"Hey, y'all, sorry, I don't mean to be rude, but we are closed, and I have to start cleaning these tables off." The teenage cashier said to Misty and Clay who were still sitting at a table at the ice cream parlor in town. Clay and Misty were the last two people to leave the place; they had really been enjoying their time together, and didn't want to leave. 

        "That's alright, I think we were fixin' to head out anyways." Clay said, standing from the table. "Thank you for letting us stay here, even though y'all closed a half hour ago." Clay smiled at the kind employee after checking his phone to see just how late it had gotten. Clay and Misty had been deep in conversation that they didn't realize it was well after closing. Turning, Clay grabbed Misty's hand to help her off of the bench, even though he knew she didn't need help. 

       "Oh, it's no problem. We usually hang around for a few minutes after our posted closing time anyways. Y'all have a good night, and be sure to stop back in and see us again." The employee pasted on a smile.

        Misty waved and thanked the cashier, telling her they would definitely be back again. Wrapping both of her arms around Clay's bicep, Misty smiled up at him. "Thank you for the ice cream, even though it was cold out." She was still wearing his jacket, and she had no plans on giving it back to him anytime soon. 

       Clay stuffed his hands into his jeans pockets as they slowly walked back to his truck. "You're very welcome. And, by the way, I don't think that it's cold out at all." There was a teasing smile on his lips. 

       "If you make fun of me for being cold again, I promise you I will walk home." Misty retorted, pulling back so she could better see Clay's face.

        "If you walk home, you could freeze to death." Clay said, matter of factly. He didn't look at Misty, knowing she would be able to see right through the smile he was attempting to hide. 

       Misty let go of Clay's arm to swat at him, playfully hitting his chest with the long sleeves of his jacket. "Clay Montgomery!" 

        "That's my name, darlin', don't you forget it." He smirked. 

        "Oh, you little..." Misty stopped walking to face Clay and swat at his chest again.

        With a chuckle, Clay asked, "Why are you hittin' me for? What, I didn't do anything!"

       "You keep makin' fun of me for being chilly. There is a difference between the air around me being chilly, and me actually being cold, y'know." 

        Clay didn't respond; instead, he just stared down at her with that stupid grin on his face. 

        "What? Why are you smirking at me?" Misty asked, feeling slightly intimidated since Clay was a good six inches taller than her. 

        Stepping forward, Clay set his hands on top of Misty's shoulders. "You're so cute when you try to be mad at me." Tilting his head down, Clay dropped a kiss on Misty's forehead.

        Misty just shook her head, keeping it down so Clay couldn't see her smiling as they resumed walking back to his truck. 

        Hopping in the cab, Misty immediately lifted up the center console, sliding into the middle seat. Once Clay pulled out onto the road, Misty wrapped both her arms around his strong bicep again, resting her head on his shoulder. Placing his hand on Misty's thigh, Clay said, "I had a lot of fun with you tonight. I'm really glad that we are the kind of couple that can do spontaneous things for dates. Like, I'm real glad that you're okay with us not always having a planned out date. It's fun to just randomly go out and walk or drive around, not knowing where we will end up." 

        Misty smiled at Clay, resting her chin on his shoulder as she watched his eyes intently focused on his driving. "I'm really glad, too." Scooching closer, Misty's lips brushed, ever so softly, against Clay's jawline, right above where the hair from his medium stubble beard graced his cheeks. Pulling back, Misty nestled her face into Clay's neck, running a finger over his shirt collar. In a voice just above a whisper, Misty said something that she had meant to stay in her head. "You make me so happy just being with you." Misty could feel Clay's cheeks raise in a smile as he rubbed a hand up and down her thigh, squeezing it over the skin right above her knee. 

      Clay didn't have to verbally respond for Misty to know that he heard her, or that he felt the same way. His smile, and body language said all that she needed it to to know he agreed with her. 

