A Headstrong Woman(130)
Anna squirmed with guilt. She had meant to share with her mom but her thoughts had been so consumed with her upcoming wedding that she had forgotten.
“Jonathon has asked Ted to partner with him on the ranch, we’ll be converting to a horse ranch soon,” Anna shared.
“Oh thank God!” Shirley all but shouted. “What a wonderful day, here everyone sit down. I have a cake in the cupboard and I think now’s a perfect time for it,” Shirley ordered.
Alexandria moved to sit in the chair beside her husband and let out a yelp when a gentle tug brought her into her husband’s lap instead.
“Jonathon!” Alexandria protested as she quickly resituated herself on her own chair. The other’s looked amused as Alexandria tried to hide her pink cheeks.
“Daddy likes to do that and he kisses Mommy a lot too,” Lilly shared. Laughter erupted around the table as Alexandria hid her face behind a hand. Jonathon wrapped his arms around his wife and pulled her close for a hug and a kiss on top of her head. Alexandria laid her head against Jonathon’s shoulder as his chuckle reverberated through his chest. She loved this man, she realized. Of all the times to realize it, she mused. Not when they were alone and she could have shared her love for her husband, but in the middle of her parent’s kitchen with others laughing at their expense.
“Thank goodness there’s no one to tell off on me,” Michael’s eyes were twinkling as his wife turned pink.
“That’ll change in a few months,” Clay reminded his son and watched his son blush as more laughter erupted around the table. Jonathon released Alexandria and she shuddered slightly; she missed the warmth of his arms. She found that she suddenly wanted to go home.
“I hate to be in a hurry but I am suddenly very tired,” Alexandria stood abruptly. Jonathon looked puzzled but stood to take his wife home. Lilly slid from her perch in her grandfather’s lap and joined her parents.
“Go home and get some rest,” Shirley advised as she hugged Alexandria.
“Thanks, Mom, I will,” she responded before hugging the others. Jonathon waited for Alexandria to explain their hasty exit once they were seated in the buggy but she said nothing the entire trip home. Once they were inside Lilly scampered into the kitchen to ask Millie if she could help with dinner and Alexandria moved upstairs to their room. Jonathon trailed her determined to find out why she had wanted to leave so abruptly.
“Are you okay, Alexandria?” Jonathon asked after he had closed the door behind them. Alexandria, still not speaking, turned to him. Jonathon moved to stand in front of her and caressed her cheek.
“Jonathon, I realized something sitting there in the middle of my family, something I wanted to say but that needed to be said in private,” she shared.
“This is as private as it gets, what do you need to say, Alexandria?”
“I love you, I think I must have for a while only I was too busy being scared to realize it,” she shared and watched his eyes darken.
“I love you too, Alexandria, and I’m glad you let go of your fear, I never want to hurt you,” he said before he kissed her.
“I know you wouldn’t intentionally hurt me, Jonathon, that’s what’s so silly about it, you’re so good to me.”
“I like being good to you, I want to be good to you for the rest of our lives, Alexandria.”
“I like that idea,” Alexandria admitted around tears. Jonathon kissed her again and pulled her closer. A moment later Alexandria pulled away and laughed. “Jonathon, Millie will be waiting for us.”
“So, that’s the nice thing about being boss,” he grinned as he pulled her back to him.
“Jonathon!” she protested when he began kissing her neck. The trouble was she was putty in his hands and she knew it, had known it even before she had realized she loved him.
***
Alexandria laughed as she laid her arm around Ali’s shoulders; she was still unable to believe that their husband’s had talked them into this. She and Ali were both decked out in their pants, hats, and gun belts; a photographer set up across from them.
“How did we get talked into this?” Alexandria demanded.
“I wish I knew,” Ali laughed. “I think we should put on our toughest pose, what do you think?” Ali smiled at her new friend.
“Definitely,” Alexandria agreed. The two ladies rested their right hands on their guns and hooked their left thumbs in their pockets; their heads were held high.