Keeping Him

by Kennedy Fox

  “Sorta.” She bites down on her lower lip. “I have a new horse arriving today, some paperwork to get done, and I have an accountant meeting later.”

  “Well if you can squeeze me in for dinner, I’ll wait for you.” I wrap my arms around her waist and pull her close, then kiss her on the nose.

  “Why? You wanna feast on me for dessert?”

  “How’d you even know?” I smirk.

  “I’ve known you all my life, Jackson Joseph Bishop. I know all your tells,” she says matter-of-factly.

  “Guess so.” I hold back a grin, knowing there’s one secret she won’t see coming.

  Once she leaves, I put my plan into action.

  “Don’t forget. You need to pick her up at exactly five,” I remind Colton.

  “For the hundredth time, I know.” I hear him groan into the phone. “After I’m done with all my shit, I pick her up at six and bring her over.”

  I grunt. “I’m going to junk punch you.”

  “Oh c’mon, I’m just messin’ with you. You know I won’t let you down.”

  “I know.”

  We give each other a lot of shit, but truthfully, he’s a good friend. After the whole incident with Trent and Nicole last month, he picked up a lot of my slack while I took some time off to be with Kiera. She was pretty distraught, and no matter how much I tried to get her to open up and talk, she kept saying she wasn’t ready. I didn’t want to push her, so I just continued to be there in any way she’d let me.

  After Trent’s death, Nicole was arrested and plead guilty to being his accomplice. After the police went through her phone and text messages, we learned she helped him with the barn fire as well. That day of the incident she tried to convince me that Trent’s plan was the next day when all along she knew it was happening right then. Luckily, she’ll be paying for that for a long time behind bars.

  Shaking my head and trying to clear my thoughts, I can’t focus for shit while doing my daily tasks, but I know I have to get them done, so I push away the distractions of what’s to come tonight. Though I never in a million years thought this would be my life, I’m not going to let the opportunity pass me by.

  At exactly five, I’m already showered and changed and ready for Colton to bring Kiera home. The moment I hear his truck pull up, I head to the door to greet them.

  “What the hell?” I hear Kiera cursing at Colton. It makes me laugh as soon as I see him carrying her over his shoulder.

  “Here she is, boss.” Colton sets her down on the steps and winks.

  “Jackson, what are you doing?”

  “Okay, well to be fair, I didn’t tell him to bring you here all caveman style.” I shrug, reaching for her and bringing her mouth to mine.

  “It was the only way she’d listen.” Colton shrugs, then tips his hat. “Later.”

  I take Kiera’s hand and lead her into the house. “You gonna tell me what the hell is goin’ on?”

  “No, ma’am,” I smirk, bringing her to the shower. “You have thirty minutes. Get cleaned up. Wear jeans and boots.”

  “John, is that you?” Kiera snaps her fingers in front of my face, giggling. “Because I know my Jackson enough to know this isn’t his forte.”

  “I take offense to that.” I swat her ass. “Now move it, woman.”

  Forty-five minutes later, she finally comes out of the bedroom dressed with her face and hair done. I smile, taking all of her in. “Did you dress up for me?” I tease, pulling her in for a kiss. “Fuck, you smell good.” I bring my lips to her neck and feather kisses toward her ear. “Screw it. Let’s get to dessert now.”

  Chuckling, she manages to push me off her, then demands I tell her what’s happening.

  “I made us a light dinner because I fully plan to feast on you later.”

  “You made dinner?” She nearly gasps.

  “You really know how to kick a man down, don’t you?” I lead her to the dining table where I have a Caesar salad and steaks waiting.

  “Truth or dare?” I ask her when we’re halfway through our meal.

  Kiera narrows her eyes, tilting one side of her mouth up in suspicion. “Truth.”

  “What color panties are you wearing right now?”

  “Panties? You only told me to wear jeans and boots?”

  “Kiera Young, don’t make me come over there and make you pay the consequences.”

  “You wouldn’t dare.” She arches a brow.

  “Afraid you wouldn’t be able to beat the champ at my epic chicken dance?”

