26. Peyton
CHAPTER 26
peyton
W e lay in the darkness. The glow of the half moon pouring through the floor-to-ceiling glass in our bedroom cast a silver shadow over my husband’s handsome face.
I traced over his Only She Can Save Me tattoo. “Can I ask you a question?”
“Yeah.”
“Why did you decide to move back here?” Before he could answer, I added, “I’m so glad you did. I just never thought you would. It doesn’t make sense for you to be so far from Nashville and the rest of your band.”
His thumb tugged on my bottom lip. “You really don’t know?”
“I mean, obviously, God wanted you here. A ranch for sale right by Dupree ranch?”
Even in the dark, his crooked smile took my breath away. “I moved back for you.”
I stared at him. “No, you didn’t.”
“Yes.” He grinned. “Do you know how long this ranch had been for sale before I decided to buy it?”
My forehead furrowed. “No.”
“Ten years,” he said. “And Norman Blakely, the weekend cowboy who owned it, called me probably a hundred times, begging me to take it off his hands. He was past ready to let it go, but how many people want a multi-million dollar ranch in Seddledowne, Virginia? How many people around here have that kind of money?”
“Almost none,” I answered.
“That man tried everything he could think of to convince me.”
“So why didn’t you?” I asked. “When he first offered it to you?”
“It was enticing. I came and looked at it right away…”
“But?”
“Well, first of all, he wanted way too much. He wound up lowering the price eleven times over the years…”
“And second?” ’Cause I could hear a second in his voice.
He spun my diamond ring around my finger. “Seddledowne was the last place I wanted to live as long as you were here, married to Braxton…” He paused, letting that sink in.
“You bought this right after Braxton and I split up.” It wasn’t a question. Of course, I’d noticed at the time, but I wasn’t conceited enough to believe it had anything to do with me. I’d chalked it up to providence.
He pulled me close and brushed his lips over mine. “I did. As long as there was a chance with you, I had to give it a shot. All the shots.”
He had been relentless. It used to frustrate and delight me at the same time. There had always been a part of me that hoped he’d never stop trying. That maybe one day I’d have the courage to tell him about Cash and that we’d end up right here, together.
“But you came for your family too,” I said.
“Of course. I wanted to be here with them. If you haven’t noticed, I have serious FOMO.”
I laughed. “No. Not you?”
But he didn’t laugh. His fingers traced over my shoulder blades reverently, as if he’d found the Holy Grail after decades of searching. He was cherishing me the way I’d always yearned to be cherished. “But I couldn’t come back here if you were married to Braxton. I’d l-lose my mind.” He sounded like he could barely get the words out.
It was probably a very good thing he’d stayed away—as much for me as for him. Stuck in a marriage where I was belittled and rejected, I might have done something foolish knowing he was just down the road.
“Thank you for never giving up on me,” I whispered. “On us.”
He finally laughed. “Oh, I tried. Many times.”
“Wow.” I went to smack him on the chest.
He caught my hand and brought it to his lips. “I didn’t know if you’d ever come around,” he said. “But I also couldn’t get you out of my heart.” He went still, his eyes intense. “Guess we were meant to be.”
“Guess so.” I kissed him long and slow and I could feel things heating up again. I put my palms against his chest, taking a beat. “I need to tell you something, and I need you to hear me. Like really hear me.”
“Okay?” His tone held an edge of concern.
“I tried really hard to make my marriage with Braxton work. I need you to know that.”
His hands, which had been pressed into my lower back, loosened their hold. Shoot. I’d hurt him. It was the opposite of what I was trying to do.
“I’m only telling you this,” I said quickly. “Because I need you to know that I take marriage very seriously, and I am committed to this marriage. With you. I wasn’t committed the day we were married.” I shook my head. “That didn’t come out right. I was committed. I wouldn’t have been unfaithful. Just…” I chewed my lip. “I need you to know that I’m in this now. For the rest of my life. And I know we met in a bar and had a one-night stand,” I muttered. “But, other than Cash, our relationship—yours and mine—is the most perfect thing God’s ever blessed me with and I plan on treating it like the gift that it is. Every day.”
His fingers trailed over my forehead, his gaze smoldering. I could see that even in the dim light of the moon. He searched my face like this was the first time he’d seen me in years. His chest rose and fell faster, and I was certain he was about to say something. To reciprocate what I’d confessed.
But then his mouth fused to mine and his hands were everywhere at once—in my hair, on my hips, against my back. Looked like Ford was done with the talking phase of this honeymoon night. He was ready to show me how he felt.
One more time.