But he did promise me these two months, and I’m holding him to it.

“Does this mean you’re keeping your promise?” I ask boldly.

He sighs. “I never break a promise, Ashley.”

I smile, but he doesn’t return the gesture. His green eyes look…haunted in some way, as if he’s thinking about a promise he once broke.

I touch his cheek, rubbing my fingertips over the short stubble. “This is now, Dale. All we need to worry about is this moment.”

“This one,” he says, “and the next one, and the one after that. Times infinity.”

I smile. “You’re always so…”

“What?”

“So…Dale. So very Dale.”

He quirks his lips, but he doesn’t look angry. “And that means…?”

“It means life sucks sometimes, babe. It just all-out sucks. But if we live in the moment, take a breath and look at the beauty of the world, we can get through it. And it’s never as hard as it seems.”

He pulls me against him, so closely are we melded that I feel the beat of his heart against the top of my chest.

He wants to believe me. I feel it. I also feel that he doesn’t believe me.

And he never will.

It’s a fairly warm night, and Darla, with Talon’s help, is grilling burgers. Dale’s cousin Ava brought over a huge supply of buns, and I helped Jade and Darla cut onions, tomatoes, and homemade pickles earlier.

“Ashley!” Diana scrambles out the French doors and onto the deck. She grabs me in a hug.

Such a hugging family, but I don’t mind it so much now.

“So good to see you,” Dee says once she lets go of me.

“You too. How’s Denver?”

“It’s great, really. You were right about going. I’m glad I did. But…” She glances over at Dale, who’s talking to his brother in a corner.

“You’re worried about Dale,” I finish for her.

“Yeah. Those vines…”

“They mean everything to him,” I finish again. “He’ll be okay.”

She nods. “I’m glad he has you.”

I raise my eyebrows. I haven’t told Dee about Dale and me.

“Mom filled me in,” she says. “I hope you don’t mind.”

“Of course not. I would have told you myself, but…”

“I understand. Dale is very private.”

“He is.”

“I’d ask how my big brother compares to your other exploits,” she says, “but I’m pretty sure I don’t want to know.”

My other exploits.

Wow. I haven’t given my other exploits a lot of thought since Dale catapulted into my life.

I’m experienced. Really experienced.

And Dale… He knows what he’s doing sexually but not romantically. He’s hardly experienced.

I smile as the memory of him spanking me slides into my mind. That was fucking hot.

“I don’t kiss and tell, anyway,” I say.

“The hell you don’t! I seem to recall you telling me about an orgy—”

“Shh!” I warn.

Dale is out of earshot, but I don’t want anyone else overhearing—

Too late. Brock saunters up to us, holding a martini glass, his dark eyes gleaming. “What’s this I hear about an orgy?”

Just kill me. Kill me now.

“Better not be anything you’re involved in, Dee,” he continues.

“Not that it’s any of your business, baby cousin,” Dee says, “but I can’t say I’ve ever had the pleasure.”

He turns to me, smiling slyly. “Now why am I not surprised?”

“This is so not happening,” I say.

“Crap,” Dee says. “I shouldn’t have said anything.”

“At least not so loudly,” I agree.

“I promise not to breathe a word of it”—Brocks waggles his eyebrows—“on the condition that you tell me all about it. Every last detail.”

“Sure, I’ll do that.” I shake my head and roll my eyes. “Sometime around the fifth of never.”

“Then I might just get that talking feeling,” he says teasingly. “I haven’t talked to Dale in a while. We have a lot to catch up on.”

“Quit being a dick,” Dee says.

“I’m just teasing,” Brock replies with a laugh.

I’m not sure I believe him. “It was nothing. Just a little too much drinking one night at a party, and all the women took off their shirts. Nothing really happened.”

Other than I fucked two men at once and then had a threesome with another and a woman. But I’m keeping that to myself. Other than that, my stimulation was purely visual, and boy, was there a lot to see.

Brock licks his lips. “Please tell me you all sucked each other’s tits.”

“Didn’t happen,” I say. Though it did.

“Maybe felt each other up a little?” Brock asks hopefully.

“Nope.” Except, yep.

“Leave her alone, Brock,” Dee says. “It’s obvious she’s dopey in love with Dale.”

Brock takes a sip of his dirty martini. “Doesn’t mean she didn’t have her fun before she met him.”

“Oh my God.” I will myself not to pull out a fistful of Brock’s thick hair. “Just stop this. Now.”

He steps back in mock surrender. “Okay, okay. I hope Dale knows how lucky he is.”

“He does,” Dee answers for me.

If lucky means a woman who’s infinitely more experienced than he is. But romantically, we’re both novices. I’ve had a few relationships here and there, but never anything serious. I know I’ve had a lot more sex than he has.

Still…that spanking…

He wanted to get rough.

I’ve always shied away from any kind of kink. Wasn’t my thing, or so I thought.

Apparently I was wrong.

It’s definitely my thing now, but only with Dale.

Actually…I never want anything except with Dale. Damn. I want way more than these two months.

I want a lifetime with him. By his side, working together, making great wines.

And all he’s promised me is two months.

I’m so fucked.