Page 124 of Strung Along
“That’s a shame. It’s beautiful.”
The mountains are easy to see here, so daunting yet beautiful. Trees, so thick and green in the summertime, line the outer portion of the land, hiding the fence and gravel road behind it. It’s peaceful here, even more so than the rest of the ranch. There’s no noise from the cattle or machines during the busy workdays. It’s the perfect place to start a life with the woman I love.
Hopefully, she feels the same way.
“I’m glad you think so. ’Cause I took you out here for a reason.”
“Why?”
I swing off Sky’s back and offer Anna my hand. She takes it, and I help her to the ground. We sidestep Sky, and I settle behind her, staring out at the bare plot of land.
“I’ve been thinkin’ of movin’ farther from the main house. The guest house was good before, maybe could still be had I not wanted somethin’ more private. Somethin’ that’s ours. Yours and mine. What do you think about that?” I ask slowly, ignoring my nerves.
It’s only been a few months, and maybe this is crazy, but I don’t want her back in town at her own place. I want her in a place for both of us.
“You’ve been here almost every day for the past month, longer than that, even. We’ve slept in the same bed for weeks.Banana is here, and I know how much you love to spend time with her,” I add.
“Brody,” she breathes, awe thick in the single word. “The guest house is beautiful. You don’t need another place just because of me.”
“Another place for us, Anna.”
She grabs both of my arms, grip soft yet firm, but doesn’t make a move to turn around to face me. “Are you asking me to move in with you?”
“Only if that’s what you want. I know you’re independent and content with that. I don’t want to strip you of that. Fuck, that’s the last thing I want.”
“You wouldn’t be stripping me of anything. I’d never rush into anything I wasn’t ready for.”
I struggle to find a reply. It’s not until she finally spins to look up at me, the love in her eyes threatening to take my feet out from under me, that I have the words. “One last move. One more new beginning. But this time, you won’t be alone. We’ll do it together.”
Tears well in those love-bright eyes. I’m swiping them away before they have a chance to drip down her pink cheeks.
“I love you, Brody Steele, and I’d love to move in with you,” she declares, fingers drifting over my jaw before cupping my cheeks.
“Yeah?”
“Absolutely yes. But we really don’t have to build a new house. I would be more than happy in the guest house.”
I shake my head, filling my palms with her hips. “No more guest houses or rentals. We’ll get somethin’ permanent. Right here.”
“Right here sounds perfect,” she murmurs, and then her lips are on mine, so warm and soft.
I kiss her right back, the taste of forever on my tongue.
EXTENDED EPILOGUE
ANNALISE
ONE YEAR LATER
Brody keeps a steady arm around me as we finish posing together on the red carpet and head away from the first cluster of photographers. The bright white flashes are intense, staggering at first sight. It took me a few minutes to relax after we first stepped out of the limo, but I’m a bit more settled now.
It feels odd to be wearing such a fancy dress and heels tonight instead of muddy coveralls and boots to match. But this is our first award show together as a couple and Brody’s first since his album released, so ranch clothes most definitely wouldn’t have sufficed.
There was no way Brody wasn’t wearing his hat tonight, though, and I’m glad for that. My man looks incredible beneath the rim of a cowboy hat. Maybe too incredible, based on the thousands of ogling eyes that haven’t let him out of their sight since we got here. As if sensing my jealousy when I narrow my eyes on a woman wiggling her fingers in his direction, he swirls his thumb over my hip, and I glance up to find him smirking.
“You’re sexy when you’re territorial,” he says, the words far too husky for me right now.
I cover the hand he has holding my side with mine and thread our fingers. “Don’t think I haven’t noticed your side-eyed glares at the security guard while we were being photographed.”