Ryan's POV:
We cooked an ate breakfast, then put tha dishes in tha washer. Cassidy turned out ta be a real good cook, damn this girl was amazin. Beautiful, smart, sexy, hell on heels, she can sing, an a good cook. She even made special pancakes with blueberries an strawberries.
I looked at her as we put tha last of tha clean dishes in tha cupboards an smiled. I was leanin against tha counter drinkin tha last of my coffee. She sauntered over her blond hair in strings of wave after she took it outta the braid. She looked hotter than tha Fourth of July, I set my cup down.
She got closer an I set my hand on her hip was about ta kiss er when John walked in. Would ya believe it she backed away wipin tha counter. "Mornin," he said.
She turned ta look at him an nodded "mornin," she said small smile on her lips.
"Mornin John," I said as he threw tha mail on tha island.
I moved over ta riffle threw it, when I came upon a letter addressed to me. I frowned an opened it, what tha fuck. A new investigation fer the death of my dads taking place an a new owner ordered it from the bull riders association. He wanted ta meet with me because of the unjust pointing fingers at me.
I wasn't sure if I was quite ready fer that wound ta be opened again. Cassidy moved over beside me "what's wrong," she asked.
I folded tha paper and put it back in tha envelope, "uh nothin it's all good," I said.
"Ya sure," she asked.
"Yep, come on, lets go get yer car out," I said.
"Ifin she got er stuck out on tha mountain lake road, y'all need tha tractor," John informed.
"How ya figure, last night it wan't bad," I said.
"Well, judgin by tha car, it'll have sunk," he said.
"Will get er out," I said taking her hand.
I stuffed tha letter in my back pocket an took her hand leadin her to tha door. I reached up grabbing my jacket an she ran in ta me. I went ta catch her but ended up grabbin her boob. She closed her eyes an when I thought she was gonna start barkin, "uh, huuu" she breathed out an went red instead.
"Sorry," I said.
I let it go an kinda went red my self, what tha hell was she doin ta me. I've never been embarrassed about groping boob. Trying ta regain my normalcy I slid my hand down her side ta her hip an opened tha door. Leadin her ta go out first an I followed her out. We walked out ta tha truck just as my momma was getting out from bein in town.
"Mornin momma," I said
"Mornin honey, Ryan," she said.
I looked at her as she looked at Cassidy an realized the honey was fer her. "Mornin Darlene," she said.
I opened tha door for Cassidy an let her get in shuttin tha door an I turned to momma. "Can ya help me with tha bags, I know ya goin somewhere but, real quick," she asked.
"Uhh, sure momma," I said.
I opened tha truck door "I'm just gonna help momma take some stuff in," I told Cassidy.
"Alright" she said takin out one of her smokes.
I smirked at her an gave her my lighter an shut the door than turned ta mommas van. She opened the slidin door on tha side an I grabbed tha four bags on tha floor. Frowning cause I didn't know why she couldn't carry them, she usually dose. She shut tha door an started fer tha house door.
When we got closer ta tha door she slowed down I thought so I could open tha door. "So what's deal here, are y'all friends er, ya datin," she said.
"Um, I don't know momma why," I said.
"Cause I like her, I think she good fer ya," she said.
"Momma come on," I whined.
"I mean it, I've not seen ya this happy since before yer daddy passed away," she said.
"Well I, Huu, it's complicated momma," I said with a frown.
I opened tha door for her an she rolled in, "how complicated can datin be Ryan, lord if she makes ya happy an ya have feelings fer her," she says as I close tha door.
"She came outta an abusive relationship momma, it's not that easy, I'm workin on it though, she's warmin up ta me," I said setting the groceries on tha island.
"Ryan James Brixton, have ya asked tha girl yet," she said as I turned around.
"Well, no but," I started ta say.
"Well, is bull shit, Ryan jus ask er, worse she can say is no, or I'm not ready, don't live life on yer tip toes, grab tha bull by tha horns an ride, y'all gonna regret it ifin ya don't," she said.
"Huuuuu," I puffed out putting my hands on my hips.
"Don't y'all huff at me," she started ta say.
A tear rolled down her cheek, "that was yer fathers last words, was he regretted not asking me sooner, now get yer shit ta gether," she said before she took off ta tha bathroom.
