Missy sighed with relief when Porter didn’t bring up the kiss again but instead directed her toward a lit pavilion. Huge wooden beams supported the structure. It was beautiful in a rustic kind of way and fit perfectly with the mountains that were turning pink as the sun set to the west.
“Did you build this?” she asked.
“Just finished. There are still some little touches to add but I like the way it turned out. Mom wanted it for the wedding and I wanted it for my backyard, so it worked out.”
“You’re handy.”
He grinned. “Is that a quality you like in a man?”’
Missy’s gaze darted to his. She hadn’t thought about qualities she wanted in a man for a long time. After her divorce, she’d come home and thought Luke was the man she was destined to be with, but destiny had other plans. Now that she was looking at things more objectively, she realized Luke was more of a safety net for her. A man who’d treated her well and she’d enjoyed being around, but he didn’t draw her in like Porter did.
“Um, sure. Handy is good.”
Porter laughed and said, “Yeah, that sounds convincing.”
“I really do.” Everything she said now would sound contrived.
Porter gave her a slow grin, turned on a switch, and the pavilion lit up with soft twinkling lights. It wasn’t dark yet, but the effect was still beautiful.
“That’s so perfect,” she breathed.
“Thanks.”
He moved to the table and held out a chair for her. Missy sank into the padded seat. The wrought-iron table was set for two with beautiful china. There was a huge picnic basket in the middle and a covered bowl next to a bottle of sparkling cider. Porter poured some cider in her glass and then opened the basket and pulled out two boxes of Bullman’s Pizza.
Missy’s eyes widened. How did he know? He couldn’t have known.
“We have Chicken Terriyaki and Bear Tooth,” Porter said.
Missy gasped. The smell of cheese, bread, and sausage embraced her as he opened the boxes.
“Both, please,” she whispered.
Porter slid a slice of each onto her plate then he nudged the covered metal bowl toward her. “Bullman’s salad to try to counteract the grease.” He winked.
Missy took a bite of the Bear Tooth first. Italian sausage, mushrooms, green peppers, and too many kinds of cheese to differentiate which was making it so delicious. She might have moaned as she slowly chewed. By the smile on Porter’s face, she probably did moan. “How did you know?” she asked.
“Jake’s an easy one to get information out of,” he said.
Missy’s eyes watered and she commanded herself not to cry. The closest Bullman’s was an hour away in Billings. Not only had Porter found out what she liked he’d driven an hour each way to buy it for her. That was the nicest thing anyone had done for her in a long time and here she was thinking he wasn’t even going to show up for their date. She wondered if Porter had read The 5 Love Languages by Gary Chapman. He was doing exactly what the author suggested and speaking her love language, which was a combination of words of affirmation and acts of service, correctly. She blushed, grateful Porter couldn’t read minds. It wasn’t like he was in love with her.
“Thank you,” she murmured. “It’s delicious.”
They ate in silence for a few minutes. Missy enjoyed every bite. She could never decide which pizza was her favorite, but had never bought both at once. After going back and forth between the two, she was convinced the Chicken Terriyaki was the winner, but they were both wonderful. “How did you keep them warm?”
“Drove fast,” Porter said.
Missy laughed and shook her head. “Come on, I have to know. This is my absolute favorite, but when I bring my leftovers home and reheat them, they just don’t taste the same.”
Porter’s mouth quirked. “So I did good with the pizza?”
“Yes, you did.” He had no clue how “good” he’d done. If she hadn’t been smitten by him before, she was head over heels now. “Now tell me how you kept them warm.”
“Demanding, demanding.” He smiled. “They gave me these great bags that keep it warm for a couple of hours.”
“But… now you’ll have to take those bags back.”
Porter shrugged and it was absolutely adorable. Missy wanted to feel his wavy blond hair in her fingers again. She wanted to be encircled by those strong arms. She really wanted to feel his lips on hers.
