Page 5 of Hayrides with Hank
“You looked so young. I figured you were maybe twenty-one, twenty-two. I told myself to stay away.” His laugh was self-deprecating. “Didn’t stop me from thinking about you, though. Every damn day for a year.”
My breath caught. “You’ve been thinking about me for a year?”
“The girl with the determined chin who refused to give up even when everything went wrong? Yeah, I couldn’t get you out of my head.” He reached over and tucked a strand of hair behind my ear. “When I saw you in the orchard this morning, I thought I was dreaming.”
“I had no idea you even existed,” I whispered.
“I know. That’s what made it worse—and better.” His smile was soft. “Made this feel like fate.”
As the sun began to set, painting the sky in shades of pink and gold, our conversation turned more personal. He told me about his time overseas, about coming home and starting his business. I found myself sharing things I rarely talked about—my childhood moving around with parents who never seemed satisfied anywhere and my determination to be different, to be independent.
“Is that why you’ve never settled down?” he asked. “The moving around?”
“Partly.” I took another sip of wine, feeling bold. “But mostly it’s because I’ve been so focused on building my business, I forgot to have a personal life.”
“Forgot?”
I met his eyes. “Okay, maybe it’s more that I never met anyone who made me want to stop moving.” I paused. “Until now.”
The air between us crackled with tension. He reached over and tucked a strand of hair behind my ear, his fingers lingering on my cheek.
“Maddie,” he said quietly.
“I should probably tell you something,” I said, my heart racing. “I’m…I’ve never…I mean, I’m twenty-three, so this is embarrassing, but I’m a virgin.”
His hand stilled on my face, but he didn’t pull away. “How is that possible?”
I laughed, but it came out shaky. “I told you—too focused on my career. But honestly? I think I was just waiting for the right person.” I looked directly at him. “Maybe you could do something about that.”
His eyes darkened. “Are you sure?”
“Positive.” I glanced around at the dramatic cliff, the open sky, the twinkling lights of town below. “Actually, I’ve always imagined… I mean, I know it sounds crazy, but I’ve always thought my first time should be somewhere exciting. Somewhere outdoors, where we could…” I felt heat creep up my neck. “Where we might get caught.”
He followed my gaze, understanding immediately, and I saw desire flash in his eyes. “God, Maddie,” he said, his voice rough. “Are you trying to kill me?”
“Is that a yes?” I asked, my heart hammering.
He cupped my face in both hands, his thumbs stroking my cheekbones. “That’s a hell yes.”
The last traces of sunset painted the sky behind him in shades of pink and gold, and I knew this moment—this perfect, terrifying, exhilarating moment—was about to change everything.
4
HANK
Icould seriously get fired for this, and I didn’t give two fucks.
That was what this woman was doing to me. My tree removal business didn’t matter. My reputation here in Maple Ridge didn’t matter. All that mattered was getting this woman naked.
But as our lips met in a kiss that sent heat rushing through me, I knew we couldn’t do this out here in the open. Anyone could pull into the parking area and spot us. I needed a little more privacy than that.
Once I started kissing her, though, it was tough to stop. Just a few more minutes, then a few more. But when her hand settled on my thigh, I quickly pulled back.
We left everything—the blanket, the food, the partly consumed bottles of wine. If anyone showed up, they’d wonder what interrupted the party. They might even come investigating. But that just drove me to pull her deeper into the nearby trees, where I could keep an eye on things and at least have a little warning if we were being interrupted.
“Is this safe?” she asked, looking around as we ducked behind a particularly large tree. Her eyebrows arched as I looked down at her.
“Is safe what you want?”