I looked over at John who was smirkin drinkin his coffee, readin tha paper. "She's right ya know, can't walk on eggshells just cause she was in a abusive relationship, so long as yer not. An if ya are think I'd have ta whoop yer ass, never mind yer momma," he said.
I shook my head an walked fer tha door, just about ta open it before he spoke again. "Life is not a spectator sport. If you're going to spend your whole life in the grandstand just watching what goes on, in my opinion you're wasting your life, don't give er the ability ta walk away Ry, cause she will, women don't wait," he said.
I frowned an closed my lips from them bein parted over his words. Opened tha door an walked out seein her with her feet up on tha dash. Leaning back smokin her cigarettello, they were right I had ta hold on ta her. The sun kissin her skin an hair made me smile an then she opened her eyes an smiled back at me.
God she's so damn beautiful let her be open ta bein my girlfriend. I silently prayed as I walked to tha truck an got in.
Cassidy's POV:
His ball cap makes him look young an wild I thought as I watched him walkin from tha house. 5 o'clock shadow growin on his chiseled cheeks an chin. On top of his lip, it made him look rugged an wild too. I wondered what he was thinkin as he smiled at me from tha porch before makin them long legs take long strides ta the truck.
I let a giggle out as I watched him get in tha truck with ease, "Hmhm."
"What y'all gigglin about," he asked.
"Yer right, ya can get in a truck easier," I said.
He smirked an shook his head starting it, when he went ta back up his fingers brushed my neck. It sent shivers threw me like wild fire, as he turned ta look threw tha back window. He's so gentle but tall an almost intimidating, an cute as hell.
"Huuu, hey Cassidy," he said peeking at me.
"Yeah," I said.
"Um, how would ya feel about uh," he started ta say.
I waited for him ta finish but he sat with both hands on tha steering wheel. "Feel bout what," I asked
He frowned an blinked an fer a moment I thought this crazy man was tongue tied. What was he trying ta say I wondered. "Um, well I, was just wonderin," he said an stopped again.
I looked his face over an sweat beaded on his forehead. Was he nervous or just hot in the sun shining threw tha window.
"Are y'all ok," I asked.
He looked over at me briefly, "huuuu, ya why wouldn't I be," he asked.
"Jus thought I'd ask," I replied.
"No I'm fine, huuu" he said with another huff.
His hand came off tha steering wheel an wiped tha back of his neck. Then rubbed his hand on his thigh, I frowned at him cause this was unlike him. He seamed really nervous about something, he sure don't seam like tha type ta be nervous. After we turned off on tha road ta go down ta my car he looked at me again.
"We may have ta push, do ya wanna push er pull with the truck," he asked.
My lips parted an I lifted my eyebrows, was this really what he's been tryin ta ask me. "Um, drive if, ya don't mind," I said.
"K," he said lookin back out tha window.
We pulled up silence taking over as we drove tha last mile. I still wasn't sure if that's really what he was gonna ask me. He was sure scramblin fer words, I figured I'd ask em when we got my car out. He pulled around an backed up so we could hook tha towrope on. Getting out he grabbed it from behind tha seat as I looked at my car in the huge puddle of mud.
"Ok, so ya might have ta tug hard she is pretty stuck," he said as he walked back beside me.
Unraveling tha tow rope, kneeling down he hooked it on his hitch an then ta tha hook on the front of my car. "Ya know how ta tow right," he asked.
I smirked at him raisin my eyebrow, "I'm an only child an live on a ranch what kinda question is that," I retaliated tryin ta lighten tha mood.
"Hm, right," he said smiling.
He walked behind tha car in ta tha mud an I giggled. "What ya gigglin bout now," he asked.
"Oh nothin, but yer gonna look pretty covered in mud," I giggled out answering him.
He smirked an got ready his muscles flexing, "get in tha truck," he said his smart ass comin back.
I gave him a smile before I put my hair up in a messy ponytail. Headed for tha door of the truck, to get in. I put the truck in drive and gave it gas the motor roared an back tires spun. I watched as it kicked up fresh mud all over my car an him. It started ta pull so I gave it more an it broke loose. Rolled nicely outta tha puddle but when I looked back I couldn't see Ryan.
