Page 133 of Wildest Forever

“You tired?” he asks as he pulls down the dirt road and I shake my head.

“Just cozy and content,” I admit, a lazy smile dragging onto my lips.

“We won't be out late,” he says quietly as we begin to move, “I just really want to date you, Sunflower,” and his words warm my skin.

“Why sunflower?” I mutter, trying to keep the excitement that is growing deep inside of me.

“Because you remind me of one,” he says softly and my nose crinkles at the bridge.

“I do?” confusion laces my voice and he can see it in my expression.

His eyes widen for just a moment before they soften, a hint of happiness shines in them.

“Yeah,” he nods as we pull into Lovelock Bay, my body twisted towards him as I curl myself on the passenger seat. “When I look at you, the first thing I notice is your golden blonde hair and your sapphire green eyes...” he pauses for a moment and lets his tongue trail over his top lip as he turns his blinker on and pulls into Crooked Creek.

“But if you asked me on a deeper level, I would tell you it was because you radiate happiness and good feelings, you remind me of a warm summer day, an ice cold whiskey, the warm glistening creek as it runs through the rocks that sit at the bottom of the creek bed.” He sighs. “You're loyal babe, so fucking loyal,” he scrubs his hand over his face, “you remind me of everything good in my life Morgan...” he pauses as he slows the car to a halt in front of a wooden paddock gate.

My eyes lift to look at him, my lips parting ever so slightly as I wait with bated breath for the next words to tumble from his lips.

“And then it sinks in,” he reaches his hand across to mine, cupping it and bringing the back of it to his lips. “You are the good in my life Morgan, you're my sunflower.”

A small gasp leaves me as I feel a tear trail down my cheek, but I don't have a chance to catch it, he is there, wiping it away from the pad of his thumb before bringing it to his lips and kissing it away.

“I'm not worth your tears baby,” he hushes, and I roll my lips.“Never will I be worth your tears,” he lets my hand go and then opens the car door before jumping down and opening the paddock gate.

He points to me and asks me through the windshield to pull the truck forward.

I nod, unbuckling myself and climbing over the center.

Pushing the truck into drive, I let it roll forward until I am far enough past the gate for him to be able to shut it.

He is at the door, pulling it open and climbing into the passenger side, a boyish grin on his face.

“Good girl,” he mutters, and my cheeks flame red as I continue to pull forward, the truck bumping down the dirt road.

“Where am I stopping?” I ask, my voice quiet as I see the glistening creek just ahead.

“Just pull up here,” he points over to the right and I do as he says, pulling it to a halt and pushing it into park.

Silence crackles around the cab of the truck and my heart stammers in my chest.

“It's peaceful up here,” I admit, looking out to the creek.

“Isn't it just,” his voice smothers me and I am desperate to crawl onto his lap and snuggle into his chest just so I could listen to the sound of his heartbeat.

Was it steady? Was it racing beneath his skin? Was it skipping beats the way mine was?

“So, what's your plan for our date?” I ask twisting towards him.

“Well, I thought we could lay in the bed of the truck and look at the stars,” he snorts a laugh, and I watch as he blushes, hisfingers picking at his nails. “I know that is cheesy and cliché, but…”

I have no idea what comes over me.

Maybe it was the wine.

Or maybe it was the three shooters of tequila, but I am climbing over the middle of the car and nestling myself on his lap.

My chest rises and falls and nerves pinch at the base of my neck.

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