Baby girl

advice

Mr. Dutton Is back home after 3 weeks  and is recovering nicely. Every day while me and rip are saddling horses he is out in the barn with us. He figured out I got branded and likes to thank me and rip a lot. After our kiss it has been weird, rip isn't the kind of guy to open up so it's hard trying to read him, but at the same time he is the easiest man to read. Lloyd hasn't told anyone about our kiss and I am very thankful for that, the guys keep messing with me though. Today we were at the barn with the vet and the cattle. We would put them in the chute the vet would check them and then we would do the next. Not a hard thing to do especially because I have just been opening and closing a Gate all day.  After the days work we wrapped up to eat dinner.
   "Lloyd hey come here I need your help."  Lloyd's probably not the best person to ask for advice but he know rip and has for a long while. Lloyd walks over to me.
   "What's wrong?"
    "Nothing Lloyd I Uh need to ask you something."
    "Ask away young lady."
    "You know rip,well?"
     "I know him better then anyone else in the world."
    "So um you know we kissed?"
    Lloyd chuckled " yes I do, let me guess rip has closed him self off from you?"
    "Well yeah kinda, I wanna know if it was me?"
     "No hunny it's not you, it's him, rip is a tough man you know that, he gets well scared, he has only dated two women in his life, Beth Dutton, and that barrel racer girl, he dated Beth when he was 15 and the barrel racer girl he was pressured into it by the hands, so you know what a would ask Mrs.dutton."
    "His ex, Lloyd are you dumb?"
     "Mrs. Dutton has a husband and is happily married, she is one crazy woman though." He said looking over to her eating. It was a nice day so everyone was eating outside. I walked over to Beth turning back and flipping off Lloyd, he laughed.
   "Excuse me Mrs Dutton Lloyd said I should ask you."
   "Ask me about what sweetheart?"
    "Um rip...." I said looking down.
     "Oh hunny sit, I assume you and him have something going?"
     "Um well it's complicated, I think."
     "You the one who saved my dad with rip,yes?"
      "Yeah that's me."
     "Oh please call me Beth, what's your name?"
     "Waylon."
    "So Waylon, Lloyd sent you over here, I am guessing he told you I was crazy to?"
    " Yes he did." I said laughing slightly.
    "Well I will tell you, I am crazy but you saved my dad, also you not trying to take my family's land, I am only crazy to the ones who have a problem with me."
    "Good to know to not get on your bad side." I said laughing
    "So rip hmmm, how old are you, you look about 17."
     I laugh "I am 25, and yeah rip. Me and him kissed a few weeks ago and he has kind of shut down since them."
     "Wow 25, and Waylon, rip is a man a real one, there are very few of him left, and if you want to talk to him you have to do it yourself, talk to him."
     "Well I am not the best at talking."
     "You gonna have to be if your going to Date a closed off man."
     "Hm thank you Beth."
      "No Waylon thank you for saving my father's life, if you ever need anything just let me know."  She said lighting a cigarette and walking away. Lloyd comes back over to me and smiles.
    "It went well?"
     "Yeah she told me that I have to talk to him not him talk to me."
     Lloyd laughed, and nodded.  "How you healing up." He asked pointing to my brand
     "Good the burn cream you gave me really helped, I am just ready to be out of this fucken cast."
      "I bet, hey look who it is." Lloyd said pointing to rip walking up to his place. Lloyd gives me a nod and mouths go get him. I turn and give him a head shake. I jogged/ sped walked over to him.
   "Rip hey rip." I yelled and he stopped
    "Yes Waylon." He responded he seemed tired. I let out a deep breath.
    "Did I do something wrong?" I asked him.
     "No darlin why say that?"
     "Because ever since I was branded you just kind of closed off." He looked at me with soft eyes.
     "Waylon...I think that you staying was a bad idea."
      "Jesus rip I killed a man, I killed him for this fucken ranch and you think I would want to leave?" Rip paused for a while.
      "Was that the first person you..... Waylon?" I started to tear up, mabye it just hit me that I really did take a man's life, I have hunted my whole life but a man is different then a animal. I shook my head up and down.
    "Aw darlin." Rip said pulling me into his  arms. "How about we go get a beer." He said and I shook me head against his chest. We walked into his house, it was a nice place kinda like the main house but way more layed back and smaller. I sat down on the couch and he went to the fridge grabbed a beer and sat next to me. We did say anything I was silent, a comfortable silent.
     "I was so fucken scared rip." I say in almost a whisper.
      "Come here." He said opening his arms I lean into him. "Waylon when I told you I was a bad man, those two men you watched me kill I have done that hundreds of times."
    "But rip, you did it to protect me, to protect the ranch and the duttons."
     "Well baby that's the same reason you stabbed the man, and you said that protecting doesn't make you a bad person."
    "Rip I think it bothers me most that I don't care that I killed him, I don't have any feelings about it." Rip gave me a sad look.
    "How about we get you a shower and some clean clothes."
     "Alright I will walk back to the bunkhouse."
     "No, no baby I mean here, only if you want."
     "Are you sure rip?"
     " Yes Waylon and after that we can talk,  make up for all the time you know since the kiss."
     "That sounds great rip." I say with a smile. He walks into the bathroom amd turns on the shower I get up and follow him. He turns around and go's to his bedroom and gets me a shirt, one of hid shirts. He explained the shower incase I wanted to change the temperature in anyway.
     " Hey rip." I say before he leaves
     "Yes darlin?" He says turning around towards me. I grabbed him by the collar and kissed him again, he kissed back after a few seconds we both back up and smile. He put his finger under my chin and smiled.
     "Did you eat with the rest of the cowboys?" He asked me
      "No, I was busy think about what to do with you."
       "I will make us some dinner how about that?" I nodded and he shut the door.

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After my shower I put on rips shirt and it smelled like him. Walking out It smelled like dinner.
     "Look at you rip, such a great house wife." I say giggling.
      "Shower made you feel better I see." He said laughing back at me.
      "I did, thank you rip."
      " here sit,eat." After dinner we sat and talked on the couch for a few hours before I fell asleep in his arms. Rip made me feel safe, and I do say I could get used to this.