Gentle Cowboy Take My Heart (Maxwell Love #2) (COMPLETED)

Chapter 29

Brooke studies her image in the tiny mirror Gary has hanging on the bathroom wall. Her hangs loosely down her back falling upon her 'Texas Tough' baseball tee that leads down to one of her favorite pairs of denim capris. After a long moment she nods in satisfaction. She is dressed up enough that she doesn't look like she has ran a mile, but yet not so fancy that she should be going to a ball. As she processes her own thoughts she rolls her eyes at herself.

A knock on the door startles her and she glances in the mirror once more before turning to open the door just as Gary's voice rings through, "Brooke, when you get a chance can you hand me the comb on the counter?"

It stings her heart a little when she notices the slight aggravation in his voice, but she tries to brush it off as she turns to retrieve the comb. "Here you go," she says with a small smile as she opens the door.

"That was fast," he says grabbing her arm slightly as she tries to brush past him. "And just where do you think you are going?"

"Out of the way, of course," she mutters not sure how her voice sounds to him. Part of her means it flirty while the other part of her says it holds a twinge of hurt.

He holds her gaze for a long moment before kissing her cheek. "I've just got to comb my hair and I'll be ready to go."

She nods, but doesn't move as he still is holding her arm loosely. Her gaze watches him intently as he places another kiss on her cheek and gives her a heartfelt smile before turning loose and strolling to stand before the mirror. Desperately trying not to dwell on the hurt she felt Brooke takes her phone out while settling on the couch.

Hey girlfriend! How's you and baby Alyssa doing? She presses send with a grin. Oh the stories she will have to tell Jaelyn when she gets back. Yes, it will require a girls day.

In just a few moments Jaelyn answers. We are currently MIA from all outside connection; daddy has the day off!

Her eyes light up knowing what it means to Jaelyn to have Tyson home and mostly unoccupied. Although she wants to talk with her best friend she wouldn't take away from their family time unless she was dying. Yay! I'm so happy for you!

Just as she puts her phone down Gary strolls from the hall with something behind his back. "On my way back with the tractor I spotted something I thought you might like, so I picked it up."

She almost laughs. The thought that something on the side of a dirt road would be worthy of him picking up for anyone is just a little amusing. "Oh really, what might that be?"

As she steps towards him and playfully tries to slip around him he moves to block her and hold up a finger. "Who said you need to see just yet?"

"I guess I did." She giggles giddily as her hand slips behind him again, but to avail.

He laughs shaking his head. "You are a lovely, beautiful mess!" Leaning real close he whispers, "But I love the way you drive me crazy."

A deep blush takes over her cheeks and she bites her lips trying to keep herself together. Oh how he knows what to say! She cuts her eyes up to look at him sheepishly; her lips still between her teeth. "Can I see now?"

He grins real wide and hesitates a moment before pulling his hand from behind his back.

In it are a bunch of wild flowers with a little note tucked in them. It reads: Stay wild, beautiful. She reads it again before looking up to meet his gaze. A smile is on his lips, but his eyes hold anticipation. If she is being honest she isn't sure what to do besides smile. How can she show him just how much she appreciates all his sweet little gestures? After a long moment she finally grins her sheepish smile and says, "You think I'm wild do you?"

A chuckle comes from his lips right before he places them on her forehead. "Well, we can't forget how you suggested running a way a week or two ago."
***

Gary laughs, along with Mrs. Carol and Brooke, as Brooke's story comes to an end. She had been telling them about encounters she has had while fixing people's hair. The more of them she told the crazier they seemed to get. Who know fixing hair is such an entertaining line of work?

"How does your car look?" Mrs. Carol asks, directing the question to Brooke, but looking between she and Gary.

Brooke chuckles slightly shaking her head. "Oh, I think it has had it's last round with me. The bumper took the rut a little too harshly."

Mrs. Carol chuckles too. "So, will you trade it in?"

"Yes ma'am, that's my plan. I don't know what I'm want to look for though." She looks over to Gary sheepishly. "I mean, if this guy is going to keep me around I guess I'll need something a tad bit taller."

Once again they are all laughing. Gary playfully pokes Brooke in the ribs making her flinch and him grin. Her efforts to keep from laughing only entice him to do it more. If only his mother like figure wasn't sitting across the table it would have turned into a full on tickle war.

Supper flows by smoothly and before he knows it the dishes have been cleared and he is taking Brooke's two bags up the stairs to a guest bedroom. He can hear she and Mrs. Carol chatting cheerfully and he can't help, but smile. How Brooke has captured him so quickly is beyond him, but he isn't complaining.

Sheepishly he eaves drops from the stairs. He can almost hear his mom getting onto him for it, but he brushes it aside at the words he hears. This is serious information being shared; information that just might have to do with him!

Mrs. Carol leans in grinning with curiosity hanging in her eyes. "What would be your dream home?"

A far off look takes over Brooke's expression and she sighs a little. "I've always like rock houses, and of course a fenced in yard. Big trees in the back yard with a swing somewhere in the shade."

"You don't care about the inside?"

Brooke shrugs before a slight blush and grin come over her. She lowers her voice making Gary have to strain to hear her. "Well, if my current relationship is any indication of what it will be like when I get married I think there will be a lot of time spent outdoors. Besides, I like it outside. A lot of family time, events, and bonding can happen under a big tree gathered in a circle."

Gary feels his chest tighten with emotion at her words, but he stops breathing, to listen, when she continues.

"It's all kind of new to me out here, but I like it. My dad has worked in the oilfield as long as I can remember, before it was booming, so we didn't have a lot of family time that it was all of us."

Something inside him cracks at her words. Time with his family is something that he has cherished for a very long time and wouldn't trade for the world. It does get his wheels turning, though, as he begins to put the pieces of the puzzle together while remembering back to meeting her parents. It did seem that she and her dad weren't best of buds, but her and her mom were like best friends. Of course, what she just said explains why. The information doesn't exactly give her dad brownie points in his book.

Slowly he makes his way back to the women. He wraps an arm around Brooke leaving his hand to rest on her hip. The smile on his lips becomes full force when she snuggles a little closer to him. Placing a flying kiss on her hair he draws in a breath. "Well, I ought to get on back to the house." He looks down at Brooke. "I want to try and clean up a little before I get up to fix the water in the morning."

"Alright," Brooke says quietly, but doesn't move from his embrace.

Chuckling he places another kiss on her hair and rubs her back a little. "I'll see you in the morning," he whispers even though Mrs. Carol has slipped away.

She nods. "Okay." Turning from his arms she takes his hand in hers. They make their way to the door where she leans up and places a soft lingering kiss on his cheek.

He flashes her a long growing smile. "You look stunning, by the way." And with that he turns and strolls to his pickup. The long smooth strides hold a certain cockiness to it that she chuckles to herself.

A/N
I'll be taking at least one week off from updating because I have literally nothing written past this chapter... I am so so so hoping to change that this weekend!!

Would you take a couple days just to clean your boyfriend's house?