My Love

“We’re here,” he whispered turning his head to the side. It’s not like I didn’t know where we were, I can’t really sleep on a motorcycle and the smell of horses and other animals kept me awake anyway. It’s not that I wasn’t used to it, but I definitely couldn’t sleep with it.

I got off the bike and took the helmet off handing it to him. He put it on the bike and held his hand out again. “Do you need help of your bike?” I teased.

“Give me my jacket,” he laughed getting off the bike.

“But it’s so warm!” I cried pulling it tighter to me.

“Come on, my Uncle’s expecting us and we’re late.” He checked his phone and groaned. I glanced at the time and saw he was right. We were usually here at five, but it was six thirty. He never got mad when we were late, but he made comments.

“There you two are! Two much sex last night made you wake up late?” his uncle walked up to us in his cowboy boots, jeans, and flannel shirt.

“Dude,” he groaned.

“What? It’s just a question,” his uncle smiled.

“Purity ring,” he sighed holding his hand up.

“Oh so she begs you for sex and you tell her no?”

“Dude, stop, we’re going to take the horses out now.” He started walking off and I stood there awkwardly waiting for his uncle to move so I could follow.

He didn’t really mean anything he said, he just liked to piss off Cody. “You made him mad again.” I took the jacket off and grabbed my backpack.

“I’m sure he’ll be fine when you two get back. Have fun,” he started walking off. “Oh and tell Cody to take Honey, she’s a little frisky today. You can take Oreo.”

I nodded my head and smiled. I loved the horses names because Cody’s little sister had named them. I walked to the stables, walked in, and found that Oreo was already saddled and ready. I climbed up, petting his neck and led him out to the path we usually took. I tied the reins loosely to a post so I could go back and help with Honey.

“Hello?” I called out.

“Hey, I’m just getting Honey ready for you.”

“Actually you’re getting her ready for you. Your uncle said she was a bit frisky today so I’m taking Oreo today.”

“Ok,” his voice was colder than usual, but I knew it wasn’t about me.

He was walking forward and when he was about to pass me I grabbed his arm. He stopped and turned to face me. “What’s wrong?”

“It pisses me off that he always does that even when we aren’t late. It’s not like he doesn’t know that we don’t do anything.” He clenched his fists and I pulled him into a hug. It took him a minute, but he relaxed and hugged me back. “Come on, we’ll just take Oreo today.”

“Ok,” I followed him out to Oreo and we both climbed up. I was sitting in front, but he was holding the reins. I grabbed the saddle and we took off at a trot down the path. Twenty minutes later we were at our favorite clearing. We took Oreo to the grass where he could munch and we sat down nearby. He sat in front of me and I gave him a neck rub until he decided to lean back against me so I could hold him. He was sitting between my legs with his back against my chest. My arms were over his shoulders and he was holding my hands. We were talking mostly until we decided to take Oreo back. We stood up and walked over to him ready to climb up when Cody surprised me with a kiss.

It was different than other kisses. Those had been natural, routine almost, but that kiss was something that seemed to say: I love you and I never want to lose you. I had never believed in sparks flying at a kiss, but that one made me see fireworks and I felt electricity from my head to my toes. It was the kind of kiss you would associate with newly weds. He pulled away and I felt light headed. I was about to ask why he stopped when I saw his uncle sitting on Honey not three feet from us.

I was out of breath and I could hear my heartbeat in my ears. His uncle laughed, “When I said make him happy I meant mentally not physically.”

“I wasn’t… I mean I didn’t… He…” I couldn’t form a complete sentence and I couldn’t think properly either.

“I kissed her, not the other way around.” I felt him grab my hand a little tighter than usual and I realized that all the tension I had removed from him had come back times two.

“I bet you did. Anyway, I want you to ride Honey for a while on the other path. I’ll take Oreo back.” His uncle slid off of Honey and climbed on Oreo taking him at a run back to the stables.

“I’m just gonna walk back to the stables then,” I said knowing Honey was in a rambunctious mood.

“No need. Just wait here and I’ll try to run her down a little. Give me ten to fifteen minutes ok?” he climbed up after giving me a quick kiss.

“Ok, I’ll be here,” I smiled as I watched him signal Honey to trot, but she took off running. I watched him take her around the opening and laughed when I realized he wasn’t in control. She was running as fast as she could and jumping whenever she pleased. He was just holding on for the ride. I watched for five minutes before Honey decided to continue up the path past the clearing. I sat in the clearing against one of the trees looking at the clouds.

“He took off without you huh?” I was woken up by his uncle. “I was counting on it.” He sat down next to me and I looked around wondering how long I had been asleep.

“Uh, hi?” I looked around again. “I don’t know how long I was asleep.”

“Probably ten minutes, that’s how long it took me to walk up here.”

“Oh, ok. He should be getting back soon.”

“Yeah, I just have something to say really quick. I think he likes you.”

I stifled a laugh at his obvious comment. “I would hope so. We’ve been dating for a while now.”

“How long exactly?”

“A year and three months next Monday, why?”

“I’ve never seen anyone make him happy as quick as you do. He never has anything but good things to say about you, and just thinking about you makes him smile.”

I started looking desperately looking for him to come back, not liking where this conversation was headed. “Ok.”

“I just want to let you know I trust you guys, but whatever you’re planning I don’t want you guys running off getting married as a secret. Got it?”

My head snapped back to face his uncle. I was dumbfounded, we had never talked about marriage before and this was a shock to me. “I’m sorry, what?”

“I just want to be included if my nephew gets married, especially to such a good person such as yourself. Do you understand?”

I saw him glance at my hand for any hint of a ring and I moved my hands even though there was nothing on them. “Yeah, but-“

“Great! Well I can hear Honey coming back so I’m going to head off. Actually I’ll just hide over here.” He was just behind a tree when Cody came back. I could see that Honey was getting tired, but I climbed up without warning. He gave me a weird look, but we took off back to the stables and I helped put the bit away and brush her while he put the rest away.