Makin' Plans

Well, now that I’ve got the ring… I need a wedding. Lol. This ought to be fun. Cowboy’s always on the road, singin’ his songs and I’m not exactly a girlie girl. *sigh* I hope he knows what he’s getting into…

Hmm, is all black an acceptable color scheme for a wedding?

No? Oh, okay…

But seriously, what do I do? He won’t be free for months and we have to do this before hunting season starts or it’ll be another two months… On second thought, what have I gotten myself into?

Good thing I’ve got friends. We’ll figure it out. Eventually. Red and I know each other well enough not to have to ask. And we can always recruit Jo, Albie’s now steady girl. I think that might work. So, whatcha think? September? Works for me.

Ali

Two Steps From Paradise

Well, now that my Cowboy’s gotten the hardest part out of the way – the proposal – and I took care of the easiest part – the response – we only have two things keeping us from a nice, happy life together.

His family.
My family.

His family shouldn’t be too hard. They’ll hate me, but they’ll gripe and pitch a fit and then let him do what makes him happy. If this weren’t true, would he be playing music for a living? Not likely. They may never come to like me, but I have a feeling they’ll at least tolerate me, for his sake, if nothing else.

My family, on the other hand, is not going to give in that easily. My brothers are going to hate him for being a hick. Think him inferior for not being a college graduate. My parents are going to reject him based on the fact that his family is just not up to par with them. But then again, neither am I. Any wonder why they abandoned me to jet set around the world? And I can guarantee you that no one will ever learn to tolerate Blake.

But I digress.

My family is full of snobs, old money that has more of it than they know what to do with it. They all have cushy jobs. Mostly with the government, but one brother does work in the civilian sector. But again, a cushy job there.

Oh well. All of the above are why none of my family is being invited to the wedding.

Ali

Post Valentine's Day Bliss

Lost in this moment with you
I am completely consumed

Ali looked up at Blake and smiled. He’d fallen asleep not even halfway through the movie. She knew he was a goner when he propped his feet up on the coffee table and taken his hat off. Knowing she now had the right to mercilessly tease him about this later, she readjusted the pillow in his lap and snuggled back down.

Turning her eyes back to the TV, she watched the silly comedy he’d picked out and pressed her cheek into his thigh. This sort of thing was so like him it wasn’t even funny. Insisting on watching a silly movie she’d seen a hundred times. Then falling asleep. Then, later, he’d deny it all with a glint in his eye. Knowing this, she often wondered if he had a serious bone in his body. Until recently, she wouldn’t have believed it.

Not until last night.

My feelings so absolute
There’s no doubt

She looked at her hand resting lightly on his knee. Still amazed at the ring that resided there, she sighed, content. How did they get here anyway? It seemed like ages ago that she’d first looked into those big blue eyes and fell for him. But then, when she remembered it at times like these, it was as close as yesterday. It had taken so long to find her place in her arms, but it all happened so fast.

Does that make any sense?

Remembering how distraught he was last night, how scared he was to even ask, she supposed it made perfect sense. At least, when you consider the source it did.

She’d thought the attraction was one-sided for a long time. Then, when she began to notice him noticing her, she figured it was nothing more than mutual lust. But that first time…

The first time he touched her, gently, smoothing her hair back from her face, smiling that trademark smile, she knew that for her, it was more. Much, much more. And that she’d been forever changed by her time with him. No matter how brief it might be.

Even if he never felt the same way.

Sealing our love with a kiss
Waited my whole life for this

Blake stirred, shifting on the couch, getting more comfortable. Briefly opening one eye, he watched her turning her ring over, letting it catch the light. Opening his mouth to tease her for doing what she considered a silly thing, he found his heart caught in his throat. Unable to speak, he just observed her actions.

She held her hand out, spreading her fingers, admiring the way the ring looked on her hand. Turning her hand over, palm up, she studied the way the platinum band fit around her ring finger. Smiling dreamily, she brought her hand back in, wrapping it around his thigh in a subtle hug.

