willingly. Everything feels warm and sweet and wonderful.

  His tongue delves into my mouth, delivering all the wild heat his eyes promised. I rest my hands on his chest and I feel him growl a little bit in pleasure.

  When we pull away to catch our breath, both of us look astounded. Not because we kissed, but because neither of us expected to feel it so deeply. At least that's the case for me, I don't know about Smitty.

  Chapter Twelve

  Smitty

  This is special. Ally is special. I better not fuck this up by going too fast or too slow.

  "I really like you, Ally."

  "Good, I wouldn't want you to kiss someone you didn't really like," she says with a wink.

  "What I mean is, I want you to know I don't do this kind of thing lightly. I don't go around kissing women just because I think they're cute and I'm attracted to them. I mean, I feel things for you. I had a feeling about you before I even met you. As soon as I saw the way you take care of your guests, and your sweet notes everywhere, I could tell you care about everything you do and you care about people. I feel things when I'm around you. I feel comfortable and…" He takes a deep breath. "I don't know what I'm trying to say."

  She shakes her head and smiles. "How are you so cute? I like you too. I thought it was obvious. I liked you as soon as you sent me that cowboy emoji."

  I have to cover my eyes. "Oh god."

  "No, stop it. You're an absolute squish and I love that about you. What you're trying to say is you think we have something and you don't want to mess it up by going too far. Well, you should know that I feel it too. So you should feel free to jump my bones at any time."

  Relief floods through me. Not because I am going to jump her bones immediately. I just don't feel right doing that on day three of meeting her face-to-face. But because she feels it all as deeply as I do.

  "I would like to jump your bones this instant, but I'd like to get to know your bones first, if that's OK," I say.

  "Well, then you should know I have very strong bones. Calcium supplements and shit you wouldn't believe."

  Sooner or later she's going to have to stop cracking jokes in the middle of sharing our feelings, but for now, the laughter is making me feel far less nervous. "Come here, you."

  To have Ally snuggled up next to me on a blanket under the stars, sharing kisses and whispers and laughs, is about the nicest thing I could have planned for our first date. I hadn't intended for it to be a first date, but it feels like that's what this is, and I couldn't be happier about it.

  When something cold and wet nudges my cheek in the middle of a kiss, our lips break apart, both of us scared out of our minds for a second before we realize it's just the farm dog.

  "I know what this is. He's trying to round us up for bed," I say.

  "I guess it's time to go inside," she says. "Besides, my arms are getting eaten alive by mosquitos. Good boy." Ally pets the dog and scratches him behind his ears.

  "Why didn't you say you were getting bothered by mosquitoes?" I ask.

  She shrugs. "I didn't want to stop kissing you."

  Inside the bungalow, we snuggle up together on the bed and resume kissing, which eventually turns into touching and rubbing.

  "We should probably get to sleep. We have an early drive tomorrow," I say.

  She nods. "Probably. But I don't have any pajamas."

  "And I sleep naked."

  "Whatever are we going to do?"

  I shrug. "Maybe we can compromise and strip down to our underwear and sleep?"

  "Are you sure that's wise?"

  I say, "I mean, you sleep in your underwear in the other bed, and I'll sleep here."

  "Oh," she says, looking disappointed.

  "Ally, I'm joking! I'm not letting you out of this bed."

  She rolls her eyes and punches me lightly in the shoulder.

  "Gotcha."

  "Good," she says. "I'm glad you got me. I don't want to go anywhere else tonight."

  This is a much better alternative to sleeping separately and lying awake, thinking about her. I could kiss her like this all night long. Her sweet breasts are right there under her tee shirt, finally free of her bra, and thank god she takes the initiative.

  "If you want to touch them, you can."

  They are soft and feel perfect in my hands, my fingers teasing her nipples until they rise through the thin material of her tee shirt.

  "You're so beautiful, Ally," I tell her.

  She responds by spreading her palm against my chest and rubbing her way down to the waistband of my boxer briefs. Covering her hand with my own to stop her descent, I press a hard kiss to her lips and say, "Better not. I want to take my time, if that's OK. I have it all planned out in my mind, the perfect setting."

  I can feel her smile in the dark. I don't know how, but Ally has a way of communicating her feelings even when I can't see her. "Any place is perfect if it's you. Nobody has ever planned something for me. I'm the planner, as you know. But I'm touched that you've thought of something."

  "After Sam and Wren get married, I have a place to show you. If you can wait that long," I say.

  "I'm looking forward to it," she says.

  The evening works out better than I think it should. I never thought I could fall asleep holding a pretty lady, stripped down to her cotton panties and tee shirt. But even with a slight boner, I manage it.

