Chapter 44 Josie
JOSIE
“JR, just tell me where you’re taking me,” I snapped as we hit another bump in the road.
I’d been blindfolded for the past fifteen minutes, and I was getting really tired of being in the dark.
“If I tell you, it won’t be a surprise.”
“Maybe I don’t want it to be a surprise,” I argued.
“Since when are you so tense about surprises?”
Since I’d already been at the mercy of someone else once before, and it didn’t turn out so well that time. “I just don’t like…being like this.”
“Right. Shit.” With a heavy sigh, he gripped my hand in his. “I promise, we’re almost there. I know I’m asking a lot, but please trust me on this. I won’t let anything happen to you.”
I knew that. I really did. But being in the dark made me vulnerable. But he wanted to surprise me, so I took a deep breath and reminded myself that as long as I was with him, I would be fine.
It had been two months since the attack and I was mostly healed. He hadn’t let me lift a finger to anything since I got out of the hospital, and when he had to work, someone from town was with me even when I was sleeping.
It was sweet.
But I was ready for just a little freedom.
“Alright, we’re here.”
“So, I can take this off?” I asked, reaching for the blindfold.
“Nope. Just stay where you are. I’m coming around to your side.”
“Of course, you are,” I muttered under my breath.
I gasped when his lips brushed against my ear. “So cranky today.”
“Well—”
He pressed a finger to my lips, then replaced it with his lips. “Trust me.”
Sighing, I waited impatiently as he got out and came around to my side, guiding me out of the truck and telling me where to step. Honestly, it was frustrating, but I never was very good at waiting for surprises.
“Okay, here we are. Ready?”
“I was born ready.”
He barked out a laugh, and then the pressure around my eyes eased as light finally filtered in. Blinking several times, I stared at the picturesque view of the mountains, wondering what I was supposed to be seeing.
“Um…it’s beautiful. But you know, I’ve seen this many times before.”
“Yes, but has it been your view every morning?”
Confused, I turned, but instead of looking at him, I was staring at a two-story house that had a giant bow wrapped around the porch. My jaw dropped as I realized what this meant.
“What do you think?”
It was amazing. Beautiful. And the view…you couldn’t beat it. “Well, you could have made the bow a little bigger,” I teased. “And I’m not sure there’s enough space out here for Milo to run around. I mean, you’d think you could have found a little more land for him.”
His fingers dug into my sides, tickling me as he slid his arm around my waist. “Seriously, what do you think?”
Resting my head on his shoulder, I sighed happily. “I think it’s perfect.”
“Yeah?”
I nodded. “And I also think it’s about time you got a cowboy hat.”
“Why’s that?”
Smirking at him, I slipped out of his arms and headed for the house. “Because I’m about to show you a reverse cowgirl.”
Thank you for reading Real Good Man. The saga continues in How Forever Feels!