Relentless

31- Saige

Gentle fingers slid through my hair softly, stirring me from my sleep. I sighed blissfully shifting a bit before drifting off again. Only I didn't get to drift off. A deep chuckle sounded next to me. I reluctantly forced my eyes open and couldn't remember where I was. I recounted the events of this morning. After I returned from my horseback ride, we loaded everything into the car and came back to the Jenson's. We unpacked, had a late breakfast, I sat on the couch to rest for a minute and...fell asleep. I looked up and was pleasantly surprised to find my hero sitting on the edge still stroking my hair. He smiled down at me, "Hi."

    I smiled back sleepily before yawning, "What time is it?"

    "Almost three, I heard you had a late night."

    "More like I was wide awake all night."

    "You never slept?"

    "Nope, but it was worth it."

    His brows furrowed in slight confusion, "What was worth it?"

    I sat up and scooted over so he could sit fully on the couch, "Where is everybody?"

    "If you mean Jackson, Justin, Hannah, Lacey, Silas, Phoenix, Kelly, Aaron, Richard, and my parents," he smiled wide with the last one. "They're all outside. They wanted to let you sleep a little longer."

    "The whole gang, huh? What's the occasion?"

    "Justin convinced Kelly that the best way to celebrate coming home is to watch Star Wars."

    I laughed, "He's finally getting what he wants."

    "Yeah," he smirked. "So if you're still tired save it for the movie."

    "I heard that!" Justin poked his head through the kitchen door. "If you're tired sleep now so you actually watch the movie."

    "Justin," Lacey scolded from behind him. "Did you wake her up?"

    "What? No," he crossed his arms defensibly. "Loverboy did."

    "Get back out here, Steel," I heard Aaron say from the porch. "For crying out loud leave them alone. We'll watch it when we watch it."

    "But I didn't-,"

    "Now, babe," Lacey pulled him out against his groaning protests.

    Ky and I exchanged looks before bursting out laughing. "So, what kept you up?"

    "A lot of things," I admitted. "But they don't matter anymore."

    "Really," he cocked an eyebrow. "And why is that?"

    "They weren't mine to keep." He studied my face and I let myself smile, "I went horseback riding and had a chat with God."   

    His eyes lit up as he gasped, "You believe?" I nodded. He grabbed my hand pulling me up and spun me around in a circle. I giggled, butterflies exploding in my stomach when he placed a sweet kiss on my forehead. "Then it really is time to celebrate."

    "I also named my horse."

    "About time, only took you six years," he grinned. I rolled my eyes playfully. "What is it?"

    "Dawn; because the night is the darkest right before the dawn." I suddenly felt embarrassed. "Plus she was there with me and at the moment it just seemed like the right choice and it sounds cheesy saying it out loud now and-,"

    His light laugh cut me off, "It's perfect." We gazed into each other's eyes, our faces much closer. His hand slid to the back of my neck while the other snaked around my waist. I gasped, my heart leaping into my throat. He leaned in.