You could have been mine.

We never did make it out for that ride. Instead, we climbed the ladder into the hayloft, opened the bay door, and watched the sunset. Admired the twinkling stars. Shivered in the cool fall air.

You could have been mine.

We fell asleep in a bed of hay, covered by a horse blanket. Brantley held me tight to his chest. He let me use his shoulder as a pillow, and when I stole the blankets, he only held me closer.

You could have been mine.

I hear his words on sweet replay in my mind as bird’s chirp in the early morning air. They soothe any fears I might have still been harboring. He’s told me time and again–shown me on more than one occasion–I’m all he wants.

You could have been mine.

I am yours.

My heart, my soul, my love. Everything I am belongs to him. I’m done being a timid doormat. I’m done being afraid while fighting for what I want when all I truly want is him. Brantley Marbury–strong, confident ranch owner. Man of my dreams. Other half of my tortured soul.

Listening to his strong heartbeat while he sleeps, I’m more confident than ever in the decision I’ve made. I want this man, I love this man, I’m going to give him me.

Wholeheartedly, completely. Physically.

“You’re thinking awfully hard down there flicka.” The rumble of his voice vibrates through my body. Closing my eyes, I savor the feel of his hand as it runs through my messy hair. Gripping a hand full he pulls back gently. The feel of his lips brushing against mine makes me moan quietly.

“I could get used to this.” He groans as his body pushes me onto my back. Nestling himself between my thighs, I feel his swollen member press against my core, and my eyes widen with shock.

“Used to what?” I’m breathless.

Running his nose along my cheek, down my jaw, and into my neck, he inhales deeply. I feel the air fill his lungs before he slowly releases it, murmuring in my ear. “Waking up with you in my arms.”

“Oh.” I squirm because he’s putting pressure between my thighs and I’m not sure what else to do. “Are we…do you…I mean…” Pausing I take a deep breath to gather my thoughts. “I’m ready Brantley.” I gaze up at him through my lashes, hoping he sees how much I want him too.

I feel him tense, but he doesn’t move. His breathing picks up, harsh, deeper, as he trails light kisses along my throat and down my collarbone.

“Brantley?”

“Just need a minute flicka.” His voice is rough, choppy, and I pray it’s a good thing.

Lifting my legs up to his hips, I cradle him against me as I run my fingers through his short hair. The dark locks smooth against my palms. His large hands move down my sides, and to my back. The callouses from hard labor rough on my fair skin. I know I’ll have red marks anywhere he touches me.

Finally leaning back, he watches me with lust filled intensity. His dark blue orbs nearly black with his need for me. Grabbing my ankles, he crosses them behind his back with a firm squeeze telling me to keep them there.

I watch enthralled as he lifts his shirt over his head before he drops it beside us. My eyes devour the sinewy muscles on his torso. Each formed ridge, mouthwatering, hard with veins bulging slightly. A dusting of hair covers him from chest to waist. Not so much it’s all I see, but enough to make me wonder if it’ll tickle or entice as he loves me. A tattoo on his right pec catches my attention as he moves to unbuckle his belt. It’s the Running M Ranch logo with the horseshoe in the middle, surrounding the M.

“Is that your only one?” I ask, unable to look away.

“For now.” The smirk in his voice has me looking up to him. He’s captured me in his stare so completely, I couldn’t look away if I tried. I can feel his jerky movements, hear as the leather from his belt slips through the denim loops in his jeans. The clatter as the thick buckle hits the wood blanketed by hay ricochet’s around us with an echo.

“These fucking shorts,” he growls as I feel his hands undo the button on them, “teasing me with every step you take. Each sway of your delicate hips.” He doesn’t look nearly as pissed as he sounds. He looks like he enjoys it. The zipper sliding down is in sync with his harsh breathing. “Can’t tell you how many times I’ve wanted to bend you over and pull ‘em down. Slide my hands across this sweet little ass.” He punctuates his words with a squeeze on my ass cheeks beneath the denim.

“I didn’t know.” My voice sounds husky to my own ears.

“Of course, you didn’t, you’re as innocent as they fucking come. You’re pure and light and everything no man ever deserves, but I’ll be fucked if I give you up.” I blush at his words. The heat moving quickly up my chest and into my face.

“You’re like a whole other person right now Brantley.” He says I’m pure innocence, well he’s pure man. All possessive dominance, with a touch of sweet. Only enough to show me he’s in this for the long haul. Enough to show that while he’s losing control, he still cherishes me and what we’re about to do.

“I know.” His deep baritone washes through me like water rushes a river in a storm. “It’s you. Only you Adilynn.”

