Hello my dearest readers! this is almost the last chapter. yes, there is this one and then one more chater 22 possibly a 23 if I feel it necessary. Please read tell me if you would like a second one :D thank you please review

Chapter 21

Dancing with Ross was like magic. A beautiful, amazing magic that made the moment seem to last a lifetime. He held me close and I felt completely secure like nothing bad could ever touch me again as long as I was in his arms. We danced on until the song ended, and even then, we danced right on through the next song. We slowly broke apart and I looked up at him into his gorgeous blue eyes. They were watching mine. I glanced down at his lips. He smiled and he leaned closer, taking my hands and still moving even closer until our faces were inches apart.

I stood on my tip toes and closed the gap even further and was about to lean in when I got a tap on the shoulder. I turned expecting to see Slocum or even the sheriff but to our relief it was only DJ. "Firework time!" she exclaimed and then ran off to rejoin the group.

I turned back to Ross. He was blushing tomato red. I smiled and took his hand. "Come on. We don't want to miss these."

He smiled and nodded, leading the way to the fireworks. I had expected him to follow the crowd to where the fireworks were but no he was taking us a different way, to a different spot. "Uh, Ross, where are we going?" I said in a nervous voice.

He chuckled, "You'll see." He continued to lead the way until I realized we were headed back to the parking lot and we headed toward the truck.

"You're not taking me back to the ranch are you? Cause I really was hoping to see these fireworks. Sam was talking and she said it was supposed to be a really good display and that they were supposed to take the shape of the American flag at the end. Hey wait, why are you pulling down the truck gate. You're going to make me ride in the truck bed? This…" Ross put his hand over my mouth.

"Are you done?" he asked with a wide smile on his face. I nodded and he let his hand fall. He had stopped us and was pulling out some sort of blanket and was laying it down on the truck bed. Got up onto the truck and then offered me a hand up. He pulled me up and we sat on the edge first.

"Did you plan this?" I asked him.

"Yeah, it's not much." I could see a slight blush on his cheeks.

"No, I think it's perfect. Absolutely perfect."

He smiled and took off his cowboy hat and placed it on his other side. I reached over him and picked it up. It was a light tan color. He took it from my hands and placed it on my head. It was a little big.

I leaned back on my hands, " Ya know I was thinkin' 'bout gittin' me one these."

He laughed. "Yeah? You thinkin' about speaking that way once you get one?"

That made me laugh. "Maybe. How do I look with it on?" Just then it fell over my eyes.

He chuckled and lifted it so he could see my eyes. "Now that's what's perfect," he whispered. His fingers tentatively touched my cheek. I leaned in closer to him. Then the first bang of a firework. I jumped back and almost fell off the truck. He looked surprised even and a little embarrassed.

"Um, how about we lie back and watch the fireworks?"

He agreed. And we laid down. It was a chilly night despite that the fact that the day had been terribly hot. I inched closer to Ross and he wrapped his arm around me. We sat in silence for a while, the only sound was the bursting of the colorful fireworks and our steady breathing. I stared up at the stars. They were bright and you could see all of them. I said, "Have you ever felt like the sky could just swallow you up? I think if it could, whomever was lucky enough, they would become a star. Burning brightly, being admired by others, people wishing on you. I think that would be what I would want to be."

He stayed silent for a bit and spoke, "Every night I would go out there and sit on that porch in that same seat and wish on a star. Every night the same star."

"What would you wish for?"

He paused. "W-well. I-I wished for you."

I turned to look at him. I studied his face waiting for him to go on.

"I wanted someone that understood me. Didn't judge me. The first moment you took a look at Wyatt's son and got excited, I could tell there was somethin' d-different about you. Then that first night on that porch you were watching the sky and I could see the stars reflected in your eyes. And I knew that that star I had wished on every night had brought me you."

At first I looked at him in amazement. Then I began to smile. "Ross," I whispered and leaned toward him. My lips found his. At first the kiss was slow and chaste, but then it deepened into something more until I was on top of him and he was holding me close. That's when I stopped.

"Ross. I…I don't think I can do this." I got off of him and sat up. He sat up then too and put his arm on my shoulder, but I shook him off. "I'm sorry. Trust me you did nothing wrong. You are truly amazing and you deserve someone that will always be there for you. It's just that… Ross, I'm leaving tomorrow and I probably won't ever see you again. And I don't think I can do that to you. I can't lead you on like that. You deserve better."

"N-no. I-I won't a-accept that." He put his hand under my chin and turned me to face him. He ran his thumb across my face and wiped away my tears. "We will see each other again."

I paused to look at him. I leaned and kissed his cheek. "I'm sorry Ross, but I can't." I got up, got out of the truck and walked to find the others. And when I thought he couldn't see me I ran. Ran until I couldn't any more then I sat down and cried.