"June, will you at least try to smile?"

"I am smiling," I retort, shooting Ellis a glare. She fusses with my cowboy hat, adjusts my shirt once more, and finally turns around to face her phone, holding it up to capture a photo of the three of us.

"Well, smile harder then," Ellis says, to which I roll my eyes while Delaney snickers at the two of us.

She quickly snaps a few selfies of us on the bleachers at the rodeo, as I try to smile 'harder'.

She coerced both Delaney and me into wearing cowboy hats and cowboy boots for her latest sponsor, despite our initial resistance. Claiming they wouldn't pay her if we didn't dress up. But I think she's lying.

We are all dressed in coordinating outfits. Ellis in a jean skirt with a white button-up tied at the front, Delaney in a creamy babydoll dress, and me dressed in off-white shorts and a matching top.

How she thinks we're going to stay clean in nothing but white at a rodeo, I have no idea.

Nonetheless, it's all a distraction. Distractions are good. Distractions are more than good right now; they are sublime. Because as soon as I'm not distracted, my mind starts drifting. It drifts to Wells kissing me, to Wells touching me, to Wells biting my lip, to Wells making that noise when he dipped his tongue into my mouth. The noise that makes me need to clench my knees together every time I think about it.

I shiver as goosebumps break out all over my skin. I'm not so distracted anymore.

Delaney watches me and asks, "Cold?"

"Oh, uh, no." I shake my head, lying, "I thought I felt a bug on me."

"Okay, I think we got one," Ellis says, scrolling through her pictures. "But Delaney, what are you doing with your hand?" She scrunches her face.

Delaney leans in to examine the photo on Ellis's phone. "Ellis, that's your hand!"

"Is not!"

They banter back and forth as I shift my gaze back to the rodeo, and my mind starts to wander again. Thankfully I know this is the very last place I'll see Wells. He'd never show up to a place like this. That and I've scanned the crowd at least twenty times. He's not here.

Now that this article is done and the internet being fixed as of today, I don't have to see Wells anymore. I don't have to work with him, and things can go back to how they were before.

The daydreams of his kisses will fade. I won't have to worry that I'll pounce on him just from him being in the same room as me because I'm pretty sure I have no self-control now. And then everything will go back to normal like nothing ever happened. Right?

Please tell me I'm right.

I take my hat off and grab the book I had shoved inside earlier, fully aware that I would grow bored unlike Delaney and Ellis, who seem fully engrossed in watching the bull riders.

I put my hat back on and begin flipping to the page I had bookmarked in my book.

I can see Delaney look at me from the side, amused. "Did you seriously hide a book under your hat?"

I glance over at both of them, and they're both wearing smiles. "Well, I just thought I'd catch up on some reading while we're just sitting here."

Ellis rolls her eyes and returns her focus to the arena, popping popcorn into her mouth.

"When are you going to start writing that book you keep talking about, anyways?" Delaney asks, stealing popcorn from Ellis and popping it in her mouth.

I set the book down in my lap. "I don't know, maybe when I get over this whole thing with Beckett." And this thing with Wells.

"Aren't you already over him though?" Delaney furrowing her brows at me. "I mean, I haven't even seen you cry over him since that day you found out he was cheating on you."

I shake my head, puzzled. "What?"

"This is true," Ellis chimes in, popping another handful of popcorn into her mouth. "I haven't seen her cry either." Her words muffled by popcorn.

"And how long ago did you say you wanted to break up with Beckett again?" Delaney, now fully facing me, tilts her head to the side. "Three or four months ago?"

"Wait, what?" Ellis asks, whipping her head away from the bull riders, confused.

I shake my head at Delaney, her eyes remain fixed on mine. "I'm pretty sure what I had said was that I was just thinking about it."

"June. You came into my classroom after school that one day, all worked up over something, you sat down, and the first thing that came out of your mouth was 'I'm breaking up with Beckett'."

"What?" Ellis exclaims, sitting up and looking at me with wide eyes. She puts her popcorn to the side. "When was this?"

"That's not – I didn't –," I stammer out. "It was more complicated than that."

"Apparently not more complicated than you moving in together a month later," Delaney adds, raising an eyebrow.

"Wait. I'm sorry," Ellis says, rubbing her temples, trying to wrap her mind around what Delaney just said. "Can we go back for a second? I'm so confused."

"So was I," Delaney mumbles.

"Why were you going to break up with–"

"Thinking," I interject firmly. "I was thinking about it."

"Okay, fine. Thinking about breaking up with him," she says, irritation creeping into her tone, "and why didn't you tell me?"

"I just..." I shake my head. It was a lot more complicated than that. "I was going to–"

"Ellie!" A voice calls from behind. We all turn to see a guy dressed in a cowboy hat, a plain white t-shirt tucked into well-worn jeans, and dirty cowboy boots.

"Rhett," Ellis says, surprised.

"Who's Rhett?" I whisper, furrowing my brows.

