When I finally calmed down, I opened my eyes and saw her looking at me under heavy eyelids. “You’re so beautiful, Cassidy,” I whispered against her cheek before kissing it.

Her cheeks were still stained pink from our kiss and her lips tilted up in a soft smile I was beginning to realize she only ever gave me. My smile.

We stared at each other while her eyes slowly closed a little more and I knew I had two options: take her back to the main house and say good night, or keep her with me. “Come here.” I pulled her into my arms and rolled onto my back so she was lying across my chest. Kissing the top of her head, I relaxed under her. “Get some sleep, darlin’.”

She nodded against my chest and pressed her lips there twice before curling against me. “Good night, Gage.”

Good night indeed.

CASSIDY

I WOKE UP with my back curled into Gage’s chest, my head resting on one of his arms, his other wrapped securely around my waist. Last night wasn’t a dream. Oh my God, Gage kissed me, and I slept in his arms. I took a deep breath in and out and couldn’t help the huge smile that broke across my face. Tyler had been wrong about everything; Gage did want me. His arm tightened around my waist before he intertwined my fingers with his and brought my hand back to his lips.

“Morning.” His rich voice was even deeper from sleep.

“Good morning.” I rolled over and blushed as I placed my lips to his neck. I wasn’t sure how things were supposed to be this morning, but I couldn’t stop myself. I held my breath for a few seconds until his wide smile and dimples came into view right before his lips pressed softly to mine. My whole body started tingling the instant his mouth was on me. Dear Lord, if I had known kissing Gage would feel like this, I would have tried to make it happen long ago.

He pulled away, but placed two more quick kisses on my lips before sitting up and pulling me with him. “Come on, I need to get back to the house.” He must have seen the hurt in my eyes, because his went wide and he cupped my face. “I wouldn’t go back unless I had to. My dad’s probably already pissed that I wasn’t there this morning. I’m not going to work today though; we’ll get ready and I’ll take you to another spot on the ranch that I want you to see. Just us. But I need to tell him I won’t be around today.” His eyes were bright and though he tried to contain his smile, his dimples gave him away.

I got up and helped him fold up the blanket. “I thought I’d seen the whole ranch.”

“Not even close, you’ve only seen about half. Where I want to take you, though, it isn’t too far from the house, but it’s really secluded.”

My stomach heated and I was suddenly extremely anxious to get to wherever he was talking about. Leaning into his side when he wrapped an arm around me, I smiled and let him lead me back to his horse. The ride back to the house was quiet, like last night, but it was nowhere near the same. He played with my hands, teased my neck with his lips, and made sure Bear took his sweet time going back. I was nervous when we came across Gage’s dad, but he took one look at us, smiled wide, and told us to enjoy our day together.

“I need to take care of Bear. I’ll meet you in the kitchen.”

“Okay, I’m going to take a shower, but I’ll try to hurry.” I turned but he grabbed my hand and swung me back into his chest, kissing me deeply.

“See you soon.”

My head felt light and my stomach fluttered as I quickly made my way up to Amanda’s room to grab a change of clothes and rush through my shower. I couldn’t wait to get back to him. For almost a year now he had consumed my every thought, and I believed I’d never be able to have him. It felt like it was too good to be true now that I did, or at least, I thought I did. I didn’t know if this would change when I went back to Austin today, or when he came back in August. I shook my head to clear those thoughts. Gage wouldn’t just drop me like that; even when I thought I was only his friend, he cared too much to treat me that way.

A startled yelp escaped from my chest when I bounced back into Amanda’s room; she was gone and Ty was sitting on my bed. “Tyler! You scared the crap out of me!” I got a closer look and rushed over to him. “What’s wrong, Ty?”

“Where were you this morning?”

I bit my lip and looked away. “I was with Gage.”

“Cassi,” he groaned, and flopped back onto the sofa bed, “why are you doing this? He’s only going to hurt you.”

“No, he won’t.”

“Do you not remember anything he’s said about you since we moved in?”

How could I forget? He didn’t want me living there, I needed to stop asking him to take me to work, I was like a sister to him, I was ruining his relationships with other girls by being in the apartment. “Maybe he changed his mind,” I said softly.

Tyler shook his head and hugged me to his side. “If he hurts you, I’ll kill him.”

“He won’t.”

“Whatever you say, Cassi. I know I’ve stopped you from being in relationships before, but I won’t anymore. If he’s who you want, then you should be with him. But you’re still my girl; you always will be.”

