“Yes, you’re scary as fuck,” I answered her, smiling at her but didn’t stop until I was right in front of Blake.
“Hey, Cowboy, you look pale, are you okay?” Blake put a hand to my forehead, then cupped my cheek lovingly, a look of concern on her face.
I looked, really looked at Blake. Her long, blonde hair was pulled back from her face in her usual braid, hidden under the black Akubra she was rarely without. Her hazel eyes held me like an embrace, warming me, my worry waning a little. Not wanting to wait to be alone, or to prolong her worry, I opened my mouth and blurted out what was on my mind.
“Kids.”
“What about them?” she asked, frowning at me, her cute nose scrunching up, creating the most adorable little wrinkles around it.
“I’m not sure I want them yet. Maybe not for a few years, even.”
“Okay, me neither,” she answered, not the one I was expecting.
“Huh?”
Blake let out a laugh. “Hendrixx, I am twenty years old, kids are the last thing on my mind honey, plus we have been going out for just over a week. It is a little early to be thinking up baby names and nursery themes, don’t ya think?”
Relief poured through me, hearing her admit all that, but my mind was stuck on one thing, just one word.
“You called me honey,” I blurted out, hearing Makena giggle and Noxx snicker, but my eyes were on one person and one person only.
A blush heated up Blake’s cheeks, her head suddenly dipping, and all of a sudden, she became very interested in Princess’s head halter.
“Yeah, so? Isn’t that what couples in love do—” as soon as the words were out of her mouth, she slapped her hand over it, her eyes wide and mortified. Me? My heart was beating faster than it ever has in all my life. I was in love with Blake, there was no doubt in my mind, but telling her too early I worried that it would scare her off. I mean, we only recently just had sex for the first time, her very first experience too. I wasn’t about to overload her with professing my love and all that came with it.
If she thought my protective instincts were over the top before, she has no idea how far they can reach now that I am free to love her and be in love with her without restraint or hiding it.
“Sorry, shit sorry, I didn’t mean to suggest that you would … I just meant … oh, please forget I said anything,” she stammered, pulling on Princess to hurry off.
Reaching out quickly, I grabbed hold of her mount, stopping them both.
“Why are you leaving, you can’t just go and hide every time you think you have said the wrong thing Blake, especially when I think and feel the same way.”
“I know, I jumped the gun, what has it been a week and a few days? Way too early for declarations of love,” she rushed out, fighting against me to move Princess, but I was stronger, more determined and a fuck lot more stubborn than her.
“I do fucking love you Blake, and it is obscene how long I have been in love with you. But I don’t give a shit anymore, I not only love you, but I am in love with you,” I practically shouted in her face, urgent to get her to listen and understand my words.
“Hendrixx, I have to—what did you just say?” she asked, her body visibly staggering. Letting go of Princess, my arms reached out and grabbed hold of Blake around the hips, my hands holding onto her mouth-watering curves too harshly, but I couldn’t control my reaction. She meant that much, us working meant that much, Blake had my heart, now all I had to do was get her to accept it.
“It’s you, Blake, you’re it for me. When I close my eyes, I see us together working the farm, raising and breeding horses. Helping you save every broken horse in the district, chasing you when you slip off to see your beloved brumbies, or sneaking off to ride Lancelot.” Leaning forward, I pressed my forehead to hers, hating the tears that were raining down her face, but the megawatt smile on her face eased my mind. She had yet to say the same words back, but I wasn’t worried. Unless I was misreading the signals during our lovemaking and the way her eyes followed me when she thought I wasn’t watching. If I was wrong about all that, then maybe I had something to worry about.
Even if that was true, no way was I giving up.
“You, Blake Isobel, my dream is you, to marry you and give you my last name, and bind you to me so you can never run and hide from me again.” I was laying my heart and soul out for her to take or trample on, either way, I wasn’t going to lose her.
Unreciprocated didn’t hold any appeal, but I was a Hott brother, we prided ourselves on winning. One way or another, Blake would fall in love with me.
“You love me?” Blake asked, her lip trembling, her eyes shocked.
“Are you deaf, sweetheart? Because I just finished telling you that, and I reckon it was a pretty fucking awesome way of telling you.”
“It’s not just want and lust?” she asked softly, her hands going to my arms holding onto my biceps with a death grip of her own. Her voice wobbled, I could hear her uncertainty, but I could also hear longing and hope.
“Sweetheart,” I breathed against her lips, “it is pure unadulterated, unwavering, unmatched love, with lust and want thrown in for good measure.” Being this close to her, I had to close the minute distance between our lips, just holding them to hers, breathing her in, connecting this moment and us in the most simple but momentous way.
Blake sobbed and laughed at the same
