Page 16 of More Than a Little Spark (Cowboys of Stargazer Springs Ranch #9)

Carson

Carson

D aphne holds out the last chocolate-covered strawberry. “Open up.”

“You can eat it.”

She shakes her head. “I want you to have it.”

I open my mouth and let her feed me. The date started off great and just keeps getting better. “Thank you.”

“You really made this date extra special. The barbecue was fantastic. The strawberries were amazing. But the best thing about today is the company. I’ve missed spending time with you.”

“Trying to keep my dating under wraps makes it hard to get away, and I apologize for that.”

“No need to apologize. We’ve both been busy.” She shifts closer to me. “Can I ask you a question?”

“Uh-oh. Questions that need an introductory question are usually hard or uncomfortable.” I make sure my tone conveys humor. “But yes. You may ask me anything.”

Trailing a finger along the back of my hand, she says, “You’ve talked about your sister and everything that happened, but you haven’t said much about your mom. Are you still in contact with her?”

“I’m not.” My mom isn’t something I talk about because saying it out loud dredges up pain.

It’s a wound time hasn’t had much of an effect on.

But talking to Daphne is like a balm, and I decide to share the story.

“When I was seventeen, Mom got a new boyfriend. He was a lot like the others and didn’t like the fact that she had a kid.

But one thing was different. He threw a punch at me one evening for eating the last slice of bread.

I gathered my stuff and moved out that same night. ”

Her jaw drops open. “Your mom just let you leave? She didn’t stop you?”

“She said it was probably for the best if I left. She wasn’t sober when she said it. Maybe later she regretted it, but I haven’t sought her out to ask.”

“Carson, I’m sorry.”

I stand and hold out my hand. “The area out here is pretty. Want to walk a bit?”

“Sure.” She slips her hand in mine.

We walk toward the creek, birds chirping, wind rustling.

“I think about my mom from time to time. Over the last few years, I’ve looked her up a few times, but when I did, it seemed like she was still having trouble.

So I stayed away. Last I heard anything about her was when social services called regarding Fred.

The social worker made a passing comment that Fred’s grandmother wasn’t a safe option.

And I haven’t looked for my mom since then.

More to protect Fred than to protect myself. ”

“I’m sorry she wasn’t a good mom to you. And that she’s not a safe option for Fred. Not that I’d want him out of your life. That’s not what I mean. But it’s sad that she can’t be a grandma to him. You both deserve better.”

I give her hand a squeeze. “Once upon a time, I was pretty bitter about not having a good mom. But life goes on, and I sort of put those thoughts to the side. Then we moved out here to the ranch. Since coming here, Ava, Lilith, and Joji dote on me and Fred like we’re family.

After all those years of wondering what it would’ve been like to have a mom that cared, I have that now.

It’s kind of wild. Very unexpected. And Fred loves it.

For a kid with no grandparents, he’s made out like a bandit here on the ranch. ”

“That’s awesome. Rose has told me how amazing everyone at the ranch is.”

“They are.”

I step behind her as we get to the foot bridge. “Let’s cross here.”

“How old is this thing? I don’t want to get halfway across and drop into the water. It’s a bit too cold for that.”

“First of all, I wouldn’t intentionally put you in danger. The bridges are pretty new. Beau had them all built the year before last. Before that, people had to drive around to a different gate to access the other part of the ranch.”

“All right. I’ll trust you.” She reaches behind her and clasps my hand. “Do you have any questions for me?”

I’m still wondering how someone as stunning as Daphne is interested in a chubby guy like me, but I’ll table that question until later. “Do you want kids?”

She stops at the end of the bridge. “Is that a trick question?”

It takes me a half second to get on the same page. “I didn’t ask because of Fred. I’m curious because when someone spends years parenting siblings, they sometimes decide that they don’t really want to do that all over again. That’s why I asked.”

Hand in hand, we weave our way through the trees.

Daphne grazes her thumb across the side of my finger. “Even knowing how much work it takes, I would like to have children of my own. If it works out that way. What about you?”

“Before Fred moved in, I was mostly indifferent about the idea of kids. But now, I think I would like more. But I’d never want Fred to feel pushed out or replaced.”

“Obviously. He’s the one who made you a dad.”

“Right. I still get a funny feeling in my chest when he calls me that.” I stop beside a tree and wrap my arms around Daphne. “Thanks for taking the day off so that we could do this.”

“Are you kidding? This is a treat.” She shifts and looks up at me. “And I know the guys are covering so that you can be here. Tell them thanks for me.”

“I will. Parker and Kent both know we’re dating, and they handled things. I’ll return the favor when they need time off.”

