Free The Barn-Dance by Camryn Rhys

She leaned against the car and crossed her arms. “It was just a matter of time before your dad fired me. I figured I’d get a head start.”
    “You mean you figured you’d get a head start on me.” He knit his brows. “Like last time.”
    Her face softened. “I just needed to leave.”
    “I felt this last night, Min. I felt you check out.”
    Mindy straightened, her light hair bouncing against the back of her neck. He wanted to thread his fingers through it and pull her mouth to his. But she wasn’t giving off the vibe that he was okay to touch her again. Mixed signals much?
    “Some scars never heal, Leo.”
    “What the hell?”
    She looked at the ground. “I wasn’t gonna be the one putting myself out there with you anymore. You were just in it for the sex, so I gave you what you wanted.”
    A sharp pain lanced through him. That’s what she thought of him? “Mindy.” Leo shook his head. He wanted to argue with her, but a quick pass over her face told him that she wasn’t really angry. She was hurting.
    Still.
    This wasn’t about last night. It was about last night and the last six years and six years ago. All of it. He could get angry, defend himself. But she didn’t need that.
    He took a step toward her. “I’m sorry, Mindy.” He put a hand on her trembling arm and continued. “I’m sorry for six years ago, for not telling you I loved you. I’m sorry for yesterday, for being so worried about what my dad thought, for not fighting for you.”
    She tried to stay stiff and distant, but he could see her resolve melting. That quiver of her beautiful lips, the nervous bite at the bottom one to stop it. “And last night, I wanted to stay with you. Not for sex. For you.”
    Mindy’s big eyes stared at him, wet with tears. “Why didn’t you tell me this last night?”
    Leo exhaled a short laugh and put his hand into his pocket. He could feel the ring between his fingers. “I had a big plan for tonight.”
    She nodded. “The barn dance.”
    “The barn dance.”
    “I see.”
    “You did promise to go with me, after all.” Leo’s mouth curled into a smile and he coaxed a small one from her as well. There it was, she cracked.
    Mindy’s arms relaxed. “I do owe you.”
    “No.” Leo pulled her toward him and slid his arms around her. She didn’t touch him, but she didn’t stop him either. “I don’t want you to go because you owe me.”
    “Then why would I go?”
    He smiled, his cheek resting against her forehead. “Because you love me. You can’t live without me.” He exhaled through the pressure that built around his heart. “Like I love you, and I can’t live without you.”
    Mindy laughed. He hadn’t expected that. “One night, Leo. We had sex one time, one night, and suddenly you’re in love with me?”
    Leo pulled away and held her chin so she’d have to meet his gaze. “I’ve been in love with you for so long. I just couldn’t tell you.”
    Her face softened and she breathed into his fingers, closing her eyes. “If you were in love with me then, why did you let me leave?”
    “I was young and stupid.” Leo tugged on her chin again, trying to get her eyes to open, but she wouldn’t open them. He leaned down and kissed first one, then the other.
    When she finally looked at him, tears ran down her face. “You never came after me.”
    “You didn’t invite me.”
    She laughed. “You didn’t want to leave your precious ranch.”
    “That’s not true. You left for the city and never looked back.”
    Mindy averted her eyes, a sad expression crossing her face. “I looked back all the time. But you weren’t there.”
    Leo leaned down to catch her lips with his. “I’m here now,” he breathed into her. “And I’m not going anywhere.”
    He pressed his kiss deeper, waiting for her to respond, but she held back. He backed her up against the car and pushed his tongue between her lips. Mindy’s mouth opened and her tongue met his.
    She slipped her arms around his neck and