Old Flame Turned New Flame

Can I Trust You With My Heart?

I had just finished straightening the last piece of my hair when Brantley knocked on the bedroom door. He had gotten ready in Kolby's room, demanding it was bad luck to see your date before going out. I had reminded him that it was bad luck for the bride and groom to see each other to which he just shrugged his shoulders at and closed the door behind him. I got up from where I had been sitting on the floor and walked over. I took a deep breath and opened the door, there stood Brantley in a tight white t-shirt, his black jeans with no holes, and his black boots. I knew just from how he was dressed that I was in for a heap of trouble.

"You look beautiful, Katie." Brantley said as his eyes greedily roamed over my body.

I couldn't stop the blush from creeping to my cheeks, "Thank you. You clean up nicely, Brantley."

He grinned and I knew then and there if he asked me to jump, I would reply how high, "You ready to head out?"

I nodded, "Yeah, just let me grab my phone and wallet."

Brantley waited outside the door while I grabbed my things. He took my hand interlocking our fingers as we walked down the stairs. The one thing that stood out to me the most was that Brantley doesn't have a hat on and he doesn't seem to be missing it.

"Mommy! Daddy!" EB yelled running towards us. I dropped B's hand to catch EB in my arms, I lifted him up and placed him on my hip.

"Are you gonna be good for poppop Keith and KG?" I asked him.

He nodded his head, "Yes mommy. Promise."

"Good. Me and daddy won't be here at bedtime so you'll have to make poppop Keith read you a bedtime story." I said smiling over at Keith.

"Don't let him tell you a story. You won't sleep." Brantley said.

"Y'all get together. Mama will skin me if I don't send her a picture." Kolby said talking his phone out of his pocket. Brantley rested his hand on my lower back as I turned into him, good lord this man smells wonderful, I thought as my smile got even bigger. Kolby took a picture of the three of us, "Alright, just the lovebirds this time."

"Kolby!" I shouted as Brantley shot him the bird. I'm sure Kolby took a picture of that, "Promposal style." I rolled my eyes but we posed anyway. When Brantley wrapped his arms around me I felt something I hadn't felt in almost four years, safety, "Alright. She should be happy with these." Kolby said tapping away on his phone.

Brantley and I said our goodbyes before walking out to his truck. He was in full on gentleman mode, he opened and closed my door for me before walking around the truck to get in himself, "So where are we going?" I asked.

Brantley shrugged as he started the truck, "It's a surprise."

"Does it have something to do with your dad sneaking away earlier?" I asked.

Brantley shook his head, "Nope, those were his own reasons."

"Uh huh." I said studying his face. I watched him glance at me and smirk, "Katie Lee, I promise you'll like it. Just sit and ride. Maybe do a little dashboard drummin." Brantley said.

I sighed and turned the radio up. I watched out the window as Brantley drove down a bunch of different roads before coming to a dirt road with a dead end sign, "Are you going to murder me?"

Brantley busted up laughing, "How many dirt roads have I taken you down without killin ya yet?"

I thought about it for a minute, "True but all those were in Georgia. This is Alabama."

"I'm not gonna kill you." Brantley said reaching over to pat my thigh.

I smiled and sat up a little straighter so I could watch out the windshield as a big grassy opening came into view. Brantley pulled to the middle of the field and parked, "Wait here a minute." He said before jumping out of the truck. I watched out the back glass as he unloaded a blanket, pillows, his guitar, and a cooler. When I realized he was done I quickly turned around and acted like I was doing something on my phone, "I know you watched me the whole time. I could see you." Brantley said opening my door.

I smiled and slide out of the truck, sticking my phone in my back pocket, "I'm curious."

"Nosy is what you are." Brantley said putting his hands over my eyes, "Walk forward." I grabbed onto his wrists and slowly started walking forward, "Few more steps." Brantley whispered, "Okay. I'm gonna move my hands on three." Brantley counted to three and dropped his hands from my eyes. I gasped slightly looking at the blanket he had spread out, the pillows sat up across from each other, two carry out trays of Chinese food sitting in front of the pillows, and the cooler off to the side.

I looked back at Brantley, "You didn't have to do all this."

"I wanted to. I meant it when I said I was going to do right by you, I fucked around and let you slip away the first time. I'm not doin it this time." Brantley said never taking his eyes off mine. I didn't know what to say. I had no idea what he meant by that. He always leaves things out in the open, "Let's eat."

We sat down opposite of each other making light conversation until just before sunset. Brantley moved all his pillows over to my side and grabbed his guitar. I watched closely as he took it out of the case and strummed it a few times to make sure it was in tune, "Can I play you something?"

I nodded, "Yes, I've missed hearing you play live."

Brantley smiled and started playing a song I didn't recognize until he started singing,

When you meet that certain someone you been searchin' hard to find
It's a new love full of passion that can sometimes make you blind
I don't mind bein' swept away if I know right from the start
So before we go much further girl can I trust you with my heart
In the time we've spent together I have learned to trust in you
So many things you've given before I even asked you to
But reality and romance are sometimes far apart
So what I really need to know is can I trust you with my heart
Can I cast my cares upon you can you stand a heavy load
Can I count on you to walk me down that long and winding road
If you promise me these simple things I can guaranty
You can always count on me
Can I cast my cares upon you can you stand a heavy load
Can I count on you to walk me down that long and winding road
When two hearts solely surrender and are sworn to understand
It completes a perfect union between a woman and a man
So please don't misunderstand me I don't want to go too far
Without knowing just one answer can I trust you with my heart
Please girl give me just one answer can I trust you with my heart

I had gotten so caught up in the song I almost didn't realize it was over. Brantley had his hand laying flat against his guitar strings, his green eyes fixed on me, and just the slightest hint of a smiling toying at his lips, "Can I trust you with my heart?"

I stared at Brantley not really shocked but kind of bumped back. He had been the one to break my heart not the other way around, I wanted him to be my forever. Do I still want that or do I just want to keep our relationship where it is? What if he's using me as a rebound for Jana because he knows I love him and always will. I let my eyes meet Brantley's gaze, his tongue parted his lips just slightly to wet them, was he nervous?, "You can trust me."

Brantley sat his guitar down calmly never letting his eyes leave mine, he starred me down making me feel slightly intimated. He shifted making my lose eye contact with him and then he was on me. My back on the blanket, head on the pillows, and him hovering above me. I brought my hand up to rub my thumb over his freshly trimmed beard, "You're mine Katie. Always have been." Brantley said before his lips landed on mine. They still felt the same way they always had, soft. His beard tickled a little but I liked it more than I did his baby face. As much as I wanted to keep kissing him I had questions that needed answers. I broke the kiss but missed his lips right away. The questions could wait till later, I grabbed the front of his shirt in my fist and pulled his lips back down on mine. I felt his growl of approval vibrate on my lips before I heard it. It felt good to know I still had the power to melt this man with just a kiss, but I'm pretty sure he's the one melting me.