  Years of celibacy has given me a lot of mental fortitude, I guess. One more night or three without feeling her naked body against me is not going to kill me.

  Chapter Thirteen

  Ally

  The way Smitty is looking at me on the morning of Sam and Wren's wedding makes me wonder if he's going to say something important. He certainly looks like he has something monumental to say.

  I'm at his trailer to let him know it's time to go pick up the bride
and groom.

  "Can I… I don't want to mess up your makeup but can I hold you for a second?"

  "Of course you can hold me," I say. I mean, who in her right mind would say no to be held tight in the arms of this wonderful human?

  "I like whatever it is you did to your eyes," he says. "Sorry, that came out stupid."

  I have to laugh a little bit. "I decided to try a retro thing with my eyeliner. Like Sophia Loren."

  "You're like ten times more beautiful than her. Am I wrinkling your dress?"

  I don't know and I don't care, I don't want to take my eyes off of his to check on the state of my dress.

  "The taffeta will be fine."

  "What are we supposed to be doing again?"

  I try out my best schoolmarm voice as I list off the things that need to be done in the next hour. "We're supposed to be meeting Sam and Wren up at the road in about five minutes. And I'm supposed to be whisking Wren off to put on her wedding dress."

  Smitty's face nuzzles the spot where my neck meets my shoulder and murmurs, "Yes ma'am, wedding stuff. Dang, you smell so good."

  Gathering up all my wherewithal to prevent my knees from buckling in response to the feel of his breath and lips along my neck and shoulder, I continue reminding him of the tasks at hand. "And the guests will be here any minute and you and the rest of the guys are supposed to be ushering them all in."

  "How much time do we have?" The heat from his mouth against my skin, and the little groan that escapes his throat, send my butterflies through the roof.

  "Not much we can do in five minutes. I'm wearing some industrial-strength undergarments, if that's what you mean," I say. When I mention my undergarments, he gives me a heated look. His eyes travel down to my cleavage.

  Smitty releases a shuddering breath. "I can't wait to dance with you after the ceremony."

  "I can't wait to be bad and sneak away during the reception. I'm sure you can think of somewhere we can go."

  His hands squeeze my hips and he tightens his grip. I can feel his erection against my pelvis. "I can think of a few places. But I want our first time together to be special."

  "Come on, you know I'm ready to get it on whenever you want," I say.

  "Dang, woman. You've got me feeling some kind of way. I'm ready to ruin your makeup and your underwear all at once."

  "How about I let you ruin my décolletage."

  "I don't know what that is, but I definitely want to taste those melons."

  "That's exactly what that is," I say. "Do it."

  Smitty's lips are on my chest before I even have those two little words out, and I right away know this was a bad idea. It feels so good I don't want him to stop. I want him to keep going, and I want him to rip off my dress. I want him to rip off my Spanx and plow me. He's kissing the soft, sensitive skin of my chest in this strapless dress. My nipples are begging for his lips. My pussy is screaming for his touch.

  Both of Smitty's hands caress my ass, and my hands explore him all over, inside his suit jacket.

  "I feel like there's something I'm forgetting," Smitty says.

  "I know what you mean. You cloud up my head, cowboy. We should go," I say, gaining control of my senses. "Maybe between the two of us we'll remember what we forgot to do."

  Chapter Fourteen

  Smitty

  I join her in the golf cart and she floors it.

  We arrive up at the top of the drive just as Sam's truck appears.

  Ally makes quick introductions and whisks a surprised Wren off in the golf cart. I watch them drive off to the house and I hop in Sam's truck.

  "Everything all right?" he asks me.

  "What?" I say distractedly as I buckle in. "Oh. Yeah. Totally."

  "I'm talking about my wedding day, son. Wren's wedding day. Everything taking care of?"

  I snap out of the overheated trip I'm taking inside my head. "Yes, boss. Everything is perfect. Ally is… pretty amazing."

  I sense Sam casting me a sidelong glance as we head toward the back of the barn that's all decked out for the wedding. "The judge is here, that's all I care about," Sam says when he throws the truck into park behind the barn. "Looks like Ally did a bang-up job. Thanks for suggesting I hire her. I think the two of you make a pretty good team. Are you OK, Smitty? You look a little feverish?"

  "What? No, I'm perfectly fine."

  Chapter Fifteen

  Smitty

  Most of the guests have been seated, and now it's getting close to the time for the bridal processional.

  I go up to the house to let Ally know.

  I walk through the house and find her in the guest room with Wren.

