"Are you sure you have to leave right now for work?" Renne pulled back from Swayde's kisses just long enough to ask. She leaned in to kiss him one more time, but he pulled back, smiling down at her, making Renne stick out her bottom lip in a pout.

       "Now, now, darlin'. Don't make that pouty face of yours." Swayde playfully tapped her nose. "It's cute, don't get me wrong, but I really do have to get to work. I've already been late twice this week, and I can't risk that again. As long as I'm takin' you out, I have to keep makin' money. You're an expensive date." Swayde played, grinning down at Renne. Considering that the other "job" he was teasing her about was at his own ranch, he didn't have a boss, so it didn't matter what time he showed up; either way, he loved to tease Renne if it meant she gave him that adorable blue eyed glare. He was so lost in her eyes that he didn't even see her wind up, swinging and slugging his arm. Knowing he deserved it, Swayde teased, "You hit like a girl." This time, he watched as Renne's mouth fell open and she wound up again to release her wrath on Swayde's shoulder, but instead, Swayde caught her wrist, using it to pull her closer against him. "You're so dadgum cute when you're mad." He flirted right before his lips closed over her still parted ones. After a couple more long kisses, the couple finally pulled apart, hoping to catch their breaths. "As much as I don't want to, I really do have to go now, darlin'."

         "Oh, alright. I reckon I will see you when you get off work?" Renne stood beside Swayde's truck, watching him as he hopped in the cab, drawing the seat belt across his chest. She tucked her hands into her back jeans pocket as she smiled up at him. Honestly, she felt like a love sick teenager in love for the first time. Hey, that is what true love will do to a person. 

        "Yes, ma'am." Swayde stared at Renne for a second longer before jerking his head backwards. "Come here." He grinned as Renne walked forward, standing on her tip toes to meet Swayde's lips. "Mmm, man you are awful hard to leave." Swayde said after pulling back from their kiss. 

       "Dang straight. And don't you ever forget it." Renne teased, stepping back from Swayde's truck just as he turned the key in the ignition, plopping his cowboy hat on his head. 

        "Oh, I won't. I'll see you tonight." Swayde replied, hesitantly gearing his truck in drive, pulling out of the driveway. 

       Still standing in the cloud of smoke that Swayde's truck had made when he left from his tires spinning on the gravel, Renne watched his taillights light up when he slowed down to turn out of the driveway. Letting out a sigh when his truck was out of sight, Renne trudged her way back into the house to work on more paperwork for her therapy ranch.

       Taking a seat behind the large desk in the office, Renne turned on her laptop, typing in the password. It was always hard to have to watch Swayde leave in the mornings after he had helped finish the chores at Mamaw and Papaw's house, but it was even harder to keep her mind off of him long enough to focus on reality, and her own job. Sure, she was blessed to be able to work out of the office she had at home, but that just meant that more distractions were prevalent.  

        It had only been a week since Renne came back to Swayde, moving out of her home in Montana and back to Wyoming. Swayde and Renne had been spending an awful lot of time together, but they were yet to go on an official date since they got back together, and that was the thing. They weren't really "back together officially" because neither of them had made any motion to put a label on their relationship yet.

         Letting out a breath as she typed in numbers on the budget spread sheet for her ranch on the computer, Renne's phone's screen lit up. Glancing over at it, she saw Swayde's name appear on the screen. With a smile, she stopped what she was doing to look at the text. 

        "I miss you already. <3" The text read. 

       Renne was sure she was blushing like a mad woman as she texted him back, "I miss you too, even though it has only been 20 minutes since I saw you last. ;)" She watched as the message status went to "read" before the dots appeared, telling her that Swayde was typing, but then the dots dropped and no message came through. 

       Right as she was about to put her phone down, her "Like a Cowboy" ringtone played. "Hi, honey." Renne answered the phone with a grin, staring at the documents spread all over her desk. 

       "Hey, I need your help with something here at the ranch. You mind comin' over and givin' me a hand?" Swayde paused, but quickly didn't let Renne answer when he heard her take in a breath to turn down the offer. "Before you even say that you have too much work to do there, don't. Because you can just bring everything over here, and I will sit down and help you on it." 

      Renne's grin hadn't fallen in the least bit. "But you would distract me." 

      "I promise you I won't. As long as you help me with what I need to get done here, I will help you get done what you have to do. Deal?" He smiled, biting his lip. "Please come over?" 

       Renne was already packing up her things, closing her laptop and slipping it into her backpack, along with her couple stacks of papers. "I'll think about it. I seriously do have a lot to do if I am goin' to move Healing Hearts' headquarters to Alpine Ridge." She played with Swayde as she walked out of her office, grabbing her truck keys and cowboy hat, walking out of the house. Opening the driver's door of her rusting out 1995 F250, a loud squeak rang out as she tossed her stuff in the cab, hoping into the seat, and attempting to quietly close the door behind her. 

      "Right, right. Oh, I'm sure." Swayde played back; he knew her well enough to know that she was already on her way to his ranch.

