Page 74 of Live, Ranch, Love

“That’s cute.”

“Aurora,” Wyatt almost growls, the combination of his breath against my bare stomach and the scrutiny of his dark eyes makes my body tighten. “You know what I think about you calling me cute.”

“Sorry, sorry—I mean that’s super manly.”

“Much better.” He nods and nuzzles back into my stomach.

I snort and tap his other tattoo—the one of a man with wings falling. I’m certain I’ve seen some similar artwork before, but I can’t quite figure it out. “And this one?”

A slow sigh leaves Wyatt’s lips before he explains. “It’s of Icarus falling. It’s supposed to be a reminder to not fly too close to the sun.”

“Why?” I trail my fingers back up his neck and run them over his curls again, noticing the tension that’s started to ease into his body, making him more rigid.

“Because I need a reminder to not let myself get carried away with dreams…” He opens his eyes, but they’re cast downwards, as if his mind has travelled someplace else. Somewhere I can’t go with him. “Because nothing lasts forever. Things always have to come down eventually.”

“Wyatt.” I shuffle so that I’m sitting up, forcing him up as well with another sigh. “Why would you want to remind yourself of that? That’s not nice.”

He runs a hand through his hair, avoiding eye contact. “No, but it is… or was, realistic.”

“But… but you’re always telling me that I can achieve whatever I want. You’re always cheering me on to go after my dreams.” I don’t think there’s been a moment when I’ve been worried about the retreat or my influencing or whatever my anxiety has fixated on in that moment that he hasn’t told me he believes in me. He’s talked me back into believing in myself more than I can count. Why won’t he do that for himself?

Lightness sweeps across his face, his expression suddenly brightening as he turns to face me properly. He threads his fingers between mine, pulsing once they’re intertwined. “Yeah, because you deserve nothing less, Aurora. I want you to have everything you could ever dream of.”

“Well, you deserve that too.” I pull my hands away and settle them against his jaw, shuffling onto my knees so that I’m closer. So that I can properly look into his midnight eyes. So that I can see the shimmer of fear in them, the kind that reminds me we’re both healing. Together. “Wyatt, you’re such a damn good person, you deserve everything you could ever want in life. Come on, if you could have anything in the world, what would it be?”

Wyatt glances down, his hands brushing up my thighs. I watch as his touch makes its way up my hips, hands settling around my waist. Reminding me of where I feel most stable. Then a small smile tugs at the corners of his mouth, eyes crinkling with an easily missed chuckle.

“I think I’ve got everything I could ever want right now.”

My chest flutters when he catches my gaze, his smile spreading out softly. I have to force myself to breathe when the way he’s looking at me with such wonder makes my whole body freeze. “Yeah?”

“Yeah… and I know I’m not wired to think as positively as you, but I’m trying, Aurora. I want to be the version of me who doesn’t think this is all gonna come crashing down. Who doesn’t worry you’re gonna decide this life isn’t enough for you. That I might not be enough for you, because even though it’s hard to believe, I really think I could be.”

Now my hands are locked around his neck, and I bring my forehead to his, relishing in being so connected to him, staring deeply into his dark eyes.

My anchor. My home.

“Well, I believe it. I know you’re enough. I don’t want you to be anyone but yourself, Hensley. Because I like you a hell of a lot as you are.”

Wyatt’s eyes flash with surprise, and what seems like hope—the kind of hope I don’t think he’s let himself have in years. “Good, because I like you a hell of a lot too, Princess, and I don’t plan on letting you go.”

thirty-one

Wyatt

This might be the first night Duke’s bar has ever been graced by the voice of Hannah Montana. Or Aurora and Cherry’s attempt to remember as much of the Hoedown Throwdown as possible.

I’m not sure how Aurora managed to convince Duke to let her play the song, but given that he’s decided to actually take some of the night off with us guys for once, I don’t think he cares. Besides, he seems to be enjoying watching the two girls make fools of themselves as much as the rest of us.

Still, the whole bar feels more vibrant than usual tonight, nothing but contagious laughter and ecstatic conversation flowing around us. Maybe it’s always been this way, but all I know is wherever Aurora Jones is, life seems a hell of a lot brighter.

Just like the last two weeks have been since the first trial run ended. I’ve never been so stupidly excited knowing I don’t have to make excuses to see her or touch her anymore. Instead, I get to wake up to her beautiful, glowing face some mornings, and finish work on other days knowing I can come back and listen to her beam about her day before making her come apart screaming my name later that night.

The best thing about Aurora is that she reminds me there are more than enough reasons to wake up smiling each day. Not just because of her, because I know what can happen when you base your entire happiness on one person. Though, she’s definitely ninety nine percent of those reasons, especially when I’ve got my face between her legs, or she’s on her knees for me.

But because of the way she lives every bit of her life to the fullest. Like how she savours every mouthful of food and can’t wait to tell me about how delicious it was. Or how every time she jumps into bed, she loves running her hands over the soft sheets, relishing in how they feel. Or how she always stops to watch every sunset while listening to me tell her all about my day. And how she’s constantly finding ways to touch me, even if it’s just a brush of fingers against my back, like she’s making sure to appreciate any time with me.

It makes me feel… worthy. More than I ever have before. It gives me just a little bit of hope that perhaps I’ve been wrong all these years. That maybe some things can last forever.

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