My Cowboy Prince

Bonus Chapter

Shoutout to uhhiokbye for the idea 😏

Took me all evening to write... it's a very long chapter.

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The bathroom feels like a pressure cooker--- it's so thick with tension that neither of us wants to acknowledge fully. I'm standing at the double sink, barely focusing on the lip liner in my hand. My reflection looks like a stranger staring back at me with eyes that are clouded with indecision. The steam from the earlier shower still clings to the mirrors, blurring the edges of everything around me, just like my thoughts.

His presence clings to every corner of the space. I can still smell the faint scent of cologne that lingers in the cool air.

Luke steps back into the room, looking every bit the part of the man I've fallen so hard for. He's wearing a dress shirt that is slightly unbuttoned, the white fabric is molded so perfectly to his broad frame. The black tie hanging loosely around his neck is undone, it makes him look more of a model than anything. His brown hair is tousled, like he's been running his hands through it out of frustration. The sight of him should make my heart skip a beat, but right now, it only makes the knot in my stomach twist tighter.

The man doesn't speak right away, he just moves to put something on the counter. The stretch of silence between us is quite unbearably thick. Just then his eyes flick to me in the mirror, and for a split second, when I think he's going to say something he doesn't. I can't take it anymore--- the silence, the weight of everything is too much.

"I'm not ashamed of you, Luke," the words tumble out faster than I intended. He doesn't react at first, he just keeps his focus on what he's doing.

"Didn't say you were, darlin'." His tone is even, but there's a chill in it. One I haven't heard before.

"I know, but I can feel it," my pulse quickens as I turn to face. "You're frustrated. You've been patient, and I appreciate that, but... I'm trying here, Luke. I just---" I stop and search for the right words. "It's hard. We've only known each other for three perhaps four months, and my family... they'll think I've lost my mind. They won't get it."

His hands still, and he lets out a quiet sigh then finally he looks up. His eyes meet mine and there's something raw in them, something vulnerable. "You think I don't know it's fast? Hell, Amelia, I know it's fast. But I'm here, aren't I? I've been standin' by ya this whole time, waitin' for you to see that this thing between us... it's real."

I swallow hard as the knot in my chest tightens. "I do see it, Luke. I know it's real. That's not the issue, it's just... I don't know how to explain it to everyone else."

His jaw clenches slightly and he runs a hand through his already messy hair. He's clearly trying to keep his frustration in check but I can't help wondering. "You don't have to explain it to them, Amelia. You just have to believe it yourself."

I flinch at that. "I do believe it. I wouldn't be here if I didn't."

"Then why are you so damn scared to tell anyone?" His voice is soft, but there's an edge to it now--- an impatience that's clearly been simmering under the surface for weeks.

I take a step back as my heart pounds like crazy in my chest. "Because I don't want them to think I'm rushing into something. I don't want them to think I'm being reckless."

His hands grip the edge of the counter. "And what if you are? What if we are? Does that mean it's not worth it?"

His words hang in the air, and I feel like I'm being pulled in two different directions--- one part of me is desperate to reassure him and the other is terrified of what comes next.