       "I got to go. I'm busy busy busy. Talk to you later." Renne hung up the phone with a smile, starting her truck and quickly driving down the long driveway. 

       Ten minutes later, Renne turned her truck down Swayde's driveway, passing under the familiar wooden archway beside the rusting tin mail box. The smile on her face was still evident even as she parked her truck, grabbing her hat off the dash and walking towards one of the barns where she could see Swayde leaning against his truck, arms folded over his chest, accenting his muscles. A large smile rested on his lips as he watched Renne plop her hat on her head, sauntering his way. 

         "Were you out here waiting on me?" Renne asked, walking closer to him. She watched as he stood up off his truck to meet her halfway. 

       "Yeah, I knew you were coming. I could hear your squeaky truck door over the phone." Pointing a waving finger at Renne, he added, "You tried to play me, trying to make me think that you weren't comin' over." He wrapped his arms around Renne's slim waist. 

       "Man, I really need to put some WD-40 on that door because my plan would have worked if it didn't squeak." She gave into Swayde's hold. 

       Swayde tilted his head to the side, staring down into Renne's beautiful blue eyes. "Possibly." He spoke, wondering how on earth he could fall more in love with her every time he looked into her eyes. 

      Renne took in a deep breath, oblivious to what Swayde's heart was going through at the moment. "So, what did you need my help with?" She pulled back from the hug, taking a step back, and tucking her thumbs into her jeans pocket. 

         A grin rose to Swayde's lips as he pulled out a couple latex gloves from his back pocket. Holding them up, he said with a smirk, "Time to de-worm some heifers." 

        Renne cocked an eyebrow at Swayde, standing with her hands on her hips. "Really? You called me out here and made me stop what I was doin' to help you on something you could easily do by yourself?"   

        Swayde shrugged, "It goes quicker with two people and it's way more fun." 

       Playfully, Renne rolled her eyes, folding her arms over her chest. "Is that seriously why you called me out here?" 

       "Well," Swayde shifted his stance, instantly looking nervous. "There was another reason..." 

       Renne dropped her hands back to her sides, giving Swayde a look. "You look so nervous, what's wrong?" She chuckled, taking a step closer. 

       "You have been back here for a week, and I know we have been spending a bunch of time together, and it's been great, but..." Swayde tried to think of how to form the next sentence. 

        The worse thought possible popped into Renne's head. She reached out, resting a hand on Swayde's forearm. "Swayde, are you sayin' we need to take a step back?" 

         He rested a hand on hers bringing it to his lips, placing a kiss on her hand. "No, no, it's the complete opposite. I wanted to see if you would be interested in goin' out on a real date. I mean, I think it's about time, right?" 

       A grin rose to Renne's lips. "So, you're askin' me out? Like on a real date?" She tilted her head to the side, giving Swayde a look. 

       "Yeah. How's that sound to you?" Swayde stared down at her, unsure the last time he was so nervous to ask her a question. 

        "Man, it's been an awful long time since you asked me on a date. I think you're a little rusty there, sweetheart." Renne played, just to irritate Swayde with her hesitant response.

        "You make my life so difficult sometimes, woman." Swayde grinned, grabbing a hold of her waist, pulling her against his chest. "But I would not want it any other way, you stubborn thang." He winked right before he dropped an awkward kiss on her lips. Darned cowboy hats getting in the way. "So, do I get an answer?" 

         Renne pulled back from their kiss, walking towards the chutes. "Oh, I guess a date wouldn't be horrible." She grinned at him over his shoulder, so he knew she was enjoying being obnoxious. 

        "You're impossible." Swayde shook his head as he gave her a smile, walking to the chutes. 

        "I know." Renne walked towards the dry lot holding pen at the end of the chutes. "I'll run them and work the chute if you apply the de-wormer?" 

        "Sounds like a plan to me." Swadye pulled on his latex gloves, picking up the applicator and beginning to prime it as Renne ran ten heifers into the alley. 

        With the first heifer in the chute, Swayde adjusted the applicator to the right dosage based on her weight, then squeezed the gel out, starting at her shoulder, and working down to the tail head. Continuing down the line, Swayde got the next nine heifers done in less than five minutes, telling Renne to run them through. 

       Expertly, Renne opened the squeeze chute, letting the few heifers out as more filed in. In less than an hour, Swayde and Renne had all of the 125 heifers de-wormed, and back into the pastures. 

        "Now we get to do it all again tomorrow, but tomorrow I have to run the other 375 through. Want to join me?" Swayde took off his gloves, tossing them into the 55 gallon barrel trash can beside the work table near the chutes.

         "Is that your idea of a date, Swayde McAllister?" Renne inquired, shielding her eyes from the beating sun.

         "Man you are feisty today!" Swayde chuckled, walking towards Renne. "Don't you think we make the perfect team? We work so good together." He rested his hands on Renne's waist, trying not to chuckle at her cross armed stance or her mean blue eyed stare that she was giving him.

         "Yes, but that still doesn't answer my question."

          Swayde dropped a kiss on Renne's cheek, quietly playing her, "Reckon you will just have to stop by tomorrow and find out."