Something Borrowed

Chapter 9

Brent

"This is beautiful," Amelia said wistfully, and Brent wanted to vomit. His stomach twisted and flipped as he stood a few feet back, arms crossed over his chest, and watched her appreciate the view. They stood on a gently-sloping hillside, staring at the orange glow of the setting sun as it outlined the jagged, blue-steel peaks in the distance. In the valley beneath them, the river wound like a lazy snake through trees and grass, grazing cattle dotting the hills.

It was beautiful. She was beautiful. The house she envisioned would surely be beautiful. Their child would be beautiful, their life would be beautiful...

God dammit, but he didn't want beautiful. He wanted adventure. He'd always been restless-- always seeking out new spots to play as a child. He'd rearranged the room he shared with Josh every few months, yearning for change, and chased down all the girls in town for the sweet satisfaction of new, unique sex. It didn't matter if it was good. Good was boring. He just wanted different. Needed it.

Josh lingered back by the wagon, giving them privacy, but Brent wished his brother would just join them so Amelia would have someone to talk to. She didn't deserve the distance he was putting between them, but honestly it was for the best. She'd be better off without him. If he stayed, he'd make her life miserable. Whatever she said now, she'd want him to be faithful. She'd want him present. It would either break her heart or drive her mad to see him wandering off for weeks at a stretch, only to return home already longing for his next sojourn in another woman's bed.

Relief hit him like a rush of warm water, his stomach immediately settling, as he realized the decision was already made. He smiled with earnest ease as Amelia turned around, her cheeks flushed with the chill air. He was going to do what was best for her, and it felt good. He'd been conflicted for too long, hating himself for wanting to go and hating her for needing him to stay.

"It's beautiful," he agreed, offering her his arm and leading her back to the wagon. "Have you enjoyed your tour?"

"Of course," she said, looping her hand through the crook of his elbow. "I love this place so much. I never thought I'd live anywhere so beautiful."

"Well, then I'm glad I brought you here," he said good-naturedly, helping her into the wagon. Josh had already hopped back up to the bench, but Brent joined Amelia in the back. Now that he'd made his decision, being around her wasn't so grating.

"I think we're ready to head back," he told his brother, retrieving a discarded blanket and draping it over Amelia's shoulders before settling in beside her. All the way back to the main house, she gushed about the ranch. Everything was so extraordinary to her, and he wondered what it would be like to be so... simple. The mountains were awe-inspiring, the cattle were cute, the horses were stunning, and the river was divine. Everything had an adjective, and every adjective was excessive in its positivity. She was so charmingly easy to please.

Back at the house, they bid farewell to Josh and walked together to their room. Amelia continued to chatter as they cleaned up for bed, and for the first time in weeks the sound didn't make his skin crawl. As they slid beneath the covers, she turned onto her side to face him.

"Are you okay?" she asked, after a long silence.

"Of course," he answered, unfolding an obliging arm and letting her rest her head on his shoulder. For all that he'd been avoiding it lately, he did enjoy the feel of her warmth against his side. She smelled nice, too, and he wasn't such a heel that he couldn't recognize how adorable her optimism could be. She'd make a good wife. Hell, maybe he'd come back for her someday. Perhaps his wanderlust was a finite substance, and he'd run out. Her arms would be a nice place to settle when he was old and tired.