Page 28 of Secret Southern Promises

“Now for the part I’ve been waiting for all night,” I said with a grin and grabbed the buttermilk pie. My stomach rumbled, even though we’d just eaten dinner.

Dolly laughed and shook her head. “You really haven’t had buttermilk pie since you left town?”

I shook my head. “Nope. I knew it wouldn’t be as good as the one you make.” I turned to grab two small plates from the cabinet, but when I spun back around, I bumped straight into Dolly, who was reaching for a knife in the drawer.

“Oh gosh,” she gasped, and before I knew it, my arm instinctively wrapped around her waist to steady her, keeping her from falling. I pressed her against the counter and enjoyed the feel of her against me.

“I got you, honey,” I murmured, my voice a little lower than I meant it to be. I looked down at her, my arm still holding her close, and for a second, everything seemed to stop.

Dolly tipped her head back, her eyes locking onto mine, and the air between us thickened. She didn’t pull away—didn’t even move, really. She just leaned into me a little more, her chest rising and falling in time with mine. My body reacted instantly, a heat rushing through me that was impossible to ignore. She felt so damn good in my arms, like this was where she was supposed to be all along.

“I want to kiss you, Dolly,” I found myself confessing with my voice rough and almost hoarse with the need that had been building in me for days, weeks… maybe years.

Her eyes widened for a moment, but she didn’t pull away. If anything, she moved closer, her body pressing against mine. “Then kiss me, Boone,” she whispered, her voice barely audible, but the invitation was clear.

I didn’t hesitate.

The moment my lips met hers, it felt like everything I’d been holding back finally broke free. The kiss was soft at first, gentle as I savored the feel of her mouth against mine, the sweetness of it. But then, something shifted—something deeper. It was like coming home like everything I’d been missing was right here in my arms.

I pulled her closer, my hands sliding up her back as I deepened the kiss. Her fingers curled into the front of my shirt, holding onto me like she didn’t want to let go. The taste of her, the feel of her soft skin under my hands—it sent a rush of heat through me that made my heart pound.

Dolly kissed me back with the same intensity, and her body pressed even closer to mine. Her lips parted just enough for me to feel the warmth of her breath and the way she was letting herself give in to this moment, to us. It wasn’t rushed, but it wasn’t slow either. It was a mix of need and tenderness, of passion and something that felt like it had been a long time coming.

When we finally pulled back, both of us were breathing hard, her forehead rested against my chest, and I realized I never wanted to let her go.

“Boone,” she whispered, her breath warm against my skin.

“Yeah, honey?” I asked, my hand gently cradling the back of her head.

She looked up at me, her eyes searching mine, and I could see it there—the same feeling that had been brewing inside me since the moment I saw her again.

“What are we doing?” Dolly asked softly, her voice barely above a whisper. She looked up at me, uncertainty clouding her eyes.

I didn’t have a concrete answer. I didn’t know where this was headed or how everything was going to play out. All I knew was kissing Dolly felt right. Holding her in my arms—it was like a missing piece of me had finally clicked back into place. It was the first time in a long damn time that I felt like myself again. The life I had built around chasing my dreams of being a champion bull rider—it had always felt like something was missing.

Her.

I was always missing Dolly.

“Making up for lost time?” I replied as I pulled her into a hug and pressed a kiss to the top of her head.

She stayed there, nestled against my chest for a moment, and I could feel her breath slow, like she was trying to gather her thoughts. Then she pulled back just enough to look up at me again, her brows furrowing slightly. “You’re going to leave again.”

I shook my head, my arms still wrapped around her as I leaned back enough to meet her gaze. “I’m here, Dolly. I planted my roots here in Magnolia Grove.”

“But the announcer job?” Her voice wavered, like she was afraid that if I took the job, it would pull me away from her all over again.

I shrugged. “I don’t even know if I’m going to take it yet. But even if I do, this is still my home. I’d be gone for a few weekends here and there, but it wouldn’t be anything like chasing points around the country. And if it ever does get to be too much, if I feel like it’s pulling me away more than I want, then I stop doing it.” I smiled down at her, trying to make her understand. “I’ve got more than enough money, Dolly. This isn’t about needing a paycheck. It’s about figuring out what comes next for me.”

She stared at me for a long moment, searching my face like she was looking for cracks in what I was saying. “How do you know that, though?” she finally asked, her voice softer. “I don’t want you to give up something great just to stay here in Magnolia Grove with me.”

I let out a short laugh and shook my head, tightening my hold on her. “You don’t get to make that decision for me this time, honey. I chased my dream for a long time, and it took me all over the world, but now I’m here. And I know I can have both. I can chase what comes next, and I can have you with me.” I cupped her cheek with my hand, my thumb brushing lightly against her skin as I looked down into her eyes. “You don’t have to worry about that.”

“Boone…” she whispered, her voice full of hesitation and hope all at once.

I leaned down and pressed another slow and soft kiss to her lips, like a promise. When I pulled back, I kept my forehead resting against hers, breathing her in, and felt her steady in my arms.

“We’ll take it slow, honey. All of this,” I said quietly. “I need to think about the announcer gig. I need to really settle in here in Magnolia Grove. And you and I… we need to get to know each other again. We’ve both changed since high school, but that doesn’t mean we can’t figure out who we are together now.”

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