Hands on the front of my shirt, Daphne inches up on her toes. “You’ve probably noticed that I’m not shy about stating what I want. I do have a filter, which may seem surprising since I let so much through. But you’d be shocked at what I don’t say. Anyway, getting back to what I want.”

“What’s that?” I tuck a lock of hair behind her ear.

Her gaze drops to my lips, then bounces back up. “It’s Valentine’s Day, and this has been an incredibly romantic date. The cherry on the top would be if you?—”

I’m not always the quickest when it comes to hints, but I’m learning to understand Daphne. So I lean in and touch my lips to hers.

Pressing in closer, she grabs my shirt in her fists.

The wind kicks up as I deepen the kiss. While I haven’t kissed a ton of women, I’ve kissed a few. No other kiss has felt like this.

Raindrops patter through the branches and slap me on top of the head. Rain? Now? The timing is inconvenient. Last time I looked at the sky, there wasn’t even a hint of rain.

I pull back. “I should get you back to the truck.”

Shaking her head, Daphne pulls me back to her. “No, you should kiss me again. It’s not like we’ll melt.”

I don’t need convincing. I spin her around and lean over, trying to protect her from the pelting rain.

Our lips dance while the inconvenient cloud pounds me with rain. As the kiss continues, I forget about the rain, the ranch. Everything. It’s just me, Daphne, and this electrical connection.

When Daphne breaks the kiss, I realize that the hair on my arms is standing tall.

While I can’t deny the sparks between us, I think I misinterpreted the electrical connection. And I do not want to be under a tree when lightning strikes. “We need to go.”

She leans up and gives me a quick peck. “But the rain stopped.”

“I didn’t notice. I was too focused on other things.” I wink, then snap out of my attraction-fueled haze. This is not the time for flirting. “Feel the air? I think we’re going to get lightning. We need to find a safe spot.”

She touches her arm. “Oh! I just thought it was because of the kiss.” After clasping my hand, she scans the ground. “We can pick up where we left off in the truck.”

The sudden burst of rain has turned the path to mud. “Good plan. Grab my neck. I’ll carry you to the truck.” I scoop her into my arms.

Daphne sighs. “This is so romantic.”

The halt in the rain was only temporary, and it’s pouring as I hurry across the creek.

When we get to my truck, I open the door and help her in. “Let me grab the blanket and other stuff. I’ll be right back.”

“Be careful.”

I drop the tailgate and shove everything into the bed. The cover will keep it from getting any wetter. Not that it matters much because it’s already soaked.

Then I slide in behind the wheel and start the engine so that I can get the heat going. Now that I’m wet, I’m a bit chilly. Daphne must be downright cold.

She reaches over and clasps my hand. “I’ve been worried that too many good things were happening, and that life would rain on my parade. And what do you know, it rained, and I loved it. There’s a lesson in that somewhere, I think.”

“I’m going to feel bad if you catch a cold. And hopefully your new pillows aren’t ruined.”

“For that kiss, totally worth it.” She stretches across the console and meets my lips. “That is exactly what I wanted. And I’m not trying to rush you because I know you wanted to take things slow, but…” She shrugs like she isn’t sure how to finish the sentence.

“I get it. And my feelings are making it hard to maintain the slow part. I like you. A lot. Which I’m hoping is obvious. But I’m not ready for Fred to know I’m dating anyone. It’s not that I don’t trust you or?—”

She presses a finger to my lips. “I get it. And I’m not asking you to rush that. Not at all. Whenever you’re ready is fine with me. Sneaking around is kind of fun.”

“Thank you. This is all brand-new territory for me.”

She laughs. “So you’re saying you don’t spend every Friday kissing women in the rain?”

“This is a first.” I kiss her again.

“Hopefully not the last.” She grins. “And for the record, I don’t care what day of the week it is.”

“Noted. I’ll keep tabs on the weather.”

“Carson Blake, you are a bundle of green flags. Good-looking. Strong. Romantic.” She pinches her lips and tilts her head. “Were you in a relationship? Did adopting Fred change that?”

I give an amused huff. “I was not in a relationship. If I had been, it wouldn’t have changed my decision. And as far as still being single, I’ve never been the kind of guy who gets the girl. I’m just the chubby guy who keeps them laughing.”

“This isn’t the first time you’ve mentioned weight, and I want you to know that I like you how you are. Not in spite of it.”

“You saying you like my spare tire? My extra fluff?”

“Yes. Having a spare tire and being good-looking are not mutually exclusive.” She squeezes my hand.

“There is a lot to like about you. I like that you make me laugh. And you make my heart flutter. And when you carry me, I turn to goo inside. Complete mush.” She meets my gaze and smiles. “You’re a catch.”

I tangle my fingers in her hair and pull her to my lips. Thunder rumbles, and rain pounds the truck.

But Daphne and I are too busy to care.