The Cowboy

Married?

" Do you trust me?" He asked taking his hands in mine

" Yes, of course I trust you."

" Then when you get done getting dressed and meet me outside."

He said that and then walked off towards the barn, I shut the door and went straight to getting dressed. When I was done I stepped on the porch and saw Justin standing infront of the shack with Racer's reins in his hands.

" What are we doing?" I stepped infront of him

" Jane you don't want to go back to Alabama do you?"

" No."

" Then I need you to really listen to me right now." I gave him a nod urging him to continue " Jane you have changed my life, I never realized how lonely I was until you showed up. I love how I've got someone to talk to after a long day, I love how you try so hard to fit in here and how hard you work. Your beautiful in every way possible and I realized something to day on the way back to the ranch." He took a deep breath " I love you."

" Justin I..." I said nervously, did I love him?

" Hey you don't have to say it back but I realized something else." He wrapped his arms around me

" What?" I layed my head on his chest listening to his steady breathing and the vibrations as he spoke.

" I can't live without you, so I have a very important question and this is kind of crazy."

" Okay ask me."

" Will you marry me?" He asked making my heart speed up, there was only one answer I could think of to that question.

" Your willing to do that so I can stay here?" I looked up at him with tears in my eyes

" Honey, I'd do anything in the world for you." He said with tears of his own and kissing my forehead feeling his sweet tears dampen my skin.

" Yes!" I exclaimed

" What?"

" Yes, I'll marry you!" I said excitedly and relieved. Justin picked me up smiling and twirling me around making me giggle.

" Come on." He  sat me down and got on his horse, I reached up taking his hand getting on the back of the horse. I wrapped my arms around his middle holding on and laying my head on his back, I never thought someone would care about me enough to marry me just so I could stay in a place that I loved so much. I was comfortable just laying on his back but I was kind of nervous about getting married, I mean it is a lifetime commitment and I think me and Justin both realized that.

I was thinking about what he said earlier too, he loves me? I don't think anyone besides my mother has ever told me that, Justin has taken such good care of me and we can talk about anything and everything all night. Did I love Justin though? I mean I really care about him too and it's hard to see my life without him, he's my best friend. I know I feel strongly about him and if anything ever happened to him I would probably fall apart.

" Justin?" I asked after we had been riding a little ways

" Yes?"

" I love you too." I said looking up at him a smile stretched across his face as he bent down and kissed me.

We continued to ride through the endless fields, cross a creek and then go down the road. Justin reached back and put his hand over my right thigh squeezing it lightly, in response I put my hand over the top of his and squeeze his hand. We continued to ride to the Reverend's house I was growing more nervous by the second but I wasn't getting cold feet.