“I love you, Ty. If it eases your mind, no one will ever replace you.”

He smirked at me. “Duh.”

I laughed and smacked his chest. “I feel bad for my future husband. He’s going to have to share me with you.”

“How about we just marry each other, save everyone the heartache?” he teased, and squeezed me closer.

“You’re so dumb. All right, I gotta go do my hair really quick. He’s taking me around the ranch today. I’ll be back before we leave. Did your parents still want to leave tonight?” I dragged the last few words out.

“Probably earlier in the afternoon . . . am I missing something?”

I scrunched my face as I peeked at him from under my eyelashes. “I don’t want to leave; I want to stay here with Gage until he moves back. But I don’t know if he’d be okay with that. I don’t know if he’d want me here for the next few weeks.”

Tyler’s face fell, but he kissed my forehead and got off the bed. “Talk to him about it before you leave this morning; that way if you both decide you want to stay, my parents and I can leave earlier and you won’t have to cut your day short.”

“Hey.” I reached for his hand and spoke softly. “Thanks, Ty.”

“I love you. Be careful with this, Cassi.”

I nodded and watched him walk out the door. Was he really that worried about me getting my heart broken? He looked so sad I almost told him I wouldn’t stay on the ranch and would go back to Austin with them today. Almost.

GAGE

MY HEART PICKED up when I heard someone come down the stairs, but it went back to normal when I realized just how loud it was, right before Tyler rounded the corner. A huge shit-eating grin was on his face. “What’s got you in such a good mood? You that happy to be leaving today?” My stomach clenched; I really didn’t want Cassidy going back.

He raised an eyebrow at me and grabbed a mug. “If your girl woke you up by blowing you, you’d be happy too.”

I choked on my coffee and had to wait a minute before I could speak again. “Excuse me?”

“What?”

“What did you just say?”

His brow furrowed and he looked at me, confused, then his face relaxed and he smiled behind his mug. “Oh, about Cassi? I swear, the things that girl can do with her mouth.”

I slammed my mug onto the table and the chair tipped over from how fast I stood up.

“Whoa, Gage, what’s your deal? The cows will still be there if you’re late.”

Breathe. Just breathe. There was no way he was being serious; he was just trying to piss me off like always. He still had that cocky smirk and I wanted to punch him. Breathe, Gage. My hand fisted on top of the table and I turned to leave the house before I could act on it, but just before I hit the living room, I heard Cassidy coming down the stairs. I needed to ask her about their relationship myself; I was so damn tired going back and forth through Tyler. Turning on my heel, I headed back through the dining room, slowing down when I heard Tyler speak.

“Well, good morning, gorgeous!”

Cassidy laughed lightly. “You act like we didn’t just say that a few minutes ago.”

My stomach dropped when I heard that, right before I rounded the corner to see her fall into Tyler’s arms. He squeezed her to him, kissing her cheek softly.

“Did you talk to him?” he asked when he pulled back to look at her face.

“Gage? No, not yet, but I will.”

“Well, you need to do it soon.”

She sighed and stepped away. “I know, I’m just nervous, I don’t know how he’ll react to this.”

“Get out,” I choked.

Cassidy jumped and turned to see me, her eyes wide. Tyler just raised an eyebrow at me.

“Gage?” She looked worried.

I can’t believe I fell for her shit. “I said get the fuck out. Both of you.”

“What?” She clutched her stomach, her eyes filled with tears.

Without another word, I stormed out of the main house and grabbed Bear, heading off toward the place I’d wanted to take Cass too. The house my dad and I had been slowly building since I was sixteen. Whenever I got married, this would be where we lived, and I’d never wanted to show it to anyone before meeting Cassidy.

Walking around it now, I thought about how perfect it would be for her. Over winter break and the first two months this summer we’d expanded the kitchen, and I knew Cassidy would have loved it. Hell, I’d expanded it for her. There was a large bathtub in the master bathroom as well, and I smiled remembering the conversation with her months ago about how she would kill to have a tub that she could relax in. The ones in our apartment weren’t much in the way of relaxing, but this one was. I walked back out to what would be the living room and sank onto the wood floor, my head between my knees. Other than windows and the wraparound porch I still wanted to build, all the house needed was furniture, and it would be finished. But that would be up to Cassidy to pick all that out. No, not Cassidy. My wife. Whoever that might be, because obviously it wouldn’t be her.