  “Considering you were wasted and naked, I don’t think anyone could.”

  “Good. Now answer me.”

  She stabs a piece of her steak and shoves it into her mouth. “Ud.”

  “What?” I burst out laughing as she tries to speak with a mouthful. It makes her laugh, and soon we’re both chuckling while she tries swallowing down her food. “That was very ladylike.”

  “I think thirty-plus years is enough time to show you the real me,” she teases. “I said red. My panties are red. Happy now?”

  I stab the last piece of my own steak and smile. “Sure am.”

  An hour later, we’re in San Angelo at a rodeo bar I haven’t been to in years. She has no idea, though, because I made her wear a blindfold.

  “This is ridiculous,” she whines, holding her hands out in front of her.

  I cup her face. “Trust me?”

  Her shoulders relax, and she sighs. “Yes, of course.”

  “Good. Then just let me lead you.”

  I’m getting looks left and right as I guide Kiera through the busy bar scene. “Why’s it so loud in here?” she shouts, thinking I’m next to her, and it makes me laugh.

  “Truth or dare?” I whisper in her ear when I’m behind her. My hands are on her hips, holding her back to my chest.

  Kiera turns her head toward my voice. “Are you freaking kidding me right now?”

  Chuckling, I squeeze her tighter. “C’mon, baby. Play along.”

  Her shoulders sink, and she audibly sighs. “Fine. Dare, I guess.”

  “Perfect answer.”

  “I’m regretting it already.” She groans.

  “No, ma’am. Are you ready?”

  “I don’t know. Am I?”

  I undo her blindfold and slide it down her face.

  She immediately shakes her head. “No! No way! That’s not fair.”

  Spinning around, she puts her hands on her hips and scowls.

  “Kiera Young, I dare you to ride that mechanical bull.”

  She closes her eyes as her head falls back. “You’re the worst!”

  Laughing, I grab her hand and drag her up to the guy operating it. “Put it on the fastest speed you have.”

  Kiera smacks my arm and yells in protest. “You tryin’ to kill me?”

  “Oh, c’mon babe. You’re a top-rated, multi-award-winning horse trainer. Surely you can ride the bull for a lousy eight seconds.” I wink, but she doesn’t find the humor in it.

  She steps onto the mat, then turns around to point a finger at me. “You better not record me, or your balls will feel hell later.”

  I hold my hands up, showing her I’m phone free. “Don’t worry. Everyone’s already here anyway.”

  She starts scanning the crowd, and when her eyes lock on Emily, River, Mila, and her cousin, Addie, she tries holding back a smile. “I’m gonna get you back so much worse, Jackson Bishop!” Her threat is adorable.

  The operator waits until she’s climbed up and situated herself. She holds tightly with one hand while leaving one arm down.

  I cup my hands around my mouth and shout, “You got this, Pippi!” She takes her free hand and flips me off.

  I watch as the operator presses the button, and soon, the bull is moving. Kiera waves her arm in the air as she squeezes her legs to the sides, holding on as tightly as she can. Within seconds, the bull is turned up another level, and Kiera goes flying with a scream.

  We all clap and cheer as she gets to her feet and adj
usts her jeans. The girls are screaming wildly, so Kiera gives the crowd a little bow before she walks off the mat and comes charging for me.

  “I hate you so much right now.”

  I wrap my arms around her and kiss her sassy mouth. “You killed it! I even got to see those red lacy panties I love so much.”

  She pushes against me and laughs.

  The girls rush over, and Kiera glares at them. “You’re all on my shit list!” she teases, letting the girls hug her anyway.

  “Hey, Jackson lured us here with free margaritas,” River explains.

  “Yeah, he’s sure good at that,” Kiera says, locking eyes with me. Even though Emily and Mila are pregnant, they didn’t want to miss out.

  “Was that a sneak peek into what it looks like when you’re on top of Jackson?” Addie blurts out, making Kiera blush. “Gives a whole new meaning to riding a cowboy…”

  “Okay, she’s had enough margaritas for all of us…” Emily takes the glass out of Addie’s hand and gives it to River.