Suddenly, he couldn’t breathe; his thoughts were in a jumble. Looking down at her, head resting in his lap, eyes slowly giving in to the need for sleep, he knew he’d made the right decision last night. He knew, more than ever, that he needed, wanted her by his side. Always. He brushed his fingers lightly across her cheek. That lazy smile he was so fond of crossed her face with the gentle touch.

“You missed the movie, lover.”

“I know,” he confessed. “But watching you is so much better. He skimmed his fingers through her dark hair, exposing more of her face to his gaze. “I think it’s bedtime.”

Sitting up, she agreed. She stretched; arms in the air, letting one fall on the back of his neck when she was done. Gently scratching his neck, she leaned in for a kiss.

“Just one,” he murmured, pressing his lips against hers. “And one more.” He kissed her again, pulling her into his lap. “And now, it’s really time for bed. He proved his point with a not-so-subtle yawn.

Watching all my dreams come true
Lost in this moment with you

Blake stood, lifting her in his arms and carried her down the hall. Ali looped her arms around his neck, snuggling her face against his skin. Too tired to care, she slipped her jeans off and crawled into bed in his borrowed shirt. She watched him undress, tossing clothes to the floor haphazardly. He climbed in beside her, pulling her back to his chest, holding her.

Placing a chaste kiss on her neck, he whispered, “Sleep well, Cookie. I love you.”

She smiled against his forearm. “Love you too, Cowboy.” She closed her eyes and dreamed. Dreams of him, and her, together.

Lost in this moment with you

Un-Valentine's Day

Oh boy. *she says in her best Sam Beckett voice*

It’s that time of year again. You know what I mean. That holiday that turns every woman into a gibbering idiot and gives the men a reason to act like one? Little fat cherubs with blushing pink cheeks flying around causing trouble, shooting arrows and crap?

Yeah. That day.

Now, I’m not a scrooge, bah-humbug-get-outta-my-face kind of girl, but then, I’m not Aphrodite either.

Why should your man have to prove to you on one particular day that he cares? Shouldn’t this be an ongoing, daily thing? Or at least weekly? I’d like to think so. I know that if my cowboy doesn’t at least call to say hi every now and then, he gets his butt whupped. But then, he’s another story. This is what kills me…

Why is it that you’ve been seeing this man for eighteen months or so and he often calls just to see how your day is going. Other times, he surprises you with a CD by your favorite artist or a new book you’ve been meaning to buy. And then other times he treats you to a night out or something else equally special. Never anything major, but always enough.

So, why is it you go ballistic when he forgets that one holiday? Or, he does remember but doesn’t go whole hog like your friend’s boyfriend? You just got a card and a nice home-cooked meal that, for once, you didn’t have to clean up. She got diamond earrings and a night on the town.

What you conveniently forget is that her boyfriend never calls. She is the one to plan all their dates. She is the one waiting on him all the time. He remembers her only three times a year – those three events where he’s required to: birthday, Christmas, and this dreaded one.

So, why are you whining?

It’s started here already. People pairing up, or attempting to. The whispers, the secrets, the planning. I hate that my Blake isn’t going to be around, but that’s how it works. At least he won’t feel pressured into competing with these dopes around here, each trying to outdo the other for the sake of one night of fun. We can celebrate later on. Maybe in March. Yeah, that sounds good to me.

But then, he loves to surprise me.

I guess we’ll have to wait and see. Either way, I know how he feels about me and I’ve made my feelings more than clear. He knows that a simple call means more than diamonds or gold. Although, chocolate is always a nice supplement…

*cough*

Sorry. Mind wandered there a bit. But seriously, when you know and he knows why does it matter so much? Should it? Not to me, it doesn’t. I have my man; he cares, and lets me know it. Do I need all the hype? No. Are presents nice? Hell yeah, but they’re not needed. I’d rather see that look in his eyes when we’ve been apart for too long. Or the smile on his face after an afternoon walking in the park.

That’s what it’s all about.

Ali