It's Only 8 Seconds

Chapter Twenty One

All I wanted as a child was a life where I lived on a ranch, I wanted to have kids and be married to the most amazing husband. I knew that I was going to run barrels for the rest of my life up until my dying days. My parents knew that I was passionate and determine, they told me that whatever I put my mind to I could accomplish and I knew that they were right. I had this hope that everything I wanted was going to come true and it was all going to be easy, but after my accident, I started to slow down and I realised I wasn't the crazy barrel racer I once was, even if I kept trying to convince myself overwise I knew it wasn't true. But once I gathered the reins in my hands after the fall I knew that I was going to be back and that something was going to change my life and back then I thought that me returning to the rodeo circiut was going to be the change, but it wasn't.

***

I woke from my sleep in a bed that I hadn't found myself in before until now. Austin lied asleep next to me with the blanket pulled up to his waist, his shirt and pants strewn to the floor. I looked down at myself and I too was compleetly naked. My head was buzzing and I felt lightheaded. What had happened last night? There were empty bottles of beer on the floor and a packet of cigarettes were thrown to the end of the bed. I got out of bed and looked at myself in the mirror my blond hair was crazy around my head and my makeup was all smudged. I looked like I had just stepped out of a club at one in the morning, which isn't something I have done in a while. It felt like that too.

This was definalty not my house, there was a bottle of half drunken whiskey on the dresser and a bottle of claogne and deodirnat. A belt buckle and trophie sat on the small shelf, it was Austin's room, this was his house. 

Austin groaned and rolled over his eyes opened and I pounced onto the bed. 

''What happened last night?'' I asked eagerly. Ausin gave a small laugh and swapped his arms around my waist. 

''Your parents had River last night, we decided to have a few drinks and I think we got a little carried away.'' He ran his hand through his light brown hair and smiled at me, with that shy smile of his. It made my stomach have butterflies, swarming and circling inside of me. I pulled the sheet around my bare body, I suddenly realised that I was naked. 

''Right well that makes sense then, I haven't drunk like that in a long time. Before I even had River, jeze. I'm sorry if I did anything stupid.'' I felt stupid, I was never one that could control what the liquor said or did. 

''You did nothing wrong Ail, it was brilliant.'' He stroked my cheek and kissed my forehead. ''Come get coffee with me.'' Austin held his hand out and I took it, he pulled me out of bed and twirled me around the room, both of us with sheets draped over our bare bodies. ''I want to spend the rest of my life with you Ail, I know it's you.'' Austin stopped twerling me and pulled me into him. I wrapped my arms around his neck and looked into his eyes.

''Are you sure it's me?'' I was ceritan I was his and that he was mine, but I just wanted to make sure. 

''It's you Ail, I knew it from the moment I laid my eyes on you. I love you unconditionally, I love you without question. There is no doubt in my mind that I love you. Your the most amzing and the strongest woman I know. Your raising a little girl on your own, your a young mom, a champion barrel racer and an inspiring person. Ail I don't know what I'd do without you.'' My heart began to pound in my chest and I had no idea where those words came from that he just spilled out to me. I had never had anyone tell me that I meant that much to them. 

''I love you Austin, I love you so much.'' I jumped up and kissed him with every bit of passion I had in my body, every bit of love I had inside of me I poured out into this man. I had given him all of me, every single bit of me. He held my back while he pressed his chest into me, our bodies collided and I melted into him. 

Ausin let me go and I found my feet touching the ground but I was still holding him. Austin looked into my eyes, he was thinking, he was thinking really hard about whatever it was that he was going to do next.

''Ail, I know we're both young and we have so much left to live and experience, and I know that your last relationship didn't end in the best way. But I promise to never leave your side adn I promise that I will be there by your side and that I will protect and look after River as if she was my own. Will you marry me Ail?'' I stopped breathing, everything inside of me just stopped. 

''Yes!'' Austin picked me up and spun me around while he hugged me tight. 

''Ahhh I love you!'' He kissed my cheek and I hugged his neck.

''I love you.''