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“Caramel,” he murmurs.
He tastes his thumb while my pulse trips over itself.
“Oh,” I whisper.
Maverick leans in. “You having fun?” he asks, voice low.
“Yeah,” I admit softly. “I am. But . . . I wouldn’t mind your suggestion either.”
The change in his eyes is instant. If he could undress me with that expression, he just did.
“My suggestion?” he teases. “I was reading your eyes, remember?”
“Mm-hmm.” I grin.
He stands and holds out his hand. “Take a little ride with me?”
“Anytime, cowboy.” I take his hand and stand.
His eyes dance with his grin. A group of kids run past, chasing each other with glow sticks, their parents calling after them. A woman’s laugh bursts out from the cider stand. The hay wagon rumbles by again, and I hear the faint jingle of harnesses from the pony ring.
Maverick turns his head slowly. His eyes drop to my mouth, then lift back up. The air between us tightens like a drawn bowstring.
“Let’s go,” he says.
He starts leading me, walking quickly. I struggle to keep up, and he looks down at me.
“Should I carry you?” he teases.
“I’m good.”
He nods at people who say hello, moving like he’s on a mission.
I’m surprised when he turns into the barn that has the older horses and goes to Lucky.
“Like the old days,” Maverick says quietly.
He gets Lucky ready, and it’s not exactly the ride I had in mind, but I’m excited to go with him. The sun is starting to set when Maverick leads Lucky out of the barn. I usually see him on Thunder these days, but he still enjoys going for short rides with Lucky.
Lucky’s ears flick forward and back, clocking every sound—the faraway laughter from the Halloween extravaganza, the distant creak of the hayride wagon, the low hum of music drifting from the ranch yard.
He mounts Lucky and holds out his hand. I put my boot in the stirrup, grab his wrist, and he hauls me up like I weigh nothing. My body presses in close as I hold on. He’s solid and warm. Maverick’s hand settles over mine, pinning my grip in place.
He clicks his tongue softly, and Lucky moves. His hooves thud against the dirt, steady and rhythmic, and we leave the glow of the ranch behind us.
It’s just us, Lucky, and the sunset.
I’m reminded of all the times we rode out here and smile at how far we’ve come. We follow the trail that cuts between the fields and ride toward the river. The sun drops lower, and the sky takes on a purple hue.
Lucky’s gait rocks us gently, every step pulling me closer to Maverick. He loosens the reins and lets Lucky choose the pace.
“He remembers the trail,” Maverick says.
The trail bends, and we crest a small rise. The ranch spreads out behind us and looks even more magical from up here, like a little glowing kingdom.
Maverick brings Lucky to a stop without a word. Lights in front of us catch my attention, and I glance around him to see plush blankets laid out in a small cove, tiny twinkle lights overhead.
“It’s beautiful,” I whisper.