“Thank you.” She looked down at her third piece of pizza and tried to think of a way to change the subject before she threw herself at him in gratitude for his thoughtfulness. “You said I was dressed too nice for the date.”
“Yes, ma’am.” He picked a stray mushroom off his plate and tossed it in his mouth.
“I thought we were going to get dirty or something.” She took a bite of the salad, loving the mix of creamy ranch, spicy onions, sharp parmesan cheese, and crisp lettuce.
“Mud wrestling behind the barn after dinner.”
Missy chortled and then snorted. Porter chuckled along with her and they both laughed until it was almost ridiculous. Missy couldn’t remember the last time she’d laughed like that. Maybe never?
“Oh, Porter, I like you.” Her mouth dropped open in horror when she realized what she’d just said. “I mean, as a friend, you’re a very good friend, and a thoughtful person, and I like that very much.”
Porter’s green eyes were hyper-focused on her. He nodded. “That’s good because I like you too.”
Missy broke eye contact and a cool breeze brushed past them. She shivered and hugged herself for warmth.
Porter stood and came around to help her out of her chair. “You’re cold,” he said. He wasted no time wrapping her up in his strong embrace and Missy shivered for completely different reasons than the cold. Being close to him was every bit as wonderful as she’d remembered. She glanced up and the twinkling lights reflected in his warm gaze.
Time slowed down as he lowered his head to hers. Missy wanted to grab him and pull him in, but at the same time she wanted to push him away and run screaming. She wasn’t ready for this. She was still healing from Tate. Why did Porter have to be so desirable and make her feel like this? Plus, Porter was a cowboy. She didn’t like cowboys, right?
Her heart thundered as he closed the distance and his warm mouth took command of hers. Missy clung to him, wrapping her arms around his broad back. He was so strong and big. Tate had been a bull rider so his was more of a wiry strength. Porter exuded manliness and protection with his broad chest and defined arms. Missy couldn’t help herself from returning kiss for kiss.
After who knows how long, Porter released her from the kiss. He gently kissed her cheek and whispered, “Glad that didn’t happen in the church.”
Missy couldn’t help but laugh. She burrowed into the cocoon of Porter’s arms, never wanting to leave him.
Chapter 6
Porter walked into Annie’s shop, relieved she wasn’t with a client.
“P-porter.” She stood from her little desk and came to give him a quick hug.
“Hi, Annie.” Porter twisted his hands together, not sure why he felt nervous. It wasn’t Annie that had him shifting from foot to foot. He simply needed to make sure he could win Missy and Annie would have insight that could be the clincher.
She held up a pad of paper. “D-do you m-mind?”
“No.” Porter sat across from her little desk. “That would be perfect because I have a lot of questions.”
She smiled and started writing, How was the date?
“Perfect.” Porter grinned. “She loved the pizza. Great idea to ask Jake. Thank you.”
Annie scribbled. Did you kiss her again?
“Just because you’re my dating counselor doesn’t mean you get intimate details,” Porter teased.
Annie tilted her head and her highlighted curls bounced.
“Okay. Yes. I kissed her and I know you said not to, but I promise she wanted it. It was amazing, Annie.”
I just don’t want you to push too hard and too fast. She’s like a skittish foal that’s been injured by someone she was supposed to trust.
Porter hated that. His stomach wrenched. “I know. I’m trying to take it slow. It’s just tough when she’s so… intriguing.”
Annie grinned.
“What do I do next?”
Annie wrote for a minute then turned the pad to him. I don’t think you need to do any grand thing, it’s more about listening to her and being there for her. Be patient if she freaks out and the most important thing is getting to know her, truly wanting to know who Missy is and what she cares about. Savvy?
Porter nodded. “This is all stuff I want to do anyway.”
Annie patted his arm. “Y-y-you’re in tr-trouble.”
“I know.” Porter grinned. “And the best part is I’m thrilled about it.”
**
Missy waved hello to her friend Tracie, who was at the cashier station in Dove’s, and then headed for the produce aisle. The grocery store wasn’t very big and Tracie’s voice carried easily. She could hear her greeting customers as they came and went.
