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“Some days more than others.” She huffed. “Funny how six weeks doesn’t sound nearly as long anymore. These days, that’s gone in the blink of an eye.”

The farther they traveled from the main ranch, the more Amanda enjoyed the ride. She'd forgotten how much she'd missed riding. For the moment, only the countryside, the rhythmic thud of hooves on the earth, and the handsome man beside her remained. His sleeves were pushed up his forearms, and the natural way he sat in the saddle made it clear he’d done this most of his life. Sunlight caught the gray threaded through his dark hair, and seeing him out here, away from his uniform and responsibilities as sheriff, made her realize how much she still didn’t know about him.

He caught her staring. “What?”

“Nothing.”

“That wasn’t a nothing look.”

She faced forward before he could read too much in her expression. “I was just thinking.”

“About?”

She could have dodged the question. Instead, she decided to see what he did with the truth. “You.”

The silence beside her lasted long enough for her to look over again.

His attention remained on the trail, but the smile playing at the corners of his mouth told her exactly how pleased he was with her answer.

“Don’t let it go to your head,” she warned.

“Too late.”

Of course it was.

Several minutes later, they reached the top of a gentle rise, and Amanda brought Penny to a stop as the view opened before them. Rolling fields spread below, divided by fences and dotted with clusters of trees. Ranch houses and barns sat in the distance, scattered across the landscape, and beyond them, the land seemed to stretch forever beneath the overcast April sky.

“Wow.”

Grady stopped beside her. “Worth risking your backside?”

“I’m pretty sure it is, but ask me again tomorrow.”

His soft laughter carried across the short distance between them, but Amanda kept her attention on the view. There had been a time she’d hated leaving Wyoming, then spent years waiting to get back to California. Now, after traveling the world in search of new places and experiences, she sat on a horse, wishing she could make one afternoon in Antelope Rock last a little longer.

She turned toward him and found his attention fixed on her.

She didn’t have to wonder why.

The attraction in his eyes was unmistakable, and when his gaze dropped to her mouth, Amanda became acutely aware of how little space separated them.

He guided his horse a little closer until their knees nearly touched, and her pulse quickened.

There was no mistaking his intention.

And she wasn’t opposed to it in the slightest.

Grady guided his horse another few inches closer, then reached across the narrow space between them and slid his hand behind her neck.

Amanda met him halfway.

His mouth covered hers, immediately reminding her of their first kiss. They'd both held back that night, still figuring out what the unexpected turn in their relationship meant.

Leaning toward him as far as the saddle allowed, she rested one hand against his shoulder while his fingers slipped into her hair. When his lips parted over hers, she welcomed the sweep of his tongue and answered with her own. A shiver traveled down her spine as the kiss grew more passionate, and for several seconds, she forgot about everything except the feel of his mouth against hers.

Until Penny shifted beneath her.

Amanda broke away and grabbed the saddle horn, laughing as she regained her balance. “Okay. Apparently, kissing on horseback takes more coordination than I thought.”