Page 14 of Fighting Our Forever

Chapter Ten

Ryan

“You really think she’s going to go for this?” I ask from the passenger seat of Paul’s truck. We’re on our way to pick Callie up for our date this morning, and I can’t help but wonder if this is the right move. I laid awake over half the night talking myself in and out of today. What if this is all a waste of time and she decides she doesn’t want us?

“That woman needs something to focus on besides how this relationship won’t work. Now I love her firecracker attitude and her innocence, but it’s up to us to get the ball rolling. Calliope isn’t like any other girl we’ve been with. She needs to know we’re in this for good and I intend to prove it to her.”

“Paul, Maybe she’s right. I don’t want to push her if she’s not ready for something like this. I didn’t know she was a virgin, I just thought she was inexperienced.”

“Are you listening to the shit that is coming out of your mouth? Do you really want some other swinging dick to come along, and they will, and claim her cherry? Is that what you want Ryan?”

“Fuck you. Of course, that’s not what I want!”

“Then stop pussy footing around and get on board. Our woman is nervous because she hasn’t done this before, fuck neither have we. Sure, we’ve had women, but none of them were our soul mate.”

“How can you be so sure?”

“How are you not?” Paul fires back. I can tell he’s getting frustrated, but I don’t know if this is right anymore. I stare out the window unable to answer him.

“Ryan, one look at Calliope and I see Christmas, her swollen with our kid. I picture our children playing at the lake on summer vacation. God, I see the fights we’ll have, her throwing shit at my head while you stand there and laugh. I can picture our life so clearly, it’s almost scary. I’m putting in the time, whatever she needs, so she’s good with us. I just know Ryan.”

I want that too, but I don’t want to admit I’m scared it will all be taken away from me. I’ve been burned once by someone I thought could be my future. Turns out Brenna was a cheating bitch who pales in comparison to our Callie. Looking back, I know Brenna wasn’t right for me, but the mark she left still hurts occasionally.

“I wish I could believe in the future like you do Paul, but I can’t. Too many things have happened.”

Paul pulls the truck to the side of the road and parks.

“Where the hell is this coming from Ryan? You said this is what you wanted. We’ve been watching her for almost a year, circling around her, letting everyone know she’s ours. Now that it’s time to do what we’ve wanted to, you don’t know if it’s right? I’m not going to let you hurt her. You decide, you’re either in or your out. Tell me now before we pick her up and make her fall in love with us.”

“What the fuck are you asking me right now?”

“Do you want Callie, yes or no?”

“Of course, I want her.”

“Then fucking man up and act like it then Ryan. Whatever bullshit you’re dealing with from that bitch Brenna is not Callie. Don’t bring it into our relationship. Are you ready to be the man Callie deserves? Can you be that for her?”

God damnit, I don’t know what I’d do without Paul. I’m fucking proud to have him by my side and sharing a woman with him. Without hesitance, I answer truthfully. “Yes. Let’s go get our woman and prove she has nothing to fear in choosing us.”

“That’s fucking right.” He says with a smile and pulls back onto the road.

∞∞∞

“I can’t believe you guys brought me out here to go on a freaking hike this early!” Callie complains, for the second time this morning.

“Oh, stop whining. I can see how much you’re enjoying this. Olivia told me how much you love going for hikes out here, but since she’s been pregnant, you haven’t been able to for a few months.”

he stops in the middle of the path and scowls, crossing her arms over her chest. “You talk to Liv about me?”

“Of course, I do. I know all about that time you two got drunk after finals your senior year and went to the county bar dressed like Dolly Parton.”

“You what now? Oh, I got to hear this. What else happened that night?” Paul asks, looking amused.

“No way, we promised we wouldn’t speak about that night. I’m going to have a talk with that hussy about keeping her mouth shut.”

“Ahhh come on baby, I need to hear your version of Jolene.”

Callie storms off up the path, and I can’t help watching her perfectly round ass bounce as she stomps. God, she’s so fucking sexy. I don’t know what the hell I was thinking, almost walking away from us. I was close to making the biggest mistake of my life. Thank God Paul was there to reel me back in.

We walk for a few more minutes in amused silence until we see Callie stop. Walking up beside her, I wrap my arm around her shoulder loosely pulling her into my side.

“I didn’t know this was here,” Callie says in awe, looking at the waterfall in front of us.

“Ryan and I like to come out and hike the trails every few weeks to get away from it all. We found this one last year on one of our trips. We knew it was the perfect place to bring you today.”

“The bathing suit makes sense now. I was wondering what I’d need one for when you pulled up to the state park. It sure is beautiful, I’ll give you that much.” She says, entranced by the large waterfall in front of us.

“You ready to go in?”

“In there? The water must be freezing!

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