“I love this song.” Hannah’s breath fans across my cheek. I tuck her head under my chin, looking around the dance floor for Owen. His eyes catch mine and I watch as he places a hand on Vivi’s lower back, moving her towards the dance floor. He gives me a wink and a quick thumbs up before turning his attention to his wife. Dropping my hand, I reach for hers and hold it tightly, leaning down to whisper softly, “Come somewhere with me?” Confusion flashes over her face, but she nods slowly, looking around as I lead her to the parking lot.
“Shit, I forgot my shoes,” she yelps when her tender feet reach the gravel. Just as she spins to head back towards the crowd, I snatch her arm and spin her towards me, lifting her easily into my arms and carrying her to our truck. “Where are you taking me, cowboy?” She laughs as I place her gently on the seat and reach over her belly to buckle her in. Not saying a word, I give her nose a kiss and close her door, rushing around the hood to get in. She eyes me suspiciously the whole drive back to the ranch, my fingers tapping anxiously against the steering wheel. I loosen my tie the second my feet hit the ground in frontof our cabin, suddenly feeling like it's strangling me. I’ve faced death a few times in my life—riding broncs isn’t necessarily the safest career choice—but never before have I felt nerves quite like this.
I duck in the front door quickly and as I’m bounding down the steps one of the ranch hands walks around the side of the house with Ghost and Queen walking behind him. No saddles, just blankets on their backs. “Here ya go, boss.” I give him a nod and walk the pair over to Hannah’s door. Her eyes narrow at me when I pull the door open. I let my fingertips linger on her knees as I turn her to face me, then slide my hands down to her ankles before slipping the boots I grabbed from inside onto her bare feet.
Hannah breathes a soft laugh at how Queen nuzzles against the baby bump, rubbing the spot between her eyes that makes Queen push further into her touch. “Let me help you, darlin’.” The evening breeze sends tendrils of her hair wrapping around her neck and I catch them in my hand, leaning in to kiss her exposed skin. Carefully, I lift her up and over Queen’s back. When she reaches for the reins, I snatch them back, giving her a raise of my eyebrow. “Promise you won’t take off on me?” I ask, my words serious but intertwined with humor. Hannah has been itching to ride these past few months, and I know deep down in my wild tornado of a woman she wants to spin Queen around and race off across the open pasture. I can’t help but smile at the way she drops her head back, groaning in annoyance. Then those brown eyes catch mine and she whispers, “Yes, Daddy,” before turning and walking, Queen slowly fades into the light of the dipping sun. “You comin’?” Her voice breaks me from my trance, and in an instant, I push off the ground and turn Ghost towards her.
We ride in comfortable silence, Queen carefully navigating around large brushes and rocks, as if she knows she’s carryingmore than just Hannah on her back. Every now and then, I point us in the direction I want us to go, sneaking glances over at my woman. Her smile is a balm to every worry and fear I’ve ever had. Any wound or mistake I’ve made in my past seems to be remedied just by her presence, the mere fact that she’d choose me putting it all to ease. At least I hope she chooses me.
I’m about to find out.
Once we crest the hill that overlooks our wildflower field, I stop us, reaching up to help Hannah down once I’ve landed on my own feet. Together, we stand looking out over the never ending orange meadow that almost seems to radiate brighter than ever before under the sky painted in unnamed shades of pinks and reds. “I love it here,” she whispers, leaning deeper into my hold. “I don’t think I’ve ever felt as at home as I do right here.” Looking away from the field beneath us, I turn towards her, feeling her eyes on me. “As at peace as I do when I’m with you, Dean.” My heart slams against my chest so hard I’m sure she can feel it. Slowly, I pull away from her and drop to one knee.
“Hannah.” I look up into those honey brown eyes, seeing a whole lifetime flash within them. “When I met you, I was a broken man.” My nose stings with the threat of tears, and I let them swell and spill down my cheeks. “You picked up all my shattered pieces and put them back in place. Darlin’, you’re like saddling the wind. You’re wild and free, and I promise you I will never try to tame that. But I promise I will hold on for a hell of a lot longer than eight seconds.” With the hand that isn’t holding tightly to hers, I wipe at my face. “You’ve got me hung up, baby, and I never want to let go. I want a lifetime with you.” I rest a hand against our baby. “A lifetime with Lily Mae and all the other babies I plan to put in you. Marry me?”
