Page 70 of Long Time Coming

Just a quick spike of his brow is seen before he rights it. “The storm cleared the skies for beautiful May weather.”

Now I laugh. “Nice try, and I’ll let it go. No need to get up in arms about something that doesn’t affect me.” Bringing my knees to my chest, I enjoy the pretty weather he mentioned by rolling down the window and letting the wind whip through my hair. “Soon, it will be too hot out here.”

“To roll down the window?”

“For anything here in the hill country.” I roll my head to the side to stare out at fields and scenery I have memorized by heart. When I turn to him, I used to feel I knew if he had a new freckle, but he’s been gone so many years that I get to learn everything about him again.

His nose is straight but from the side it has the slightest bump on the bridge, like he might wear glasses sometimes. God, I’d love to see that. He’d look so sexy.

His jaw ticks when he’s deep in thought and tightens when he’s focused. He was very focused when he was making love to me. So hot.

But I’m still drawn to the lines beside his eyes that formed from laughter, sunshine, and through his concentration on everything he set his mind to. They matured his face from boy to man, reckless to established, dreams to achievement. He’s done it all and deserves all the credit. He left the Pass to grow into his own man instead of following in the shadow of his dad or brother and returned with buckles of his own success, if they recognized life like they do at the rodeo.

I feel both flattered to be sitting next to him but also proud of who he’s become.

He’s humbled somehow, yet sexier than ever.

Cutting down a dirt road that I’ve traveled countless times, I smile. “We’re going to the ridge?”

“It’s always a great view, and I haven’t been since I was in high school.”

I look ahead at the swerve around the trees and over a rockier section that only a truck will get you over. “It never changes and never gets old.”

It opens just around the bend to a flat field perfect for parking. It’s always a popular spot for teenagers to come and make out. Maybe we can do the same after lunch. I’m too starving to sacrifice food for sex right now.

He shifts into park after situating the truck in the direction of the road so we can use the tailgate to sit on to enjoy the view. When he cuts the engine, we hop out and walk around to the back bed. With blankets and pillows under his arm, he opens the tailgate. He spreads the blanket and then tosses the pillow in. “I cleaned the bed this morning but wanted to make it a bit softer for you.”

Tagger being a romantic wasn’t really on my bingo card. It’s something I never really thought about. Dream about dating him?Sure.Fantasize about him in bed?Absolutely.Wooing his girlfriend?It’s a welcome surprise.Along with so many other aspects I never bothered to delve into. Dating him was an impossibility, but here we are, a couple secretly launching our relationship.

He lifts me up and wrangles my Wellies off, then sets them on the top of the truck. Wise man. The last thing I need to find in my boots are rattlesnakes or scorpions.

I get more comfortable while he climbs up next to me. We lie there holding hands and staring out over miles of trees and hills from this higher vantage point. He says, “We have the river running through our property, but no high points like this.” Turning to me, he kisses my hand. “If you could have your house with views like this or of the river, which would you choose?”

“I hadn’t thought about it. They both have their advantages. A house hidden in the trees near the river would be peaceful and cozy like a hug. A higher elevation would give views but also some protection, seeing things like wildfires before they reach the property. So security.” I look over at him when he’s silent. “What about you?”

“What if security was a given for both? Do you prefer one over the other?”

“You sound so serious. I feel like I might fail if I give the wrong answer.”

He slips his arm around my shoulders. “No. There are no wrong answers. I’ve just been thinking about this a lot lately.”

I sit up and angle toward him. “Are you thinking about moving back?” My heartbeat races for a response to a question I didn’t think was at play.

He sits next to me, bending his knees and resting his arms over them. “I didn’t mean to mislead you. I just want to get to know you, Pris.”

“Right. Yeah, I figured. I just . . . I don’t know why I jumped to conclusions like that.” I shake my head and turn my gaze to the view again. “The river house.” I take a calming breath. “I love the sound of water—rivers, oceans, even fountains.”

I can feel his gaze still on me, but I don’t look. I’m a bit embarrassed for sounding like a lovesick schoolgirl. If he moved here, it would give our relationship a solid chance because I’m still unsure how doing long distance with him will look.

“I’m sorry?—”

“No. No need.” I look at him, and ask, “Was lunch a euphemism, or is there going to be food involved?”

He grabs a box from the empty metal tool chest in the back of the truck and sets it in front of us. “I didn’t know what you like, so I got a lot of everything from Sassy’s over in Dover.”

There’s container after container of different foods, from cut fruit to pasta salad, burgers, fries, hot dogs, and a plethora of other things. I enjoy the tarragon chicken salad before eating grapes and cantaloupe, and sip on a can of Waterloo mixed berries sparkling water.

Because the sun is stronger today, he places his hat on my head to shade my face, which is basically the only physical contact we’ve had. I assume that he has as much on his mind as I do since we’re eating in silence.

---