Page 39 of Wildest Forever (Lovelock Bay #3)

“Have fun,” she chimes in after as she opens the door and I swallow down the nerves, my dad following behind me as he unlocks the truck, the lights flooding the front of the drive and I can't help but look over my shoulder at Riggs' room and that's when I see him, sitting in the large sash window, staring down at me.

But when he sees me looking, he disappears, and I fight with myself if he was ever really there or just my mind playing tricks on me.

Glaring at the truck, my heart constricts when I see the fairy lights that are looped around the roof racks. He gave her fairy lights because she is scared of the dark.

This is so wrong.

I shouldn't be going with her.

Slamming the door closed, rage simmers dangerously close to the surface.

The engine starts and the need to bite my tongue overwhelms me.

I know I should be saying something to my dad, but I don't, because I am a coward. Easier to keep my mouth shut and do as he says.

The drive is short, and my dad leads me to the Warren's house. A soft knock on the door and within seconds, Blue is opening the door, and I see the look of confusion on her face when she sees it's me standing there and not Riggs.

“Pacey,” she breathes out as she forces a smile onto her face.

“Mrs Warren,” I smile back, ducking inside the house and I can hear my dad speaking quietly and I know he is spinning her a web of lies to cover his ass.

“Pace?” Austin says from the kitchen, and I hold my hand up. “What happened?”

“Riggs couldn't make it,” the lie falls a little too easy from my tongue, “so I offered, I didn't want Aspen to not have a date, and well, I am still a Rivera,” I smirk but Austin just glares over me.

“Right,” he lifts his chin, and I know he doesn't buy my bullshit story.

Tucking myself in the kitchen, nerves nip at the base of my neck, and I just want this night over with already.

Blue was disappointed to see me; fuck, Aspen is going to be heartbroken that it is me and not Riggs.

But what was I meant to do?

Austin disappears out into the hallway when the sound of Blue's voice floats down the stairs, footsteps approaching and my heart jack hammers in my chest.

I can hear Harlow talking to Austin and I know I need to walk out there. Closing my eyes for a moment, I inhale deeply and try and calm myself down.

One, two, three and my legs are moving me to the hallway and I see her face and how devastated she is as I appear around the doorframe.

“Pacey,” she presses her hand to her heavy rising chest, and I know this is not how she planned her night to go.

“I'll be taking you this evening now, I hope you don't mind?”

She hesitated and I know she is trying to piece this all together.

“Of course not,” she smiles her wide and beautiful smile at me, but I don't miss the way her tears threaten to spill.

I push the corsage box towards her, her eyes dropping to the three delicate white flowers that sit inside, myfingers tapping on the box. She finally steps off the bottom step and closer to me.

“You look stunning Pen,” my fingers tease forward as they curl around her wrist, tugging her gently towards me and I kiss her softly on her cheek.

My blood burning, my heart racing that my breath catches to the back of my throat.

We take photos outside and I know the smile she wears is fake, but she still puts on the prettiest show.

My arm snakes around her waist as I lead her to the waiting truck and that's when she glances up and notices the fairy lights that decorate it.

Her dad is chattering but I zone out because all I can do is focus on her, in this moment and the range of emotions that slips across her face.

“After you Pen,” I whisper, pulling her out of her head as I usher her into the truck. She foots the bar of the truck but freezes. The soft breeze dances around her and I see her head turn slightly as she looks down towards the paddock.

There he was.

My brother.

Watching as I take the girl we both love to prom.

He should be here.

He should be the one giving her this night.

But it isn't him.

It's me.

She finally climbs into the truck, and I let out my bated breath. Closing the door behind me, Harlow calls out excitedly and I know Aspen will do everything in her power to give herself the best prom night, the one she deserves.

I am back, my eyes darting as I focus on where I am. I was so lost in thought that I went into autopilot. Turning on my blinker as I pull into Cottonwheel Ranch, I flit back to that night, a small smile tugging at my lips.

She had the best prom night, she got what she deserved.

She got it all and for just one night, I got her.

Wholly.

But in doing that, I pushed her away.

If I could go back to that night I would, I would re write it all and drag Riggs there myself.

I know when I was asked a while back if I would do it again, I said yes.

Ask me again and the answer would be the same, but I would do everything differently.

I would have fought for Riggs.

Because it was always him and Aspen.

It'll always be him and her.

And that truth finally settles deep inside of me.

She was never meant to be mine.

But the pretty blonde cowgirl who is waiting at home, wearing my ring and my last name with pride... that's the girl who has my heart.

Morgan Rivera.

Never thought I would see the day that I would move on from Aspen, but here we are.

Slowing the truck, I gaze across the wild flowered fields and that's when I see her.

The wind dancing in her hair, flecks of gold reflecting from the sun. Her cowboy hat slightly tilted back, seated in the saddle as she rides her horse down the paddock and towards the house.

Time moves in slow motion, if only for a minute and I find myself watching her in awe.

She looks so beautiful.

The car rolls to a halt and I hadn't even realized I had stopped. Full blown stopped in the middle of the winding drive.

It's not long before she pulls her horse to a halt, turning to face me and I have no idea why, but I find myself blushing.

Full on blushing at being caught by her.

She trots towards me, and I slip down the window of the truck, arm hanging out, a boyish grin on my face.

“Well hello wife,” she crinkles her nose at me, her lips fighting the smile.

“Hey,” she turns her horse slightly and I let my eyes sweep over her.

“You finishing up?”

She sighs, looking over her shoulder before she is back focused on me.

Her shirt is cream, two buttons undone and I tease a gaze at what is underneath, but she gives nothing away. The front of the loose shirt is tucked into the waist band of her high waisted jeans and my eyes continue until they land on her tanned boots.

Fuck.

What I would do to see her in just those fucking boots and her matching cowboy hat.

Long golden hair cascading down her back, and I am hard just fantasizing about it.

“I still have some small things to do, Dusty had to leave early, something happened at the school with his daughter so...”

“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 look at 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.

“You live everyday... you only die once.”

Her throat bobs as she swallows, tears threaten to spill over her tear line, but she manages to hold them back.

“I have never thought about it that way...”

I nod softly, tilting the rim of my cowboy hat towards her.

“Now, what are we doing cowgirl?”