I don’t know how it happened, but suddenly we’re both naked, his shirt lays under my back to protect me from the coarse hay. I close my eyes and just feel… The rough hairs of his thighs against my ass and the back of my legs. The harsh ripple of muscle flexing as his hands freely roam over my body from hip to head. His callouses leaving small abrasions as I squirm in his hold.

“More,” I gasp when the pads on his fingers graze my sensitive nipples. Peaked from the cool air and my own arousal.

The breath leaves my body in a gush of warm air when I feel his mouth cover one hardened nipple. Sucking deeply into his mouth my hands claw at his shoulders from the unfamiliar–but completely pleasing–sensation.

His body moves, pushing me further into our makeshift bed, pushing his hardness against me. Spreading my legs further, I let go and feel. The pulse in his swollen dick as he slowly works me over, addicting.

Every slick passage has the head grazing my pleasure nub. My womb grows tight when his mouth moves to the other nipple. Cool air hitting the first like a cold bucket of water on my head, I can’t help the gasp of pleasure to leave me as he chuckles.

“This is wonderful.” I whimper into the quiet morning.

His free hand slowly slides down the front of my body, creating goosebumps as he moves, when he scrapes a nail across my clit, I cry out from the intensity of the shiver to work through my body.

“Sensitive, are you?” He chuckles in my ear as his fingers search out my heat. Gently rubbing me from front to back, he bucks his hips forward easily. “You ready for me flicka?”

Am I?

“Yes,” I keen.

I don’t watch, still feeling, my senses are so heightened, I feel him grab his dick as he guides it to my entrance. “Relax, Ady.” His words are soothing in my ear. He’s calm whereas I’m full of nervous excitement. “That’s my girl.” He groans in a harsh whisper as I feel the head push through my folds.

“Ohhhh”–I breathe in–“my”–I breathe out.

It’s…sensational.

He fills me to bursting, and I know we’ve barely just begun.

“Deep breath, this might hurt a bit.” He doesn’t give me more time than it takes to draw in a breath before he plunges deep inside my channel. Pain tears through me and I fight the urge to push him away. I knew it was going to hurt. I knew I would have to wait.

I didn’t know it would feel like bullets ripping through my flesh at warp speed.

“God, you feel like home.” And just like that, the agony melts away. “So perfect wrapped nice and tight around me. You feel that Ady? You feel me all the way inside your tight little pussy? How perfectly we fit.”

I open my eyes then, meeting his penetrating stare. “I feel it,” I whisper to him. I feel him all the way to my soul.

When his hips begin to pull out slowly, panic squeezes my chest. I’m not ready for him to leave me. I need more. So much more of him.

“I’m coming back,” he hisses through clenched teeth. “Relax for me, Ady. Loosen your hips.” Listening to the rough cadence of his voice, I do as he says, and it’s then I understand why people are so sex crazed.

My skin prickles with awareness as he slowly slides back in, my thighs–feeling weightless–struggle to hold tight to his hips. Letting go of his shoulders, I bring my hands to his chest. Brushing through the hair as he moves inside me. Our eyes locked in a stare off, I’m helpless to do anything but enjoy the ride as ecstasy rolls through me in consuming waves.

“Deeper.” Brantley groans as he hooks my legs over each of his arms, hoisting my body in the air a bit, I feel his balls slap at my ass as his thrusts pick up speed and force.

It isn’t until his hands grab my hips to stop me from moving that I understand what he’s doing. “Oh, Brantley!” I cry when I feel him so deeply–nearly painfully–against my cervix. With each pump of his hardness brings new sensations.

“Take it Adilynn. Take all of me.” He bites out against my neck.

With fireworks bursting behind my eyes, and shivers wracking my body like an earthquake I cry as my vision blurs and my body stiffens in his hold.

His own roar of completion melts my body into his as he fights to get even deeper still. Warm jets of his essence coat my insides, and I’m left feeling so…complete.

Yes, Brantley completes me. In every single way.

Call me old-fashioned, call me primitive, it’s what–no who–we are. We are one. And with him by my side, I can conquer the world.

“I love you, flicka.” His whispered words are felt more than heard.

“I love you back, caveman.” I giggle when he growls, feeling lighter than I have in years.

* * *

She keeps thanking me. Like I gave this huge gift when it’s the other way around. I’ve searched my entire life for the unattainable only to find it in little Adilynn James.

The way she came apart for me, flawless. Breathtaking. Profound in a beautifulness I’ve never seen.

Having Adilynn’s heat wrapped around my cock was more intense than I anticipated and neither of us lasted very long. Next time I’ve vowed to give her more, show her the heights of pleasure she’s only ever dreamed about.

The sound of approaching vehicles had us quickly dressing and running out of the barn to see Pops and Luke sitting on the front porch. Pops with a smirk on his face, and Luke with a knife and small piece of wood learning the fine art of whittling. Something Pops has been doing all his life.