Ellis shakes her head. "No one."

"He's from the bar the other night," Delaney whispers, rolling her eyes, which earns her a glare from Ellis.

"Hey, I was hoping I'd see you here," he says, coming to a stop in front of us, removing his cowboy hat and holding it against his chest. "I had a great time the other night, and–"

"Rhett!" Ellis exclaims again, nervously laughing, as she stands from her seat. "Take me to see the horses? I've been dying to see them."

"Of course," Rhett says with a warm smile.

"I'll be right back," Ellis tells us as she takes the arm Rhett's offers and walks away with him. Before she leaves, she turns to me, her expression serious. "And we aren't done with this conversation."

As we both watch Ellis and Rhett walk down the bleachers toward the horses, I feel Delaney's looking at me. After a brief pause, she begins to speak.

"Jun–"

"I'm going to get something to drink," I interject, rising from my seat on the bleachers before Delaney can press any further.

"June, but–" she says once more.

"I'll get you a beer," I assure her.

I make my way down the bleachers, navigating around the arena where they are taking a short break from bull riding and starting barrel racing. I head over to the concession stand, joining the long line. I take my hat off and aggressively start shoving my book back into it.

I know I should have discussed what happened with Beckett with Ellis and Delaney, but it was a lot more complicated than it seemed. I did try to have that conversation with Beckett. It just didn't exactly end like I had planned for it to end.

As I secure the book inside my hat and put it back on my head with an exasperated sigh, a voice behind me breaks the silence. "Do all cowgirls hide books in their hats?"

I turn around to find the source of the voice.

Standing there is a man with brown hair, brown eyes, and an olive-toned tan complexion. He's tall, slim, and attractive. And his face oddly... familiar.

He points to my hat when I don't respond right away.

"Oh, uh," I say, taking it off my head again. "If cowgirls like to read, are scared of horses, and spend most of their time in front of a computer, then yes."

He grins at me, a charming smile that would make any girl weak at the knees, one that should make me feel things. I mean, look at him. He's absolutely gorgeous. Yet, there's nothing. No flutter in my chest, no cartwheel in my stomach. Not a single thing.

"I must be all of a sudden into cowgirls then," he quips.

And now he's flirting with me. And all I can think about is if Wells would have something witty to say about what I'm wearing right now. I bet he'd have a long list of bad jokes that would make me never want to wear this outfit again.

"Clay," he introduces himself, extending his hand.

Clay. That's a nice name. Clay. Clay sounds familiar, but I can't quite place it.

"Juniper," I respond, shaking his hand and offering a smile. His hand lingers in the handshake for a moment before he finally lets go.

I turn away, stepping forward in line. "So Juniper, are you from around here?"

I chuckle and turn to face him again. "Oh, god, no," I say, smiling at him. "I'm just here for the summer with my friends. I live in Seattle. You?"

"Uh, just for the week actually," he says, but as he opens his mouth to continue, I spot Delaney walking up from the side.

"Hey," I greet her as she approaches.

"Look June. I'm sorry–" she begins to apologize, and then stops as she turns to see who I'm standing with. "Clayton," she says with surprise.

"Ms. Harter," he says, looking from me to Delaney. "I mean, sorry, Delaney. Bad habit."

Delaney just stands there in shock, and I observe the awkward exchange between them, my gaze shifting back and forth.

Clearing my throat, I ask, "Do you guys know each other?"

Delaney turns her attention to me. "Um, we work together. Clayton teaches math at the elementary school."

"Oh." I nod. Then, my head bobs again as the realization hits me. This is Delaney's Clay. The Clay that Delaney has a thing for all year. "Ooh."

He releases a breath and runs a hand through his hair. "Do you know Juniper?" he asks her.

"Oh, um, yeah, we're friends," she stammers, casting a puzzled glance between us. "Do you guys know each other?"

"Oh, no, well we just met," he replies, smiling at me.

An uncomfortable silence lingers for a brief moment, and I can't recall if I've ever seen Delaney so flustered. I decide it's best to exit the situation.

I begin to back away, saying, "You know what? I'm going to find Ellis." Her eyes widen. "Clay, it was really nice meeting you," I add with a friendly smile.

"Wait, June," she whispers with a slight panic in her voice.

"Delaney, you should invite him over to the house," I suggest as I continue walking backwards. "I'll find you later."

I twirl around to make my exit, but as I do, I collide with someone in my path.

I know exactly who it is the moment I hit his chest. There's only one person who makes my body feel like it's on fire with the slightest touch. Slowly, I tilt my head up just enough to see Wells past the brim of my hat, and my eyes go wide. His hands reach out to steady me on the shoulders.

"Howdy," he says with a smirk on his face, his gaze tracing a path from my cowboy hat down to my cowboy boots. Each spot his eyes linger feels like he's slowly undressing me. "Off to wrangle some cattle?"

I open my mouth to respond, but when nothing comes out, I quickly snap it shut.

