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"Sure." I hand her over.

"Thank you!" she exclaims and starts making a fuss over Charlie.

"Lorraine, have a seat," Jacob offers, pulling a chair out, then orders, "Mason, hang her coat up."

"Ready?" Jagger asks, his hand finding the small of my back.

More butterflies fill me, but I smile. "As I'll ever be."

He grunts, then leads me outside to his truck and opens the door.

"Such a gentleman," I tease.

"My daddy taught me right," he retorts, winks, and closes the door.

I inhale the scent of leather, hay, and the faint trace of cologne. It only makes me more nervous.

He gets into the cab, starts the engine, and leans his head close to mine. "On a scale of one to ten, how much do you like sushi?"

"Ten."

He pumps his fist in the air. "Knew it."

I laugh, which is good. It helps me relax a bit.

He grabs my hand, pulls it to his mouth, then plants three kisses on it. "Good. Because I've got the whole night planned."

"You know how to plan things?" I tease.

His mouth kicks into that cocky grin that always spells trouble. "Darlin', I'll have you know that when I decide I want something, I don't half-ass it."

"Good to know."

He adds, "And tonight there's something very specific I want."

My pulse skips. "What's that?"

His eyes lock on mine. "Easy. You."

My breath catches.

He puts the truck in drive and pulls through the gate, holding my hand the entire drive, like he has no intention of ever letting go.

CHAPTER EIGHTEEN

Jagger

There's no strategy left in me tonight, no careful line I'm walking to keep from spooking her off. I want her. I've wanted her for too long, and pretending otherwise would be insane.

Fate somehow brought us back together. I never thought my horses getting injured would be a blessing, but it turned out to be. So I'm not going to waste this second chance.

I still can't quite believe any of the last two days happened the way they did. Forty-eight hours ago, my whole world consisted of fence lines and a daily fresh ache I couldn't name. The restless dissatisfaction I'd been carrying so long became normal, and I stopped noticing the weight of it.

Throughout the day, sneaking glances at Lainey, holding our daughter, and the kiss I couldn't hold back from all made me lighter. The ache began to subside. By the time I showered to get ready for our date, the old me returned. I actually felt happy again. True joy. Not just a tiny glimpse of it, which only made my determination deepen to not screw anything up with her.

Now I've got a daughter being fussed over back at my parents' house, a woman beside me who I've obsessed over, and a chest full of feelings too big to sort through.

I keep finding excuses to brush my thumb over her knuckles. It's like I need the constant proof she's actually sitting in my truck and not just another version of the year I've spent imagining this. And I keep sneaking looks at her anyway, cataloging the small things.