Missy grabbed lettuce, red onions, and red peppers, trying to recreate Bullman’s salad. She still felt happy bubbles as she remembered her date with Porter last weekend. He was so kind and considerate. The youth Sunday School class yesterday had been almost too much fun as they flirted and tried to teach the teenagers something that would help them spiritually in their Easter lesson. Yet she worried. She’d fallen in love with Tate partially because she wanted to escape from her mother. Now she was back home again and hoped her interest in Porter wasn’t because things were so miserable at home and every minute spent with him was so wonderful.
“Well, Porter Wilson,” Tracie said.
Missy set down her basket and hurried toward the front of the store. Her heart rate increased as she heard his deep voice greeting Tracie.
“When are you taking me out again?” her friend asked. “That last date was the best one of my life.”
Missy stopped in her tracks. Porter was dating Tracie? Porter glanced up at her and smiled. “Missy.” From the warmth in his voice you’d never know he was a two-timing jerk.
Missy spun and rushed away from him. She didn’t even pay attention to where she was going as she hurried through the aisles. She ran into a dead end at the freezer section and leaned against the cool door, wondering how she was going to escape with her pride intact. Stinking, cheating cowboy! Why did she always fall for that type? Ah, Porter. How could he be like Tate?
“Missy?”
She spun to face him. Maybe she could play like she wasn’t upset and escape. To where? She’d have to leave town. It would be a relief to be done with her mother. She felt bad about leaving her dad, but he was an adult. Maybe it was time he was forced into standing up to her mother. At least Jake was safe back at the university now that spring break and Easter were over.
“What’s wrong?” Porter slowly approached, concern etched into his face.
A tear squeaked past her lids and betrayed her as it rolled down her face. “I don’t like cowboys,” she declared, jutting her chin out and pretending she wasn’t crying. “You’re all a bunch of cheating, lying jerks!”
“I’m sorry you don’t like cowboys.” His soft smile infuriated her.
“I don’t like cheaters!”
“Who am I cheating on you with?” Porter asked, advancing another step in her direction.
“I heard what Tracie just said. Best date of her life.”
Porter’s eyebrows quirked up. “I’m sorry you heard that and it made you feel bad, but it was over six months ago.”
“Six months?” She faltered, hiding her trembling hands behind her back. “You haven’t been dating her… since you dated me?”
“No.”
Missy took a long breath, but she still knew she couldn’t do this. What woman wouldn’t want to chase after Porter? He was handsome, kind, funny, successful with his drafting business and his ranch, content with himself, spiritual, good with children, holy cow this list could keep going and going. She couldn’t handle being jealous every time a woman flung herself at him and it happened far too often.
“You’ve dated every trampy little thing that has hair in Snow Valley.” She felt instantly guilty for saying that, especially since Tracie was her friend and was definitely not a tramp.
Porter’s brow furrowed and it was adorable. He folded his arms across his broad chest and the way his biceps flexed was anything but adorable. Missy wondered why he was so attractive to her when other well-built men had her scurrying for a safe hiding spot.
“Hey, that’s not fair. First of all, there are some trampy men in the valley who have hair and I haven’t dated them, and second, I’ve never left town besides a few years of college. You can’t blame me for dating and seeing if I could find someone.”
“I’m just not into the flirting scene. I could never know if I could trust you or not.”
Porter tilted her chin up and his gentle touch seared fire through her. “Missy, it’s me. Of course you can trust me. You’ve known me since I was in kindergarten and you were in the first grade.”
“Yeah,” she flung back, gnawing on her lip, “When you used to chase me around at recess and call me Missy Prissy.”
Porter chuckled. The deep throaty sound did odd things to her insides. “I thought you were so beautiful and that was the only way I could get your attention.” His fingers trailed along her chin and to her shoulder and Missy was literally weak in the knees.
“Why didn’t you ever ask me out in high school?”
