Page 43 of The Spice Is Nice

We were a mess. Then we started laughing, breathless and out-of-control. Who knew what was funny?Everything, maybe. The whole situation of us, this night, and our friends.

But enough about them. I carried her to the bed and then returned to the door to retrieve her red boots. She continued to giggle as I put them back on her feet. She held her legs spread in the air by her bootstraps, inviting me in. Without a care about our releases mixing, I buried my face between her legs, fingers too, earning another orgasm for her. Then I flipped her around, planted her hands on the headboard, and took her from behind, collapsing at last after I came again.

“I’m really fucking happy you came with me on this date,” I chuckled, out of breath.

“Worth it,” she breathed with a relaxed grin, her chest heaving under my weight.

I shifted onto my back, and we stayed there for some time in the dark with the curtains open, and Bozeman stars and lights glowing faintly through the window. She eventually kicked off her boots, and we cleaned up. When we got back to bed, we talked here and there—hypothesizing about the Brewsters, replaying Knox’s face when Daisy threw the drink at him, and worrying about what we presumed would be the awkward drive back tomorrow with them.

Somewhere in the talking, she’d curved herself against my back, her face between my shoulder blades, her arm across my chest. I pulled her hand tighter and held it against my heart.

Her breathing slowed. Her body got heavier against mine. She fell asleep, pressed against me like she’d decided I was something worth holding onto, and the intimacy of that hit me.

Lying in the dark with her arms around me, I threw away the word temporary; it definitely didn’t fit any longer. What we had now was more.

I didn’t say anything. She was asleep. The moment wasn’t one I could do anything with tonight, so I left it where it was and closed my eyes, letting her go on holding me, and tried not to think too hard about what it all meant.

Chapter 16

Forest Grove Gossip Gal

Second Edition

FOREST GROVE GOSSIP GAL

Your anonymous sourcefor everything happening (and everyONE happening to each other) in Silver County

Fall Report: Love Is in the Air

(and Apparently in Bozeman, Too)

Posted: Friday, September 19 | Forest Grove, MT

Your Gossip Gal has been busy, and so has this town.

We are now THREE Cowboy Nights deep, folks, and the numbers are adding up. Three events. Approximately forty-seven women imported from Bozeman, Lewistown, and at least one brave soul who drove all the way from Great Falls.

Six confirmed new couples. One engagement ring purchased at the jeweler in Lewistown (congratulations). And one extremely smug blonde Chamber president whohas earned the right to say, ‘I told you this would work’ at every meeting for the rest of her natural life.

Speaking of said blonde: sources say a certain quiet cowboy lifted her off a coffee shop stool in broad daylight and kissed her in front of God and everyone. The Gal is hearing whispers that the two were spotted having an excellent time in Bozeman this past week. Dinner. Drinks. Dancing. Ax throwing. What a well-rounded date.

This Gal’s official position: it’s about time you two.

In other news, Pastor Wells was seen at Sunday service with a smile so wide it looked like someone had told him Christmas had come early. Could that be because THREE new couples were sitting together in the pews for the first time? Cowboy Night isn’t just filling bars, friends. It’s filling the church. Yes, even God could be smiling down on our little town of Forest Grove with more blessings to come.

NOW. Let’s talk about the bearded, long-haired, aftershave-drenched cowboy who wears ironed snap-button shirts and thinks nobody notices when he stares across a room like a man watching his whole future walk away from him. This ODRR cowboy has been spotted at every Cowboy Night, every community event, and every Sunday gathering on the hilltop, and this Gal has NEVER once seen him leave with any of the women he flirts with. Oh, he might charm and wink. He buys drinks. But then he goes home alone, every single time. The Gal has a theory about who has this poor man’s heart in a vise grip, but she’s keeping it to herself. For now. The clues are there if you’re paying attention. Think boots and horseshoes. Enough said.

AND FINALLY: Mark your calendars. Word is that the Off-Duty Rescue Ranch is hosting a combined campaign rally for Sheriff Gavin Patrick and a community barn dance in early October. Country music. Dancing. Barbecue. Ranch tours. And if the Gal knows this town (and she does), probably some drama too. Everyone will be there. EVERYONE. Including, presumably, the people who don’t want to be seen in the same room with each other.

This Gal will have her eyes open and her pen ready.

Until then, Forest Grove. Fall is here. Love is in the air—if you invite it in to stay.

xoxo,

Gossip Gal

#CowboyNight#ForestGrove #BozemanAfterDark #SapphireSaloon #WhoIsTheGal