This morning, he opened up his U-Pick, and I’m hoping for a crowd. Farming and sustainability are important to him, and spreading the word is even more important, which means today, something he’s been working on for a while, is a big deal. If I weren’t in the business, I never would have understood that.
I walk past his cottage and down the hill to the main house to meet with little fanfare. The only vehicles in the driveway belong to his family. Well, damn. I plant my hands on my hips and note the ragged sign nailed to a tree announcing the farm has opened for corn picking.
What kind of welcome is that?
I turn and take pleasure in the sight of the gorgeous crops and the majestic rows of cornfields in the distance. This really is God’s country, as I heard a few people coming into the market say, but if Jay wants to put this place on the map, posting one dinky sign is certainly not the way to go about it.
I spot him coming down the hill, and my damn heart picks up the pace. My God, he is so fine, the mere sight of him alone has the ability to unnerve me and weaken my knees. Although it’s my heart I’m really worried about.
I wave to him as an idea takes hold. Next weekend, this man is going to be in for a big surprise. I might be a farmer now, but that doesn’t mean I don’t know a thing or two, or a hundred, about throwing a successful party.
He picks up his pace when he sees me, like he can’t get to me quick enough, and while I like to think it’s because he’s as drawn to me as I am to him, I still can’t forget the fact that he’s a sworn bachelor for life. Then again, our talk the other night was rather intimate and deep. It opened my eyes in so many ways. Is it possible that it opened his eyes, too? Could he be rethinking what he might want in a relationship? Then again, even if he decides he wants more, something deeper, it doesn’t mean he wants that future with me. Maybe I should just sell the farm and get out of Dodge.
“Hey,” he says, glancing over his shoulder to check for an audience, no doubt, before touching my hair. Warmth and want shiver through me at the contact. “What are you doing over here?” I swallow and nearly lose myself in those soft whiskey-brown eyes that always turn dark chocolate when making love.
Making love?
“Alyson?”
“Yeah?”
“What are you doing over here?”
It takes me a second to focus in on his words. “I wanted to check on the U-Pick.” I reach out and dust off his sleeve like touching him is the most natural thing in the world for me to do. “Not much action, huh?”
“No, not yet.” He looks over my head as a car slows down on the road but then keeps on going.
I pick a few strands of hay off his shirt, and he wipes his brow. “How’s the barn coming?”
His smile returns. “We’re making great progress.”
A big bang echoes in the air, and we both turn toward the sound. “What the hell was that?” I ask.
“Sounds like it was coming from your place. We better check it out.”
The hairs on the back of my neck stand up as we walk to my property. I shake the sun from my eyes and glance out into the pasture. “The animals are fine. Maybe Tyler is shooting off fireworks again.”
“He’s not. He’s still at the barn with Beck.”
“I’m going to have a look around, okay?” He glances at his watch. “Why don’t you go inside and get ready for the day? I’ll check in on you later.”
I stand there for a second, and so does he, heat pulling us together.
“I want to kiss you,” he murmurs and steals a glance around, his tongue touching his lower lip. Everything inside me jumps to life, and my heart flutters. My God, it’s hard to keep my head on straight when I’m around him. “But I know you don’t want anyone to get the wrong idea.”
“Jay,” I murmur, going up on my toes, the desperate need to kiss him winning the battle and pushing back all other worries. As his lips hit mine, another thought hits. Isn’t he worried about someone getting the wrong idea?