by Hart, Hanna
He didn’t want her to say they weren’t right for each other. That seemed to be what she always said, and it didn’t exactly give him a clear picture of what went wrong.
If he wanted to be with her, and he did, then he wanted to know what went wrong so he could stop himself from losing her again.
"We had different paths to take, that's all,” she simplified. “And you seem happy with the decisions you've made so far.”
"Yeah, me and my divorce and my big empty ranch,” he said, faux-smug. “It's a dream come true.”
"You just said you love it,” she said.
"I do love it, but I'm not crazy about my life right now,” he said, then paused. “Do you really believe we had different paths to take?”
Ava took a moment, giving it real thought before saying, “I think so, yes.”
"But we're back here now, in the same place, the same time,” he said. “And you know what?”
She watched as he sat up to face her, his legs kicked off the end of the bed. "What?” she asked.
"It's hard to be around you and not like you, Ava.”
Her cheeks pinkened, and she smirked. "Well, I am a highly likable person.”
"No,” he corrected. “I mean, it's hard to be around you and not kiss you.”
Ava swallowed, and the whole atmosphere in the room changed. Walker felt like he was floating as he watched Ava’s eyes glaze over with a curious desire. She leaned closer, considered his words, then whispered, “Is that right?”
He traced a thumb across her lips and pulled her face closer. "Yeah,” he said.
The left side of her mouth pulled into a smirk as she asked, "What are you going to do about that?”
His heart sped up, pulsing through his body like a drum. "I guess I'm going to kiss you,” he said, his eyes darting back and forth from hers.
Ava closed her eyes, and he had to stop his hands from shaking as he moved closer to her mouth.
“Wait,” she said, pulling away. “Don’t.”
"Okay,” he said quickly. “I’m sorry. I’m just…being an idiot.”
Ava’s eyes went wide as saucers as she studied him, her expression unreadable. She pulled her teeth over her bottom lip and scraped against it until it was plump and red.
Without warning, she leaned back in and ran her hand up the back of his head, pulling him closer until their lips met in the most perfect, unexpected dance.
Chapter Ten
Ava
Once you start kissing someone, it’s very hard to stop. This was especially true if you had already kissed this person in the past, like Ava and Walker. Their time together now was spent in close proximity, unable to stay away from one another, as though they were catching up on six years worth of lost kisses.
Walker's lips moved around hers as though she were water and he had been in the desert for months. He was hungry for her, connecting with her in a way that was soft and desperate and somehow so full of love.
"Can you believe it's already been a week since...all of this?" she asked with a shy smile as she pulled away from his lips, trying to catch her breath.
"This," he said, giving her another small peck on the mouth, "has been years in the making."
"Somehow I doubt that," she laughed.
The two of them were up in his old bedroom at his parents’ house. They were like teenagers again, dodging their parents and looking for secret places to be alone.
"Everything's moving so quickly," he said, pulling her hand into his. "We've got Kendall’s coming up next week, then it’s New Year’s."
"Yeah. Then you'll be out of here, back to Texas and your warm sun and your nice weather."
"You know Texas isn't hot all the time, right?" he grinned.
"In my head it is," she said, sticking her tongue out. "You'll be back with your horses and your gold mine. My only hope is that you remember me fondly as that floozie you kissed in high school."
"Excuse me?" he said with a laugh, pulling her into his arms. "You are no floozie. You’re my girl, and nobody talks about my girl that way."
He kissed her again, intense and passionate. He pulled away when he heard his parents coming up the stairway and talking loudly to one another, probably to let him know they were nearby.
"Actually," he began thoughtfully, "I was hoping that I could hire you."
"As a ranch hand?" she asked in her best southern twang
"No," he laughed. "To come and do some PR for the ranch. I can hire a team or whoever you're most comfortable working with and fly you all out."
"Is this just an evil genius plan to get me to come and see your ranch so you can brag about how amazing it is?" she snorted.
"No. I've seen your work and it's amazing," he said. "I think it could be good for business to have some videos on our website."
"You have videos on your website," she retorted.
"Yeah, but these would be more in-depth. Not just a commercial, but an explanation of why guests will have an unforgettable time. You can record some of the experiences we offer there."
Ava raised her brows, then nodded. "I could do that."
"Really?" he asked in surprise and she nodded.
"Really," she said.
"Then come out with me," he said excitedly.
"Okay," she laughed. "When?"
Walker bit his lip. His eyes brightened when he suggested, "Tomorrow?"
Ava let out a loud laugh. She hadn't been expecting that. "That's a bit soon, isn't it?"
"No, I mean, come out with me tomorrow and we'll stay at the ranch for the weekend. It's less than a two-hour flight. What's two hours? We'll leave tomorrow and be back by Monday, just in time for you to head back to work. Besides, this is technically a consult, so it's a write-off for you."
"Walker, be serious," she said.
"I am," he said, and suddenly she remembered what it was like to be with Walker in all of the best ways. He had enough money to be completely spontaneous and beyond sweet to her. He was always looking for ways to make her smile or give her things to look forward to. "I want to show you the ranch," he said, trying to tempt her into saying yes. "Get your professional opinion. I'll fly you, first class."
