Nora's P.O.V.
Everyone's head snapped towards me. I could see it, even though my eyes were locked in on Brady.
Panic set in.
Did I say that out loud?
The look on Brady's face says yes.
"Umm-"
"Wait-" Brady stood up, I followed his motion, ignoring everyone's quiet stares. "So you're telling me that it was you that night?" He looked at me skeptically, with a faint hint of a smile forming to those beautiful lips of his.
I wanted to run away.
Not because I was ashamed. On the contrary, that kiss was un-fucking-believable. I remember stories of my friends telling me about their first kiss and how horrible it was… Then there was me, comparing every kiss sense to that one. I was ashamed of how I just left, I didn't even get this cowboys name and now he's standing right in front of me again, having the same effect he had on me that night.
"Yes?" I'm not sure why it sounded like a question. "I mean… I'm relieved because after being here for a while now I was thinking that my first kiss was with Greg, and I was mentally freaking out about it because- well… what an awkward conversation that would have turned out to be. Then I was thinking, please for the love of God don't be Jake-"
"Hey!" Jake whined but I ignored him.
"But after reading Wallace's papers and mapping out the Thornton property alongside the Montgomery property it showed that no one owned that property next to the river… our properties just kind of divided there."
"Yeah, we used to go there in case the cops busted us, they couldn't go after our parents or our ranch." The smile on Brady's face began to form. "That's why you looked so familiar to me when you first arrived in Montana."
Sure, we'll go with that.
"Then yes, it was me."
"How did you even end up out there?" Brady asked, walking closer to me.
"My parents and I were visiting my grandparents and I was devastated that we were leaving in the morning, so instead of going to bed I went out on their front porch after they all laid down for the night. That's when I noticed smoke and faint music coming from the woods so I decided to see what was going on."
"You left the next morning. That's why I didn't think it was you because when I went to Henry and Eleanor's the next day just to see if you were visiting, you weren't there."
"Did you ask Henry or Eleanor if I was visiting?"
"No." His smile was contagious as I fought back a smile but was failing.
"Why did you leave me that night?"
Was he serious right now?
"Because… I didn't want to lose my virginity at thirteen!" I said in a dah tone.
"But, we-"
I tilted my head, challenging him… knowing full well if I didn't leave we definitely would have had sex that night.
And now his whole family and friends know.
Wonderful.
"You were thirteen?" Jenna questioned. "Girl, I remember seeing you that night, we all thought you were at least Brady's age and you had beautiful blonde hair."
"Yeah, this isn't my natural color and that summer I blossomed… a lot. It was ridiculous."
"Can I talk to you, privately?" Brady asked as he grabbed a hold of my hand, not giving me time to answer him.
My heart was hammering rapidly in my chest as we walked away from everyone. "What about your chair?"
"I'm good." He was smiling as we walked to the other side of a barn where they kept Onyx and went inside.
The door closed and Brady spun me towards him.
An overwhelming desire to kiss him took over my body but I took a few deep breaths, trying to calm myself from doing so.
He took both our hats off and rested his forehead against mine before whispering… "I was talking to a few of my friends when I noticed there was this beautiful blonde girl standing next to the fire, talking to a few girls from my school. She was wearing these short little shorts and a t-shirt. She looks up at me with these beautiful blue, soulful eyes and I remember thinking 'wow'. I had that same exact feeling the day you walked into that bar… then that amazing kiss we shared at the TwoStep. That can't be a coincidence, Ellie."
His lips brushed the side of face as he pushed me gently up against a wall. He was at least 6'1 and I was 5'3 so I'm sure he was hunching over but hopefully his back wasn't hurting.
I tilted my head back giving him better access as his lips skimmed down the side of my neck inhaling in my scent... making my knees buckle.
"Oh God, Brady." I whispered. He wasn't even kissing me yet and I was throbbing below for the man that stood in front of me.
He moved us again, sitting on what I guessed was a chair and pulled me down onto his lap so I was straddling him.
"Can we please get rid of this no kissing rule?"
I smiled as I looked into his eyes as he continued "I-"
I didn't give him time to finish. I placed my lips on his, giving in to what we both wanted. This kiss wasn't slow and sweet like the night at the bar. This one was rougher, more hungry.
My fingers intertwined in his hair, tugging slightly at the nape of his neck as his hands explored my back before digging his fingers into my ass, holding me close.
Just like the kiss all those years ago, except now we both had experience and I wasn't shy anymore.
Feeling him hard below me put my body in overdrive and my body naturally responded, rubbing up against his hardened length. He let out a throaty moan, whispering softly against my lips. "Fuck, Ellie."