No eight second ride, no top spot check will ever compare to the way my entire body fires up when she bobs her head up and down, feet lifting off the ground in excitement. Hastily, I pullthe ring out of my pocket and slide it on her finger. It wasn’t long after Hannah and I got back to Green Haven from Amarillo that I had pulled my mom and dad aside and told them that I planned to ask Hannah to marry me. My mom instantly ran upstairs, and a few moments later came back with a small box in her hands. Inside was a pear shaped diamond on a simple gold band. She smiled and told me that over the years she’d mention to my dad that for their anniversary or her birthday she wanted a new ring. Secretly, she’d put those aside for Owen and I to give to our wives one day. I made a few adjustments, like adding pink diamonds on the band. And the way it shimmers with the last rays of the sun sinking down behind the mountain peaks matches the light that fills Hannah’s eyes when she leans down to kiss me.
five years later
Hannah
Dinner has gonecold by now, but neither one of us cares. Dean called us in an hour ago, but we couldn’t pull ourselves to go inside. The heat of the summer finally fizzled out and the breeze began to swoop down into the valley. It seemed to call to me while I sat inside on the couch reading a book to Lily. One second we were laughing at the funny bunny on the page, the next we both stopped and listened as if the same wild spirit that runs through me was passed along to her. Together, we quietly slipped on our boots, peeking in the kitchen to make sure Dean was distracted finishing up dinner. Then we slipped out the front door, giggling as we ran to the barn to saddle up one of our favorite horses, Walker. The sun turns the sky a brilliant gold, bringing our day to an end, but it seems to have slowed down, giving me another while longer with my girl.
Dust flies up behind our buckskin as he makes wide circles around and around. There is nothing I love more than these evening rides, my baby girl in between my arms, her giggles and high pitched squeals floating along with the evening breeze. Ihave one hand on the reins, the other wrapped tightly around Lily. “Mama, faster!” And I laugh when I feel her little heels tap against Walker's sides. She’s begged me to let her go on her own, but I can’t bring myself to give up these little moments with her. She was the best thing to ever happen to me; well, besides Dean. That man still gives me butterflies when he enters a room, and the smile that he gives me when our eyes meet is one that is reserved for me and only me.
He kept his word after that summer ended—he retired from riding. But like the cowboy he is, he never really slowed down. His dad was over the moon when we asked to move permanently into the cabin down the hill from the main house, and damn near hugged Dean to death when Dean told him that he wanted to start a clinic for newer riders. Now the Wilder men spend their summers hosting camps that help up and coming rodeo competitors perfect their skills. Owen was ecstatic to be involved and took no convincing to jump on the back of an untamed horse Dean bought from Matty. He was a natural, hung on to that damn thing while it took off around the corral throwing him from side to side. Even though he walked funny for a week after, he still told Dean every chance he got that he would have been the best bronc rider in the circuit. It’s been blissful to watch their relationship stitch back together. Dean comes home smiling and I can hear his laugh booming from the practice arena.
Lily and I ride round and round until the sun sinks so low the posts around us begin to disappear in the encroaching darkness. A familiar weight lands on me, one that can only mean one thing. Slowing Walker to a walk to cool him down, I peek around, squinting into the blue shadows that have settled in around us. Up against the wood fence post of the corral, I spot him. Dean leans a hip against the wood, baseball cap flipped backwards, his white shirt fitting sinfully against his broad shoulders and widechest. Butterflies take flight and my heart picks up the pace at the way he looks at me.
