Hidden(35)
“Question. Fruity Pebbles or Cookie Crisp?” he asks, not quite looking at me.
I don’t follow so I stare blankly at him.
“Cereal. Have you had either?”
“No. Usually oatmeal. I’ll try Cookie Crisp. Who wouldn’t want to try cookies for breakfast?”
Dillon grabs me a bowl and goes into the pantry for the box of cereal. I’m still thinking about his words. He didn’t take them back. He didn’t say he was joking. I’m still stunned. He sets the bowl in front of me and then stands behind me, rubbing my shoulders.
“Mmmmmmm.” I can’t get enough of his hands on me.
“Buster misses you. You want to help me with the horses and then go for a ride?”
“Yes. First show me how to google. I have a question.”
He pulls the computer over in front of me and uses his finger to point the arrow at a colorful circle and sure enough, I see the word Google. He points the arrow at the empty box. “Now type whatever you want.”
I type a question, slowly, trying to find all the letters on the keyboard. Dillon takes his seat next to me where he can’t see what I’m typing as if it’s something he shouldn’t see. “Ah! Eeyore is in fact a boy and there is no good answer for why he wears a pink bow on his tail.”
“I needed to know that,” he says and takes a sip of his coffee.
Dillon and I have a routine now. We work side by side in the stalls and we’ve cut the time it takes us to finish in half. The horses are happy and we’re happy. By afternoon, Dillon and I ride through the trails with Buster and Ben. I’m a pro at riding now. Buster trusts me and I trust him and we work well together. After a couple of hours of riding, the sun begins to set, so Dillon and I put Buster and Ben back in their stalls, grab some blankets and set up a small campfire. We sit next to each other and share a blanket draped across our shoulders.
“They’re called s’mores. Graham crackers, melted marshmallows, and chocolate.”
“Mmmm….that sounds amazing.”
“They are. Here.” He hands me a long stick with a marshmallow on the end. “Toast it in the fire and then I’ll show you how to make the s’more.”
I twist my marshmallow in the flames and watch it start to bubble as the flames heat it. Once it’s nice and toasted and about to ooze off of the stick, Dillon smashes it in between two crackers with a piece of chocolate in the middle.
“Try it.” He hands me the gooey treat and I take a huge bite. I can feel the stickiness of the marshmallow on the side of my lips. Then he leans in. His mouth covers mine, sucking on the corners of my lips until the stickiness is gone and then he licks his lips. “I like tasting it on you better.”
My cheeks flame with heat and it’s not from the fire. Dillon is very sensual and I feel like I go somewhere else when he touches me or when he talks to me like that. Like I’m drawn into one of my novels, only it’s real. He’s real.
“Come lay down with me, look at all the stars.”
I take the last bite of my s’more and lower myself onto the blanket next to him.
“Wow. Look at all of them. It’s beautiful.”
“It is. If you watch long enough and you’re patient, you might see a shooting star and then you can make a wish.”
“Really? Have you ever seen one?”
“I have. They’re fast so you have to focus.”
We lay there on our backs, side by side staring up into the starry sky. Dillon’s hand moves over mine, he threads our fingers together and then squeezes. “What would you wish for Amy?”
“Happiness.” I say without a doubt.
“Not a million dollars, a big house or a trip somewhere tropical?”
“Nope. I just don’t want to be alone anymore. I don’t want to be afraid. I want to be normal and love life. I want to love and be loved. I want a happily ever after.”
CHAPTER 15
Dillon
I’m just finishing up with some paperwork when I get a call from a new client, Mr. Hansen. Apparently, he’s heard some great things about the ranch and wants to come and check it out. Says he’s thinking about buying a horse and would be interested in boarding it here as well. I told the guy to come by Sunday morning. Usually we take things a little slower on Sunday so I’ll have time to show him around. Business has been slow, so I’m anxious to talk to him. I might see if he’d be interested in riding lessons or guided tours for family or friends and see if I can get the word out and get that up and running soon. We’re almost done getting the guest house ready and Amy can pretty much take care of the horses now, so it gives me more time to concentrate on the business side of things.