Page 90 of Sassy Love
I sigh, tilting my head back to take in the big, beautiful Montana sky riddled with shimmering stars strung across the dark inky blanket.
“Yeah, it is.”
I glance at her, and she’s beaming up toward the man who has appeared behind her, his hands gripping her shoulders, as he leans down and presses a kiss to the crown of her head.
Lawson sinks into the seat by mine. “Get some things sorted?”
“Working out the new guest list options.” In the firelight, I can’t take my gaze from his face as he stares into the flames. “You catch up a little?”
Lawson pulls his focus from the fire. “Yep.”
“Well, we have a big day tomorrow,” Reed says, pulling his wife up and into his chest. “Night, y’all.”
“Night Reedsy, night Rubes.” Lawson smiles up at them.
A heartbeat later, we sit in front of the fire, just the two of us. I down the last of the wine, letting it warm my body as it goes down.
“It’s so beautiful out here,” I say softly.
“Sure is.” Lawson’s gaze is on the whiskey tumbler in his hand.
“Don’t you miss it?”
He chuckles, but it fades. “All the time, but it’s not who I am. At least, not anymore.”
I can understand that. We work hard, sometimes for years, for the lives we want. I know it better than most. And when you finally get to a place where you feel like you can take a breather, it’s worth every hard patch you lived through. There’s something to be said for making a life you love.
I’ve never seen a barn in real life, but this one exceeds every expectation I could have had. The wide double doors are adorned with so, so many fairy lights. The long, wide driveway is filling up with pickup trucks at an alarming rate as I lounge on the small porch, rocking in the hanging chair. This place truly is like something out of a movie.
The door to our cabin creaks open and Lawson appears, our coats in his hand. “Ready for the full Rawlins experience, Princess?”
I stand and close the distance between us.
He cleans up nice. Really nice.
Clean-shaven, his hair a little messier than how he wears it at the office, a pale blue button-down shirt rolled up at the sleeves over dark Levi’s, and... are those cowboy boots?
“You look edible,” I whisper, running my fingers over his jaw.
His deep blues darken as he slides a rough hand behind my neck, tugging me into his chest. “I could fucking devour you right here.”
“I don’t think the guests came for dinner and a show, Cowboy.”
“Too bad.”
“Isn’t it,” I say pushing a little way away from him. His hand slides from my neck, and he bends his head down. “Party time, snoodlebug.”
“What the hell kind of name is that?” I scoff.
“Pookie bear? Snookums... or maybe you’re a sweet cheeks.” The shit-eating grin now splitting his face is contagious.
“I will have you know”—I sway down the few steps on my stilettos, looking over my shoulder—“I am none of those things, Lawson Rawlins.”
His huffy laugh turns strained as I turn at the bottom of the stairs, looking up at him where he now stands on the top step.I blow him a kiss and his jaw feathers. A beat passes and he descends the stairs holding up my coat for me to slide into.
“Are you forgetting something?” I ask.
“Don’t think so. Dressed, shaved, warned the gorgeous girl by my side about my family... Nope, I’ve remembered it all.”