He dropped his hand and gave her a stilted smile. “You were dating my brother.”
Missy grimaced. “Well, there is that.” If only she’d noticed Porter first. Luke was a fabulous guy and he’d treated her very well, but they’d never had the sparks she’d experienced with her ex and now with Porter. Maybe if she’d found Porter first she never would’ve run off with Tate. Her gut tightened. She couldn’t fall for another cowboy. “Plus, I don’t know if I’ve told you but I don’t like cowboys.”
“You did say something about that earlier, but Luke’s a cowboy.” Porter arched an eyebrow at her and took a step closer.
“Just not my style anymore.” She backed into the freezer door.
“Hmm. So what can I do to change your style back to us good old boys?” He planted both hands on the freezer door, effectively framing her head.
“Um, don’t know that there’s anything. I made a vow not to chase any cowboys.”
“What if this cowboy chased you?” He leaned down and brushed his lips across her earlobe.
Missy moaned and arched closer to him. “Well, I, um, I guess I would have to… run.”
His lips trailed along her cheek and slowly inched towards her mouth. “You aren’t running now,” he whispered, his breath on her face.
Missy knew she shouldn’t, but she turned and pressed her lips into his.
Porter didn’t show any surprise, simply kissed her until she was breathless. He pulled back and grinned. “I thought you didn’t like cowboys.”
“Well.” Missy wrapped her arms around his neck and took her time entangling her fingers in the short curls. “You’re doing a good job convincing me otherwise.”
Porter chuckled and leaned in again. He was centimeters from her mouth and it was sweet torture wishing he would just kiss her. “What else can I do to sway you to my side?”
“Maybe if you kissed me again?”
Porter grinned and she felt it against her lips then he kissed her and she forgot about everything else in the world. He pressed her against the freezer door and one hand twined in her hair as the other trailed fire down her back to her waist. Missy happily explored the contours of his chest with her fingers as his lips worked their magic on her.
A loud giggle pulled them apart. Missy buried her head in his chest as Porter murmured their apologies to Mrs. O’Hare, who assured h
im it was no trouble. Holding Missy close, he escorted her through the store. “We really need to find a more private place to kiss,” he murmured.
“Um, Port. I think public is better right now or I might attack you.”
Porter chuckled long and low. “If that wasn’t attacking, I can’t wait to see what was.”
She laughed along with him.
“Did you decide you like cowboys then?”
Missy glanced up into his smoldering gaze. “Maybe there’s one cowboy I might be persuaded to like.”
Porter kept his arm around her as they waved to a wide-eyed Tracie and walked into the bright sunshine. “I’m going to get to work on the persuading.”
Chapter 7
Porter could hardly stand to stay away from Missy, but it was spring and that meant calving season, moving the cattle back out to open ranges, planting crops, and a hundred other tasks. He also had two homes he was drafting plans for, so he put in long hours the next couple of days, having to settle for texts from Missy. She was working against several deadlines for articles and he was glad to know that she was busy and not just sitting around thinking of him. He smirked to himself, wishing that would happen.
“Good crap!” Luke thumped him on the side of the head with a bottle full of milk. “Will you help me and stop daydreaming about Missy?”
Porter grabbed the bottle from Luke and manipulated it into the calf’s mouth. This one was old enough to be separated from his mom, but not old enough to drink on its own.
“Is it weird to you that I’m dating her?” Porter asked, not able to look directly at his brother.
“A bit weird.”
“Is it okay with you?” Porter snuck a glance.
Luke sloshed some milk into a bucket and offered it to one of the older calves. He shrugged. “Port, if Missy is the one that’s going to finally settle you down, I’ll get over the weirdness of having dated my sister-in-law.”
“Whoa, whoa, sister-in-law?” Porter almost dropped the bottle of milk. The thought of giving Luke a sister-in-law terrified him, but if he thought about being married to Missy… he had to admit that had a huge appeal. Was he ready to settle down? He’d dated a lot and that had lost its allure a few years ago.
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