The Princess & The Cowboy: A Collection of Rucas One Shots

Ski Lodge Meets the New Year

A/N: What I wish would've happened after Lucas found out Riley was still in love with him

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Riley's POV

I'm lying in bed after the fiasco on the roof, it's hours later and I still haven't been able to fall asleep. I never wanted to hurt Maya and Lucas. That was the whole point of me keeping my feelings a secret but now I had no choice, my feelings were out in the open and I was screwed. I hear my phone vibrate, shocked to see a text from Maya.

PEACHES: Hear him out. Don't decide because of me.

I'm confused until I hear a knock on my window making me jump out of my bed as I throw open the window finding Lucas on the other side.

"Lucas what are you doing here?" I ask confused as I glance over at my clock. It was three in the morning to be exact and apparently the entire triangle was awake.

"I need to talk to you" he insists. "I've been with Maya for the past three hours" he adds making my heart sink.

"Oh" I reply as I walk back over to my bed, taking a seat as he realizes what I think.

"No Riley that's not what I mean. I mean we talked and talked and talked" he explains. "Riley I really do like her" he says making my breath hitch as tears threaten to fall down my face. "But" he adds making me look up at him as he walks over to the bed, sitting beside me, "she's in it for the long game with Josh and I'm in love with you" he says making me look up at him in shock.

"But she likes you" I argue as he nods.

"Riley she's confused. She isn't sure what she feels for me but at the end of the day she'd leave me for Josh and I'd leave her for you. You've been pushing us to be something we aren't. I can't love her Riley because I love you."

"I just don't want anyone to get hurt" I reply sadly as he nods in understanding.

"Princess don't you realize that you're a person too. You've been hurting all alone. You'd hurt yourself to let Maya and I be happy but we can't be happy if you're not and at the end of the day we'd never be happy together."

"Why?" I ask confused. "I mean you have feelings for each other."

"I don't know that we do Riles. She's a friend, an amazing friend but I don't feel the same way about her as I feel about you. It's always been you Riley. I want to be with you Riles, obviously I'd never pressure you into a relationship but I figure you should know how I feel and be able to make your own choice" he says sweetly but of course as I look into his shimmering green eyes I realize there is no choice. He's Lucas, he's my Lucas.

"I chose you Lucas" I reply happily. "It's always been you" I add and suddenly his lips catch mine for the first time since our kiss on the subway. He's much better at this now, and his lips are softer and more controlled as they move against mine. When we pull apart we rest our foreheads against one another's smiling happily. "Happy New Year Princess. "

"Happy New Year Lucas."