Page 54 of I'm Yours

When she looks back at me she’s smiling. “Not unless you were somewhere else just now.” I know I look confused so she continues, “That was the best kiss I’ve ever had in my life.”

It’s not my fault that I grin smugly. “Yeah? Billy wasn’t better?”

She rolls her eyes. “Hardly.”

“Good to know.”

“That’s it?”

“What?” I move to begin untying the horses and let them get another drink before I hand her the reins to Gabby’s while I hold on to Brownie’s.

She looks borderline angry, eyebrows all scrunched up and face turning red. She’s probably about to ball her tiny fists and pound on my chest and demand I say the same. But it’s fun to screw with her. Our entire life she’s had the upper hand. Who could blame me for wanting it for a few minutes?

“Need help up?” I ask her, motioning to mount Gabby.

“No,” she grumbles.

I almost laugh. Almost.

I mount up on Brownie and we guide them side by side back toward the barn. I don’t let her wait too much longer before I admit, “It was definitely my best kiss I’ve ever had in my life.”

When I look over at her, she’s smiling so wide. I lean over, Brownie following my lead, and slow us to a stop. She does the same, leaning over.

Still sitting atop Gabby and Brownie, we kiss gently, my right hand holding myself steady as I reach over and let my hand cup her cheek. When I pull away, she licks her lips and the corner of her mouth curves.

“Thank you,” she whispers.

“Anytime.”

“Not for the kiss, though I do appreciate it.”

“For what then?”

“Listening.”

My response is still the same. “Anytime.”

Chapter Thirteen

Sadie - A Few Weeks Later

It’s four in the morning and I can’t sleep anymore. I’m wide awake, despite the early hour. I stare at the ceiling in my bedroom, not being able to wipe the grin away from my lips. Touching the tender flesh, I try not to let out an immature squeal of happiness. Someone else might try to say they never expected the kiss to happen but I happen to be a straight shooter. From the first time I laid eyes on Reed Sanders, I knew he was the man for me. When I rejected him and lied about loving him, it was the hardest thing I’ve ever done. I lived with that regret and questioned whether or not I made the right choice but even now, as hard as it is to know that we missed so many years together, I can’t help but be grateful. We found our way back to each other when the timing was right.

We’ve only been spending time together the last few weeks but it feels like so much longer. Two days after our ride, he showed up with sandwiches at the studio. We sat in my office for hours and laughed and reminisced. There were no awkward silences. It really was as if no time had passed. We talked openly about Katherine and his marriage. He told me about college and his time as a volunteer fireman. We discussed my mother and how she’s doing. Talked about the studio and I told him some of the funny stories I had from my time at Eve’s. He howled in laughter when I spoke about the first pole class I gave and how I was so nervous and then ended up farting. It was mortifying then but retelling it to Reed then wasn’t embarrassing. Not when he was finding so much joy in it.

After that, we’ve talked on the phone or texted daily. One day he stopped over while he was at his parents’ lakehouse with Emmy. She squealed with happiness when she spotted me outside then begged me to come over for burgers.

Being around he and Emmy was incredible. Fun. Sweet. It’s no secret that he loves his little girl, but watching him first hand with her as he was teaching her how to fish from their dock made my heart melt.

Earlier tonight, Reed picked me up for a movie. A movie date. It might have been a little thing, but to me, it was everything. And when he dropped me off at my house, the good night kiss he gave me made my toes curl.

Kissing him and having his kiss linger on my lips hours later is a reminder of how I gave him my heart so long ago. And I never got it back. A giggle bursts out of my mouth when I think of the classic line fromSweet Home Alabamawhere Reese Witherspoon tells her fiancé that she’d given her heart away and never got it back. I feel that so deeply. I tried so hard to move on. When he got married, I told myself that was it. I couldn’t hold that candle burning for him any longer.

Things are different now…

Crash

When I hear what sounds like one of my flower pots crash to the ground and break I sit up in my bed, heart pounding. It wouldn’t be uncommon for there to be wild animals around my house. Even mountain lions and bears are seen in the area. Being right on the water at the base of a mountain, I’ve seen a lot of animals that have the potential to do harm and are often curious. It’s why we have to use trash cans that bears can’t get into and we can’t leave food outside. My vegetable garden boxes are one of the exceptions.

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