Page 78 of Set It Right
The river running through the ranch had a handful of thermal seeps where hot mineral water sprang from the ground. Yearsago, Connell Kelly had added a ring of rocks around one of the seeps, turning it into a natural mineral pool. They said the minerals had healing properties, and while that might’ve been true, I was more interested in relaxing in the water with the clear sky above me and Cormac by my side.
He drove us out to the spring in one of the ranch’s side-by-sides, the wind whipping too loudly for us to carry on much conversation. I settled in with my feet on the dash, enjoying the ride.
When we arrived, I hopped out and wandered down to the river, my heart lodged in my throat. It had been so long since I’d been here, but it was exactly as I remembered.
I looked back at Cormac as he slowly approached. “Guests still don’t come here, right?”
He shook his head. “Just family.”
“And me.”
“I think you qualify as family, Zara. No one else gets to know our secret spots.”
It seemed impossible, but my heart leaped even higher.
I turned away from him and kicked off my slides to dip my toes in the spring. Warm water enveloped my foot, the faint scent of sulfur tickling my nose. I pulled off the T-shirt and shorts I’d worn over my bikini, leaving them on top of my shoes.
Cormac was behind me, his clothes landing on mine. Then his hands closed around my hips as he helped me into the spring.
The late evening air was warm, and the water was even warmer, melting my tired muscles into a heap. Cormac took me in his arms and settled me in his lap, letting me drape myself over him. His fingers stroked back and forth along my bare stomach, and his nose nuzzled the side of my head.
I closed my eyes, allowing myself to float in the moment. This place, this person, the water lapping around us, the breeze blowing over us, distant animal sounds, the wide-open sky above—I breathed freely for the first time today. Even though parts of my job had been stressful, I’d enjoyed every moment. I hadn’t been counting the minutes until the end or wishing I were somewhere else. God, I hoped my next job would fill me with even half those feelings.
Cormac’s hand stilled. “You tensed up. What are you thinking about?”
“Leaving. My next steps.”
His breath came out in a heavy whoosh. “Right. Are you applying for jobs?”
“Not yet. I probably should, but no part of me wants to think about it.” I turned my head, pressing my face into his throat, feeling him swallow. “Let’s talk about something else. Anything else. Tell me how many girls you’ve brought here.”
His laugh was sharp and biting. “None. This is a family spot.”
“Not even Victoria?”
“No, Zara. No one.”
I swiveled a little more sideways so I could see his face. “What happened with her? Why’d you break up?”
He puffed up his cheeks and slowly exhaled. “We weren’t together long, and it quickly became obvious to me it wasn’t going to go anywhere. I shouldn’t have tried dating someone I worked with anyway.” His brow furrowed as his gaze swept over me. “I don’t regret ending it.”
“That’s good.” I cupped his cheek, his scruff scratchy against my palm. “I feel a little greedy for being glad I have you all to myself this summer.”
“Be as greedy as you want with me.”
I kissed his chin before laying my head on his shoulder. “You can’t tell me that. I’ll do it.”
His soft laugh rumbled beside my ear. “I dare you.”
Dare or not, I would be spending the rest of this summer in his face. Now that I had him back, there wouldn’t be a moment when I felt I’d had enough.
After a minute of idly rubbing his thumb over my stomach, Cormac asked, “Did you ever get to any of the national parks you wanted to see?”
“No, not yet.”
I didn’t need to say Jackson hadn’t wanted to go. In truth, it hadn’t been his fault. I’d allowed his wishes to become more important than mine. My eyes had been wide open when I’d entered a life with him. I’d known it would mean giving up the things I’d always wanted to do, and I’d said yes anyway.
The person I was even a year ago seemed so far off, I couldn’t quite understand her.
