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“I’m beginning to see that,” he murmured and wished his brother wasn’t there so he could scoop her up in his arms and kiss her. Although she didn’t look like the type of girl who would be into PDAs—but then again, maybe she was. Tate also didn’t want to advertise his interest in Kelly in front of Tyler and give his brother the opportunity to talk smack about him in front of her.

“I think you should listen to her, Tate. Kelly knows what she’s talking about.”

Yeah, this was why he didn’t want to have any more conversation in front of his brother. Tyler’s comments were unnecessary, and Tate ground his teeth to stop from telling his brother where to go.

Instead, he looked over his shoulder. “Why don’t you continue loading the rest of the boxes? You know, make yourself useful instead of making unwarranted comments.”

Tyler chuckled, but, thankfully, he went back to the task at hand.

“Why don’t we take a walk?” Tate suggested to Kelly. He used the hem of his shirt to wipe the sweat from his forehead. Kelly’s eyes went wide, and her tongue darted out and touched her lower lip. A light dusting of pink highlighted her cheeks.

Tate tamped down the urge to puff out his chest. It wasn’t like he didn’t know she was attracted to him. The kisses they’d shared were off the chart.

“Um, sure. A walk sounds good,” Kelly finally answered.

He breathed deeply. Her hint of flowers and sunshine assailed his senses. Tate imagined if she took a deep breath he probably wouldn’t smell as fresh. He took a step to the side so he didn’t offend her. “Sorry, I probably should’ve taken a shower before we went on this walk.”

Way to go, doofus, just highlight the fact that you stink.

He slammed his inner voice down quick smart. So what if it was right?

“I know you’ve been working, Tate. It’s fine. You should smell me after I’ve been working four hours straight on flowers for a wedding. Plus, it’s not like you knew I was coming anyway. I just turned up.”

The last thing he could imagine was Kelly smelling anything but like she did right now. “Can’t say I’m disappointed by the unexpected visit.”

The sun glinted off the bracelet he’d given her as she brushed a stray lock of hair off her face. A wave of possessiveness washed over him. “I like your bracelet.”

“You do? A handsome man gave it to me last night.” She winked, as if enjoying the game they were playing.

“Handsome, huh? Lucky guy.”

“Yes, he is.”

God, it had been ages since he’d flirted with someone and Kelly made it so easy to have fun with.

After his mom had died, the thought of thinking himself in love with someone wasn’t on his radar. Part of him had died with Mom. She’d been so special that his final year of high school he’d been more about making sure he graduated than dating anyone. He’d enjoyed playing the field and that trend had continued until the last year when the appeal of dating began to wear off. What was building between him and Kelly was more than a fling. Well, for him anyway.

Tate glanced over at the woman walking beside him. Was he getting ahead of himself? So much of his life was up in the air at the moment. The time had come for Dad to retire and enjoy life. Leave the running of the farm to him. Tate could do everything his Dad did and more. He had his degree and had ideas to streamline the watering system and harvesting. He could run the farm as well as Dad, if not better now.

“What are you thinking so hard about?” Kelly asked, touching his cheek.

He looked at her, concern shining in her blue eyes. He wanted to wipe it away. Let her know everything was fine, but it wasn’t really fine. His dad was still in rehab. He and his brothers had a strained relationship. True, the harvest was going well, they were on track for one of their best seasons ever. But that could all be derailed because of the festival.

“Everything. I was thinking about everything. Dad. My brothers. The farm. The festival.” He placed his hand over hers, keeping it close to his cheek when she went to pull it away. “You. I was thinking about you, too.”

Her eyes widened. Tate took a step closer, sliding his free hand around to cradle the back of her head. In the dappled light through the branches of the trees basking her face in a golden glow, her lips shone from the gloss she wore, tempting him to taste them. Giving into the need, he lowered his head and a shudder rippled through Kelly as they touched. The tension he’d been carrying around for the last couple of hours seeped from his shoulders. She wiggled her hand free from where he still held it against his cheek and wrapped it around his neck. He pulled her tighter, deepening the kiss. Kelly was with him all the way. It was almost like she couldn’t get enough of him—just like he couldn’t get enough of her.

The wind rustled around them and he resisted the urge to lower her to the ground. Lay his body over hers and make her his under the trees that were as essential to him as breathing.

However, he and Kelly weren’t there at the moment, no matter how much he wanted to be. He was taking things slowly. Would respect any pace she’d like to go. Breaking the kiss, he reached up and grabbed her arms from around his neck, bringing them down until they were in front of him. Tate rubbed his thumb across his mom’s bracelet.

“I can’t tell you how the sight of this on your wrist makes me feel. I wasn’t sure if you’d keep it on or not.” He couldn’t explain the sense of joy growing inside of him to know everyone who’d came into the shop today would’ve seen it on her arm. How many had asked her about it?

“That’s why you gave it to me, isn’t it? To be worn.”

“Sure, and I know you accepted it last night, I guess—” He paused and looked up for a heartbeat before looking back at her, his words lodged in his throat.

“What?” Her fingers touched the bracelet and it was almost like she was touching him. Which was an entirely stupid concept to believe.