Hearing You Say I Love You

*~*Twelve*~*

•AUSTIN•

The minute I saw her crying I had a fucking one track mind and the only thing I could think of and focus on was to get her the fuck out of here. I knew a little bit about what happened to her from people making jokes right in front of her that stopped her from talking to people not giving her a fair chance, but this was different. Seeing her downright convinced and so sure that after talking to Paige I wanted to up and leave her I knew there was plenty that I still needed to know. I'd figure it out once she felt comfortable enough to tell me, right now all I wanted to do was comfort her and get her out of here and the best place that came to my mind was the ranch.

Yeah ai had thought of selling it since it seemed plagued with my past, but it seemed that my feelings towards being in Tennessee were turning around. Oakley had given me a new outlook on life, or rather brought out the old me that I seemed to have lost when I was with Lauren. Bringing her back to the ranch seemed right, it seemed like the perfect place to get to know her more and she was the only person I could think of that I wanted to start making memories with there. It was a win for both of us if I thought about it that way.

We said goodbye to a very confused Paige who was in the restroom for the entire time Oakley was convinced I was leaving her. She promised she would fill Paige in but I couldn't help but sense some resentment in her body language as she signed with her. I hated to see her like this. I hated to see her so worried and upset with her best friend, but I was going to do my best to talk her off the ledge and make sure she knows that I don't care how easy it might be to be with someone else, she was the one that I wanted.

The drive to my ranch was quiet, but not awkward. It was dark which made it hard for her to read my lips and I couldn't focus on her phone screen and the road as much as I wanted too. Rather I held her hand gently rubbing my thumb over her skin, making side glances at her as she stared out the window with a happy smile. She looked beautiful, tiny pieces of her hair caught up in the wind as we wound down back roads. She'd sigh or get more
comfortable in her seat and I'd give her hand a squeeze, her head turning in my direction flashing me a soft smile each time ending with a gentle kiss on the top of her hand. Tonight took a turn for the worse, but I could see where she was coming from. Her entire life she suffered through ass fucks poking fun at her, bitches talking to her like she was dumb, people not giving her a chance or only staying until something easier came along.

How she even had it in her to trust me was beyond me. She did tell me that over the years she grew a tough skin to how people treated her which broke my fucking heart. If people took the time to get to know her, to understand that her hearing didn't define her and that she had so much more to offer she would've had an amazing life. Yet, I couldn't help but be slightly thankful that a good one didn't walk into her life because I was almost certain that if he did, she wouldn't be in my truck coming back to my ranch.

We pulled into the long driveway, weeping willows lining each side and I saw her face light up. She looked over at me with a smile, her fingers slowly moving over the underside of my forearm. Fuck she looked so goddamn cute when she was excited about something. I slowed the truck to almost a stop, her bottom lip nestled between her teeth before giggling and pulling her phone out of her purse.

I took the opportunity to grab a smoke and light it, my head resting back against the headrest as I looked up at the velvet sky that was momentarily
clouded out by my cloud of smoke. The ranch already felt different. The dread that would suffocate me as I drove up the long dirt drive didn't make an appearance tonight. The crickets chirped a little louder and the stars shined a little brighter and I was convinced it was because of the beautiful woman sitting next to me.

My cigarette came back to my lips taking a long inhale, a smile cracking my lips when I felt her fingertips dancing over my skin. I blew out the smoke and tossed the cigarette down in the dirt, my eyes resting on hers that perfectly caught the light of the moon, our fingers brushing as I grabbed the phone filling the cab of the truck with an undeniable current of electricity.