Page 119 of Wildest Forever

“Give me five, I’ll take Chase up and meet you.”

“Honestly—”

“I didn't ask, wife.”

She sighs, eyes dropping for a moment.

“I'll always show up for you Morgan, whenever and wherever I can.”

Her sparkling greens catch mine and I swear I feel my heart skip a beat.

“Give me five,” I say again and push the truck into drive, the tires kicking up dirt and I am desperate to get near to her.

The thought of spending time with her tonight consumes me whole and I am counting down the hours.

I know I said I wasn't looking forward to it, but now, well, now I was foaming at the mouth at being sat next to her, in a dimly lit bar.

Chucking the truck into park, I cut the engine and climb out before I am moving towards the stables. The sound of my boots echoing down the stalls is the only thing I can hear over my erratic heart.

I have no idea why I am so nervous.

I feel like a teen again with his first crush. But this time, it wasn't just a crush. I fancied the bones off my wife.

What started out as a business arrangement has quickly turned into more.

I never thought it would but here I am.

Rushing towards my horse to help the girl I crush on so she can finish her chores just so I can date the fuck out of her tonight.

Tacking him up, it doesn't take me long and I am on his back and trotting to the large iron paddock gate. Letting myself in, I close it behind me and kick Chase on, moving into a soft canter as I make my way down the fields to where she waits for me.

“Took you long enough...” she pauses for a moment, “cowboy,” she winks at me and my heart thrums in my chest.

“Wish I was just a cowboy,” I think out loud as we move to the bottom of the field.

“Bad day?” she turns to look at me, her eyes flitting across my face.

“Suppose you could say that,” and I sigh. I forgot what it feels like to just sit on the back of a horse. I know Tripp swore me in to be sheriff but I kind of wish he didn't. I was happy as the livestock agent, happy with my days, happy sitting on the back of the horse. Best of both worlds.

Now, now I am tied behind a desk dealing with shit that people dump in my lap.

I'm tired.

“I miss this,” I admit when we reach the small mount, overlooking rolling green fields, cows scattered down the bottom by the creek.

“Would you give it up?” she asks me on a whisper, I can feel her eyes burning into the side of my head. Dragging the fresh air into my lungs, waiting for them to fill before I turn and lookat her, my eyes softening, my lips twitching and tugging into a smile.

“In a heartbeat.”

“Then what's stopping you?” she asks me as she turns to look forward and I watchthe way her eyes soften at the sights in front of her.

“I have no idea,” and I am being truthful, but maybe if she was to ask me on a deeper level, I would tell her that I was terrified of moving into something new. Terrified of getting hurt again. Terrified that I would get killed for protecting the ranch.

“You only live once...” she begins to speak but I shake my head.

“You're wrong, Sunflower,” my lips turn into a small smile.

Her perfect brows furrow as my statement confuses her.

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