AN: Thank you everyone for the love and support coming back to this story! I decided to do something a bit different with this story than I have others in this collection. Usually I pick one song and stick with that theme throughout each part buuuuut…not this time! LOL It's the summer of love and we're doing a whole soundtrack! So pull up your cowboy boots, and saddle up because we're going for a ride!

Song Inspiration: Are You Gonna Kiss Me or Not? – Thompson Square

...

On the Tip of My Tongue – Part 2

We were sittin' up there on your momma's roof

Talkin' 'bout everything under the moon

With the smell of honeysuckle and your perfume

All I could think about was my next move

Oh, but you were so shy, so was I

Maybe that's why it was so hard to believe

When you smiled and said to me

"Are you gonna kiss me or not?

Are we gonna do this or what?

I think you know I like you a lot

But you're 'bout to miss your shot

Are you gonna kiss me or not?"

…

The months crawled by, six months come and gone, each month felt longer than the last. The milestones passed them by; her birthday, his birthday, the anniversary of her mom's death. She had to relive that day all over again, only this time he wasn't there. Christmas, New Years, Valentine's Day, all came and went, and still Damon hadn't come home. She blamed her father. He sent Damon packing without caring about her feelings in all of this.

It's business Bonnie-Bee. He needs discipline and dedication. No distractions. He should be grateful. The Stix is top of the line. He comes back when he's ready.

When he's ready? What did that even mean?

Bonnie focused on school, and riding and basically anything else to keep her mind from drifting back to Damon and what he was doing. Was he thinking about her too? Did he miss her like she missed him? She didn't know, but everyday she wondered what she'd do if she saw him again. There were guys that showed interest, boys in school she may have thought were cute, but none of them could hold up to the idea of Damon. He said he'd come back for her, and she wanted to believe that. So she would wait…

But it didn't mean she could have fun while doing it. Bonnie and her friends strolled around the town fair, laughing, and enjoying themselves when Caroline turned a sly eye to her. "God, that guy is totally checking you out."

Bonnie rolled her eyes. "What guy?" The blonde had been thinking every cute boy was looking their way since they got there. Her and Elena barely even acknowledged the guy in question.

Caroline shot her a look. "Um, the sexy cowboy staring at directly at you." She nodded in his direction, waiting for Bonnie to follow her gaze. "Seriously Bon, do you know him because…damn."

Bonnie stopped walking a ghost of a smile on her face. It broke into a grin when he pushed off the wall and tipped his hat with a familiar smirk. "It's Damon…" She slipped passed them, her eyes still on the man as she approached. The girls heard all about this mysterious Damon that Bonnie rambled on about, but when he never returned, they started to think she was over -imagining him in her head.

She thought he was handsome before, but now…now he looked more muscular, squarer in the jaw, more manly. It was evident he worked hard on that ranch; he seemed different somehow. "Well, look who the cat dragged in." she teased with a quirk of her lips, stopping in front of him. He'd had a growth spurt, and he now towered over her. "Starting to think you were gone for good." She kept her tone light, but there was a tad of insecurity there.

"This is my home. I'll never be gone for long." It made her smile. Damon never had a home before the Bennett Ranch, so it was a relief he found it here…where she was. His voice was deeper, and it made her feel warm inside. "Hope I didn't creep your friends out." He joked good naturedly, giving them a little wave.

She nudged him playfully. "Only in the stalk you from afar kind of way, weirdo." She went in for a hug, and he wrapped his arms around her and held tight, breathing her in. "Why didn't you just come say hi?" Bonnie questioned as they finally pulled away.

He shrugged. "I was watchin' you. You looked happy, I guess I just wanted to watch you be happy." He said plainly. "Also, besides the view, there ain't a lot pretty things to look at in the Stix."

Bonnie was able to reign in the giddiness and acted cool through the compliment. "It's pretty high class. Bennett Ranch can't compete with that."

His gaze intensified. "The Stix may be high class, but it's missing something." He eluded with a hint of a smile.

Her stare back was challenging; brazenly sassy, daring him to admit it. She had changed too. She was more confident in herself than she was a year ago. She had time to embrace her independence, find out who she was and who she wanted to be. "And what's that?"

Damon stepped closer, tipping her chin up. "I made a promise, didn't I? I keep my promises."

"Well then…are you gonna kiss me or not?" She asked him boldly with a cheeky raise of her brow.

He was surprised but not put off by her straightforwardness. It wasn't that long ago that she was ducking her head shyly with every compliment. She accentuated her figure now, instead of burying it under baggy shirts. She wore make up that highlighted her jade green eyes. She was even more beautiful if that was possible. He didn't waste any more time; pulling her close and kissing her like he meant it. It was a change from their first kiss at her bedroom window; more demanding and passionate. He nearly had her off her feet. She was sure her friend's jaws were on the ground, but she didn't care; all she could think about was him.

…

Three Months Later:

Damon was enveloped back into the fold easily. No longer was he a ranch hand's helper or working in the stables, he was herding cattle with the best of them, and doing it better too. He'd learned a lot in his time away, and Bonnie could tell her dad was proud of his dedication and improvement. She was proud of him too. There were mornings she'd wake up early to catch him at first light and come down the fences and watch him in action; riding at a hard gallop through the fields, herding the cattle and leading the others. He was commanding, in control, completely in his element…and it was totally hot. This morning was no different.

