Page 80 of Saddle and Bound

Alex

I wake up slowly, my mind still hazy from sleep. It's pitch black, it must be the middle of the night. The first thing I notice is the comforting weight of Rosie in my arms. I'm about to close my eyes again when I realize she's awake, her gaze curiously wandering around the room.

I suddenly realize I've never really shown her the cabin properly. Yet, I've already asked her to live here with me. Typical of us, I think with an inward smile. We always go straight to the point, burning through the steps as if we're in a hurry to live every moment together.

I love her so much that the idea of waiting even one more day to start our life together seems unbearable. But Rosie deserves better. She deserves everything.

In fact, we didn't have much time for the house tour... yesterday we spent the whole time here, distracted by ourselves. Then when she came back late in the evening, she was so tipsy and happy that I didn't think much about it... I helped her in a playful struggle with a particularly stubborn boot, braided her hair, undressed her and put her to sleep in my arms. My heart swells with tenderness when I think about it... she was so sweet, all wobbly and smiley.

Then this morning I went to work very early but she left the house at the same time as me. She told me enthusiastically that she was going with Val and Lexy to the station to pick up Rory... and then she spent the whole day with those crazies because Aurora wanted to be updated on everything in person.

We came back here... and after a quick snack we crashed. Apparently Rosie hasn't gotten used to waking up early yet... and I was exhausted from the lack of sleep of the last few days and the gym challenges.

"Hey, princess," I whisper sweetly, letting her know I'm awake.

Rosie turns towards me, a sweet smile on her lips. "Hey, cowboy," she responds softly.

"I'm sorry," I say, feeling a bit guilty. "I haven't shown you the cabin properly yet."

Rosie giggles softly. "Well, the first time I was here I was a bit... distracted."

The memory of that morning makes me smile. "Yeah, I was pretty distracted too."

I rise slightly, looking into her eyes. "What do you say to a guided tour now? I know it's the middle of the night, but..."

"Oh, come on, cowboy, get your ass up!" Rosie responds, all energetic and enthusiastic.

How nice it is to see her so...?

I get up from the couch, holding out my hand to her. "So, my princess, will you honor me by letting me show you our potential love nest?"

Rosie laughs, taking my hand. "The honor is all mine, Mr. Cowboy."

I turn on some soft lights as I lead Rosie through the cabin. The dim light creates an intimate and warm atmosphere, perfect for this impromptu tour in the middle of the night.

"Well," I begin, gesturing towards the living room, "this is obviously the living room. I know it's not huge, but I've always thought it was cozy."

Rosie nods, her eyes wandering over the bookshelves. "I really like it," she says softly. "It's... warm. Inviting."

Her appreciation fills me with joy. I lead her to the small kitchen, separated from the living room by a rustic wooden counter.

"The kitchen's not great," I admit, "but I thought we could expand it a bit. Maybe add a central island?"

Rosie smiles, running her hand along the counter. "I like the idea. We could cook together."

The image of us preparing dinner, laughing and joking in this kitchen, warms my heart.

I then guide her towards the hallway. "Here's the bathroom," I say, pointing to a door. "And this is the main bedroom."

I open the door, letting Rosie enter first. The room is dominated by a large wooden bed, with a handmade quilt that my grandmother gave me years ago. There's a window overlooking the pasture, and a built-in wardrobe that takes up an entire wall.

"It's beautiful, Alex," Rosie whispers, looking around the room in wonder.

"There's an extra room, too," I add, leading her to the last door. "I thought it could be perfect as your writing studio. It has a nice view of the ranch."

I open the door and Rosie steps in, stopping in the center of the room. It's smaller than the bedroom, but has a large window overlooking the green of the ranch and the distant mountains. There's an old desk that I inherited from my grandfather, perfectly positioned to enjoy the view.

Rosie turns to me, her eyes shining. "Alex, it's... it's perfect."

---