New Heartland Bonus scene!

Chastity

"Are you sure about this?" Dylan asks, eyeing the safety equipment I’ve laid out for him on the counter. "I don't know if I want to mess with anything that requires protective goggles.”

“This from a man who enjoys playing with chainsaws.” I nudge him with my hip. “Man up and put on the goggles. Luxury soaps could be a profitable addition to our caramel business."

His brown eyes light up at that. “I like your brain. I also like your naked body, but I’m getting the feeling that’s not on offer right now.” 

Dylan.” I put on my own apron and goggles. “There. This should keep your mind off of sex.”

He looks me up and down. “Nope. Sorry. You’re still hot.”

Ignoring him, I remove the ice cube trays from the freezer. “The goat’s milk is in here. Dump all these cubes into the pot.” 

“Yes, ma’am.” He gets to work on that while I measure out a whole lot of coconut oil and put it to melt over a low flame. 

“What are we calling our soaps?” he asks. “They need a good name.”

“I hadn’t thought about it yet. Something like True Vermont or Pure Vermont… or something.”

“Hmm.” He winks. “I was thinking more like—Sexy Goat Soap. Slides well in the shower…” 

“Sure, pal. I’ll add it to the long list.”

“The long list,” he mutters. 

“The next step is to sprinkle the lye over the frozen cubes and stir. Like this. See?” I keep the mixture moving the whole time.

"Wow, that smells... pungent," he remarks, wrinkling his nose as the scent of lye wafts up in our faces. 

"That's why we're wearing masks and gloves," I remind him. "Lye is caustic. It's key to the soapmaking process, but also dangerous if mishandled."

"Good to know." He gives the lye the side-eye. “Where did you learn to do this, anyway? YouTube?”

I shake my head. “Soapmaking was one of the more pleasant chores at the Compound, once upon a time.” I pass him the spoon and tell him to keep stirring, while I fiddle with my coconut oil. At the last minute, I add a few drops of maple fragrance oil to the mix.

"Mmm, pancakes.” Dylan inhales appreciatively. “But if you want to make a really authentic Vermont product, there are other scents we should consider.”

I’m afraid to ask. “Like pine?”

“Pine,” he agrees. “Or muddy roads. Or cow patties.”

I snort, even as I double check the temperature of the lye-milk mixture. “Fine. I’ll add those to the vision board. Okay, I think we're about ready to combine the oils."

I walk him through the process of carefully pouring the melted oil blend into the milk, stirring slowly and evenly to combine it with the lye solution. Gradually, the mixture starts to turn opaque, and to thicken. 

“Looking soapy! Now what?” he asks.

“We’re going to pour it into a silicone bread pan and refrigerate it overnight. Tomorrow I’ll cut it into bars.”

“Bars are so last year, though. Molds could be fun,” he says. “Maple leafs? Hearts? Owls? No—a tractor. What kid wouldn’t want to wash his hands with a tractor?”

“Yeah, okay. I like that idea,” I admit. “The hand cut bars are going to remind me too much of the Compound.”

Just mentioning the place gives me the heebie jeebies. Saying it aloud makes it real again. It takes me back to shivering out in the yard in my stupid puffy-sleeved dress, and kneeling in the chapel, asking God to forgive all my greedy sins—like wanting a better life, or even a full plate at dinnertime. 

“Hey,” Dylan says softly. “Where’d you go?”

I turn to him and find wide open brown eyes gazing at me from behind protective goggles. 

“Nowhere. I’m right here,” I say firmly. “You know what? Let’s make the Vermontiest soap in the whole fucking world. Macho Maple and Muddy Roads and… Pine for your Pits.” 

His grin is instantaneous. “See? I’m not just a pretty face. Follow me for more marketing tips.” Dylan waggles his eyebrows at me from behind his goggles, looking pleased with himself. "I'll show you a few more of my good ideas after we’re done here.” 

“I’m counting on it.”

Dylan

After the kitchen is cleaned up and the soap is cooling in the molds, I tug Chastity outside for a walk before dinner. Dusk is falling, painting the sky in sherbet shades of orange and pink. The crickets and peeper frogs serenade us as we amble hand-in-hand down the lane.

"It was really cool, learning how to make soap like that," I tell her, swinging our joined hands between us. “I’ve been using it my whole life without knowing how that’s done."

She smiles over at me, backlit by the sunset. “I’ve always liked making soap. It appealed to my secret nerdy side - all that precise measuring and chemistry."

"Well, your nerdy side is one of my favorite things about you," I inform her, tugging her closer to press a kiss to her temple. "Just like your brave side, and your stubborn side, and your secretly dirty-minded side..."

"Hey!" She pokes me in the ribs, laughing. "I thought we were having a sweet moment here."

"We are!" I protest, grinning unrepentantly. "I'm very sweetly cataloging all the dirty things I want to do to you. Wait—that’s totally our marketing angle. Soap, because you can’t always get dirty.” 

“Kind of a mouthful,” she says diplomatically.

“I’ll show you a mouthful.” I catch her around the waist and pull her flush against me. 

"Promise?" Her arms wind around my neck as she grins up at me, her eyes full of humor and trust. Then she kisses me. 

I only hope I can spend the rest of my life earning that trust. Being worthy of it.

Loving her the way she deserves, cow pies and all.

When we finally come up for air, I rest my forehead against hers, savoring our closeness in the damp, springtime air. "I love you, Chass,” I murmur, quiet but fierce. "I hope you know that."

“Every day,” she whispers.

🐐 🐐 🐐

 Did you know the brand-new paperbacks for Heartland contain a deleted scene? Make sure you check them out!

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