We were lost for a time after that. And when we came up for air, he picked me up and carried me inside his house and out of the rain. We slid down on the couch, our feet entangled on the coffee table, and our lips a haven of confessions and kisses.
It felt like a big hug after a long day. A foot rub during a movie. It was an old favorite pair of jeans mixed with the coziest of sweatshirts. A bowl of cereal before bed. A good book on a cloudy day. Popcorn on the couch.
Me and Jake.
32
SHELBY
I once wonderedwhat it would feel like to wake up knowing Jake Evans was mine. I was happy to report that it was even better than I had imagined. I had gone back to my own cabin, on cloud nine, sometime in the middle of the night. We had eventually fallen asleep on his couch, and when I slipped away, he attempted to stop me. He claimed he could only sleep well with me next to him, but I squirreled away and told him to get in bed.
He ignored me.
Instead, he walked me to my door, kissed me good night, and was attempting to pull me back to his cabin before I escaped and shut the door on his laughing face.
I was exhausted by the time my head hit my pillow, but somehow, I still managed to re-live every second of the night for another hour after. Thankfully, it was a Saturday, and the guests on the ranch were packing to leave. Other than showing our faces sometime at breakfast, we didn’t have any responsibilities in that regard. Jake had to feed and check the cows, but so far, after peeking out my window by my bed, I hadn’t seen any movement next door.
So I lounged until well after eight in the morning in what I could only describe as a complete state of bliss.
A knock sounded at my door, and I opened it with anticipation. A rumpled, bed-headed Jake leaned against the door frame, his arms folded and a smile on his face.
“Tuck.”
“Nancy.”
We were now just two idiots in love, smiling at each other.
“Can I help you, Cowboy?” I finally asked.
“Yeah, I had a really distracted barber last night, and I was wondering if I could get this fixed.” He pointed toward the long, uneven cuts at the front of his hair, which I’d neglected to finish cutting.
“It’s not my fault,” I protested cheerfully. “You interrupted me.”
“Itisyour fault,” he insisted lowly, staring at me in a way that made my heart rate gallop.
“I kind of like it,” I said.
He sighed playfully. “I guess I should be glad it wasn’t a bowl cut.”
My eyes lit up. “We still have time. You and my dad could match.”
My breath caught as Jake stepped forward into my space and pulled me into his arms. After a good long while, he stepped back.
“Soph and I were about ready to sit down to a big bowl of Froot Loops, and we wondered if you wanted to join us.”
I smiled, happiness bursting from every pore in my body.
“Yeah. I do.”
“Great. Bring your scissors.”
Apparently,the world doesn’t stop when you’re in love. Eventually, Jake had to go check the cattle, which meant he had to remove his hand from resting on my leg under the table throughout breakfast.
Such a tragic ending to such a promising beginning.
He and Sophie left soon after. Sophie was spending the morning with Kelsey while Jake did his chores. I also kept busy, having found a few more pictures of guest activities I’d forgotten to add to the ranch website.
Now, with Jake not in reaching distance, my looming move to Boise was back in the forefront of my mind.