“The Ranch House? Did you bring me to a back-road country bar?”

“One, no. Two, hell no. I don’t do country.”

“I bet you’d look sexy in a pair of Wranglers and cowboy boots.”

“Stop it right now. I’m just as sexy in my fandom shirts.”

“You are. I especially liked your Baby Groot shirt.” I squeeze his hand. “Come on, take me inside this fancy ranch house already. I’m dying to know what it is.”

We exit the car and I’m careful to hold my skirt down, not wanting to flash anyone.

“Did I tell you how much I love that skirt you’re wearing?” Zach asks, coming up behind me.

He’s pressed against me, a hand gently resting on my lower back, his mouth at my ear. I shiver and he chuckles.

“Your ears are sensitive, aren’t they?” I nod and his lips brush below my most sensitive spot.

Another shiver. More chuckles.

I gasp when his lips meet my exposed neck, and I’m thankful I wore my hair up. He places a tender kiss before whispering, “Is this date three, Delia?”

My nipples turn to stone, and I’m so scared I’ll moan out the words that I can’t speak. I nod instead.

“Then we’re going to have fun tonight.”

With that, he steps away and laces our hands together, pulling me along without another word.

He leads, and I gladly follow.

When we step inside The Ranch House, I’m surprised to find that it really isn’t a country bar. In fact, it’s pretty damn cool inside. There’s a rustic element to it, but it’s still modern, with a massive floor-to-ceiling window covering nearly the entire back half of the building. Outside are tables and chairs, a fire roaring in the center of it all. White lanterns are strung around the perimeter, and a paved pathway leads right down to the dock on a sprawling lake.

It’s stunning.

“Zach, this is gorgeous.”

“Isn’t it? Come on, let’s grab a table.”

The hostess standing behind the podium eyes Zach, her smile growing as she does.

If Zoe were here, she’d be making a scene about someone making a pass at her man, but me? I don’t mind. I know Zach is attractive. I’d be checking him out too if I were in her shoes—but I’m not. I’m standing at his side.

I have no reason to be jealous.

“Hi, two please,” Zach says politely.

The blonde smiles seductively. “Sure thing, hon. Right this way.”

She leads us to a table in the center of the crowded restaurant, but it’s not cutting it for Zach.

“Can we sit outside? On the patio?” He squeezes my hand. “Somewhere…private.”

Her smile is more forced this time. “No problem.”

We’re led outside and given a table close to the fire. Zach, ever the gentleman, pulls my chair out before taking a seat himself.

“Your waiter will be right you,” the hostess says before depositing our menus and scurrying off.

“She thinks you’re hot,” I tell him once she’s out of earshot.

He grins, the fire making the mischief shine through even more. “That’s because I am.”

I snort and open the menu to peruse. It doesn’t take me long to catch on. I peek up to find Zach staring at me, waiting to see what my reaction is.

“This place…they take their name seriously, huh?”

“Very. Thoughts?”

“Everything is prepared with ranch dressing?”

“Every single item. Served on the side too. If you flip to the back page, you’ll see all the flavors they offer.”

“Twenty-seven? How is that…”

“All crafted in house too.” His lips tip downward. “Please tell me you like ranch. If you don’t we can leave right now. I always forget that not everyone is as obsessed with it as me.”

“Now your assmunch comment makes so much sense.”

His brows shoot up. “Assmunch comment? When?”

“When we ordered wings. They didn’t put your ranch in the bag and you sounded rather upset. I wondered about it, but pushed the thought away.”

“Ah, yes. I still haven’t forgiven those dicks.”

I chuckle. “You do take your ranch seriously.”

“Someone has to. But really, do we need to leave?”

“Ranch isn’t my go-to—I like blue cheese more—but I’m way too excited to try a few of these flavors for us to leave now.”

“I’ll take it. Now, I suggest getting the fries, that way you can try multiple flavors.”

“Then the burger…and the mozzarella sticks. Maybe the Mediterranean flatbread too.”

“Delia?”

“Yes, I’m starving.”

“Naturally. Do you even eat unless I’m feeding you?”

I fold the menu closed and lay it off to the side. “Not food like this. This is exotic cuisine.”

“It’s ranch dressing.”

“Twenty-seven different flavors of ranch dressing! You can’t expect me to not eat all the things.”

“Fair point.”

“But…do you want to split? Because I honestly can’t eat all that food.”

He chuckles. “Yeah, we can split, but we’re getting fried green beans too.”

“I’m sorry, you want to do what to my green beans?”

“Shush and enjoy the experience.”

Our waiter finally comes around and we place our drink and food orders at the same time. It doesn’t take long before he’s bringing our beverages back out to us.

Relaxing back in our chairs, we sip our drinks and watch the fire roar.

“It’s nice out here, quiet. You’d think they’d have music playing through the speakers or something.”

“I’m sure they do on summer nights. I bet the patio isn’t popular in November.”

We go back to silence. The crackling of wood, the occasional call of a bird, and the soft lap of waves on the lake is all we can hear.

The sun is about to set, and a few stars are poking through the sky.

“Sometimes I wish I could live under the stars,” I confess.

“Why is that?”

“They’re calming, peaceful. They lull you to sleep. I don’t worry when I peer into the vastness of the night sky. I feel so small in this universe for one split second. It’s grounding.”

