Chapter 10
Stormy
Kannen stands beneath the branches of the oak tree that offered me shelter when life was rough.
And now, beneath it, I see a new kind of shelter.
The cowboy that loved me long before I realized that.
Long before I knew that love could be warm and supportive, that it could be laughter and surprise breakfasts in bed.
Before I knew that love could be talking through the night simply because we didn’t want the conversation to end. Oh, my heart. I promised myself I’d get through this without tears but one look at my soon-to-be groom and I don’t think that’s going to be possible.
He’s wearing jeans and a white dress shirt with the sleeves rolled up to his forearms. In those arms I found comfort. Two days prior to the wedding, we’d run into my father in town with that floozy and he’d tried to say something unkind, something meant to wound.
Kannen had instantly told him to stop talking, then he’d stepped in front of me and quietly said to my father, “She doesn’t want to hear that and doesn’t need to, so you won’t speak this way to her ever again.”
When I’d told my momma about getting married, I figured she’d say something snarky about how sudden it is.
But she’d encouraged me. Kannen had gone to her.
He’d told her how much he loved me and said since she was my momma, he was firmly on her side whatever she needed.
He’d said if my father caused trouble, all she had to do was call him.
Momma gives my arm a gentle squeeze now and smiles. I start forward, floating on air to the sound of our song playing.
Each step I take draws me closer to Kannen and my heart is so full of joy, I couldn’t possibly get another drop of happiness in there.
At the altar, I pass my bouquet to Tempest. All my sisters are bridesmaids, but she’s my maid of honor. She’d volunteered to get everything done and worked until the wee hours for days making sure my wedding would be perfect.
She recently moved into my former rental home. That idea turned into a plan because she’d joked that if I could find a naked cowboy outside that house maybe she could too.
The officiant holds up his hand to quiet the music.
When it’s silent, Kannen takes my hands in his. “Everything I planned to say got stuck for a minute when I looked at you. I kept thinking wow.”
Our family and friends chuckle at that and he clears his throat and starts again. “I love you so much that there are days when it feels like my knees will buckle from the power of it.”
“You just had to go and say something like that,” I whisper and the tears start falling.
He steps closer and thumbs away the tears. “I swear I’ll always give you joy. I’ll look out for you and be your comforter. Your protector. I’ll be your support and your best friend.”
I nod, too choked up to speak.
“I promise you that my love is steadfast and unconditional and it will always be here.”
I know how steady his love for me is, how it remained that way over the years and I’m still filled with awe.
“I love you,” I tell him just like I’ve told him every day since I moved into the ranch. “You’re my forever. The first person I want to see in the mornings and the one I want to close out the day with. I’ll always walk by your side as we continue to build this beautiful life together.”
Kannen cups my face in his hands. No one else is here. I see only him and I know I’m all he sees.
I barely register when the officiant announces that we’re husband and wife.
I move toward Kannen at the same time he moves toward me. He wraps his arm around my waist and pulls me to him.
We share a kiss, lost in our togetherness, until someone in the crowd cheers.
My new husband pulls back, and I can feel the flush on my cheeks.
Then Kannen takes my hand and we walk down the aisle. All the guests stand and clap as we pass.
I drink every moment in. The way the ranch house waits for us in the distance. The way the birds are chirping. The way the horses softly nicker. This is my life now. Living on this ranch. Married to my cowboy sweetheart.
We head to the wedding tent set up in the backyard where Bobby John starts singing as soon as we enter.
The afternoon slides seamlessly into the evening after the food and cutting of the cake until it’s time for us to dance. Kannen sweeps me into his arms, and it all feels magical. Like the dreams and wishes I had let go of years ago returned and melted together to give me this fairytale day.
“Are you wishing you’d decided on a honeymoon trip?” he asks.
“Why go anywhere when everything I want is right here?” I answer. “I’d rather us spend our days working on the ranch.”
“And our nights working on us,” he says with a wink.
“It’s a hard job, right?”
“Behave or we’ll have to leave so I can get you alone.”
I trace my fingertips across his jawline. “And if I choose to misbehave and won’t leave with you?”
“Then I’d have no choice but to wank off in the bushes.”
I laugh at the memory of that. “I think we should frame the mugshot and put it on the nightstand.”
He grimaces. “People are still commenting on that photo.”
“They want to get some of that.” I brush my leg across the front of his jeans.
“The only one who’s getting some of that is you,” he says, his voice low and filled with promise of the night ahead.
When the celebration finally winds down and we’re left alone, Kannen carries me into the house and walks into the bedroom.
“Today was magical,” I say against his lips.
“I can show you more magic.”
“Oh yeah?”
His hands caress my body as he lowers me onto the bed. “Absolutely. Just enjoy all my little tricks.”
“Will you pull a rabbit out of a hat?”
“Even better. I’ll pull a boner out of jeans.”
I laugh. There’s a lot of laughter in my life because of him. I didn’t know I could look forward to each day as much as I do and it’s all because of him.
He undresses me with care, taking the time to kiss each part of me as he does.
When I’m completely naked except for my cowgirl boots, I sit up, intending to take those off, but he puts his hand on my shoulder.
“Leave them on,” he says as pulls my body to the edge of the bed. Then his mouth is between my legs and he was definitely right. He is showing me more magic.
His tongue sweeps over me, lapping at my clit. He slides a hand up my thighs to press his palm on the front of my pussy. I love it when he does that.
He sucks my clit and I’m gone, falling into waves of pleasure. Like he always does, he waits until my orgasm finishes before he starts again and I come quickly. “Don’t stop,” I beg as he thrusts his tongue into me.
When I’m spent, he stands and strips down, then sits on the edge of the bed. He pulls me to his lap and I straddle him, sliding my pussy down onto his rigid cock.
“Ride me, darlin’,” he says and I do.
I ride him slowly up and down his length. Teasing, feeling his thighs tighten under me. I tease him until he clamps his hands onto my waist. Then I stop teasing him and move in earnest.
“Ah, Stormy,” he says as he thrusts upward and spills himself into me.
“Yes, my husband? Did you enjoy the ride?” I kiss the side of his neck.
“Mmm. You know I do.”
He puts his hand on one of my boots, takes it off, then does the same to the other one. Then he stands and carries me into the bathroom.
“I’ll rinse you off,” he says.
I know that gleam in his eye. “Behave yourself, cowboy.”
“Where’s the fun in that?”
“You’re right,” I tell him. “Misbehaving is more fun.”
It’s a long time before the shower is finished but when it is, and we’re both tired, we walk hand in hand to the bed.
I get in and Kannen turns off the light, then climbs in beside me, wrapping his arms around me.
It took me a while to get here, but I know without a doubt that this is where I belong. And it always will be.