Chapter Fifteen
You're soaking me, love," she opened her eyes shocked at his voice. Did she imagine him talking? Looking down, she was drowned into the blue orbs staring back at her with lots of mischief reflected in them.
"You, you're awake?" She asked in confusion.
"Yes, awake and alive. I just fell from the horse, but the hay saved my fall I guess. I just had a mild heat stroke. So, what were you saying?" He asked, grinning mischievously.
She looked at the grinning faces of Blade and Brody as well as that of the ranch hands. Her cheeks coloured profusely. She didn't know where to hide. They all heard her confession of love. How embarrassing could it get?
"Well boys, the movie's over. Go home," he said as the ranch hands left grinning. When Blade and Brody didn't budge an inch, he quirked his eyebrow at them.
"What?" He said, looking at Blade. He grinned, putting an arm around Brody, leading him away,"Going bro. Relax. When will I get this lucky?" He grumbled.
"Never, let's go drink," said Brody and they left.
"So, what were you saying?" He asked, getting up into a sitting position.
"Nothing, do you intend to sit in this heat?" She asked with flushed cheeks.
"Help me then," he said grinning like he won a trophy.
She rolled her eyes and helped him get up,"Uff, you're heavy, that's all I can do," she said as he grinned and picked her up in his arms like she didn't weigh anything at all.
"Hey, put me down, you're sick, aren't you?" She asked concerned as he kissed the tip of her nose.
He strode to the office room and once inside, he put her down. Then locking the door he turned around to face her. As he approached her, she blushed crimson and looked down.
He came and held her chin in his hands, his thumb caressing her lips."Tell me what I'm dying to hear," he whispered, his mouth inches from hers.
She just couldn't say it. She just stared at him, wordlessly, what should she say? It seemed that she was tongue tied.
"Tell me that you love me as much as I love you. Tell me that you feel what I'm feeling since the moment I saw you. Tell me, love, I'm dying to hear you say it." He pleaded.
She closed her eyes for a second. He loved her as much as she loved him. Opening her eyes, she stood on her tiptoes and kissed his cheek, lovingly, "I love you, Briar. I always have and I always will. My body, mind and soul belong only to you. I will forever love and cherish you with all my heart, with every breath that I take," she said.
Briar simply pulled her into his arms and held her tightly against him. "Every night Bryce would go to the cottage to Ivory and spend the night with the love of his life. I would stay in our room all alone, drinking myself to sleep. Everyday I would ask God for just one thing. For someone who would love me more than words could express, and who would be my home to return to. I think God listens to what a pure heart asks for. See, he sent you for me. I'm very happy Alexia, I couldn't ask for anything else," he said sincerely.
They locked the office and went back to the cottage. They made love, expressing all their feelings, all the love that they felt for each other. Afterwards Alexia prepared simple chicken sandwiches from last night's leftovers and they had a filling meal.
"Will you go out tomorrow on a date with me, love?" He asked, holding her hand.
"Yes," she said and he grinned happily.
They locked the cottage and went back to the office to complete the pending work. They couldn't have been happier.
Alexia waited eagerly for the first date of her life. The next day, she was busy choosing dresses since morning after Briar left for work. When she couldn't find anything to wear, she gave up and called Ivory for help. Ivory came down before going to her school. She selected a beautiful white sleeveless jumpsuit with a round neck and a small satin belt at the waist. The dress had a matching white jacket of the same material that clung to her figure. She chose pearl studs to go with the outfit.
"Wear your hair in an updo. If you can't fix it, call me, ok? I'm getting late for my class. Will call you. Bye," she said, hurrying to her car and leaving.
Alexia left for the office room and started her work. Briar came in and checked what she had done, nodding at her appreciatively. He gave her more work and then left.
She grabbed some sandwiches from the cottage and sat at her desk at the office and had one. Briar and Blade came over and pounced on the sandwiches, fighting like children. They divided the sandwiches evenly among themselves like kids and ate up till the last crumb. She grinned at their antics.
By afternoon she went to get ready. Briar would pick her up at 6 o'clock in the evening so she had around an hour to get ready.
She didn't bother Ivory as she was pregnant and might have plans to spend her evening with Bryce. She wore the dress that Ivory chose for her along with the matching earrings. Fixing her hair in a French twist, she loosened a few tendrils to soften her look. Applying light makeup she was ready.
Briar came in looking dashing as ever in a pair of black denims and a white tee shirt which he paired with a black leather jacket. He led her out to his motorcycle.
"We're riding that?" She asked in amazement. She had never been on a motorcycle in her entire life.
"Yes, would it be a problem for you?" He asked and she nodded vehemently.
"No no, I'd love to go on a bike. I've never ridden one before," she said excitedly. He chuckled and fixed a helmet over her head. Putting on his own helmet, he sat on his bike.
Alexia climbed behind him and sat straddled on the backside. "Hold me tight, love," he said with a naughty grin as he started his bike and rode on, with her clinging onto him.