“Go on inside, I’ll be there once I talk to the Sheriff.” I give her happy smiling face a deep kiss before sending her on her way. “I’m gonna marry that woman,” saying the words out loud feels damn good.

“Morning, Brantley,” Tom says climbing from his cruiser, “surprised to see you around still.” Like most ranchers, I’m usually off in the fields or working on the fences by now.

“Having a bit of a lazy day. How can I help you?” I saw Darrell’s truck coming in behind him, so I have a suspicion this is about Eric, which is why I sent Adilynn inside. She doesn’t need to be stressing about it unless necessary.

“Well, Darrell came to see me. Told me he knows the man who allegedly attacked Miss James.”

“Allegedly?” There’s no hiding the censure in my tone.

“Until proven guilty.” Tom shrugs. “Anyhow, he’s in lockup at the courthouse. I need Adilynn to come down and identify him before I can charge him formally.”

Relief floods my system at his words. Knowing her tormentor is behind bars will make having her out of my sight easier. “I’ll bring her by this morning.” With a nod of his head to me then Pops, Tom is gone again.

Leaving Darrell standing beside his truck looking uncertain. For the first time since he’s shown up, I really assess the man I’ve thought of as a betrayer my entire life. It wasn’t so much that Dad or Pops talked badly of him, but his easy abandonment from the ranch I love so much.

Walking closer, I know that in this one thing, I have to make peace with the man. I know he didn’t have to turn his friend in, but he did because of what my girl suffered. Stretching out my hand, “Thank you, Darrell. I know Adilynn–even Luke–will sleep easier knowing he can’t touch either of them again.”

“It was the right thing to do.” He grabs my hand tightly, neither of us moving. “I may be a cold bastard but looks like she’s family and if there’s one thing I’ve learned in more than fifty years on this earth it’s family is everything.”

Nodding, I gesture for him to come up to the house. “I’m gonna go talk to Ady, let her know what happened, would you like a coffee?”

His eyes widen in shock before he looks up to Pops. “You sure?”

“The old man’s all bark and no bite these days.” I laugh as we walk together.

“Maybe to you, pretty sure his bite is worse than a rattler.” I listen intently at the inflections in my uncle’s voice, and I hear the hope, the want, to be part of the family again. Before Adilynn and Luke–seeing how hard she fought for her brother–I’m not sure I’d have given him a second chance.

Hell, the chance isn’t really mine to give. He didn’t hurt me. “I’d like to start over Darrell.” My words are abrupt as I stop.

“Excuse me?”

“I judged you unfairly. Hell, I judged you before I met you. You didn’t do nothing to me but have a shitty way with words. I’d like to move past that because you’re right, family is everything.”

He looks back to Pops standing beside Luke, watching us as we stop at the foot of the steps. “Pops?” Darrell queries.

Luke comes closer, walking down the stairs with an outstretched hand, “I’m Luke James. Pleased to meet you, sir.”

“Pleasure is mine, Luke.” My kid or not, I couldn’t be prouder of this boy right now.

“Hey, Luke, why don’t you go start mucking out the stalls. Brock will be by to help out shortly.” I suggest, knowing Pops and Darrell are going to need some privacy.

As he leaves, I look to the man who helped raise me, waiting for him to say something. I’ve admired this man for many years, and I know he has it in him to forgive. Forgetting may never happen, but I know he can do this.

“You got that knife I gave you when you were a boy?” Pops asks as he sits back down and grabs two fresh pieces of wood from the crate by his chair.

“Sure do.” Darrell pulls it out and climbs the steps ahead of me. As they get to work, I go to enter the house when Pops gaze catches mine, and he nods slightly. Telling me without words, they were going to be fine. That he’d figure out a way to work things through.

Rushing through the house, I go on my search for Adilynn and almost miss her in the kitchen as she makes coffee and sticks frozen cinnamon rolls in the oven I know she premade days ago.

“That was a really sweet thing you just did.” She turns and smiles radiantly at me. “Moving forward, giving him a chance like that.” Pride shines bright in the gold flecks of her eyes.

“I don’t know why it took me so long to see it.” I walk closer, pulling her pliant frame into mine.

“See what?”

“That his sins weren’t mine to be angry over. Sure, he walked out on Pops, but I wasn’t even a blip on the radar yet. I pre-judged the man without knowing all the facts.”

“You’re a smart man, Brantley Marbury, I’m not shocked you figured it out.” Her grin is full of mischief now.

