Page 135 of Home Field Advantage
“You look… God, Poppy. You look beautiful.”
His words fall from his tongue as he steps toward me, wrapping one arm around my waist to pull me flush to him, with the other cupping the side of my face. His lips press to mine, softand sweet, like it’s part of a routine he can do for the rest of his life.
“Thank you,” I say against his lips before I lean in to steal one more.
I step away, opening the door wider to let him in.
“I dropped Sage off with her mom for the weekend, and ran to the General Store to grab some sandwiches for us,” he says, standing on the opposite end of the counter from me. He places the plastic bag next to a wicker basket.
“I put some snacks in here for us, too,” I add.
He takes the sandwiches and places them in the basket, and hooks it in the crook of his elbow. “Ready?”
I nod. He extends a hand for me to take, and I do. Following him out the front door, where he only releases my hand to allow me to lock my front door. Like a true gentleman, he opens the passenger door of his Tahoe for me.
The ride there is quick as I guide him past the barnyard and Barlow Ranch. He has his hand over the center console, resting on my thigh the entire time. Every so often, I look down and smile.
There’s a small trail I guide him down, and he looks at me curiously.
I giggle in my seat. “This is how we get out to the lake. There’s another entrance about five minutes down the road, but everyone uses that. This one is on the Barlow Ranch property, so only Griffin, Lily, and I use it. Besides, the views at the end of this trail don’t compare to any other part of the lake. Trust me.”
“I do,” he says quickly.
My stomach swirls with butterflies. I know he means more than just this trail.
He’s offering me words of affirmation, my love language, without realizing it.
Looking forward, I sit up taller in the passenger seat, pointing to the open clearing off to the left. “Right there.”
He turns the Tahoe and parks it in front of the smaller paththat’s only accessible by horse or on foot. He jumps out quickly, rounding the hood of the car to get the door for me again.
I smile up at him, gravity pushing me into his chest as I rake my arms around his neck to kiss him again. As much as I know he needs his lips on mine, I think I’m starting to feel the same.
He’s intoxicating—addicting.
But the way he holds me and angles my head just enough to deepen the kiss, and it sends a fire right to the spot between my legs.
“Sorry,” he says, pulling away. “I get a little carried away with you.”
“I don’t mind.” I shrug.
He shakes his head and interlocks his fingers with mine as I guide him down the path to the lake. Once we get there, he stops, pausing as he slowly scans the area. I watch him while he takes it all in. His lips are parted, and his eyes barely blink.
“All this time, this has been on the other side of the ranch?”
“Yep. It’s one of our favorite spots. Since it’s secluded, we come out here and are able to enjoy this view of the mountains without anyone bothering us.”
“I thought the view from my backyard was nice, but this…this is unreal.”
I follow his gaze to the open lake. The water almost looks like glass tonight, quiet and calm, reflecting the mountains on its surface as if the world is folding in on itself.
We both stand there, just breathing.
No noise.
Just the quiet of the lake.
“It’s been so long since I’ve been out here,” I admit.