  “Alright, well you enjoy ladies. I’m taking my woman out for dessert.”

  “You wanna explain to me why we drove an hour so I could ride a mechanical bull?” Kiera asks when I drive us out of the parking lot. I try to hide my smirk but fail miserably.

  “You’ll see soon enough.”

  I see her studying me out of the corner of my eye but don’t give in. Eventually, I get her off the topic, and we discuss a few of the horses she’s training. Once we’re back in Eldorado, I tell her to put the blindfold back on.

  “You can’t be serious.” She groans.

  “Kiera.”

  She grinds her teeth. “Fine. But if you make me do something even more outrageous, I will castrate you.”

  “You’d only be punishing yourself,” I taunt.

  I drive us out as far as I can to our spot. Part of the reason I had to kill time and brought her to that bar was so Colton could get everything set up for me. Plus, I really wanted to see her ride that bull.

  “Okay, baby. Take my hands and jump down,” I direct after I open her door.

  Her nose wrinkles. “It smells like a campfire.”

  I smile as I take her hand and then walk us up the short path. I had Colton start a bonfire and set up Tiki torches around the area, and now that it’s pitch-black, the flames light up everything perfectly.

  “Okay, turn around and face me.” I place my hands on her arms. “Stand here.”

  “Is this where you reenact your naked chicken dance for me?”

  “You wish.”

  She smirks.

  I shift around her body, so her back is to me now. The fire and torches are behind me, and soon she’ll know exactly what’s happening. I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t a tad nervous, and although my palms are sweaty, I’ve never been surer of anything in my life.

  “Kiera…” I whisper in her ear, wrapping one hand around her waist. “Truth or dare?”

  The corner of her mouth ticks up slightly. “I have a feeling it won’t matter what I choose at this point…”

  “Still gotta pick one, sweetheart.” I graze my lips under her ear.

  “Okay. Fine.” She sighs. “Truth,” she says just like I knew she would. I smile at how well I know my girl.

  “Will you marry me?” I whisper just loud enough for her to hear.

  “What?” she asks slowly.

  I reach inside my pocket and bend on one knee. “Turn around.”

  Kiera pulls the blindfold off, and when she spins toward me, her eyes widen, her jaw drops, and she nearly crumbles to the ground. I take her hand while she covers her mouth with the other hand.

  “Kiera Georgina Young…” I start, and she immediately shakes her head at me. I know she hates when I use her middle name. It was something I often teased her about when we were little kids. “I know you haven’t been ready to talk about what happened last month, but I just need you to know that I was ready to take a bullet for you the second I saw he had you. I had never been more terrified in my entire life, and you know me better than anyone to know that I don’t scare easily. I thought I was going to lose you. I felt so helpless at that moment, and when it was finally over, I knew I didn’t want to waste any more time without you as my wife. I was ready to propose to you the next day, but we needed time to heal, so I didn’t want to rush anything. However, today seemed like the perfect day to finally ask you because this day over fifteen years ago was the night I knew I was in love with you. Playing truth or dare with you had always been my favorite game even if I pretended it was stupid back then. I looked forward to spending any time I could with you, and I love that even after all these years, we can still laugh, tease, and taunt each other. I can’t imagine not having you in my life, baby. I love you doesn’t sound adequate enough for how I feel, but I love you more than anything in the world. You’d make me the luckiest man in the universe if you’d be my wife.”

  “I-I can’t believe this,” she whispers with tears in her eyes.

  “You know what happens if you don’t answer the question…” I tease, smiling.

  She nods frantically. “Yes, yes, yes!” She wraps her arms around my neck, tackling me to the ground. I hold her face in my hands and kiss the fuck out of her, then kiss her cheeks and tears away.

  “Give me your hand,” I tell her once we’re both sitting up. “Your left hand.” I chuckle when she nervously gives me the right.

  I slide the ring on, and she gasps. “Jackson, it’s beautiful.” She slides it around her finger. “I can’t believe you did this…” I can tell she’s in shock, and it makes me so damn happy she had no idea this was coming today. “It’s so perfect.”

