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“Do you want to go steady?” he blurted out. Whoa, that wasn’t what he meant to say. He certainly hadn’t consciously formed those words in his mind. Especially not a sentiment that hadn’t been used in decades.

“What?” Kelly pulled her hand away from him and he mourned the loss. He also couldn’t help thinking that was the answer to his question.

But life was nothing if he didn’t take the plunge, and as he’d already put it out there, no point trying to deny or retract the statement. Instead, he pushed away from the table, his chair scraping along the concrete. He reached out a hand, holding his breath to see if she would slip hers back into his.

After the longest time, but really only a second or two, Kelly placed her hand in his. Tate gently tugged until she stood facing him.

He rested one hand on her waist while he smoothed the other down her hair. “The other day I was talking to Dad, and he said that if I liked a girl a lot and wanted to date her, I should ask her to go steady. I laughed because it’s so 1970s, but you know, sometimes the old traditions work. So, Kelly Turner, will you go steady with me?”

It should’ve sounded corny. Yet, somehow, for the two of them, it seemed right. Well, to him it did. And hadn’t Kelly said she liked some of the old traditions that were dying out? Suddenly a thought hit him. It would be perfect.

“Wait right here, Kel. Don’t move.” He pressed a kiss to her forehead before racing into the house. Taking two steps at a time he made his way upstairs to his room. What he was about to do next could either go over well or could blow up in his face in a memorable way.

Opening the top drawer of his dresser, his hand hovered over a square box. He didn’t even have to open it to know what was inside. A sapphire dress ring his mom had worn only on special occasions. A ring he loved and told her so every time she’d worn it. When Dad had given it to him after she died, he’d taken it and then cried in his room. The long, rectangle box sitting next to the ring contained a matching tennis bracelet. He grabbed that instead. He hoped Kelly would understand the nature of his gesture.

Life wasn’t a dry run—it was real and it could be over in a flash. As he made his way down the stairs, he clutched the box tightly in his hand. Whatever happened would happen.

But he found the patio empty. Shit, did Kelly leave without saying goodbye? She wouldn’t have done that, would she? He hadn’t taken that long, had he?

He walked to the edge of the concrete, looking out of the expanse of grass. He could put the spotlight on, but over to his left he saw a shadow of movement.

Kelly.

She hadn’t left after all. He joined her by one of the trees marking the edge of the family property to the start of the orchard. He stopped behind her, itching to touch her but controlling the urge.

“It’s so peaceful here.” She turned, the corners of her lips lifting. “I can understand why you don’t want to have too many people traipsing around.”

“Yeah, I’m worried about it, but I know we’ll work together and protect it.”

“That we will.” She smoothed her hands down her dress, pressing the material against her body, outlining her figure. His body responded but he willed it to settle down. “So, um, you asked me something before you disappeared?” She licked her lips and she couldn’t quite meet his eyes.

Damn, was she nervous?

Excitement zoomed through him, perhaps his gesture wouldn’t be shunned. “I believe I did.” Doubts crowded back in.

Was he doing the right thing? Jewelry was so personal. But he’d come this far, he couldn’t go back. He wouldn’t die if she said no to wearing it.

“Asking you to wear my class ring would be taking old traditions a bit too far. Instead, I thought I would do it my way.” He opened the box and held it out. “So how about it, Kelly, will you date me and only me?”

A few beats of silence hovered in the air and Tate held his breath. Then she held out her hand. “I’d be honored to go steady with you, Tate Prentice.” She winked.

His breath whooshed out.

She understood what he was doing. A connection was building between them and he didn’t want to rush headlong into something only to have the bond disintegrate before it had fully formed between them. Whether it led to anything was anyone’s guess, but like the tortoise and the hare, slow and steady won the race and this was a race he wanted to win.

Tate slipped the delicate bracelet around her wrist and clipped it closed. Resting against her flesh it looked as if it had been made for her. “A perfect fit,” he murmured.

“It is.” She reached and laid a hand against his cheek and he rested his own over it, not wanting to lose the physical contact between them. “Thank you, Tate. I promise I’ll take good care of it.”

Placing his free hand on her waist he stepped close to her, their thighs brushing each other. “I know you will, Kel.”

Her tongue darted out to wet her lips and he inwardly groaned. How sweet she’d tasted when they kissed before. He wanted to taste her again.

Time slowed around him as Kelly lifted her head to meet him halfway. A shudder rippled through him the second their lips touched. How was it possible to have such a strong reaction with someone when this was only the second time they’d kissed? Tate had no idea, but he wasn’t going to question it.

Angling his head, he deepened the kiss, his lips teasing hers until she opened, allowing him access. Curling his arms around her he tugged her until she was flush against him. Warmth flooded him as her arms closed around him and her hands rested against his back. His dick twitched against the zipper of his jeans.

It had been so long since he’d slept with a woman. Since he’d given himself freely. He wanted to do that with Kelly, but not tonight. When he and Kelly made love, it would be because the timing was right. Not just to scratch an itch.