Cowboy Kind of Love

Live Your Life With Me

"Don't blame me I gave you a choice." I said taking a sip of my drink as he briskly walked towards the house. He held a finger up moving it and he walked past me silently before going in the house the door roughly slamming behind him as I looked at him. "One way to start." I said to myself taking a deep breath and another sip. The door opened and I looked back as he walked out leaving it opened a six-pack in his hand as he walked down the stairs still not talking a beer in his hand. He opened it chugging it as I watched on looking at his back in bemusement. He tossed the bottle aside. "A little better?"

"Not yet." He opened a second bottle chugging it as well before he turned around facing me. "So, dear, how was your day?" He asked bringing a third bottle to his lips. As we both chuckled.

"Well my day was illuminating, come sit with me." I said patting the spot next to me. He made his way up the stairs taking his hat off and setting it behind him on the porch. As he turned back to look at me I had a box and handed it to him. My sister found it oddly hilarious and thoroughly entertaining that I asked her to help me and take a lunch. He looked at me, pick in his mouth.

"What's that?"

"Technically the proper term would be a juxtaposition." I said as he took it. I knew good and damn well he didn't know what that meant. He took a sighing breath with a slight eye roll, hating when I used big words like a fucking smart-ass as he called it.

"I don't know what that means, Alexis."

"I know baby, that's the point." I said smirking as he shook his head looking at me before opening the box. A black ring staring back at him. I rolled my thumbs together a nervous habit, wondering what he was thinking right now.

"Look at that, hm." He took it out of the box holding it in his hand "Looks like an O-ring." He said looking at me

"Half right. I didn't think you were a diamonds and gold kinda girl. Know what I mean?" I said as he laughed

"Yep, well I don't need presents, Alexis." He said looking at me. "Just you." I looked from him down to the ring he was twirling in his hands.

"Well, that's what that is. It means that you have me and I'm yours fr as long as you'll put up with me. It means come live your life with me." I said taking a breath as I glanced out at the land. "Only thing I ask is you outlive me so I never have to live another day without you."

"I can try and do that." I nodded taking a sip of my drink.

"Shit I actually had the balls to do it, guess we are getting married."

"Married, huh?" he chuckled.

"Yeah, baby. I'm askin you to marry me. Will you?"

"I mean, I, I would have to ask your father. First."

"He talked to me, told me if you made me happy and I wanted to then I needed to get off my ass and ask., guess he wanted to spare you from asking. So, um what do you say?"

"I'm supposed to be asking you Alexis, not you asking me honey."

"Does it really fucking matter, answer me Rip."

"I mean I woulda liked some diamonds actually." He said laughing. I placed my hand on his face and my head against his lightly smacking him a couple times as we laughed, him grabbing at my arm before I placed my arms around his neck and he cupped my face as we kissed.

"That a yes?"

"Lex, I can't go to no courthouse. There's no record I even exist on this planet."

"Yeah, well, a marriage license is just a stupid piece of paper." I said moving to sit on his lap as I face him. "To me marriage is, well it's always been you take me in front of those mountains, in front of my family, couple friends I have and stand in front of them and you would tell them there is no more you and I. There's only us." He looked at me nodding.

"I can do that." I smiled in relief.

"Yeah?"

"Yeah." He said cupping my face in his hands and kissing me. "Just know I'm getting you a ring and asking you again, supposed to be me."

"I've been one-upping you since we met Rip, a ring ain't gonna change that."

"I know honey." He kissed me again as we sat on the stairs. I finally need to breathe so I pulled back and he looked at me, that look of pure love so strong in his eyes it made me think back to the night on the roof where he almost told me he loved me but I had asked him not too.

RIP POV

I spent the rest of my time with her. I can't believe that her ass fucking asked me to marry her. I damn sure wanted to, but I should have been able to ask her. Take her somewhere special, plan something out and get down on one knee take her hand after I had asked John if I could have it and ask her to spend her life with me. Honestly, I had wanted to ask him before but was nervous about being a disappointment to him. That maybe even though I loved his baby more than anything, that I didn't deserve her because god knows she was too good for me, but somehow she loved me back, flaws and all. I had left her with a kiss as she worked the ranch and I was out with John. I walked up to John as he watched some horses.

"He priced right?"

"Yeah, right enough."

"Well, you sure you won't take him down the road?"

"Been a while since we've done it, rest of the world forgot we're here. Time to remind them. Thought I told you to run that sorrel over to Steiner's." He said looking over at me.

"I did, they didn't like him. He didn't buck hard enough for them."

"Didn't buck hard enough?" He questioned

"No." I responded as he laughed.

"He bucked hard enough for me."

"Well, what do you want to do?" I asked "You want to put him through a sale?"

"No, he'll end up in a slaughterhouse. Can't have him killed just because he doesn't wanna be ridden. Hell I don't wanna be ridden either"

"All right, well, I'll figure it out." I started to walk away when his voice stopped me.

"That's it?" I turned looking at him

"Hm?"

"Anything else you feel like discussing?" I sighed looking at him, knowing this was his way of bringing up Alexis.