  “It’s a double halo split shank ring with a full carat diamond.”

  Kiera looks at me as if I’d grown a third eye.

  “Well, that’s what I was told anyway.”

  “You could’ve given me a Ring Pop for all I care, and I would’ve been happy.” She kisses me again.

  “Only the best for my girl,” I tell her proudly.

  “This is more than I could've ever imagined.” Kiera looks at me again. “Seriously…” She pokes me in the chest. “Are you really John? Blink twice if you’re being switched against your will.”

  “Har har, you’re so funny.” I roll my body over hers until she’s pressed to the ground.

  “Did you really fall in love with me on this exact date?” she asks, looking up into my eyes.

  “You bet your ass I did. Even if you did burn my clothes and make me run back home naked.”

  Kiera’s head falls back slightly as she laughs the memory. “Yeah, shrinkage is a bitch.”

  “Feisty, sassy, and sexy—I knew at only fifteen you were the one.”

  “Yeah? How’d you know?”

  I roll off her and pull her up until we’re both on our feet. “Let’s sit,” I say, leading her to the hay bales. Once we’re able to warm up near the fire, I angle my body and look at her, grabbing her hand in mine. “I might not have known what it was back then, but I knew I felt something that wasn’t like anything I’d ever felt before. As I got older, I continued to deny it; my own insecurities kept me from telling you, but now that we’re here, I can confidently say it was that night that stayed with me after all this time.”

  “We have shared so many memories,” Kiera says softly.

  “Hundreds,” I confirm. “And I wanted to make another memory out here that will stay with us forever.”

  She’s smiling wide and looks so damn happy. “We’ll be ninety years old telling our great-grandchildren.”

  I chuckle, nodding in agreement. “And when they ask me how I knew you were the one and how we continued to love each other after all those years, I’ll tell them this…” I clear my throat, inhaling deeply. “It’s never felt this good before. Because it’s never been this right before. I’ve never felt so desperate to be with someone before you. I’ve never wanted anything more with anyone because I knew I could never give myself to
anyone but you. It’s because it was always you who had my heart, Kiera. Those feelings I felt were locked up and safeguarded, and I wasn’t willing to let them out for anyone other than you.”

  Kiera’s crying by the time I finish, and I pull her close and kiss her cheeks.

  “You’re a beautiful man, Jackson Bishop. Inside and out. You’re the exact person you always said you weren’t, but I knew. You never cease to amaze me, and I can’t wait to spend the rest of my life with you.”

  Reaching behind one of the hay bales, I grab the cooler Colton left for me.

  “What’s that?” Kiera asks.

  I open it up and take out a bottle of whipped cream and Mama’s famous apple pie. “I did promise you dessert after all.” I flash her a look that tells her exactly what I mean.

  “You thought of everything.”

  I hold Kiera in my arms, and we make love on the blanket I told Colton to leave out. It’s slow and sweet, and we share a connection I never knew existed until her.

  “I love you,” I whisper as we lie under the stars. She’s pinned to my side with her arm draped over my chest. “I promise to give you the best life possible.” I place a kiss on her forehead, and she smiles, knowing I never break my promises.

  Chapter Thirty-Six

  Kiera

  FIVE MONTHS LATER

  It’s hot as hell in June, but it’s the perfect day for an afternoon indoor wedding. My nerves have the best of me because I’ve imagined every detail of this day since I was a little girl from the dress down to the groom. But the good news is I’m not planning on running anywhere but straight into Jackson’s arms. For once, everything is right, perfect, and the way it should be. Butterflies and excitement swarm through me.

  It’s happening. It’s finally happening.

  The guest list for the ceremony is small and intimate, the way I always wanted it to be. I didn’t listen to a single person’s suggestion and made sure that today was how Jackson and I wanted it, come hell or high water. This time, there won’t be a big show for the whole town to experience and whisper about for months to come. There won’t be any runaway brides, rumors, or speculation.