Hudson's Heart

Hudson's Heart Chapter Seven

"Don't worry, he's over there." Suzie discreetly grabs me, her eyes guiding me to where Dade is.

I calm my breathing down, letting out a relieved sigh. "I won't look over, that would be too obvious, wouldn't it?" I weakly smile at Suzie, embarrassed by my own desperation. Shit, Georgie! Calm the hell down!

"It doesn't matter. He's heading your way," Suzie says.

I innocently turn around. There he is, gorgeously strolling towards me with his head proudly high. With each determined step he takes, the harder I fall for him.

Step . . . falling! Step . . . falling! Step . . . falling!

"Would you like to take a walk around the ranch with me, Georgie?" Dade asks, holding his hand out to me.

Without hesitation, my fingers reach for him. "I'd like that very much," I say with a shy smile, while our hands fuse as one.

"See you tomorrow, Georgie." Suzie waves.

"Bye, Suz." I wave back at her, grinning like a Cheshire cat. She's giving me the big thumbs up behind Dade's back, laughing like a fool. My grip on him tightens as I laugh.

"What's so funny?" Dade asks, glancing sideways at me with a smirk.

I shrug my shoulders, still laughing. "Nothing . . . just that crazy lady behind us."

"She's quite a character, isn't she?" Dade looks back at Suzie, who has thankfully put her over enthusiastic thumbs away.

I grin, my eyebrow quirked high. "You could say that," I say, clasping my fingers tighter around his. Dade smiles as he gently brushes my finger with his thumb.

We walk out of the barn, happily hand in hand. Those who are still there try to be discreet with their whispers as we pass them, failing miserably. It doesn't go unnoticed by Dade either. He's smiling but has this cute, slightly ticked off pout to his lips. "I thought you'd like to see Prairie Point by moonlight. It's really something," he says, more relaxed now that we're outside, away from prying eyes.

I turn to him, still so deliriously happy to be here with him. "Thanks for asking me," I reply, slowly blinking up at him with awe stricken eyes. He stops walking and just looks at me. The smile upon his shapely lips begins to fade away into the night air. We stand in heavy silence, for just a short unsure moment, before he starts to walk towards the stables. I walk beside him, clutching tightly onto his hand. Confused by what has just passed between us.

"What are your plans tomorrow?" Dade asks.

"I think I'm going to go for a ride in the morning, then maybe try my hand at some shooting," I enthusiastically tell him.

He smirks. "Shooting, huh? Be sure to warn me, so I can high tail it out of there, won't you?" To hear him laugh is such a heartwarming thing.

I let go of his hand. "I may just surprise you, Dade Hudson," I say with a prodding finger to his chest.

He laughs. "Everything about you surprises me, Georgie," he says, turning to walk a little ahead of me. I don't press him to tell me why. I don't even have to know why. I'm just happy to know that I make him feel something.

I catch up, to walk beside him, staring up at the blanket of stars above us. "What a beautiful evening." I contently sigh.

He looks up with me. "It sure is."

"I really do envy you living here. The lifestyle, the people . . . just everything about this place is so perfect," I say in sweet wonder.

Dade stands with his hands inside his back pockets, his broad shoulders pulled back. "It's hard work. It gets really cold out here, damn cold."