Page 106 of Georgia-Blue & Hudson

Georgia

“You did a good thing,” Georgia says, stroking my back as we hang over the fence, watching Bucko when my brothers have all finally left.

“So everyone keeps sayin’, though I’m not so sure.”

“You have a past, he knows it’s you, and he hasn’t charged you. I think he knows that you’re not really the devil he once thought you were.”

He side eyes me in his periphery. “Thank you, I think.”

“Most people don’t care about the little details,” I go on. “They just see him as a wild animal to be taunted, to make money off of, though, I’m sure he gave as good as he got.”

“Why do you think I’m sittin’ out here with you?” he muses.

“True. But I love the fact that you don’t judge him for it.”

“I chose a dangerous career, that's on me. He has rearranged quite a few faces before his retirement.”

I’m very much like Brooklyn, and passionate about animals and how they’re treated. I might not be turning vegetarian anytime soon, but I respect it.

He slings his arm around my neck and I rest my head on his shoulder.

“I’m sure he did, but he’s so sweet.”

He chuckles. “You’re the only woman in the entire world who would call him sweet.”

“He likes me.”

“Can’t fight you on that.”

“Brook said you were thinking of getting some other rescues.”

I feel him glance down at me. “I’ve always wanted horses. I just never allowed myself to replace Snowy, which is dumb now that I think about it.”

I pat his chest. “You’ve just got so much in this big ol’ heart of yours.”

He presses his lips to mine. “This big ol’ heart beats a whole lot faster when you’re around.”

“You just love me for my bull-whispering skills.”

“No, I just love you the way you are.”

I pull apart. “You… you do?” I know we kinda said it a few weeks ago, but his was more of a ‘I lovethis,’as inwhat we were doing, not so much me.

He rubs his nose against mine. “I’m nuts about you,Princess.Though, I’m sure that’s obvious since we’ve been sneaking into each other’s beds for the last couple of weeks.”

“I love you, too, I meant it when I said it before, but we kinda blew it off,” I say.

“I don’t know how I lived this long without you in my arms if I’m being honest.”

“Bull wrangling skills aside, you really mean that?”

He kisses me again. “Yes, I really mean it. I haven't said it to anyone since my mom.”

He’s silent for a while.

“I can’t imagine losing my mom so early in life.”

“It’s unbearable, and you know when people say as time goes one the pain lessens?” He shakes his head. “It’s a load of crap. You go through the motions. At her funeral, I wasn’t even present. I was angry at the world. Makin’ it all about me.”

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