When the herd was moving the other wranglers took over, by instinct his eyes floated over to find her, and he shot her a dazzling smile before leading Phantom over. "Hey Bonnie…you watchin' me?" He swung off his horse, and glanced around making sure no eyes were on them. Then, mindful of his hat, he tilted his head leaning over the fence to kiss her.

"You looked happy, maybe I just wanted to watch you be happy." She teased, repeating the words he once said to her. "You look good out there, Damon. Like you were made for this."

He sighed heavy with an elated grin. "I think I was. I don't know where I woulda been if your dad hadn't picked me up. Nowhere good I reckon." He rested his arms on the fence. "Did you tell him yet?" Up until now, they had been carefully skirting around Rudy with their relationship. Damon didn't want to keep it from him any longer than they already had but Bonnie was hesitant to ruffle his feathers. Her father was stubborn, and overprotective and felt he knew what was best for her.

She winced. "Not yet." He shot her a disapproving look. "I tried! But he was in mood, I didn't want to make it worse. Look, I want to tell him too, but you know how he is. I'm afraid if I tell him about us, he'll send you away again."

"That had nothing to do with us. I was just a kid; I wasn't taking this seriously. He wanted me to have a path…a purpose. And now that I've found it, I want you be right there with me, Bon." He brushed her cheek affectionately with his thumb. "He deserves to know…and I hate lying to him." He admitted uneasily. He and Mr. Bennett had a close relationship; the trust between them had grown over the years, and besides Bonnie and Rudy, Damon was loyal to no one else.

"Okay." She promised. "I'll tell him tonight."

…

She danced around the topic all night like double Dutch, waiting for her moment to jump in. She almost aborted the mission all together, but as fun and exciting as it was, Bonnie didn't want to hide her relationship with Damon anymore either.

"So, I have this dance coming up at school." She starting, busing herself by tunneling her fork through her mashed potatoes. "It's Homecoming…kind of a big deal." She added nonchalantly. "All my friends are going…and the bringing dates…" she trailed off risking a glance up to gauge her dad's reaction.

He looked amused. "And I assume you want to bring a date also?" He placed his fork down and linked his hands in front of him. "Anyone in particular in mind?"

Bonnie knew that look. "You know?"

He chuckled, bowing his head. "Of course I know. I see the way he looks at you. And I know what I said before, and I'm sorry. I was wrong about him."

She got up, and threw her arms around him, hugging tightly. "Thanks daddy."

He kissed her cheek when she pulled away. "But I think it goes without saying that I will take him to the train station if he ever broke my little girl's heart, understood?" he added with a stern furrow of his brow.

She laughed. Ever since she was a little girl, the 'train station' was always code for the cliff between Montana and Wyoming. It was a playful threat he would use whenever he wanted to get her to behave. He'd say it was the perfect place to leave a body because there was no Sheriff for a couple hundred miles. "I don't think we need to go to extremes, dad. Damon wouldn't do anything to hurt me. I promise." Even though it hadn't been long that they had been seeing each other, Bonnie knew in her heart that it was true.

…

Bonnie was at her vanity, brushing out her hair after her shower, when she heard the tapping on her window. With an indulgent roll of her eyes, she walked over and pushed the window frame up to reveal Damon sitting there with a mischievous smirk. "You should just leave this open for me at this point."

"Why, so any old creep can stalk me through my bedroom window?" she teased, leaning over the window pane.

"You expecting any other old creeps besides me?" He joked back.

"Maybe. Mr. Milton down the road?" She struggled to keep a straight face as she mercilessly continued her teasing.

Damon blinked, looking horrified. "Ew…he's like 80." More like sixty, but he exaggerated to make his point.

"Yeah, but he's rich." She stepped back allowing him to swing a leg in and enter her room. "Girl's gotta take care of herself."

He wrapped his arms around her kissing her forehead. "Nope, that's me job remember? Did you tell him?"

"Tell who what?" she asked innocently, relishing in the deadpan stare he sent her way. He made it so easy to yank his chain. In the last three months, a different version of Bonnie emerged. A more fun, playful side that slowly started to disappear when her mother died. Damon brought that back out of her. "I'm kidding! Yes…I talked to him. And he's…fine with it." She smiled at the happy grin that pulled on his lips. "He said he already knew. I guess we weren't hiding it very well."

"Really? And he doesn't want to kill me?" Damon's face pinched with worry. Rudy was a terrifying man when he wanted to be.

Bonnie canted her head. "Well…he did mention he'd take you to the train station if you ever broke my heart so…" she shrugged nonchalantly.

"Never gonna happen. I think you're stuck with me until we die." He vowed plainly. He was young, but he'd seen more than his fair share of life in his seventeen years, and he'd also seen toxic relationships first hand, with his own parents. He was determined to never be like his father, and Bonnie was nothing like his mother. She was his best friend; she was smart, beautiful, she looked at him like he hung the moon especially for her, and if he could he would! She was everything he wanted, and when he thought about the rest of his life…he only saw Bonnie Bennett. What more could he ask for?

Butterflies fluttered in her stomach. She wondered what she could have ever done to deserve him. "I'm okay with that." She whispered kissing him softly.

…

AN: hope you enjoyed that! I know that these chapters are shorter than usual, but that's also helping me post faster, and there are more like snapshots or flashbacks of their story, so I won't be going heavy into the plot on this. More fun and fluffy. 😊 Thanks for reading!