He stood up and I thought he was going to walk away. A blood curdling scream was about to escape when he picked me up out of my chair so fast I didn't see it coming before his lips came crashing down on mine.
The feel of his lips, his facial hair, his everything: it was all I ever wanted. I was lost in him and never wanted to find my way away from him again. Every swipe of his tongue had me dying for more. I never wanted this moment to end. Eventually we realized we were still in public and laughed at the complete loss of control we both fell into.
Canyon put me down and grabbed my cheeks as he looked into my eyes.
I could see the love was still there and I was ready to prove that I deserved it. He just needed to let it be me.
As if he read my thoughts he said, "Darlin', it will always be you" right before he kissed me again.
The two of us flew back to see Shelby together. I told him about our mother leaving us and how Shelby by law is mine. He couldn't believe she would be so cold but I assured him she always had been and nothing about that would ever change. He told me all about his riding and how Magnus was doing. He even rebuilt the barn and purchased ten new horses. I told him about the three we had at the farm and how Shelby was riding all by herself.
"Are you kidding me? I wanted to teach her."
"Oh, it gets better. I broke in her horse all by myself."
"No way! Look at you, cowgirl."
"I know, right?"
"So what do you want to do now? Are you planning on staying down here?"
He said it so casually. As if we were just old friends catching up and it worried me.
"I never thought I would be free to decide. I don't want to be away from you if that makes sense."
"It's the only answer I was waiting to here."
My smile spread from ear to ear then he grabbed my hand and kissed it.
"I still love you, girl. Even after all this time apart. Just seeing you today made everything clear. You're all I will ever want or need."
"I love you more than I will ever be able to prove."
"Well I'll let you die trying then, how does that sound?"
"I think that’s the best plan ever."
When we pulled up into the driveway Canyon's jaw dropped.
"This is yours?"
"I think so. They bought it so I'm not sure if I have to give it back or not."
"This is amazing."
He was looking all around and it actually made me laugh but when I looked at the same things all I saw was my time without him.
"It was hard to enjoy without you. Everything here reminded me of back home."
"So you consider Montana home?"
"I guess I do."
He looked at me with a light in his eyes I wasn't sure twelve hours before that I would ever get to see with my own again. I watched his mouth open as if he was going to say something, but instead it spread into that megawatt grin I had seen so often in my dreams lately.
"What's that smle for?"
He grabbed my cheeks and kissed me before he pulled back, gazing into my eyes and said, "Then let's go get Shelby and make it that way."
"Really? Are you sure?"
"Nothing could ever make me happier."
Epilogue
Some people like to use their imagination, some people like to know the ending before the beginning ever starts, but I'm here to tell you my story is far from over.
Let It Be Us Coming Soon
Acknowledgements
I want to thank so many for Let it be Me.
The first has to go to Mac Robinson for being the most amazing muse I could ever ask for. Without you there never would have been a Let it be Me to begin with. You working along side of me through out this means more to me than you will ever know. You are a true inspiration and I am so proud to call you a friend. Your talent shines only slightly on this cover as you are much brighter than any cover could ever show. Thank you again for being everything that this book began with.
Kara Bailey, thank you for your awesomeness that can never be matched. You will always and forever be my sounding board. You give me confidence in ideas I'm scared to follow through with. You do anything and everything to make sure I continue to challenge myself. Through this wild ride I have had you by side and I will never let you go. Thank you because without you it would be one lonely carousel instead of this wild Rollercoaster adventure.
Wendi Temporado, thank you for all the work you do to ensure my work is perfection. I am not perfect by any means but no one ever know otherwise because you are simply the best at what you do.
Rebecca Pau, you make every cover stand out from the rest. You not only let your creativity shine in your work but you make sure it's everything I could have dreamed of and more. Heather Moss, the trailer for this book is EPIC and I can only say thank you which will never seem to be enough. This book would never gotten into as many hands as it has if it weren't for Like a BOSS book promotions. I owe you more than you will ever know.
My BETA readers, Jennifer Mitchell, Heather Moss, Rhonda Craft Arl, Nicole West and Amanda Barbee. You guys came back to me with nothing but the most amazing feedback. Writing a story is one thing but without someone combing through it with a fine tooth comb it can never be at its best. All of you make me so proud to know you are on my side. Thank you from the bottom of my heart.
Speak's Soldiers, each and every one of you do what you can to push my name out there and promote the hell out of my work and for that and many more reasons I love you to pieces.. I need to shout out Tara Broadwater for her exceptional ability to hit every group there is. Vicci Kaighan for your mass post abilities and Tammy Hamilton for your research and insight as to what it will take to get me to the next level.
My family, oh how I thank you. For all the times my head is behind my laptop screen and I hold up my finger begging for one more minute to finish a sentence. For excusing my phone being in my hands at all times otherwise. For letting me vent frustration you never caused but still loving me anyway because you know that I am doing all of this to try to secure your future. Thank you most for loving me and making my life everything that it is because I get to have you in it.
Lastly to my amazing readers. Some of you have stuck by me since the very beginning. Your passion and love for my work fuels my creativity like you will never begin to understand. I can't do this without you. A book can be great but without readers talking about it, it never gets noticed. Every message I receive with someone telling me how one of my books effected them, it's absolutely euphoric. Thank you! From the bottom of my heart, thank you.
Cover models Mac Robinson and Alexandra Jones
Photography by Kaylyn McClendon.
Let It Be Me Page 32
