"Good, because it's so nice here, I kind of don't want to leave," he says.
I smile at him and I see the mischievous look in his eye. "I don't really want to leave until the morning either," I say.
"I kind of want to kiss you right now," he says.
The sun is setting over the barn, I can hear baby goats bleating in the background, and the fireflies are starting to come out. It has to be the most perfect moment for a kiss and I couldn't have arranged it better if I'd tried.
"I kind of want you to kiss me, so we're in agreement," I say.
First, Smitty laces his fingers through mine and brings my hand to his lips. "Oh my," I breathe, feeling the butterflies in my stomach when his lips touch my skin.
He sits up slowly and angles his face in. Our lips meet with a soft, quick kiss. Just a taste, but it's enough to make me want another one.
"Just the one?" I ask.
Smitty laughs. "I think I got another one around here somewhere, let me check." He comes back in for another kiss, this time longer, softly swiping his lips over mine, building a gentle warmth inside my tummy.
"You're pretty good at that," I say.
"Just pretty good?"
This time it's my turn to laugh. "I don't know, let's try again for an upgrade."
I expect groping hands. I expect him to pull me down on top of him and press me against his body. But he doesn't. Smitty is entirely focused on the kiss itself. His mouth presses harder, then softens, tasting my lips one by one. He softly brushes our lips together again then goes back to a more intense pressure that I can feel in my toes.
"That was better," I say with a teasing look.
"Just better?"
"Hey," I say. "Better is better. You should be very proud of yourself."
I'm enjoying the banter but Smitty is done. He catches me off guard when he sits up completely straight, tossing his hat to the ground and cupping my face firmly. I've been thinking about those full lips of his on me since the moment he single-handedly lifted me onto his horse like a damn action-movie hero, and now that it's happening I'm as excited as a teenager on prom night. Nobody has ever made me feel this way before. The last thing I see before my mind and body are overcome by the deep, wet, warm tongue kissing is the smoldering look in his eyes. He's done with the teasing and the playfulness. He licks the seam of my lips and I open willingly. Everything feels warm and sweet and wonderful.
His tongue delves into my mouth, delivering all the wild heat his eyes promised. I rest my hands on his chest and I feel him growl a little bit in pleasure.
When we pull away to catch our breath, both of us look astounded. Not because we kissed, but because neither of us expected to feel it so deeply. At least that's the case for me, I don't know about Smitty.
Chapter Twelve
Smitty
This is special. Ally is special. I better not fuck this up by going too fast or too slow.
"I really like you, Ally."
"Good, I wouldn't want you to kiss someone you didn't really like," she says with a wink.
"What I mean is, I want you to know I don't do this kind of thing lightly. I don't go around kissing women just because I think they're cute and I'm attracted to them. I mean, I feel things for you. I had a feeling about you before I even met you. As soon as I saw the way you take care of your guests, and your sweet notes everywhere, I could tell you care about everything you do and you care about people. I feel things when I'm around you. I feel comfortable and…" He takes a deep breath. "I don't know what I'm trying to say."
She shakes her head and smiles. "How are you so cute? I like you too. I thought it was obvious. I liked you as soon as you sent me that cowboy emoji."
I have to cover my eyes. "Oh god."
"No, stop it. You're an absolute squish and I love that about you. What you're trying to say is you think we have something and you don't want to mess it up by going too far. Well, you should know that I feel it too. So you should feel free to jump my bones at any time."
Relief floods through me. Not because I am going to jump her bones immediately. I just don't feel right doing that on day three of meeting her face-to-face. But because she feels it all as deeply as I do.
"I would like to jump your bones this instant, but I'd like to get to know your bones first, if that's OK," I say.
"Well, then you should know I have very strong bones. Calcium supplements and shit you wouldn't believe."
Sooner or later she's going to have to stop cracking jokes in the middle of sharing our feelings, but for now, the laughter is making me feel far less nervous. "Come here, you."
To have Ally snuggled up next to me on a blanket under the stars, sharing kisses and whispers and laughs, is about the nicest thing I could have planned for our first date. I hadn't intended for it to be a first date, but it feels like that's what this is, and I couldn't be happier about it.
When something cold and wet nudges my cheek in the middle of a kiss, our lips break apart, both of us scared out of our minds for a second before we realize it's just the farm dog.
"I know what this is. He's trying to round us up for bed," I say.
"I guess it's time to go inside," she says. "Besides, my arms are getting eaten alive by mosquitos. Good boy." Ally pets the dog and scratches him behind his ears.
"Why didn't you say you were getting bothered by mosquitoes?" I ask.
She shrugs. "I didn't want to stop kissing you."
Inside the bungalow, we snuggle up together on the bed and resume kissing, which eventually turns into touching and rubbing.
"We should probably get to sleep. We have an early drive tomorrow," I say.
She nods. "Probably. But I don't have any pajamas."
"And I sleep naked."
"Whatever are we going to do?"
I shrug. "Maybe we can compromise and strip down to our underwear and sleep?"
"Are you sure that's wise?"
I say, "I mean, you sleep in your underwear in the other bed, and I'll sleep here."
"Oh," she says, looking disappointed.
"Ally, I'm joking! I'm not letting you out of this bed."
She rolls her eyes and punches me lightly in the shoulder.
"Gotcha."
"Good," she says. "I'm glad you got me. I don't want to go anywhere else tonight."
This is a much better alternative to sleeping separately and lying awake, thinking about her. I could kiss her like this all night long. Her sweet breasts are right there under her tee shirt, finally free of her bra, and thank god she takes the initiative.
"If you want to touch them, you can."
They are soft and feel perfect in my hands, my fingers teasing her nipples until they rise through the thin material of her tee shirt.
"You're so beautiful, Ally," I tell her.
She responds by spreading her palm against my chest and rubbing her way down to the waistband of my boxer briefs. Covering her hand with my own to stop her descent, I press a hard kiss to her lips and say, "Better not. I want to take my time, if that's OK. I have it all planned out in my mind, the perfect setting."