“You’re not small, Delia, not even when you study the stars. Trust me.”

I glance his way, loving the way his head is thrown back as he watches the sky above, the way his throat moves when he swallows.

“Are you trying to say something sweet, Zach?”

He grins, and even from here I know his dimple is making an appearance. “I’m just saying you shine a whole hell of a lot brighter than you think you do, at least to me. You’re different—the good kind of different.”

Our waiter sneaks our way with the food, but Zach doesn’t notice. I hold my hand up to stop him from coming closer, wanting to hear what else Zach has to say.

“You’re funny, and sarcastic, and that ass of yours could distract an entire room.”

A trickle of laughter falls out of me as I glance to the waiter, whose mouth is hanging open.

“I’m just saying, when you did that sexy striptease last—”

“Zach, stop.”

“No way. When you did that sexy striptease the other night, I was sitting on your bed thinking of all the ways I’d like to bend you—ow! What the hell was that for!”

He sits up, shooting daggers my way before finally realizing we have a guest.

I sit there, trying with everything I have not to slide down in my seat until I’m hiding under the table. I didn’t think that was the direction he was going in at all.

Only Zach.

“Oh hell, Delia. Why didn’t you say something?”

“Because I didn’t know you were going to get all pervy on me!”

Zach groans and turns to the waiter. “You, sir, are getting a massive tip.” Then he turns to me and winks. “I’ll give you way more than just the tip.”

The waiter, so stunned, loses balance with the tray. Two of our meals go toppling over, and our refills pour down the front of his shirt.

He stands there, shocked but composed.

We sit there, shocked and mortified.

“So…let’s go ahead and double that tip,” Zach says.

The waiter simply nods, grabbing his tray and retreating inside.

“Zachary Hastings!”

“What? I couldn’t help it! Besides, you deserved that after letting me go on and on about your fantastic ass.”

“Are you done?”

“Yes.” He leans across the table, and I match his movements. “But just so you know, you’re getting a way bigger tip than he is.”

“That was possibly the best ranch dressing I have ever had.”

“I told you this place was awesome.”

“Thank you for bringing me here. I never knew it existed.”

“Being the ranch freak I am, I’ve been on the lookout for a restaurant like this for years. I’m surprised one popped up in my own back yard—maybe they pinged all my Google searches or something.”

“You’re so strange, Zach.”

“I’ll own up to that. So…you want to get out of here?”

“Where are we going?”

Nervous, he flits his eyes away. “I was thinking of showing you my place tonight.”

The suggestion alone has my body lit up. The words caress my skin, knowing exactly what it is he’s implying.

“I think I’d like that.”

He stands and reaches out for my hand. I let him pull me from the table and whisk me back through the restaurant.

It’s hot inside the car, and it’s purely because we can feel the electricity thrumming through the air. He’s breathing hard, I’m breathing harder.

That spark I was missing before? Yeah, it’s right here in this car, zinging back and forth between me and Zach.

He’s squeezing the shift knob, knuckles turning white with anticipation.

I reach over and cover his hand, lifting his until it rests on my naked thigh. He inhales sharply and I hold my breath, waiting.

The weight of his hand is doing things to me, things I didn’t expect. I didn’t intend to start anything sexual while he’s driving, but if I said I didn’t want to scoot down in my seat until his hand rested firmly between my legs, I’d be a damn liar, and that’s not who I am.

“Delia…” It’s a warning, and I know it is.

“I’m not doing anything, Zach. I just wanted to feel your touch.”

“And I just want to pull this car over right this second.”

“I mean, I wouldn’t—”

The tires screech as he whips us into the parking lot that just so happens to be right next to us. He expertly parks us between two big SUVs before pushing his seat back and unbuckling us both.

Before I know it, I’m straddling him and his tongue is in my mouth, his hands pulling my hair out of the ponytail I had it in.

We’re grinding and pulling at each other, trying to get as close as possible.

My skirt is now around my waist and his hands are gripping my ass cheeks, dragging me closer. The sounds of our harsh breaths fill the car.

“Zach…” I moan, his dick sliding against my underwear, hitting me in all the right places. “This is…oh my god.”

“I know, I know.”

Our once frenzied movements turn languid as we come down from the rush of…well, everything.

“Delia,” Zach says, kissing his way from right under my ear to my lips before ripping his mouth away and placing his forehead against mine. “I think we need to stop. I want you—bad—but I don’t think our first time should be in a car.”

Once again, my breaths are coming in so sharp, all I can do is nod.

Zach pulls his head away from mine and our eyes connect for the first time since I landed in his lap. His normally bright green gaze is dark, needy. I’m certain my own stare matches his at this moment.

He glances around the parking lot and snickers.

“Oh shit. Do you realize we just dry humped in the parking lot of a restaurant that’s currently hosting kid’s night?”

I blink, confused, and peek around. “Oh…oops.”

“Oops is right,” he says, pulling his hands off my ass and out from under my skirt. “We should be on our way before some poor parents peek inside the car.”

“I’m not looking for any public indecency charges, so that’s a great idea.” I slide back over into my seat, pushing my skirt down and covering as much of my legs as I can. “No more touching for the rest of the ride.”

“FYI, I’m going to speed. Buckle up.”

I smirk, pull the seat belt back around me, and revel in the anticipation coursing through me.