Serenity Falls(76)
I feel bad for Blaine and don’t even know him. I couldn’t ever imagine breaking any bone in my pelvis. What I don’t understand is how his friend had two ribs broken. I’ve seen other bull riders wearing protective gear. “Don’t you guys have vests and helmets and all that stuff you have to wear?” I ask.
“We do, but there are two different kinds of vests. The one Blaine wears is made of high-density foam. It absorbs the shock when impact occurs. For instance, if we get bucked off, and the bull stomps on us, it helps prevent the severity of injuries, but it doesn’t diminish the possibility of injury all together. Anyway, I sat there watching how Devin filled a bucket with soapy water. When she came back to the bedside, I watched how attentive she was to her husband as she cleaned the dried up blood off his face. And all I could think about was what would have happened had I been in Blaine’s shoes? Who would have taken care of me like that? Who would have been there beside me to hold my hand and cry over me? All I could come up with was no one. A switch flipped inside of me at that moment, and all I could think about was how I don’t want to be that person, alone, with no one to cry over, no one to take care of, and no one to love.”
I twist around and get up on my knees to face him. I sweep my fingers through his hair before I cup his face between my hands as a single tear glides down his face. At that moment, my heart breaks for him. I swipe my thumb across the tear, wiping it away. “You’re not alone anymore. I’m here,” I whisper.
He grabs my hips and pulls me closer to him. Staring into my eyes, his gaze never falters when he whispers, “I know you are. I am so lucky to have found you. I know this is fast, this… thing happening between us, but… I love you, Kenleigh. I’ve never loved anyone the way I love you.”
A slow smile spreads across my lips and my heart rate spikes at hearing those words escape his lips. “I love you, too, Wes,” I whisper as I capture his lips with mine. My hands slide from the side of his face only to weave back into his hair, holding him to me as I drown in him. I moan when the tip of his tongue sweeps across my upper lip and thrusts into my mouth. His hold on my hips tightens, and I’m sure there will be a bruise there tomorrow. I am so in love with him. Before we have a chance to take things further, a loud crack startles us apart. I turn back and look at the night sky. Different colored fireworks explode forming shapes of all sorts. I bring my attention back to Wes, resting my forehead against his, and stare into the bottomless depths of his blue eyes. “Happy Fourth of July, Love.”
“Happy Fourth of July,” Wes says, seeking my lips once more. After a few minutes sharing a soft, romantic kiss, we lay down and stare up at the magical display of fireworks, wrapped up in our love.
“How do you feel about a movie under the stars tonight?” Wes murmurs against my neck while I lay on top of him on the couch. The sounds of Duck Dynasty drown out the silence in the living room.
With my arms tucked beneath his hard body, his warmth radiates against my cool skin, and I nod against his chest. “I’d love that.”
The past couple of days have been amazing. Mrs. Sandy called Friday morning to say that she and Mr. Will would be back sometime tonight. So, with them gone, Wes and I have taken advantage of the situation. He’s slept in my room every night since Thursday. We’ve made love more times than I can count, and the ecstasy of it all has me on cloud nine. We have lounged around on the couch just enjoying each other’s company. He took me out to this one spot on the creek where a rope swing hung from a branch. We jumped, swam, and laughed a lot. I don’t think I’ve ever had so much fun. I know that once his parents return, things will change for us. We’ll have to go back to sleeping alone once again. To be honest, I like being curled up next to him. I love the feel of his strong arms surrounding me and our legs tangled up together.
A deep sigh escapes me when another thought hits me. The last week of camp is coming up, and that means the summer for me is almost over. I can’t help the twinge of pain that pierces my heart knowing that Wes and I will have to have a talk about us all too soon. Tears prick the backs of my eyes as questions of us race through my mind. What happens to us when the summer is over? Will I be okay if this amazing thing between us just ends? Are we strong enough to try and make a long distance relationship work? Do I want a relationship where I barely see the one who makes me feel alive? Does he? A shuddering breath escapes me when I realize that I’m crying. “What’s wrong, Babe?” he asks.