Page 109 of Ridin' Free
I took on the title of his ol’ lady three summers ago, and I bore his ink shortly thereafter. The little black and gray tornado, in homage to my old man, would spin forever in the center of my left forearm. I didn’t need him to ask me to marry him. Neither did I need or even desire a wedding. All I wanted was to wake up to Ben and our little family for as long as both of us were still breathing.
I dropped my hand back to my side and scrunched my nose. “Doubtful,” I answered. “Though, it wouldn’t surprise me if my friends showed up one day with a white dress, just my size, and told me the wedding was on, get dressed, everyone’s waiting at the clubhouse.”
She hummed a laugh. “I realize you’re speaking hypothetically, but I believe they mean well. Just remember, it’s okay to set?—”
“Boundaries. Yeah. I know,” I interrupted. “I was only teasing.”
I think.
I hope,I thought.
I made a mental note to text Alexia and tell her, if Tess or Jenna ever got the wild idea, I was trusting her to shut it down.
“Alright. See you again in a couple weeks?”
“I’ll be here. Have a good night.”
We parted with a wave, and I made my way through the quiet reception area of her office. I was her last appointment on Tuesdays. As I stepped outside into the summer evening, I pulled out my phone and checked for notifications. I had two—a text from both Winnie and Ben.
I opened Ben’s first.
It was a photo.
I laughed softly to myself as I approached the Bronco, my gaze still aimed at the photo. I’d been gone for less than two hours, and he knew I planned on coming straight home. Our little man wouldn’t change much in ninety minutes, but Ben couldn’t help himself.
When Maverick first became a dad, Benson would tease him about how many pictures he took of Lane. As it turned out, my man had no room to judge. I don’t think either of us anticipated how much he would enjoy being a father—but he adored Kash.His love for our son helped heal me. More than that, it satisfied a desire I thought unattainable.
In birthing Kash, I was able to give Benson a gift I believed he deserved with my whole heart. The life he’d given me wasn’t something for which I could pay him back. And while Kash was the most precious gift to both of us, he gave Ben something I couldn’t. The fact that I could help make that possible was beautiful.
I blacked out the screen on my phone and tossed it into my purse before climbing up behind the wheel. Seeing their faces made me anxious to get home. It wasn’t so long ago whenhomewas a solitary place. Now, the peace of our abode wasn’t synonymous with silence or solitude. Since I moved in with Benson, he’d adopted a new attitude around the meaning of home, too—and his version included putting butts in all the seating I made sure we had, both indoors and out. Our house had become a gathering place second only to the clubhouse. Between our growing toddler, Ben’s Stallion brothers, their ol’ ladies, and their offspring, I was hardly ever alone.
And I wouldn’t have it any other way.
Not ten minutes later, I was pulling into the garage.
It hadn’t taken much for Ben to convince me to move out of my house and into his. He told me I had free reign to decorate it however I wanted. He also promised he wouldn’t put a cap on the budget for the backyard.
It was a dangerous promise for a woman like me—especially given the massive potential that was his yard. But he’d meant what he said. Every word. And when I sold my house and moved out, I didn’t so much feel as though I was letting go of something I needed. My house was my sanctuary for as long as I needed it to be. It was my safe place. Myhidingplace.
But I wasn’t hiding anymore.
As I entered our home, I hung my purse on the hook mounted on the wall behind the door and immediately went in search of my two favorite guys.
“Ben? I’m home. Where are you?”
Kash’s high-chair had been abandoned, evidence of his earlier snack still smeared across the tray. When I was met with silence, I ventured out to the yard. As soon as I pulled open the sliding glass door, I heard my little man squeal in excitement. I caught a glimpse of him running across the thick bed of grass beyond our covered patio before he tripped over his little feet and landed on all fours. Rather than get upset, he glanced over his shoulder, squealed again, and began to crawl as fast as he could.
Benson growled playfully, chasing after him. As soon as he was in reaching distance, he scooped Kash up and catapulted him high into the air.
“Oh,shit,” I gasped instinctively, my heart leaping out of my chest at the sight.
As he always did, Benson caught our giggling boy with ease.
Predictable as the whole thing was, I still didn’t like it.
Both my guys looked at me as I closed the distance between us. Ben smirked and Kash wiggled in excitement before shouting, “Mama!”
“Hi, honey bunch.” I reached up and combed my fingers through his overgrown wavy hair, clearing his forehead and uncovering his pretty green eyes. His mane was a reddish brown, like his father’s, and just as wild, too. He was eighteen months, and he’d yet to have his first haircut—but I couldn’t seem to bring myself to do it.