      The turn signal on Clay's truck clicked off as he turned off of the road and into the McAdams' ranch driveway. Gravel crunched under the wheels of the truck as Clay slowly inched his way down the lane, not wanting to have to drop Misty off for the night. Slowing his truck even more as he approached his loft, he turned to Misty. "How tired are you?"

       "Honestly, not very much at all, why?" Misty asked, lifting her head off of Clay's shoulder.

       With a grin, Clay said, "I have one more thing I want to do before I drop you off at your house, if that's okay?" 

       "I'm all for spendin' more time with you, cowboy." Misty smiled in response. 

        "Good." Clay replied simply, parking his truck in front of his loft, putting it in drive, but not turning the engine off. "I'll be right back. Stay here." He said, hopping out of the cab, jogging into the barn. 

      Misty saw the upstairs loft lights flick on, seeing Clay's figure for a split second in the window as he got to the top of the stairs. Only a couple minutes later, Clay came back outside, his arms full of blankets and a couple pillows. Chuckling at Clay, Misty knew he had yet another spontaneous plan. 

       "Here, hold these, please." Clay smiled, handing Misty the blankets through the open passenger side window. 

       "What are these for?" Misty asked Clay once he got back in his truck, backing out to the driveway. 

       "I thought you loved my spontaneity, my dear." Clay smirked. 

       Without a reply, Misty shook her head and decided to be patient as Clay drove them back towards the ranch house.

       After a silent five minute drive, Clay parked his truck beside one of the McAdams' pole barns. Off to the side of the barn, there was an old, red painted straight load horse trailer that Misty's family uses as storage because it needs a lot of work before it can be used again to haul horses. Turning off his truck and the headlights, Clay walked over to the other side of his truck, grabbing the blankets from Misty with one hand, grabbing her other hand as he led her to the trailer. 

       Stopping by the tires of the trailer, Clay turned and smiled at Misty in the dark of the night. "You want to stargaze for a bit?" 

       Looking up to the trailer, Misty smiled as she nodded in response.

      "Sweet. Here, hold these and I will climb up first to make sure it's safe." Clay smiled, handing Misty the blankets.

       "Be careful, babe." Misty chuckled out as she watched Clay mangle his way onto the wheels, placing his hands on the top of the trailer. With a hop off the tires, Clay pushed himself up onto the trailer roof, swinging his legs over the side. Standing up, Clay flexed his muscles smiling down at Misty. "Good job, honey." She shook her head up at her crazy boyfriend. After walking across the whole roof, Clay came back to his spot right above the tires, bouncing a little bit on the roof. "Clay! Don't do that!" Misty said teasingly, but worriedly. 

       "What? I'm makin' sure it's safe for my baby girl." Clay smiled, kneeling down onto the roof, laying down so his arms hung over the side. "Here, hand me the blankets, then I'll help you up." 

       Misty climbed onto the metal fender cap above the wheel, handing Clay the pillows and blankets she still held. Scoffing, Misty retorted. "I do not need help up onto the trailer." She felt confident due to her past of having to climb on top of trailers. To prove she didn't need help, Misty positioned herself against the wall, reaching her hands on the top of the trailer. After trying once to hop up, she realized she was no where near as tall as Clay was. After he chuckled at her failed attempt, Misty asked with her hands on her hips, "Why are you laughin' at me? You're so mean!" She added a smile.

      "I'm not laugin' at you, darlin'. I would never laugh at you. I'm laughin' with you." 

      With a huff, Misty glared, "Those are pretty much the same thing. Either way, are you goin' to help me up or lay up there still makin' fun of me?" 

       "I'm sorry. I'll help you up. Gimme your hand." Clay extended his down to his girlfriend; that stupid grin still rested on his lips as Misty grabbed his hand. With minimal effort because of his strong arms, Clay pulled Misty up onto the horse trailer. "There ya go. Man, I keep you warm, and help you onto trailers. What ever would you do without me?" He asked, following Misty's lead, standing up to lay the blankets out. 