Pulling apart slightly, we held onto each other tightly as we tried catching our breath.
"I'm sorry." As much as I wanted to just say fuck it and have my way with this man, we needed to slow down. I was keeping a secret from him and before this continued, he needed to know everything about me.
"Why are you apologizing? God, I love kissing you." He pulled me into another kiss.
"I love kissing you too." I struggled to say as I pulled away from his kiss. "Brady?"
"Hmm?"
"We should slow down… as much as I don't want to stop, you just had surgery and I don't want you to hurt yourself."
He let out a breath, "I know, and I want to do this right with you. So we can wait but…"
I sat up. "What?"
He flashed me that smile, "there's no reason we can't still kiss?"
I smiled. "I can't think of any reasons."
"Good." He growled, pulling me into another kiss.
A little while later, Brady and I made it to his room where he stayed. We never went back to the bonfire to get his chair because he knew we would have been stopped, and we would have been hounded with a million different questions we didn't want to answer yet.
Brady whistled for Charlie and he came running up to us.
As soon as the door closed, Brady pushed me up against the door and started kissing again until we finally made it to his bed.
As we laid down and Brady adjusted I could tell he was in pain. "Are you okay?"
"Yes. Could you get me my pills first?"
I felt horrible and I'm glad he stopped when we did in the barn. I knew walking up to his room was going to be too much for him today.
"Yes." I got off his bed as he adjusted himself so he was comfortable while I grabbed his pain medication and glass of water. "Here you go."
He put the pills in his mouth and took a few sips of his water before handing me his glass. As I set it down on the table next to him, Brady grabbed my hand and pulled me back down on his bed.
In between kissing, we'd talk about random things as we snuggled to each other's arms.
"I looked all over for you after you left that night." Brady admitted.
I smiled against his lips. "If only you asked my grandparents if I was visiting them."
"I'm really regretting that decision." He admitted, making me laugh.
"You know I never would have pushed you into anything that night, right?"
"I know. I didn't think I was going to be able to tell you to stop though, that's why I panicked and took off. I'm much better at talking in front of cute boys now." I smiled up at him as my eyes began to close. "You're the reason I've always had a thing for cowboys."
He started laughing. "Cowboys huh?"
"Mhmm."
"Shhhh." Brady moved a stray hair from my face before holding me tight again. "Go to sleep. We'll talk more in the morning." I felt him kiss my forehead."
"Goodnight, Cowboy."
"Goodnight, Ellie."
*******
I was in heaven. Kissing Brady was like the sunshine I needed to break up the clouds that have been hanging over my head.
I was happy.
My eyes fluttered open and I tried rolling over but forces that I didn't recognize were stopping me from doing so.
"Are you okay?"
Brady.
I forgot I fell asleep in his arms last night.
"Hi." I whispered before kissing his lips.
I turned to see Charlie laying as close to my backside as he could get, making me laugh.
"No wonder why I couldn't move."
"Charlie… down!" Brady scolded, making Charlie get down. "He's never gotten on the bed before."
"I'm sorry. That might be my fault because I didn't tell him no at my house."
"I just think he likes to snuggle with you like I do. Come back here."
I gave him another kiss. "I'm actually going to go. It's 5am and I'd like to get out of here before everyone starts asking questions."
He squeezed me tighter.
"How about you come over, say… 9am and I'll make us some breakfast? Maybe spend the day together?"
"I'd like that! Do you want me to bring anything?"
"Just yourself and Charlie."
I gave him one last kiss before untangling myself from Brady and the sheets.
"I'll see you soon. Get some more sleep."
I grabbed my bag and closed the door quietly behind me.
Noticing someone brought Brady's wheelchair back sometime during the night, I dug through my bag, looking for keys as I started heading down to my car.
"Good morning."
I yelped, hearing the soft voice. I placed my hand up to my chest as I turned towards the house, breathing heavily to see who scared me.
"Ed? Oh… good morning. You scared the bajeebies outta me."
He chuckled as he walked down the steps and closer to me.
Well this was awkward.
"This…" I pointed to Brady's little house. "This isn't what it looks like." I said, embarrassed.
He shrugged his shoulders with a smile before taking a drink of his coffee. "That's none of my business. You and Brady are two consenting adults that can do whatever you want."
I nodded but I still felt for whatever reason he should know we didn't have sex.
"Okay, but nothing happened."
"Like I said, none of my business."
There was another awkward pause… "Okay, well I'm going to go. I'll talk to you later."
He chuckled again. "Have a nice day, Eleanor."
I turned to walk away but Ed stopped me again. "By the way, you have a hickey on your neck." He smiled as he turned to walk away.
Brady!