Page 12 of Save A Horse (Texas Rose Ranch #1)
Daisy
T his night had been unforgettable. Dinner was great, just getting to talk to Colt again like when we were kids.
Slow dancing to the same song that my parents used to dance to in the kitchen all those years ago made me feel so close to my mom at that moment.
And that kiss…well, more than one kiss, but still, they were more than I ever could have imagined or thought of.
There were so many feelings I felt tonight that I hadn’t in a very long time, and I had Colt to thank for that.
This wasn’t the first time I had been in Colt’s truck, but this was the first time that it had felt different sitting in the seat beside him, feeling the wind coming in from the window in my hair.
This didn’t just feel like two friends killing time and having fun with each other.
This felt like more, and I was eager to see where it was going.
? ? ?
“Where are we going?”
“Just wait. I know the perfect spot.” Colt drove for what seemed like forever, probably because I was so curious to know where he was taking me. He had said that it was a surprise, and as much as I enjoyed a good surprise, the anticipation was killing me.
“Are we there yet?”
“So impatient…but yes, we’re here. Stay here. Give me a minute.”
I sat in the passenger seat once Colt stopped the truck and got out in a rush, waiting for him to tell me I was good to get out.
The music on the radio was playing quietly, a pleasant background to the sounds of nature around us.
Colt had driven us to a spot off the side of the mountain, telling me I would love it, although I wasn’t sure what ‘it’ was.
“Come on out.” I walked to the back of the truck, and Colt had let the tailgate down and added a blanket to the bottom of the bed inside.
“What’s this?” He plopped down on the blanket, patting it to tell me to sit down. I hopped up, sitting beside him, feeling the cool breeze against my skin. I rubbed my arms, trying to warm them a bit.
“Here.” Colt threw a blanket around me and I took it graciously.
“Thanks.” I wondered why he had chosen to bring me here. It felt different being at this spot with him. This seemed like such a special place, and I wasn’t sure why I was special enough to be here, but I was thankful that I was who he thought of bringing along.
“Look.” He pointed toward the sky, and I turned my head in that direction.
The overlook was the perfect spot. I looked at the sky, ablaze with different colors.
The pinks, purples, and oranges swirled together like a painting.
It was breathtaking. At that moment, I thought this kind of view could only be seen from the country.
There was no way something could look this beautiful in the city.
I couldn’t take my eyes off it. We sat in the bed of his truck, listening to the sounds of the crickets and other critters around us as we watched the sunset.
It was another one of those times that I spent with Colt and never wanted it to end.
“This is the most beautiful thing I have ever seen.”
“Yes. It is.”
? ? ?
When we got back and pulled up to the ranch, there weren’t any lights on in the house, and I knew Walt had already gone to bed for the night.
Colt brushed his hand against my knee and got out of the truck.
I waited a moment, my eyes following him through the windshield as he walked over to the passenger side of the truck to open my door.
He was such a gentleman. I guess he was a gentleman as a kid, too, always opening my door and letting me go in front of him.
His parents raised him right, and I could only imagine how proud his mother would be of him.
“Thanks.” I got out and was going to head for the house when that same rough hand grabbed my arm, pushing me back against the truck. He looked at me, slightly licking his lips.
“You know…” He pulled me behind him, leading me to the back of the truck.
He let the tailgate down, picking me up with his hands under my thighs and placing me on it.
He scooted in cl oser to me, placing himself between my legs.
“This dress hugs you just right, and those eyes shine brighter than the stars.” I could feel his hands placed firmly on my thighs.
His calloused hands were rough from years of wrangling cattle and riding horses, but they felt like a warm promise against my skin, a testament to the strength and tenderness that lay beneath Colt’s rugged exterior.
He placed a kiss on my neck, the feel of his lips slightly tickling me, and giving me a tingling sensation that ran down my body.
“You’ve got a way of making this ol’ cowboy feel like the luckiest man in the world right now.
” He smiled mischievously, then moved one hand behind my head.
He pulled me so close to him that we felt like one, like he was trying to devour me.
“Colt…” I let out a breathy whisper of his name.
“Shh…” He continued kissing me, each kiss making me lose myself further and further until I thought there would be no escape. This whole night had been so unexpected, but if this was any sign of what was to come, I would gladly welcome it.
“Colt…” I tried to catch my breath while his lips moved to my neck again, the feeling sucking me in and making me never want it to end.
It sent shivers down my body, and I wanted his lips to linger there.
Both his hands were now gripping both sides of my face.
He looked up at me. “You’ve got to give me a chance to catch my breath or I’m not going to make it.
” He pulled back, still smiling with that self-satisfied grin, finally letting me breathe.
He reached for me, helping me get down, and shutting the tailgate behind us.
“Come on. Let’s get you inside to bed.” He placed a hand behind me on the small of my back, following me inside.