“I want more…” Damn it. I can’t bring myself to say it.

“More of what?” he said with that stupid smile of his.

When he tilted his head and gave me that dimple smile, I knew he was teasing me.

I took a deep breath and quickly let it out. “I want to make love.”

Will’s smile faded, and he took a step back.

Oh no. What if he doesn’t feel the same? What if my feelings for him are stronger than his feelings for me? Oh. My. God. What if that’s the reason he’s never pushed me into anything more?

I instantly felt like a fool. I pushed past him and started to walk away.

“Wait, Lex…please just wait a second.” He reached for my arm.

I felt tears burning my eyes as I looked everywhere but at him. “I’m…I’m sorry. I should have just kept my mouth shut. Obviously, you don’t feel the same way, so…”

I was cursing Grace inwardly for even planting this in my head, and I was already hatching a plan to bitch her out the next time I saw her.

Before I knew what was happening, Will was backing me up until I came to a stop against the wall of the barn. I looked up into his eyes. He had the most beautiful blue eyes. His hair was wavy and light brown.

I want to run my hand through his hair so bad.

He looked just like his father, and he was probably the sweetest guy I knew—besides Luke and Colt, who were both hopelessly romantic.

He ran the back of his fingers down my face and smiled. My cheek almost felt like it was burning where he’d touched me. He bent down like he was going to kiss me, but then he stopped just short of my lips. His eyes darted down to my lips and then back up to my eyes.

“Lex, I love you,” he whispered.

I sucked in a breath of air and fought like hell to keep the tears from falling. It wasn’t the first time he’d ever said it to me, but this time, it felt so…different. I felt a tear fall, and he quickly brushed it away with his lips.

He let out a low, soft moan. “You have no idea how hard it is for me not to make love to you every time I’m with you. I want nothing more than to be with you, but I want it to be right. I want it to be perfect for you, and we won’t be sneaking into a barn or doing it in a car. You deserve so much more than that, honey. I want to make you feel special the first time we make love.”

Wow. Oh…just wow. I felt my breathing getting faster. I looked at his lips as I licked mine.

He closed his eyes. “You drive me mad with desire, Alexandra. You have to know that.”

Oh dear God…I think I might have my very first orgasm…right now…right here.

When he opened his eyes, they were filled with something I’d never seen before. The intense feeling of need I had for him grew about a hundred times.

I tried to talk but nothing would come out, except for a whispered, “Will…”

When his lips touched mine, I let out a moan. I opened my mouth to him, so our tongues could explore each other like we had done a hundred times before. I brought my hands up and ran them through his hair. When he pushed himself into me, I felt his erection, and I wanted to wrap my legs around him so badly. He pulled his body away some, but the kiss started to turn more passionate…until I heard someone clear his throat.

I snapped my eyes open right as Will moved back and scrunched up his face.

“Shit,” he whispered low enough, so only I could hear. He took a few steps away from me as he ran his hand through his hair.

Lord, help me. I wanted this boy so badly, and even though I knew we had just been caught making out in my father’s barn, my desire for him was so intense I wanted to cry.

I never took my eyes off of him. He winked at me, and then he turned to the side.

“Dad, Uncle Gunner, um…I mean, Mr. Mathews, um…I mean, sir…”

I closed my eyes and took in a deep breath. Oh…holy…hell. My father.

I tried to compose myself as I pushed myself off the wall. I turned to face my father and Uncle Josh. Even though Josh wasn’t really my uncle and my father wasn’t Will’s uncle, we had always called them that. I’d wanted to giggle when Will had struggled on what to call my father, but when I looked into my dad’s eyes, I knew that wouldn’t be the smartest thing to do.

“So…” Uncle Josh started to say as he shook his head and smiled at Will. “Damn, boy…you picked the wrong girl to be caught making out with in her daddy’s barn.”

I glanced quickly over at Will, who looked at my father and then back at his dad. He smiled slightly, but then he quickly looked back at my father and swallowed hard.

My father cleared his throat and said, “Alex, Will, I think y’all need to head on up to the house and wait for us on the back porch.”

Will and I looked at each other, and at the same time, we said, “Yes, sir.”

As we walked out of the barn, Will grabbed my hand right in front of my father.

He looked at me, winked, and whispered, “I think that went well.”

I just stared at him with my mouth hanging open. “You must have a death wish upon yourself.”

I wanted to say thank you so much for sharing this incredible journey with me. I will forever have Gunner, Ellie, Jeff, Ari, Josh, Heather, Brad, Amanda, Scott, and Jessie in my heart. I hope you feel the same.

I walked back outside and looked around. Lark was sitting at a table, and two of my college friends were talking to him. He looked bored out of his mind, and I didn’t think he was even listening to them.

Billy Currington’s “Must Be Doin’ Something Right” started playing, so I walked up to the table. I smiled at the girls and looked at Lark. “I think the best man and maid of honor should dance together at least once, don’t you?”

He looked up at me and smiled. “Yep, I think so.” He set his beer down, grabbed my hand, and practically dragged me to the dance floor. As he pulled me close to him, he said, “Thank God you showed up when you did.”

I giggled as we started to two-step. “Why? You aren’t enjoying yourself?”

“Sorry, but the girls you went to college with are either bitches or boring as hell.”

I placed my head on his chest and closed my eyes. When I felt his chin rest on top of my head, the butterflies in my stomach went crazy.

I looked up at him. “So, what type of girl are you looking for anyway?”

The left corner of his mouth moved up just a bit further when he smiled. It almost felt like my knees might have wobbled for one quick second.

“What do you mean?”

I hit him in the stomach. “You know what I mean, Lark. What kind of girl is it going to take to get you to settle down? You know, for you to stop your man-whoring ways?” I asked with a wink.

“Why do you want to know? What makes you think I even want to settle down with someone?”

He instantly took the offensive approach. I shrugged my shoulder, wishing I hadn’t even brought it up. I looked away and tried to act like his response hadn’t bothered me.

“Are you wanting to apply for the position?” he asked as he pulled me closer to him.

“Um…I thought you just said you weren’t looking for someone,” I said, my voice sounding so small. I was kicking myself for letting him catch me off guard like that.

“If I was, you’d be my type, Azurdee. Your innocence just pours off of you, and it’s sexy as hell,” he said in almost a whisper.

I smiled even though I tried desperately not to. “Oh yeah?” I said, trying to be calm even though my heart was racing a hundred miles an hour.

He looked down at me as he gave me a slight smile, and then he looked away. “But I’m no good for you, Azurdee.”