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

The (Not So) Secret Relationship

Inspired By: Nobody Has To Know by Timeflies

Lucas' POV

"Country night fire with the moonlight. Cold beer, Friday, feeling real nice"

The thing about Riley Matthews is that she has no idea how beautiful she is. Her beauty is effortless and she definitely doesn't realize the effect she has on me. I bring my beer to my lips as I watch her throw her head back in laughter at something Maya has said. I try to remove my gaze from her but I find it seemingly impossible.

"You know" Zay smirks as he sits down beside me, putting his hand on my shoulder. "You could talk to her" he suggests. "Nothing is more than a bonfire on a Friday night" he smirks. I roll my eyes and push him off the bench we were seated on. Everyone bursts into laughter and Riley's eyes somehow land on mine. I shoot her a soft smile and take another long swig of my beer. She whispers something to Maya before standing up and wandering away from the fire. I drop my empty bottle to the ground and move to follow her. I find her walking along the barn when I finally catch up to her.

"Looking for some cows to keep you company?" I ask playfully earning a giggle from the beautiful brunette who shakes her head.

"No" she replies, a soft smile pulling at her lips. "Just wanted a little air."

"Air? We're outside princess" I remind her. In the dark it's hard to see her face but I like to think the nickname caused her to blush.

"That we are" she replies, stopping suddenly and turning to look at me. "Were you staring at me?" she asks bluntly causing my eyes to widen at her forwardness.

"Me? Staring? Of course not" I lie but it has the opposite effect that I was hoping. Her face falls and she drops her head to the ground.

"Oh" she says softly before starting to walk away.

"Wait. Riley" I catch her wrist, pulling her back in front of me. "Maybe I was staring a little" I admit making her giggle as I step closer to her. "Or a lot" I admit before crashing my lips onto hers.

"I was hopeless, I was falling"

After three months I was gone. My world revolved around Riley. She was everything to me, not that we told anyone that. We had both agreed to keep our relationship a secret, knowing that outside influences would surely ruin everything. I head over to her apartment like I do every Friday night, letting myself in with my key. "Princess" I shout as I walk in, not finding her singing in the kitchen or watching Jeopardy, yelling out all the answers. I wander down the hall to her room, pushing open the door and finding her crying. "Riley what's wrong?" I ask worriedly, moving to the bed and taking a seat beside her.

"Nothing" she shakes her head before bursting into another flood of tears. "It's what I always wanted but now" she sobs. I stare at her in confusion before she stands up and hands me a sheet of paper. It's a letter congratulating her for making it into the exchange program for our university.

"When do you leave?" I ask, swallowing hard and trying not to cry.

"In a few weeks" she replies, her voice soft and laced with pain. "I don't expect you to wait for me" she adds making me flick my gaze up to hers.

"Riley" I sigh, standing up and pulling her into my arms. "I'm in love with you. There's no one else" I assure her making her eyes widen as she stares back at me.

"You love me?"

"I love you" I confirm making a smile pull at her lips.

"I love you too" she whispers causing my heart to flip in my chest as I lean in to kiss her.

"There was long distance loving. You had me locked in my phone"

The week she left was the week we told everyone we were an item. We had a long, sappy goodbye at the airport and I had begun counting down the days until she came home starting when she boarded her plane. The next couple months are filled with ridicule but I didn't mind in the slightest. I was glued to my phone because I was in love with Riley. If they wanted to make fun I let them. I'm sitting at the table in the union when she texts me but my phone is quickly plucked out of my hands by Zay. "What would happen if I told her it was over?" he asks making my eyes widen as I lunge for my phone.

"Isaiah Babinaeux I swear if you don't give me my fucking phone I will tell everyone at this table what your middle name really is" I threaten. He quickly drops my phone back into my hand and I take a long sigh of relief.

"You must really love her" he says while I'm already typing away on my phone.

"You have no idea."

"When you got home...had the rose petals from the door to the mattress"

I wanted to surprise her. I had asked Maya to get her from the airport so I could set everything up and when I hear the front door open my heart rate speeds up and I take a long, deep breath. "Lucas" she calls into the house making me smile. I missed her so much.

"Follow the roses princess" I shout back. I hear her adorable giggle and before long she's standing in the doorway of the bedroom and I'm kneeling down with a ring in my hand.

"Oh my gosh" she exclaims when her eyes lock on me and the ring. "Lucas?" she asks, her eyes welling with tears.

"These past few months have been the longest ones I've ever lived" I admit with a sigh. "And they've made me realize that I never want to live without you. I love you so much Riley. I know we started as a secret but I want everyone to know that you're mine. Will you marry me?" I ask as tears stream down her beautiful face.

"Yes" she nods making a smile pull at my lips as I stand up and pull her into my arms. We pull apart and our lips crash together in a passionate kiss. I pull away and smile at her, grabbing the ring out of the box and sliding it onto her shaking hand. She gazes at it for a few seconds before looking back up at me. "I love you."

"I love you too princess" Ismile before crashing my lips back onto hers as we stumble back onto the bed