  "Ma'am," I say to the stunning bride. "Most of the guests have arrived, and the other ranch hands are seating the remaining guests. I just came up to see if you or Ally needed anything else before I go down to wait with Sam."

  Wren smiles sweetly at me and says no. "But I wouldn't mind about ten minutes to myself first before I go down, if that's OK?" She casts Ally a questioning look.

  Ally touches her shoulder. "Of course. Just signal when you're ready, sweetie."

  Ally and I step out of the room and go outside to the huge wraparound porch.

  My heart is on fire just looking at her in that dress, her hair done up with a flower. Her cute retro shoes. She is classy and perfect, and I suddenly feel the need to lock this down.

  "Ally."

  She turns to me, an expectant look in her eyes. "Yes?"

  "You're amazing. I'm a simple man with a simple life, I don't have a flashy car or a lot of money to court you properly. But I just have a lot of feelings right now and a lot of things I want to say."

  Ally's eyes go wide and before I can say another word she's in my arms. "First of all, don't ever let me hear you say that again. You deserve me and I deserve you. We are both deserving people. We deserve happiness. So don't start. Don't run yourself down, OK?"

  I know I shouldn't but I have to kiss her. Hard. On those perfectly made-up lips. I have to clutch her little body against mine and use this kiss to give her a taste of what's coming later. I have to make her feel not just my erection pressed against her — which certainly cannot be ignored at the moment — but how deeply I care about her. Respect her. Worship her. She grips my shoulders and deepens the kiss, releasing a little moan into my mouth. She's driving me crazy.

  So crazy, I forget how long we've been kissing like that. Long enough that we're eventually interrupted by a very shaken looking bride.

  "Uhm, guys?"

  Chapter Sixteen

  Ally

  This was by far the biggest fuck up of my career.

  Sam had told me and the ushers we needed to be on the lookout for any of Wren's family who might try to crash the wedding, especially her mother. And what did we do? Start making out on the porch.

  It all turned out OK. Wren wasn't angry, and we arranged for her mother to attend the wedding with her brother, but her mother's boyfriend had to leave or stay in the car.

  Between me feeling so apologetic that I'm thinking of returning the money Sam paid me for this event and eating all the costs of the supplies, and Smitty getting read the riot act by Sam, I'm wondering if Smitty and I should have pressed pause on our feelings from the beginning.

  Although I'm extremely happy for Wren and Sam, I stand through the ceremony with a numb feeling in my gut. I feel Smitty's eyes on me throughout, but whenever I look his way, I feel a fresh wave of guilt.

  After the cake is cut and the music is queued up, I feel like I should go quietly. I start to walk to my car. My assistant will get my binder and headset. The crew will tear down the tables and chairs. There's nothing left for me to do here, and it's probably best if I don't cast a pall on the rest of the day for everyone.

  "Where are you going?"

  I pause in my tracks. "Home."

  "Let's dance. I need to talk to you."

  "I should go. I don't want to do any more damage to this lovely event than I already have. I'll call
you later to talk, OK?" I start to walk away again.

  Smitty blocks my way and I have to stop. The field is filled with cars, heaving me nowhere to run. "Listen," he says. "You're going back to that wedding, and you're going to dance with me. And we are going to talk."

  I gather up my intestinal fortitude and go with him. Smitty doesn't play the alpha card often, I can tell that about him. So when he's so insistent, I feel the need to listen.

  It's almost too much to take. Even though Sam and Wren are completely over my mistake, I feel so bad about it and I know what Smitty is going to say. Before he can begin, I feel I should help him out. "Look, I know I've done something to damage your relationship with Sam, so I understand if you want to… if you want to… take a break from me."

  His arms wrapped around me ignite a warm feeling of being protected and wanted, despite my good wedding planner judgment that tells me to go, and not to linger a reminder to everyone of the debacle I caused.

  "Ally, I don't know what the hell you're talking about. I don't want a break from you. Sam will get over it. He is over it. He's happy. Wren has already forgiven you."

  "I fucked up so bad," I say.

  "Hey," he says. "Stop beating yourself up. Nobody beats up on the woman I love."

  I finally look up at him, thunderstruck. "What did you say?"

  He laughs that funny laugh of his. "Did I shock you? Did I shock you with my love?"

  I shake my head. "Smitty."

  "I. Love. You. OK? Now get your ass in my truck."

  As we're sneaking off in the farm truck, a voice behind us says, "You better marry that girl, or it ain't proper."

  I whirl around and I see Sam and Wren.

  "Knock it off, Sam," Wren says, elbowing her groom before turning to me. "I saw you leaving and I just wanted to say thank you. I would never have put a wedding together myself and this was better than anything I could have thought up."