Page 19 of Curvy Girl and the Ex-Military Cowboy

I wake with a start to movement beside me. For a moment, I'm disoriented—the open sky above, the cool morning air, the unfamiliar weight of an arm around me. Then everything rushes back. Aaron. The picnic. What happened after.

"Is everything alright?" I ask, my voice husky with sleep as I turn to see Aaron already sitting up, reaching for his clothes.

"I'm late," he says, running a hand through his disheveled hair. "Usually at this time, my brothers and I are all taking breakfast together. They're probably wondering where I am."

I blink, still groggy. "What time is it?"

"Seven," he replies, pulling on his jeans.

Seven in the morning. I've slept all night under the stars in his arms.

"I know it's early," he adds apologetically, handing me my dress. "Ranch life means waking up with the sun. I'm sorry, I didn't think to set an alarm."

"I understand," I assure him, suddenly self-conscious as I sit up, clutching the blanket to my chest. Despite last night's intimacy, morning light brings a shyness I hadn't expected.

Aaron seems to sense this and turns slightly away as I dress quickly, my fingers fumbling with buttons. The morning air is crisp against my skin, a stark contrast to the warmth of his body that had kept me comfortable throughout the night.

Together, we pack everything back into the truck, shaking out the blanket and folding it with an awkward domesticity that feels both strange and natural. Before we get in the truck, Aaron pauses, his gaze drawn to the horizon where the sun is just beginning to rise, painting the sky in brilliant oranges and pinks.

"Wait," he says. "Look."

I follow his gaze and catch my breath at the beauty of the sunrise—so different from any I've seen before, expansive and wild in a way that matches the landscape.

Aaron steps behind me, his arm sliding around my waist as we stand in silence for a few seconds, watching the sun climb higher. The simple gesture feels more intimate somehow than our lovemaking—this quiet sharing of beauty, his solid presence at my back, anchoring me to this moment, this place.

The drive back to the ranch is calmer than our journey out. The silence isn't uncomfortable, though, but after several minutes, Aaron glances over at me.

"Do you regret any of it?" he asks, his voice careful, neutral, though I detect the vulnerability beneath.

"No," I answer without hesitation. "Not at all. I'm very fond of every minute we've spent together."

The tension in his shoulders eases visibly. "I am too," he admits. "You've changed my whole life in twenty-four hours, Elena. Something I never believed could happen to a man like me."

I reach over and caress his free hand, where it rests on the gearshift, my fingers sliding between his. "Perhaps we were both ready for change."

He turns his hand to capture mine, squeezing gently as he keeps his eyes on the road.

As we approach the ranch, I feel a mix of anxiety and anticipation building. After last night, returning to the watchful eyes of his family feels like stepping out of our private world and back into reality.

When Aaron parks near the house, he turns to me before getting out.

"I'm going to tell my brothers everything," he says, his tone resolute. "About us, about our arrangement. I don't want to lie to them anymore. Not when this feels more serious than I ever thought it would.”

"Are you sure?"

He nods. "After last night... it feels wrong to keep pretending. And they'll figure it out eventually anyway. The Covingtons aren't known for their subtlety."

A small laugh escapes me. "I'd noticed."

When we enter the kitchen, the scene that greets us is one of domestic chaos—all four of Aaron's brothers are seated around the large table with Charlotte and Lily, plates of pancakes and eggs being passed around, their coffee cups steaming. The conversation dies as we appear in the doorway.

Ethan is the first to react, one eyebrow rising as a playful smirk crosses his face.

"Well, well, look who finally decided to join us," he says, looking between Aaron and me. "Where'd you spend the night, big brother? Still want to tell us you and Elena are 'just friends'?"

I feel heat rising to my cheeks, but I stand my ground beside Aaron. The rest of the family watches with varying expressions of curiosity, suspicion, and—in Charlotte's case—knowing sympathy.

Aaron shifts nervously beside me, his usual confidence faltering as he faces his family. I see his struggle to find the right words, the fear of judgment or misunderstanding in his eyes.

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