Cowgirl Up 2 (Sequel) ✔️

Chapter Six

Noah helped me to drag the shopping bag's inside once we eventually made it home.
Her expression and her demeanour seemed more balanced now, which I was glad to see.
It pain's your heart to see one of your best friend's so upset.
I'd seen Jaxon's car parked up not too far from where I parked Mum's near the house, which I took to also be a good sign.
Hopefully it meant they were sorting thing's out.
"Hey ba- oh hey Noah! How are ya honey?"
Mum greeted as she walked into the kitchen while I was dragging the last couple of bag's in.
"I'm good Kylie! How're you?"
Noah returned, embracing my Mum in a quick hug.
"Yeah I'm good thanks honey."
Mum said with a smile.
I could see that the sparkle was back in her beautiful green eyes.
My heart beat with relief.
Obviously thing's have gone well with Jaxon then.
Mum began to help us unload the groceries, while I set about making Noah and I a warm drink between unpacking bag's.
"Coco Pop's?"
Mum asked, raising a questioning eyebrow at me as she held up the large box of cereal.
"Oh! Yeah, nah that's Blayze's."
I explained, abandoning the drink's I was attempting to make and taking the box from her.
Coco Pop's are one of the item's that's barely been in our kitchen even since I was a little girl.
Very rarely did Mum buy the cereal as a treat.
Over the year's, I'd most often pay a visit to Blayze's cottage and bribe him to let me have a bowl, if the craving for the chocolatey goodness struck me.
Eight out of ten times, he'd make me work for it though, usually by some form of a cleaning task he didn't really want to do, his tack, the dishes, even vacuuming.
"I'll take em down to the cottage."
I said and turned on my heel to head back out of the house.
Sure seem's like I'm doing a lot of backward's and forward's lately...
Shrugging it off, I pushed the back door open and headed down the path.

I was about half way to the cottage, when the low hanging black cloud's opened, allowing thick drop's of rain to come pelting down and ping off the land.
"Damn it!"
I cursed and tried to shield the cardboard box of Coco Pop's against my body the best I could.
I ducked my head and ran for the path that led to the cottage porch.
The droplet's of rain pelted against my head and my jacket, slowly coating me in water.
I'm no city girl, so I'm not afraid of a little rain.
But I should've grabbed my Akubra and a weatherproof jacket!
Lesson learned.