"I don't need to fly first class," she said.
Walker raised both brows. "But?"
"But," she said wryly, "as a potential client."
"And my girlfriend," he added.
"And your girlfriend...yes! I would love to come and see the ranch.
And that was all it took to convince Walker that it was a good idea. By the next morning, they were on a plane, flying first class to Texas to the beautiful Wild Bandit Ranch that Walker had created all by himself.
Texas was noticeably warmer than Colorado at sixty degrees and all Ava needed to wear was a sweater and a light jacket.
Ava knew she would be impressed when they reached the ranch, but she hadn’t expected to be awestruck.
The property was surrounded by oak trees and was every bit the luxury cowboy lodge she had dreamed of.
Walker started their day by taking her on a tour of the expansive property, showing her the beautiful trees, the lodges, and specialty cabins and regaled her with the stories of the bandits who used to stay there. Then he took her to the place he knew she wanted to see the most: the horse stables.
When they first started talking about buying a ranch in Texas, they would often talk about their dream stables and how many horses they would have. The reality Walker had created was beyond her wildest dreams.
The stables were luxury with a beautiful brick pavement leading into the building. The ceilings were wood planks and the stables were stained walnut and lacquered with a shiny finish. The stable gates were shiny gunmetal and walnut and the horses even had windows facing outside so they could get fresh air in the warmer months.
Walker showed her the horses, including an overly friendly black horse named Mackenzie. Mackenzie had a unique mane that split down the middle as though it were separated by a ruler—one si
de black, one side white.
"She's so beautiful!" Ava exclaimed gleefully as the horse pressed its nose into her hands, demanding her attention.
"I know," he said, running a hand down her back. "I picked every horse when I first opened the place, but since then I have a team who looks after the stables and all of that."
"Look at you, mister. 'I have a team.' So professional," she snorted.
"Hey, I try."
At the end of the tour, Walker brought her to a private log cabin next to a little pond and slipped a key in her hand.
“What’s this?” she asked, staring into her palm.
“This is your room,” he said. “I live off-site in a private lodge. I didn't want to presume that you would stay with me, so I have a cabin for you here with all of the very best amenities.”
She beamed at the thought of her own place, even if only for the night. She had never been on her own before.
“I thought you were booked solid?” she asked.
“We are,” he said, ushering her into the cabin, “But we always keep a few spots free in case of emergency or big-name clients or promotional stays for travel bloggers and such.”
The cabin was small but stunning.
"This used to be a well house," he explained. "Most of the cabins we have are new builds made to look old, but we have a couple of specialty buildings that were here when I first bought the place. They're a little smaller than the newer buildings, but they're my favorite."
"Why's that?" she asked, marveling at the broad smile that crossed his face when he talked about the ranch.
"They have a story to tell," he said excitedly, bringing her deeper into the room. " This used to be the well house, which is why we named it that on the outdoor plaque. So basically, the ranchers here built a big house around the well to keep their equipment from freezing overnight. We didn't keep the well or anything in there, but we took inspiration from it."
"I can see that," she said, gesturing toward a large, rectangular stone tub that sat in the far side of the room in the living area. "A tub in the living room. How rustic!"
"Actually, it's not just a tub. It's a private hot spring. It funnels in water from a nearby spring and, well, it's therapeutic and all that jazz. Our guests love it. You also have a wood-burning stove, bathroom, obviously, king bed."
"This is amazing, Walker," she marveled, looking around at the small touches that made the room perfect, like the vintage-style picture windows and thick wooden log walls.
“You,” he enunciated, “are amazing.”
She closed the door behind them and watched as Walker began lighting a fire inside the wood stove in front of her bed.
Ava was so excited, she felt a giggle rise in her throat that she couldn’t seem to quell. When Walker finished with the fire and the room had grown cozy and warm, she pulled him onto the bed and began landing soft, passionate kisses on his mouth.
“I want to treat you like any other guest,” he said.
“Is that right?” she teased, running a hand up the back of his head. “Do you kiss all of your guests?”
“Only the really pretty ones,” he chuckled, and she bat a hand on his chest.
“Not funny,” she said.
Walker laughed and lay back on the bed, extending his arm up to the nightstand and pulling a long card stock off it.
He handed it to her and explained, “This is a list of all of our experiences. I want you to pick a couple to do. Get an idea for how you want to shoot the campaign.”
“Is this really about the campaign, or are you just looking for ways to spoil me?” she asked, and Walker shrugged.
“Maybe a little bit of both,” he said with a smile.
Ava licked her lips, and her eyes skimmed the list. She took the pencil from his hand and began checking off some of the activities.
“Okay,” she said excitedly. “Well, horseback riding is a must. You still do this in December?”
“All year,” he confirmed.
“The gold rush, obviously,” she grinned. This was the activity that Walker talked about the most, so she knew it was going to be special. “Archery? Sure, why not! Oh, and the wine cellar and tasting room. Is that too many?”
Walker shook his head. “Not at all.”