"Are you looking for Clint Eastwood? I think I saw him head that way," he adds, motioning with a nod of his head to the left.

I scoff at him, readying a comeback, but once again, the words escape me. Apparently, I've been rendered speechless by Wells Hansen.

He smirks. "I think if you were aiming for Cowgirl Barbie, you should've worn pink."

His finger tilts my hat up slightly to get a better look at my face.

Annoyed, I try to swat his hand away, but he firmly catches my wrist. His hand searing into my skin where he touches it. A stark contrast to the handshake I shared with Clay just moments ago. And it's irritating.

"How are you always everywhere?" I finally manage to get out.

He shakes his head, playfully furrowing his brows. "I don't know. I guess we like the same things."

"You like coming to rodeos?"

He shrugs. "Well, no. My sister dragged me here."

I quickly pull my hand away from his, realizing he's still holding it, and start walking in the opposite direction.

He chuckles. "Juniper, wait," he says from behind me.

I weave my way through the crowd, him following closely behind.

"I haven't seen you since the other day," he says, quickening his pace to match mine. "I wanted to talk."

I walk faster, trying to outdistance him. "There's nothing to talk about, Wells."

"Well, I–" he begins to say, but a group of people blocks his path, and I continue walking, leaving him behind.

"Juniper," he calls out. "Where are you going?" I stop to look around, realizing I have no idea. I just started walking away, and now I'm in the parking lot.

"I don't know," I say, turning to face him, shaking my head.

He steps in front of me and questions, "Why do you keep walking away from me?"

My lips part, and I close my eyes briefly, contemplating my response. "Because."

"Because why?"

Because I don't trust myself with you. Because I like you. Because it's too soon.

"Because."

He leans in closer, bringing himself to my eye level. His proximity is unnerving.

God, why does he have to be too close all the time? I can't think when he's this close.

"Look, Juniper," he begins, his gaze unwavering and sincere. "I just wanted to say that if you want to forget about the other night, we can do that."

My heart races as I swallow hard, desperately trying to avoid looking down at his lips.

"We can forget it happened," he suggests, his eyes searching my face for any hint of what I might be thinking, "and go back to you being irritated with me and me stealing your articles."

"Um," I clear my throat, wetting my bottom lip with my tongue. It's, quite frankly, a lot to process with him standing so close. "Um," I repeat.

He waits for me to complete a sentence, but when nothing comes out, he continues.

"And if–" He starts but his words are cut off as my lips meet his.

His response is almost immediate as his hands firmly clasp my waist, while mine clutch his shirt, urgently trying to bridge the gap between us through the layers of fabric. I tug him closer. I want more of him. I want all of him.

His tongue skims my lower lip, coaxing me to part them, and I comply without hesitation. He sinks his hot tongue into my mouth. He tastes like a mix of cheap beer and the sweetness of kettle corn.

Heat spreads across my skin, and everything clenches tight. A low, needy sound escapes my throat but he seems to enjoy it because he tightens his hold on me, causing us to stumble backward.

A gasp leaves my lips as my back meets the side of a car, him pressing firmly against me. He hitches me up against it, his strong hands firmly gripping both of my thighs. I eagerly sift my fingers through his wavy brown hair, tugging at the ends.

His jeans press against the sensitive skin on the inside of my knees, creating the most delicious friction, sending goosebumps racing across every inch of my exposed skin.

I feel him hard against me, pinning me to this random car, and I grind my hips against him. He lets out a strangled groan, dragging a kiss over the swell of my bottom lip, then captures it with his teeth.

Maybe I'll spiral into anxiety later or have a panic attack, but right now, I'm reveling in this moment. I'm floating on a cloud of endorphins. Like I've just downed an entire pot of coffee, buzzing with energy. I'm pretty sure I could run a marathon right now.

I grind my hips against him once more, and now I'm certain I'm seeing stars. But when I open my eyes, the light I saw behind my eyelids is still there and I tense as I quickly realize it's not the celestial phenomenon I thought it was but a light being pointed at us.

The security guard, his flashlight cutting through the darkness, comes to a halt a few feet in front of us. He clears his throat loudly, drawing our attention.

Wells reacts quickly, setting me to the ground, and we both spring apart, instinctively putting some distance between us.

"I know this isn't exactly a family establishment," the security guard says, his tone firm, "but we do draw the line at allowing people to become physically... intimate on the premises." His flashlight illuminates our faces, causing me to squint against the sudden brightness while my cheeks flush with embarrassment.

Wells clears his throat. "Sorry about that," his voice thick and husky. He clears it again. "It won't happen again."

The security guard gives us a stern look and says, "You two need to either leave or go back in," pointing back towards the rodeo with his thumb.

"We'll go back in," I suggest quickly at the same moment Wells says, "We'll leave."

I shoot him a glare as a devilish smile tugs at his lips.

"If I catch you two out here again," the guard warns, a touch of exasperation in his voice as he walks away. "I'll have to escort you out."

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