As always, the cottage door was unlocked, so I pulled the screen door aside, pushed the wooden door open and hurried into the dry safety of the small house.
I didn't plan on staying too long, other than waiting out the downpour, so I kept my boot's on and made my way to the kitchen.
Once there, I deliberated on where to put the cereal.
I'd told Blayze I'd call him when I got home and we could meet up, so I could always tell him in person that I'd brought the cereal.
But...Noah need's me.
If I leave the box on the bench, he'll see it as soon as he comes in!
You can't exactly miss the yellow...
Feeling satisfied, I set the box on the bench.
I could no longer hear the rain pelting against the tin roof, so I made for the door while I had my chance.
Halfway to the door, a tall figure stepped through, shrugging out of a dark blue waterproof jacket.
My heart skipped a beat inside my chest.
Blayze.
"Uh...hi."
I greeted, not really sure what the hell I was meant to do from here.
Would he be mad that I was clearly home but hadn't yet called?
Or that I was just randomly in his cottage?
"You're back."
He stated, his weatherproof jacket hanging in his hand, a few water droplet's hitting the wooden floor.
Yeah...
Not for long though, because I need to get back to Noah.
"I realised I left my phone here so came back to get it."
Blayze explained, turning to hang his jacket onto the wall rack that was by the door.
"But when I seen the door open, I was gonna kick Heath's arse. But..."
"I...grabbed you a box of Coco Pop's, its in the kitchen."
I told him.
He turned around, his black hoody with the electric blue R.M. Williams writing looking dry.
His expression was one of surprise.
"Thanks."
I nodded toward the still open door.
"Sorry I didn't shut it. I raced in to escape the rain and...well I wasn't gonna be here long..."
He rolled his eyes.
"If you're in here I don't care. I seen it open and thought Heath had hit the paddock's and left it all open."
"No."
I shook my head.
I'm pretty sure Heath know's how to close some door's...
He stepped away from the door and eased the wooden one shut.
"Hey umm...I need to ask you something."
I said, twisting my hands together in front of myself.
There was no time like the present right?
"Wanna sit down?"
He asked, heading for the lounge.
Noooooo.
I'm gonna have to get back up to Noah.
But I gave in and joined him on the couch, leaving about a foot worth of space between us as we angled our bodies toward each other.
"So what'd ya wanna ask?"
Blayze asked, propping his elbows on his jeans clad knees.
Looking at his expectant, but willing expression, my question suddenly seemed harder than I'd expected.
And it wasn't even about anything that we actually needed to discuss.
I chewed on my lower lip, my heart rate increasing, before I gave myself a mental kick up the bum.
Just spit it out.
"I uh..."
Why couldn't I just say it?
I knew it was likely because I too had been hoping we could just have a chat and get back to normal.
The tension between us was clearly driving the both of us insane.
I made myself meet his gaze.
"When I was in town... Noah called me."
I explained.
I could see the confusion swirl in Blayze's eyes, before he nodded, silently telling me to continue.
I guess he'd been expecting I was going to talk about us.
I sighed, reaching the small distance forward to grab his hand.
"Apparently she and Codie had a big fight yesterday and they're still not over it. She need's a distraction, so she's come back here with me. So... I was wondering if we can put our chat on hold? I don't know if she wants to stay the night or what, but..."
He stayed silent, his gaze trained down on our linked hands, his larger and even more tanned than mine.
"Say something?"
I whispered, a little anxious about his reaction, or lack there of.
He worked his jaw and I physically saw him swallow.
Finally he turned his gaze to look at my face.
I felt like I'd spontaneously combust, if he didn't hurry up and say something.
Even if he got mad, it would be better than the silence.
"I was hoping we'd chat and sort shit out."
He finally stated.
"Because as I've been trying to explain to you, I haven't exactly been enjoying the last couple days."
"Neither have I."
I promised, my voice coming out squeaky as I squeezed his hand.
He sighed, his broad shoulder's visibly slumping a little.
Guilt twisted at my heart.
It was me doing this.
I should just talk to him.
Noah would understand surely.
"I guess Noah need's ya."
Blayze said, removing his hand from mine.
Hot tear's pricked at the back's of my eyes.
No, no, no!
"I really want us to sort our shit out."
I insisted, my voice wobbling slightly as I wiped at my eyes, hoping to remove any evidence of tear's before they were noticed.
"So do I."
He agreed, sinking backward into the couch cushions.
My heart was cracking, because of the saddened look on his face.
It was rare for Blayze Riley to truly let his emotions show.
Normally he just shoulder's them and get's on with life.
Swallowing past a thick lump in my throat, I leaned forward, cupped his warm, slightly prickly face in my hands and moulded my lips against his.
Immediately he kissed me back, his lips moving with mine, then soon taking charge.
My heart pounded in my chest and those familiar electric spark's shot right throughout my body as our tongue's collided.
His hand came up to cup the back of my neck, then grab my ponytail.
He broke off the kiss, leaving me gasping for air a little, a slightly pained look flickering across his face.
"We need to not."
He said, avoiding looking in my eyes.
"Why not?"
I asked, my hands slipping down to grip his jumper.
I was hanging by a thread here.
Was I suddenly not good enough?
Was he waking up to the fact that as the next few month's went on, I'd get fatter and less appealing physically and probably emotionally too?
Was the mysterious raven haired girl that I was pretty sure was from Jaxon's band and Blayze's past suddenly the better option?
He swallowed hard.
"Because we're not gonna get a chance to clear shit up and you're gonna walk and I'm gonna be left none the wiser still."
That thick lump was back in my throat with a vengeance.
Thousand's of tear's pricked at my eyes.
"I meant it when I said I want us to work it out."
I insisted, my voice scratchy sounding even to my own ear's.
"Yeah, so did I."
None of this was going the way I wanted...
I slowly backed away, my feet finding the floor again.
"I'll let you know if Noah's staying the night or not."
I murmured and turned on my heel to head for the door.
"Bailey?"
Blayze's voice stopped me when I was a mere few step's from the door.
Slowly, I turned around.
"You can bring Noah down here and have your girl time if ya want. We're gonna be out at least till dark still."
Blayze said, sitting forward on the couch again now, with his elbow's propped on his knee's.
My thought's flickered to the madhouse that is normally the main house, when the kids are around.
We'd have a far better chance at some relaxing girl time down here.
"Thanks."
I whispered.
I turned on my heel and escaped out the door.