When Declan slows down a bit, I pull the reins, having Belle do the same. We are trotting alongside each other when Declan asks, “Fun?”

I quickly nod. “Blast.”

“Great, she’s fast, huh? You’re a good rider.”

I smile. “Thank you. Yes, she’s beautiful.”

“She makes Lena nervous. She’s more of a Barbie Doll, our Lena is, so I usually take Belle out since she won’t.”

“That’s too bad. She’s beautiful.”

He nods in agreement before asking, “You ready to eat?”

My stomach picks that moment to rumble, and I smile. “Yeah, I’m starved.”

When we stop at a little, rock garden-type thing, Declan unmounts Cathmor before coming over to help me. My feet hit the ground and then I am wrapped up in his arm, his mouth moving against mine. I hold on tightly to him, basking in the feel of his lips on mine. When he parts from me, he kisses me one last time before saying, “I have to admit, Amberlyn, you look fuckin’ hot on that horse.”

I giggle as my face goes hot. “So do you.”

He winks at me before backing away, taking my hand in his. Once settled on the grass between all kinds of rocks with our subs, chips, and of course, a beer, we enjoy our dinner before I say, “This is fun.”

“Good,” he says with a nod. “I was hoping you’d enjoy it.”

I send him a grin before taking a big bite of my sub. After swallowing the bite, I ask, “How was work?”

His face changes then as he shrugs. “It was work. I actually got in trouble for texting you today during the meeting.”

I laugh as I reach over, swatting at his arm playfully. “Don’t do that!”

He nods. “Oh, I won’t be doing that any more, but my da knows about you now.”

That stops me mid-bite. “He does?”

“Yeah, we were on a blog, I guess, and he did a background check on you, not to freak you out or anything.”

I roll my eyes. “’Cause getting a background check done on me without any notice isn’t going to freak me out, right?”

He smirks at me. “Right.”

I shake my head, biting into my lip before asking, “What did you tell him?”

“That you are the most beautiful woman ever and to mind his business.”

I grin, my heart fluttering in my chest. “Well, that was nice.”

His eyes are dark as he nods. “It’s the truth.”

Grinning, I take a bite before looking around us. I wonder what his dad found? It makes me nervous. I don’t know why, but it does. Declan doesn’t seem affected by it, so maybe I shouldn’t be either. No big deal, right? Trying to let it go, I enjoy my dinner.

“Do you miss the states?”

I look up at him and shrug. “No, yeah, I don’t know. Sometimes I do. I’m actually really happy here except for one thing, that is.”

He looks up questionably. “What?”

“Goober. I can’t find it anywhere in this damn country.”

He looks at me, confused. “What the hell is Goober?”

I laugh. “It’s like strawberry jelly and peanut butter mixed together in one jar. It’s my favorite. If I knew you guys didn’t carry it here, I would have smuggled some in.”

“That’s disgusting! One jar?”

“Yes! It’s the most amazing thing ever.”

He laughs from the gut before shaking his head. “If you say so.”

“I do!” I exclaim, throwing a chip at him, which he catches in his mouth. I glare before popping one in my mouth as he just continues to laugh. It’s a euphoric noise, one that curls my toes and has me giggling along with him. He is so beautiful like this. I feel free and I hope he feels it, too, because as I watch him, my nerve endings tingle and my heart races. Something is happening here and I might not know what it is, but I like it.

A lot.

“I’m pissed at Kane.”

I look over at where Fiona is furiously cleaning the bar. Her face is red, along with her limbs, and her lip is curled up in frustration.

“I would have never known that by the way you threw your phone across the bar,” I say, but then wish I hadn’t when she sets me with a look.

“He’s a fuckin’ eejit, I tell ya! We’ve been dating for what… almost three weeks, no, a month maybe, and this dude won’t admit that we are together! He says don’t rush him. I’m about to fuckin’ kick him is what I’m gonna do.”

Running my fingers through my hair, I hate that I don’t know what to say as my fingers get tangled in it. “Yeah, I don’t know. Fiona? Does he give a reason?”

“No, just that I don’t need to rush things, but I like him, thought he liked me, so doesn’t that mean we are together? I mean, shit.”

“Yeah, I agree,” I say. Inside, I am thankful that I’m not in the predicament she is in. Declan has made it known that he likes me. I mean, we are only dating but if I did want to commit to something, then at least I know he’d be all for it. The night before is still playing over and over again in my head, just like all the times I have spent with him do. We spent the night kissing and cuddling under the stars before riding back to the barn. He then took me home, walked me to the front door, kissed me thoroughly, and then left, promising to text me once he was home. And he did. It was perfect. God, I’m crushing bad on him.

“It’s bullshite is what it is. I swear, the man is going to drive me crazy.”

I nod. “Yeah, but I doubt you’ll stop seeing him.”

“Nope, but I swear to God, Amberlyn, he sees another girl, I’m gonna throttle him.”

“I’ll help,” I promise and, like I wanted, she smiles before wrapping me up in a tight hug.

“You’re too good to me.”

“Always will be, too,” I say, sending her a grin and then restocking the beer. We only have a few folks in the pub today, mainly older ladies who are enjoying tea and Aunt Shelia’s chocolate cake. I’d already had two pieces… okay three, but it’s the best dang cake I’ve ever had! I kind of hope that Declan comes in for a piece. I texted him earlier about it, but he hasn’t responded yet. He usually doesn’t during the day, he is busy at the distillery, but I’m still hopeful.