“Alright, girls,” he calls out to us as he easily slips beneath one of the rails and walks across the dusty ground towards us. The pair of us are rosy cheeked and breathless from laughing so hard. Dean tickles Lily Mae before reaching up and lifting our daughter into his arms. He smiles down at her and taps the tip of her nose with his pointer finger, which only makes her giggle harder and curl into him. My heart melts at the sight of my whole life standing before me. Walker huffs angrily at the abrupt end to his attention, so I slide off and hand Lily a mint. We watch as she sweeps her wild brown curls out of her face, just for them to fall back over her forehead.
Dean places her on the ground and then crouches down in front of her. “I just got Wells to sleep, so stop your giggling and get in the bath. Auntie Mal and Uncle Kasey are coming tomorrow, so we need to get a good night's rest so we can show them the ranch tomorrow. Deal?”
We both laugh at the way her body bounces up and down in excitement. “And Papa Matty?” Her bright blue eyes widen and her little hands clap in front of her.
Dean smooths her hair down, his large hand covering her small head. “And Papa Matty. Now scoot.”
“Yes, Daddy!” she calls over her shoulder while she skips off towards the house. I can’t help the content sigh as I watch her take off towards the house and how Dean watches her go the whole way. When he finally rises and turns towards me, my entire body goes fuzzy. There is a heat in his eyes that makes my knees feel weak.
“What's on your mind, darlin’?” he asks in that voice so deep I feel it vibrate against my soul.
“Just thinkin’ about how lucky I am.” He tilts his head at me, those lips I want to kiss so badly tipping up at the corner. “Luckythat you broke all those rules and gave me this.” Throwing a hand out, I motion to the expanse of land around us. Dean tosses his head back and lets out a deep bark of a laugh. “I’m serious!” I slap his chest playfully. “Honestly, Dean.” I wrap my arms around his waist, letting my chin rest on his chest. “My heart was shattered after my parents passed. I pulled away from my friends, let myself believe I didn’t deserve to be happy, told myself that love wasn’t an option because I was so afraid of losing it.” He pulls my body into his while tucking my own wild hair behind my ear, holding it there as I lean into his touch. “But you showed me that love is worth the risk, it’s worth the ride.” I kiss his palm, watching as his eyes roam over my face, memorizing this moment into his heart just like I am in mine.
“Mommy!” a voice calls out the front door. “I need my jammies!” Lily stands in the open doorway, water dripping from her curls. Dean rolls his eyes while I step around him.
“I need to shower, too. See you inside?” I ask, leaning up to kiss his cheek.
Before I take two steps, his arm snaps out and pulls me back against him. Leaning in, he runs his tongue over the curve of my jaw and up to my ear. “Don’t shower without me.” His warm hand dips down over the swell of my ass, giving it a squeeze in his palm.
I can’t help but tremble against him, then I pull away, taking a step backwards. “Yes, Daddy.” I wink at him.
Dean
My parents'house is a frenzy of activity. Hannah and Mallory have been working for hours covering the porch in a balloon arch for Wells' first birthday. Owen, Kasey, and I have been put in charge of overseeing the kids and setting up tableson the front lawn. We haven’t made it very far considering the fact that between my own two kids, Owen’s three-year-old twins and Kasey’s wild duo of boys seem to need something every five minutes or wander too far from the front gate.
“Lunatics, all of them,” Kasey says, resting his hands on his knees after wrangling his oldest from climbing over the picket fence. Owen races by in an attempt to catch his girl, Macey, from running to Vivi yet again because Owen told her no when she asked for a piece of candy for the hundredth time. His son laughs at him and follows not too far behind. Patting Kasey on the back, I look at the man who not that long ago annoyed the shit out me whenever he’d look at me with his smiling face. “I love you, man,” I say sincerely, giving him another slap before flipping the table I’m holding onto its legs and moving it around in the grass to level it out. Kasey opens his mouth to say something, but I put a hand out and stop him. “Don’t ruin it.” Thankfully, he closes his mouth, letting it turn into a smile instead.
“You know that song by Trace Adkins?” Peeling my eyes away from the kids I look over at my brother. “He told us that one day we’ll miss this, but damn, can a guy get a break?” Owen huffs, falling to his ass in the grass and sprawling out on his back.