       "Well, since I wouldn't be so dadgum busy goin' on dates, I could probably have more free time, so I could work more, oh, and I would be able to actually work with my horse as much as I feel like." Misty laid out a blanket on the top of trailer, winking at Clay over her shoulder. "That's what I would do without you." She shrugged as if she meant it. When Clay didn't say anything in response, Misty turned around to see him standing facing her with both hands on his hips, his mouth open; he was running his tongue over his bottom teeth and his eyebrows were raised.

       "Wow." Clay drew out. There was a gleam in his eyes as he gave his girlfriend a smirk. 

       "Oh come on. You know that I'm only kiddin' you." Misty walked over to Clay, wrapping her arms around his waist. "I may have more free time if you weren't in my life, but my days would be boring, my nights long, and my smile would only be a frown. You make me so happy. I smile and laugh more with you than I ever have before in my life."

       "Now who's the sweet talker?" Clay smiled down at Misty, feeling truly happy and content for the first time in his life. 

         "I learned it from my boyfriend. He's pretty amazing." Dropping her arms from Clay, Misty turned, setting the pillows down on their makeshift bed. Kneeling down, Misty patted the spot next to her, inviting Clay to lay down with her. 

        With a chuckle, Clay laid down, wrapping his arms around Misty. Reciprocating, Misty cuddled up next to him, laying her head on his chest and laying and arm over his waist. Reaching down, Misty grabbed a couple blankets, pulling them over her and Clay, keeping warm from the cold emanating from the metal trailer, and the crispness of the night air around them. 

       Neither of them said a word for several minutes. Instead, they just laid there, enjoying being in each others arms, watching the night sky getting darker and darker, the stars glistening brightly. 

       After probably a half hour of laying in complete silence, Clay looked at Misty a little better so he could see her beautiful face. "Can I ask you something?" He was playing with her hair with the arm that was around her shoulders.

       "Ask me anything." Misty smiled. 

      "What do you want most in life?" Clay asked as he spun her hair around his finger.

       "Honestly? What I want most in my life is to own my own mustang rescue ranch. I've already given up so much of my life for this business, and every year since I was born, I have gone on the roundups. There's just such a rewarding feeling that you get from rescuing these horses. And I love that we do it in a humanely way. We aren't those people who take mustangs off the range because we think they are pretty. We do it because in some cases, it is what's best for the herds; thinning and culling are normal parts of ranch life, and knowing that we are helpin' the herds, and blessing a family with a well trained mustang is such a satisfying thing. Sure, there are years that we don't get any from the range because the herd size is at the optimal number, but even then there are enough other horses for us to work with that it makes up for it. But I think my favorite part of it, and this is why I want my own ranch, is when we get truck loads of mustangs and other horses that have been saved from the kill pen and slaughter house." Tracing a finger over Clay's abs, Misty took a deep breath. "Enough about me." With her ear against his chest, listening to his steady heartbeat, Misty asked Clay, "What do you want most in life?"

       "Besides spending every day with you, just like this, I want to you make you the happiest girl in the world." His heart beat sped up a little bit as he finally told her what he's been feeling for a while. 

        Misty sat up on her elbow to look at him better. Clay's hand dropped from his toying with her hair. "Clay, do you mean that? Do you honestly mean that, or are you just saying it in the heat of the moment?"

       Clay sat up, too, pushing some of Misty's hair out of her face. "I'm serious, Mist. I can't imagine anything else I would rather do in the future than wake up next to your beautiful face every morning. And I want to do whatever I can to make you the happiest person in the world." 

       "Clay, I want that, too." Misty smiled. "I want you to be the happiest person you could ever be when you're with me. And, I reckon seein' your face every morning wouldn't be half bad either." She teased with a smile.  

       With a smile, Clay caressed Misty's face in his hands, leaning forward. "Can I kiss you, Mist?"

         Leaning forward more, Misty nodded, smiling as Clay's lips met hers for the most perfect kiss they had ever shared. That kiss, Misty and Clay both knew, would forever mark the start of their future together, something that they both knew they wanted.