Page 94 of Tempest

CHAPTER THIRTY

One Month Later

Texas

Ryan waited next to the truck and looked up at the endless Texas sky filled with stars. If he was lucky, one of those stars was going to bless him with the thing he desired most. The sound of the front door closing caught his attention, and he watched Ivy run toward him. Opening his arms, he caught her and held her close. “Ready to go parking out by the creek?”

“You bet.” Running her hand down his face, she leaned forward and kissed him. “I made a playlist for us to make out to.”

“Maybe if I play my cards right, I’ll get to do more than smooching.”

Sliding down his body, she laughed. “Maybe.”

He gently slapped her ass and grinned. “Get in, woman. I’m going to romance you under this blanket of stars and turn that maybe into a yes.”

Laughing, she climbed in and let him buckle her in. “I can’t wait.”

They drove along the dirt road that ran parallel to the Peterson ranch. Ryan had been out earlier in the week and found a perfect spot for their Friday night date. When the big oak tree came into view, he knew they were close. “Thanks for coming out on a date with me.” He squeezed her hand as he drove.

“You’re the cutest boy in town. I couldn’t say no.”

“I’m the only boy as far as you’re concerned.” He slid his gaze over and saw her smile. “Almost there.” He drove for another mile, and the spot that he’d chosen earlier in the week came into view. He backed up the truck so it was facing the creek and threw it into Park. “Stay here for a minute while I get things set up.”

“Do you want me to help?”

“Nope. I’ll let you know when I’m ready.” He slid out and jogged around back. Lowering the tailgate, he jumped in, and made quick work of laying out the quilts and setting up the pillows that he’d packed earlier. The cooler was tucked away in the tool box, so he was set. As he climbed out of the truck, he checked his pocket and made sure he had everything. Taking a couple of deep breaths, he tried to calm his nerves. Opening Ivy’s door, he watched her fiddle with her phone. “What are you doing?”

“Getting the music ready. Can’t have a smooching date in Texas without the proper music.”

He held out his hand and watched her slip hers inside. “I hear one of your favorite songs, so we must be ready.” Sam Hunt’s “Speakers” filled the quiet night as he led her around the back and watched a smile appear on her face. “Do you like it?”

“It’s perfect, Ryan.”

Lifting her up on the tailgate, he took a moment to appreciate how beautiful she was. How did that girl from the bar end up in the back of his truck on a Friday night? Whatever god was in charge had decided to bless him with the best girl in the world. It wasn’t something that he was ever going to take for granted, and he planned on showing her how much she meant to him for the rest of his life. “Crawl on up and let’s enjoy this pretty Texas sky.”

He jumped up, moved toward the cab, and leaned against the pillows. When Ivy was next to him, he lifted her up and wrapped her in his arms. Her head rested against his chest, and he tried to relax. The music floated around them as they looked into the endless dark sky. “We should do this at least once a week,” he said against her head.

“That’s a great idea. I recently read that it’s important to schedule romantic dates regularly so intimacy doesn’t disappear in a committed relationship.”

“That is the most clinical description of romance that I’ve ever heard. Where did you read that?”

“I was getting my nails done the other day and it was in one of the magazines that I picked up. I showed the article to Gina, who was doing my nails, and she said it was absolutely true. She’s been married to Larry for almost twenty years, and she said the key to a happy marriage is morning sex.”

“Really?”

Ivy raised her hand and nodded. “She swore on her mother’s grave that she and Larry have had sex every morning since they got married, and she feels like it sets the right tone for the day. Gina said she wants her husband to be happy, so she makes sure they do the horizontal mambo at least once a day. That was a quote, by the way.”

“Were there any other bits of marital wisdom that Gina shared?” he asked with a laugh.

“Not really. We talked about politics for a while, then the fate of the Federal Reserve, and finally the demise of Brad and Angelina’s marriage. By the way, I totally predicted that one.”

“You ladies cover a lot of ground in an hour.”

“Efficiency is important, because we have a lot to discuss. She did ask my why we didn’t buy condoms anymore, and I told her it was because you wanted to put a baby in me. I can’t tell you how happy she was. Apparently several people in town were worried that the romance had died and you were on your way back to Florida. I assured her that we’re doing just fine in that department and she seemed relieved.”

“I told you we should just keep buying them. I knew people were going to be talking about it.”

Patting his chest, she laughed. “Don’t worry. Telling Gina is like putting up a billboard on the highway. Everyone will know by Monday, so your reputation is safe.”

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