Chapter Eleven
Walker
Having Ava at the ranch felt as natural as riding a horse or breathing air. Walker couldn't believe the weight that had lifted just having her by his side to inspect and experience all that country life had to offer.
They spent their second day riding horses and having a picnic lunch out in the grassy fields. He wasn't afraid to say that it was romantic, just as he hoped it would be.
The two of them curled up with a blanket in the field and talked about life. They brushed the horses, and he told her the story of picking out the ones they were riding, Tanner and Evelyn.
"I like to give them human names. You know, instead of stuff like Freckles or Artax," he said.
"Because it makes you feel like you have more than one friend?"
"Shut up," Walker laughed, hard, and nudged her gently.
He stared into her round, expressive brown eyes and smiled, only to be startled by the buzzing of her cell phone.
"How many days do you think you could go without your phone before you went crazy?" he asked, nodding toward her pocket.
Ava blushed and silenced her phone. "Hm," she mused, looking skyward as she considered his question. "I think like a week? Then I might, shamefully, start to miss scrolling through other's people's picture feeds and ordering candles I don't need. What about you?"
"Forever," he said confidently.
"No!" she grinned. "Be serious!"
"The country is all I need," he said, gesturing around the cold, endless landscape of the ranch. "I love it out here. No phones, no notifications, no comparisons. Just fresh air. It reminds you of what really matters."
She leaned against him, resting her chin on the side of his arm as she asked, "And what's that?"
"Connection."
"Well, you have plenty of that right here," she winked.
"I do. Don't I?" he smiled. "And I'm sorry, who was it that was resistant to having this weekend again?" Walker teased as he tickled her, causing her to burst into a fit of high-pitched laughter. "Yes, I believe that was you!"
"Stop it!" she giggled, pulling away from him. "Forgive me for being wary about missing family dinner and facing your mother's wrath by coming out here with you!"
"I'm not going to lie," he warned playfully, "You have every right to be afraid of these thoughts."
Ava tilted her head to the side, comfortable in their banter. She leaned back in and pulled his lips into a cold, sweet kiss. "You scare me, Walker," she whispered, looking up at him as the kiss broke.
"Is that right?" he whispered back.
She nodded. "But in the best way possible."
They spent the afternoon at the archery lesson where Ava learned how to shoot a bow and arrow—which she was absolutely terrible at—and then ax-throwing, which she was fearfully good at.
"Should I be worried about this?" he chuckled out when she hit her third bullseye in a row. "I feel like you're getting out some real rage here!"
"This is incredibly therapeutic," she said and grabbed another ax.
That night, they had a wine tasting, completing most of the list that Ava had selected for her grand weekend. But, if Walker got his way, the two of them would be spending more than just a weekend at the ranch.
The next day held his favorite part of the weekend: the gold rush experience. It was the two of them and four other couples being brought through the ranch grounds by actors hired to portray old bandits.
As the story went, the guests were brought into the bandit clan and put to work on the ranch in exchange for a place to sleep. Each guest was assigned a bandit name. Walker's was Walker the Forsaken, wanted for stealing top hats, and Ava ended up with Ava "Sticky Fingers,” wanted for assault w
ith a banana peel.
In making the script for the gold rush bandit experience, Walker and his team agreed that it would be in the best interest of the guests to keep things light. If they were given bandit names and identities, he wanted it to be humorous in nature. He didn't want guests to be assigned as murderers and anything unsavory.
Ava laughed at her assigned name and Walker's heart filled with warmth.
The bandit leader led them to a murky river where a bunch of beaten-up pans were laying. He instructed each guest to pick up the pans and showed them how to fill and shake them in the water to look for gold.
"Y'all should know that gold is nineteen times heavier than water, so once it falls to the bottom, you know you've got something special. But don’tcha' try and steal from James Harlan," the guide said in his best bandit voice.
He guided each guest on the best way to shake the pan to find gold and stopped at Ava, encouraging her, "That's right, now tip the pan and move side to side."
"Are we going to find any gold flecks in here?" she asked with a grin on her face, loving every minute of it.
"If it comes up to the top, that's fool’s gold," James said, brushing a thumb against the tip of his nose. "And my men are no fools, ya hear? You're looking for a big nugget. Anything less than that and you can go ahead and return it to the river. We're looking for gold, men! Gold!"
"Finders keeps?" Ava asked in a silly, flirty way.
James didn't bite. "Only if you want to lose your lunch, your lodge, and your horse!" he said, eyeing her suspiciously.
"No, sir," she said with humor, "I wouldn't want that!"
When they were done searching for gold, James took the clan to a bonfire where they warmed their hands and were given traditional foods of the time.
"Now, I'm not supposed to be tellin' y'all this," he said, circling the group as though he were floating, "But the town Sherriff is my pocket. He gives us road agents who hold up stagecoaches, and we all share the wealth."
Another character, Mags, tipped his cowboy hat and brought his hand to his mouth as though he were delivering a secret. "And I'm not supposed to tell you this," he began in a burly, gruff voice that made all of the guests laugh, "But me and Bootsy here are part of a vigilante group in the town who suspect that the Sherriff is crooked. We're going to raid the town and punish all of the criminals with a shootout!"
