A Beautiful Thought (The Beautiful Series) by Alicia Rae

the chest with her tiny finger.
    “A surprise is hardly a secret.” I caved and kissed her just once. “Come on, sweetheart, let’s go. The day is wasting away.”
    “All right. Give me ten minutes, and we’ll be out the door.” She gave me a kiss of her own before jumping out of my bed.
    I chuckled under my breath as I realized I had yet to dress myself. I threw on a pair of jeans and a black tee. I grabbed my truck keys and wallet off my dresser before slipping them into my pockets.
    I strolled over to the door as Gail skidded to a stop, and she let out a deep breath. She had already changed into sexy cutoffs and a light tank top that accentuated her breasts. She beamed my way, showing off her breathtaking smile.
    God…she’s beautiful.
    “I’m ready!” she exclaimed.
    Unable to resist her, I closed the distance between us and kissed her. Her delicate lips parted, letting me in to stroke my tongue over hers.
    “Mmm…” she breathed after I reluctantly let her go. “What was that for?”
    “Because I can, and I wanted to.” I grinned devilishly at her, and then I made my mind focus back on the task at hand. “Come on.”
    She followed me into the kitchen and gasped when she saw the basket. She spun around to face me and asked, “A picnic?”
    “Yes,” I answered with a hint of coyness.
    I silently regarded her as many emotions flitted across her face. A hint of moisture filled her eyes, but she blinked rapidly while keeping her eyes on me.
    “Thank you,” she spoke softly. “No matter what you have planned, thank you for thinking of me today.”
    Her reaction seemed as though no one had ever taken such measures to romance her as a woman should be, and it pissed me off to think she had been treated with less than she deserved. A primal response inside me wanted to hunt down the last fucker she’d dated and beat his ass.
    I returned my attention to her. “You’re welcome.”
    She glanced between the basket and me with speculation. “Wait, when did you do all of this?”
    “This morning while you were sleeping.”
    Her expression lifted. “Wow,” she said, stunned. “You must have been really quiet. Normally, I wake up because you stomp around like an ox.”
    “I do not,” I lied playfully before tugging her out the door.

    Gail gasped from the passenger side of my truck as we passed a horse ranch, thinking we were going there. Her eyes stayed locked on the place as we continued to drive by.
    “Do you like horses?” I asked.
    “I love them, but I’ve never ridden one before.” She let out a dreamy sigh. “It’s at the top of my bucket list though.”
    “What else is on that bucket list of yours?” I asked curiously, keeping my eyes on the road.
    “Oh, the usual, I guess.” She shifted in her seat. “Horseback riding, bungee jumping, sky diving, parasailing, visiting an island and swimming with dolphins or maybe sharks.”
    I gave her a sideways glance. “Quite the daredevil, aren’t you?”
    “Nope.” She laughed. “That’s why it’s a bucket list. Most people don’t end up doing everything on their lists. They just dream about it. Have you ever been on a horse before?”
    “No, I like to ride predictable things with wheels.” I grinned.
    “You do realize they actually train the horses, right?” she asked jokingly.
    I nodded. “I do, but I’d rather be in complete control. Engines don’t have a mind of their own—unlike a horse who might see a hawk and run off scared with me on its back.”
    I quickly glanced at her to see her face lighting up with amusement.
    “So, you’ll get on a dirt bike or a four-wheeler, knowing you could fall and break a bone, but you won’t ride a tame horse along a trail with a beautiful sunset?”
    “Exactly,” I scoffed.
    Gail snickered in her seat as we pulled up under a bridge. I parked the truck and stepped out to grab our stuff from the backseat. Gail exited her side of the vehicle.
    Together, we walked hand in hand to the edge