I stopped an jumped out ran back stoppin my car just before it kissed his bumper. Lookin up just in time ta see him gettin up outta tha mud. He was covered head ta toe in it, an I couldn't stop my self from burstin out laughin.
I had tears in my eyes as he walked towards me an suddenly he grabbed my cheeks an kissed me. Mud all over my face, it was cold until his hands warmed it. Then he grabbed me an hugged me, my front was plastered. His hands gripped my butt an he rubbed his chest around on me. My mouth opened as he started ta laugh, he backed up an looked me up and down.
"Now who's pretty in tha mud," he said smirkin.
"Hm, you will be," I growled.
I rushed him an pushed him backwards in ta tha mud but he took me with him. It was like slow motion as we both fell, I started throwing it at him. Both of us laughing ta tha point of cryin an he tackled me. We rolled around wrestling till he pinned me, looking in my eyes as he wiped tha chunks off my face. "Be mine," he said.
Our breaths heavy an deep an I breathed in a sharp breath "wha, what," I breathed out.
He slicked my hair back outta my face takin strings off my forehead. "Be my girl," he said.
My stomach did flip flops an butterfly's took over I couldn't even speak. My heart I think stopped, an I pushed him off me. Standin up I got up an walked to towards my car. He stood up an followed me, my arms around my middle. I didn't know what to say ta him, I wanted ta say yes but my conscious was screaming nooooo we can't let him get that close.
His hands came up my arms, an I moved away from him. "Cassidy, say somethin anything," he said.
My subconscious aka my devilish side yelled an kicked an screamed YES YES YES, you idiot SAY YES. Nothin would come outta my mouth, I couldn't say anything. Damn it girl you don't wanna go threw this again, you can't. My conscious told me, but I can't just leave him hanging like this. It's not fair ta either of us, my heart clenched further an I got an aching thunder deep inside my stomach.
Beth's words came ringing threw my head as I stood there stupid. "Baby girl I don't care what no one says, that boy cares about you, follow yer heart honey," she had said.
I couldn't hear my heart, it was buried under all the shit that Jake had put me threw. I was hurt an I couldn't feel it. Coming outta my thoughts as Ryan set his hands on my hips an stepped against me. "Cassidy, I care bout you, I don't know what that ass hole did to ya completely, but I wanna show ya not all guys are like that, an I would never hit you, or hurt you like that," he whispered.
"Huuuuu," I breathed out.
I turned around feelin tha past come back ta me, bein in tha hospital with broken bones an a shattered heart. That was the third an last time Jake beat me, my daddy went after him but he'd already left.
I felt Ryan's arms come up around me an hold me as I shivered from the thoughts runnin threw my mind. "I can't promise I'll always be around, but I can promise that I'll do everything in my power ta protect ya, an make ya see that I'm nothin like him, that I," he paused.
"That I will never ever hit you, I hate guys like that Cassidy, I'd kill em all if I could," he finished.
My heart dropped more as I listened ta his words. I'd only known him a few days an he had proved that he was trust worthy, an not abusive. That still didn't change much, Jake didn't start that way. He changed his tune, started drinkin an tha drugs, an then the abuse started. I blame my self fer that, bein a mouthy bitch to em didn't help.
"Cassidy please, talk ta me, I can't read yer mind," he said.
"Huuu, I need," I started ta say but couldn't finish.
"Need what," he asked.
He moved me back a bit an run his thumbs over my cheeks. His eyes so bright an sparkling, "what do ya need beautiful girl," he asked.
"Hoooooo, I need time," I said movin outta his hands.
His hands dropped an just when I thought he was gonna take off an run he looked in my eyes. "Ok," he said.
That hurt the worst I was covered in mud in front of a man who was offerin his heart ta me an I couldn't even take it. "I'm sorry," I breathed out.
"Don't be," he said shakin his head.
He stepped closer liftin my chin up, "yer worth waitin for," he finished.
Leanin down he softly kissed my lips an stood straight. "I think we need ta get some a this mud off" he said in a low soft tone.
I looked away and down him than ta me, I'd forgot almost about tha mud wrestle we just had. "Ha, maybe, I can't drive my car back like this," I stated.
He smiled an took my hand walkin round tha truck, an towards tha river.