Leaning my forehead into hers, I breathe her unique scent in. Wildflowers and horses. Home. She is my home. “I couldn’t have done it without you. Seeing the way you fight for Luke, to make sure he’s put first and has everything is an inspiration.” A blush works up her cheeks as pleasure lights her eyes. Fuck do I hate having to extinguish it. “Did you also happen to hear what Sheriff Craft had to say?”

Swallowing roughly, she looks to the side, out the window where she can see the barn and Luke moving in and out with a wheel barrel. “I didn’t hear the words, but I imagine it can’t be good.”

“Yes and no.” She doesn’t need sugar coating. “Darrell turned Eric in. He’s in the courthouse lockup as we speak. Tom needs you to come down and identify him before they can formally charge the man unless he confesses.” I give her a minute to absorb this new information. “I told him I’d bring you in this morning, if you’re up for it.”

“Right. Good. We should get this over with.” Her words are distracted.

“Adilynn?”

“It’s just, what if I’m wrong? What if he didn’t do it and I got it wrong? I’ll have ruined his life.”

“And what if you’re doubting yourself right now and he did do it, and you don’t charge him. What if he does it to someone else, only they aren’t as lucky as you are?”

She pales, and I feel bad until she nods her head with resolve and steel in her eyes. With confidence in her step she grabs my hand and leads me out to the truck, with a quick nod to the men on the porch and a short explanation to Luke, we’re gone.

One step closer to our lives intertwining by putting this behind us.

* * *

Breathe deep, close your eyes, and pray.

Pray, I’m doing the right thing.

Pray his sins are convicted.

Pray, I can heal from the damage.

Breathe deep, close your eyes, and forgive.

Forgiveness is a powerful thing. I watched it happen only steps away from me this morning as Brantley made his peace with Darrell. I experienced it when I realized I wouldn’t have Luke in my life if my father hadn’t left when I was a toddler. I soaked it in when I wrestled over the decision of forcing my mother from our home.

Forgiveness can be given, or it can be taken.

As I stand behind a blackout window, watching as men pile in the small room on the other side and I see Eric Rhodes I realize that while, yes, he does need to pay for his crimes, I need to forgive him in order to move on.

If I want a fresh start to my new life with Brantley, I need to go into it with a clear mind. I need to have no burdens to bring me down and inevitably him.

“Miss?” The prosecutor prompts.

“Number three,” I say.

“And where do you know him from?”

“He attacked me in my home, knocked me out, and left me for dead by the creek on my property.”

“Do you wish to press charges?”

“Yes.” I don’t need to think about it.

“Sheriff, that’s your cue. Miss James you’ll need to sign your statement and be around for follow up questions otherwise you’re free to go, and we’ll be in touch come time for trial unless he opts to take a deal, in which case we’ll consult with you first.” He leaves, and I’m left flabbergasted at all the information I was just given.

“Why’d he do it?” I ask before everyone’s out of the room. It’s the one question I don’t have an answer to but need most.

The men share a look before the Sheriff answers me, “A witness from the bar your mom worked at said she stole from him. He went back looking for her but was told she left you kids alone.”

“He came after me because she owed him money?” He nods. I’m speechless, I have no idea how to even react to that piece of information.

“He was also pissed about Brantley hitting him at your farm. Something about you not being able to handle his horse.”

Seeing Brantley in the waiting room, I run to him. He wasn’t allowed to identify Eric with me because he could potentially lead me on or something. His strong arms wrap around me, and I don’t feel like I’m suffocating anymore.

“How’d it go?” He whispers into my hair.

“Fine. Just have to sign some papers, and we can go.” He nods and holds me close as I’m given what I need.

As we leave, I feel aimless. Lost. My mother…the woman who gave birth to me is the reason I was hurt, nearly dead.

Waiting to identify this man all I could think about was forgiveness and moving on, moving forward with my life. Now, I find myself feeling so much hatred for her.

I hate her for what she put me through growing up.

I hate her for never loving me like a real mother should.

I hate her for making me jealous of Luke for even a second as she showed him more love and care than I ever got.

I hate her for choosing stray men and booze over Luke and me.

I hate her most for giving up on us so easily.

There was no fight when she left. She didn’t even care that she was leaving us behind. Knowing full well she had a mess to clean up and didn’t.

A scream pierces the quiet afternoon air, and it isn’t until Brantley’s arms wrap me tight to his chest that I realize it’s coming from me.

My frustration is so high I can’t hold it in anymore.

“Why? Why would she let him come for me? She had to have known. I knew from the first time I saw him he was bad news. She just didn’t care though. She never cared.” I wail against his chest with my fists, and he takes it. He lets me beat my frustrations out on him. It doesn’t matter that I’m making a scene, or likely embarrassing myself, he allows me, while holding me. Brantley becomes my anchor on my darkest of days.