Page 35 of Special Delivery Cowboy
She pulled back a little, tucking her legs under her, putting space between us that I immediately hated. Her fingers picked at the throw pillow, not meeting my eyes.
"What if this is just..." She gestured between us, the movement jerky. "What if it's the cabin? The storm? Christmas making everything feel bigger than it is? What if we go back to real life and this just... fades?"
There it was. The fear I'd been trying not to think about.
"You think that's what this is?" I kept my voice level. Calm. Even though my heart was hammering against my ribs.
"I don't know." Her voice cracked. "People don't fall in love in two days, TJ. That's not real. That's movies and romance novels and—"
I kissed her. Pulled her back to me and kissed her hard enough to stop the spiral I could feel her disappearing into. My hand cupped the back of her neck, holding her there, trying to show her what I couldn't figure out how to say.
When I pulled back, we were both gasping for air.
"Listen to me," I said. "I don't care if it's been two days or two weeks or two damn hours. What I feel for you is real as that storm outside. Real as this ranch I'm going home to. Real as anything I've ever known." I held her gaze. "You telling me you don't feel it too?"
"That's what scares me." Tears welled in her eyes. "Because I do feel it. And what if I'm wrong? What if you wake up next week and realize I'm just some city girl who doesn't belong in your world? What if—"
"Stop." I brushed my thumb across her cheek, catching a tear before it could fall. "You're not wrong. And you belong in myworld better than anyone I've ever met. You think I don't see that?"
"How can you be sure?"
"Because you laughed when the puppy peed on the rug instead of freaking out. Because you made your mom’s beef stew and Christmas cookies and didn't bat an eye when I tracked snow through the kitchen. Because you named a dog Twinkle and meant it." I smiled, even though my throat felt tight. "Because when I talk about cattle and ranch life, you light up instead of looking for the exit. That's how I know, Tinsley. You fit. You just do."
She let out a shaky laugh. "I already fell for you, cowboy. Like, crashed and burned fell. That's what terrifies me."
Relief hit me so hard I had to close my eyes for a second. When I opened them, she was watching me with an expression that made me want to promise her things I had no business promising after two days.
So I did it anyway.
"Then we're both in trouble," I said. "Because I'm not walking away from this. From you. I don't care how crazy it sounds."
"But I live in Bozeman. You're here. How do we—"
"Livingston's only about ninety minutes from Bozeman." I pulled her back against me, needing her close. "You said you need to finish clinical hours before you take your boards in spring, right? Like I said, there are dental practices in Livingston. Small town, but good people. Let me put the word out.”
She pulled back to stare at me. "You’re serious about this? You want me to move to Livingston?"
"Not right away. Take your time, finish what you need to finish. But yeah. Eventually." I paused, then figured I might as well go all in. "I also want to keep Twinkle. If that's okay with you."
Her eyes went wide. "But the woman who’d bought her—"
"I'll give RoyAnn a call soon as cell service comes back. Mom bred three females in this litter. RoyAnn will understand—she's a good woman. We'll make sure she gets one of Twinkle's sisters, maybe throw in some free vaccinations." I glanced down at the sleeping animal between us. "But this one's ours now."
"Ours," she repeated, like she was testing out the word.
"Ours. You, me, and a dog named after Christmas lights."
The laugh that burst out of her sounded wet with tears, but real. Happy. She launched herself at me, kissing me hard enough that I nearly fell backward on the couch.
When she finally pulled away, she was smiling through the tears streaming down her face.
"I'll do it," she said. "I'll look for work in Livingston in the spring. Clinical hours, job, all of it."
"Yeah?"
"Yeah." She wiped her eyes with the heel of her hand. "Because I'm not ready to lose you either. Not even close."
I kissed her again, slower this time. Savoring it. The taste of her, the feel of her hands sliding around my neck, the knowledge that this wasn't ending when the storm cleared.
