Risk it All

There's so Many Ways a Man Can Go Wrong

Bailey’s POV:
     Since Brantley had dropped me off at my house almost 3 weeks ago, I’d ignored his calls and texts. I had even considered changing my number but talked myself out of it. I wasn’t going to upend my life just because he had been an asshole. Oh, I was still good and pissed at him for being so damned stubborn and not being honest with me knowing damn well that I knew he was full of shit but I no longer wanted to cause him physical harm. The day that he had threatened to spank me I had seen red. I had wanted nothing more than to lash out at him but the look in his eyes had told me that it was not an idle threat. I didn't relish the idea of having my ass turned red so I’d chosen to keep my mouth shut. Plus, I kind of like being able to sit down.
     I had just started going through rack and rack of clothing that had been sent over for Brantley and Chase when I heard a knock at the door. 

“It’s open!” I yelled, figuring it was either Chase or PJ.The two of them had been a go between for Brantley and I since we had gotten back. I didn't know if they knew the drama going on between Brantley and I but neither had mentioned it. “What-”

“Bailey, we need to talk.” said Brantley, cutting me off as he walked into the dressing room and shut the door behind him. 

“About?” I asked, not wanting to get my hopes up that he was here to talk about us. 

“How I acted the other week. How I handled all of that.” he said leaning back against the door and crossing his arms across his chest. My mouth watered just seeing his muscle bunch. Add in that damned black hat pulled low over his eyes, and well, he was almost irresistible. 

“What about it B. I said all I have to say that day.” I said, mirroring his stance, crossing my arms across my chest. 

“Bailey, I fucked up. It's just that things were going so great, neither of us wanted to know what we were doing other than having fun and then they weren't so great.” said Brantley, his boots scuffing the tile of the floor, indicating just how nervous he was to be standing here. I could relate because I was just as nervous as he was. When I’d left him standing on my doorstep, I had immediately gone in search of a bottle of wine to lick my wounds and heal. It had taken me nearly two days to get myself together enough so that I didn't drive my ass to Maysville and demand that he open his eyes and see what was in front of him. I just didn't have the energy to fight with him.  “I freaked out. When you mentioned that there was more happening between us than sex, I knew you were right but I was too much of a chicken shit to admit it. I was scared and the asshole side of me came out instead of the side of me that wanted to be honest. Fear kept me from telling you just how I was feeling. How I’m still feeling.”

“Brantley-” I started but was cut off.

“Babydoll, let me finish before I get too scared to say this.” said Brantley as he walked towards me. Geez, I had missed him calling me that! Stopping in front of me, he lifted his hands to my face and tipped my head back so that I was looking him in the eyes. His touch caused my heart to skip a beat. “You were right. I have been fighting an attraction to you from the very first day I laid eyes on you. And I knew that you had been fighting it too. But, I don't want to fight this anymore. Since the day you left me standing on your porch, I've been a miserable little shit to everyone, my Mama and brother included. It took Chase calling me out on my bullshit for me to see that the only way that I was going to get in a better mood was to be honest with you. You really want to know the reason I was so scared for anything to happen between us? When Amber left, it shattered me. That's when I started drinking even more than I had been. Then I got clean and met Jana. I played it off like it didn't hurt that she and I split but it hurt like hell. But what I felt between us was that day was way more than anything I ever felt with them. My sobriety is still fairly new and I don't ever plan on falling off the wagon, but I don't know that I could survive having my heart broken again. My addictions nearly killed me but going through another heartbreak would be the nail in my coffin.”

     I couldn't have stopped the tears spilling from my eyes if I had wanted to. Just knowing that he was scared to let himself be happy broke my heart. Especially for the reasons that he was telling himself. Throw in the tears that were filling his eyes that he was fighting so hard to keep from falling, and I was a goner. Lifting my hands up to cradle his face, I looked into his eyes and saw the fear there. But I also saw a slight glimmer of hope, and that was enough to have me stepping into my tip toes and placing my lips over his. 

“Brantley, none of us knows what the future is going to hold for us. We just have to live our lives and believe that our paths are laid out for us. Maybe things didn't work out with Amber and Jana because you were meant to find your forever happiness with someone else. I’m not saying that person is me, but we won't know unless we give this a shot.” I said after breaking the kiss. “The ball is in your court B. I’ve already made it clear that I want to give this a go. It's up to you to make the call.”

“In that case, what do you say we start over? Let’s do this the right way.” asid Brantley, his voice filled with so much hope that my heart grew in size just for him.

“You got a deal.” I whispered.

     Next thing I knew, I was being lifted off the floor and his strong arms were wrapping around me and his lips were on mine, seering my mouth. For the first time in 3 weeks, I felt calm and relaxed. Funny how being in someone's arms could instantly change your mood.