Page 21 of Roping Reba

“Why not?”

Her head tilted then shook so quickly her hat nearly fell off her head. “You know why.”

Onex stepped back as I stepped forward. Was I about to make the biggest mistake of my life? Maybe. But it felt like a now-or-never situation. I reached for Reba and pulled her body against mine as I tilted my head and covered her lips with mine. She gasped with shock, but then she leaned into me even more. Her arms came up around my neck and everything around us seemed to disappear. Every possibility of our future flashed through my mind until Onex, the ornery girl that she was,decided she wanted Reba’s attention and didn’t want to share it. She nudged my shoulder, breaking the moment, and at the same time Reba pushed at my chest until I let her go and she stepped away.

“What was that?”

“A kiss. Obviously.”

“Why? But, what would make you think that was okay?”

“Don’t you pretend that you weren’t into it.”

“I wasn’t!”

“Wanna bet?”

I reached for her again and pulled her to me. This time she made a half-assed attempt to deny me, so I lifted her into my arms and held her to me.

“This is how it’s supposed to be, Reba. Stop fighting it.”

“Put me down!”

“Not until you forgive me.”

“Never!”

“Then this is how we will go on for the rest of our lives.”

I started walking toward the gate, ignoring the frustrated grunts of Onex.

“Johnny, I swear the second you let go, I’m going to kick you so hard in the nuts!”

“Well, that doesn’t make me want to let you go now, does it?”

“Ugh, you’re such an ass.”

“Maybe, but I’m your ass. You know it, so stop denying it.”

I reached the gate, but rather than opening it, I pressed Reba against it. Fuck, it felt amazing to have her in my arms.

“Forgive me, Reba. Please.”

“For what?” she spat back, as if I didn’t know.

“For making the biggest mistake of my life.”

“Fucking me? Yeah, I know it was a mistake. After promising me again and again that night it wasn’t, the first thing you saidin the morning was ‘What a fucking mistake’. I remember it like it was yesterday.”

“You never let me explain!”

“Why would I? I could tell by the look on your face how disgusted you were.”

“I was not disgusted! God woman, you’re impossible.”

“It was a mistake because I didn’t know you were a virgin. If I had, I would have done things differently, not like some drunken buffoon.”

“You never wanted me sober.”

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