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Blake woke up early in the morning and went downstairs to make some coffee while he waited for Gwen to wake up. They went to Oklahoma two days ago, with Adam, to relax before the lives begun, but Adam had to leave when Behati called him saying she was coming back home after two weeks? overseas. He had missed her like crazy so he decided that as much as he was looking forward to spend time with his friends, he wanted to go back home to his wife more. He had texted Blake before taking off. Enjoy your time alone with her and make a move, she’s waiting for it, sasquash.
Blake re-read the text again smiling like a fool. He knew he had to make a move, and fast. He had always had a crush on her, even in season 7 he had it bad. Whenever he was near her he could feel how good they connected and how much they complimented each other. She was always so stunning and beautiful, not even in his wildest dreams he would imagine having a chance with her. He put his phone on the table and went back to finish their breakfast. He was finishing his coffee when he brought his eyes up he found Gwen under the threshold looking at him curiously.
“Hey cowboy! Good morning.”
“Good morning, are you hungry?” He asked closing the fridge after grabbing the milk. “I made coffee, eggs and bacon for me, and for you a fruit salad, tea and some toast.”
“Thank you Blake, I’m starving.” She said sitting on the stool at the other side of the counter. “What are we going to do today?”
“I asked Stacy to have two horses ready for us to ride around the ranch.” He looked up curiously, “Is it okay with you?” Blake sipped the last bit of coffee and the remaining bacon while Gwen devoured the fruit salad. He chuckled as he watched her eat making Gwen look up at him, her mouth full. “Someone's hungry.”
“Very!” She mumbled with her mouth full. She swallowed and then looked up to find Blake’s blue eyes, “Oh, this is amazing! I already told you I love horses and riding.” She smiled to him super excited. Blake remembered when she told him about it. His mind travels back to that night they had spent together talking about everything and nothing. Gwen had told him how much she loved horses and that it had been a few years since she had last ridden one. He remembers how comfortable it felt to talk to her, how they got closer and closer as friends. They picked each other up after the divorce. He chuckled as his mind went back to present time and how much their conversations have changed to divorce centered to just random talk.
Gwen stopped smiling for an instant and turned serious. “Do you know she has the hots for you?” she looked at Blake “I could see it yesterday when Adam and I met her.”
“Who? Stacy?” He let out a soft laugh with his head tilt back and then looked back to her eyes again. He was confused by the tone of her voice. Was she jealous? No way. “You’re completely wrong Gwen. It’s impossible.”
“Impossible? Have you seen yourself, Blake?! Those blue eyes, dimples, the curls…” She had a delicate smile on her lips. “Those are things that have every woman weak at the knees.”
“Every woman?” He gave her a petulant look, smiling as he bit his lip. She felt that she needs to get her ass out of there, why was she saying that to him?
“I’m telling you Blake, she has the hots for you.”
“I don't want her” His tone shocked her, it sounded strong and honest. His eyes found hers as he spoke, trying to get her to understand that he didn’t want anyone but her.
“I think I’m going to change my clothes. Give me five minutes, I’ll right be back.” She left Blake in the kitchen thinking about what just happened. Maybe, just maybe, Adam could be right.
~
They were standing by the horse with Gwen stroking the black mane. The horse was so beautiful. Dark shiny fur and white marks all over the body. The horse’s head leaned over to the side, neighing. Gwen showed him a faint smile, leaning her head towards the horse, stroking her hands again.
“He is so calm” Gwen shifted his eyes to Blake, moving away from where she was and approaching the cowboy near the lame.
“He really is, especially with girls. Domino is not a fan of being around men, except me. That's why Stacy takes care of them.” Blake took the reins and approached her with the other horse "This is Halo, I named her, my niece gave the name to Domino, she loves him. I promised to give her one as a gift for her twelfth birthday, it was that age when I got my first horse.”
She smirked and shook her head softly as if she did not believe him.
"What is it?" He let out a sigh, a corner smile on his mouth, as he turned to face her.
"I do not understand how you can be like this" she looked at him with a discredited expression.
"Like what?" She aroused his interest. Where was this conversation going?
"You have all that manly, manhood, virility, a real cowboy," she giggled "but you’re still considerate and caring about everything, your family, your music, you have a very kind heart and I admire you for it.”
"Wow! I was not expecting it, but thank you." That smile in the corner of his mouth was making her a little dizzy, how could this man make her feel like that with just a smile? Oh my God, she needs to control herself. He’s so affectionate and handsome. Stop, Gwen. Stop.
"So, let's ride? I'm ready"
"You go with Halo, I go with Domino, I’m still trying to get him used to the male presence. Do you need help mounting?" Blake followed her to the side of Halo.
“No, I'm fine with that. It's been awhile but I guess I haven’t lost all the practice." Gwen was standing by the right side of Halo, she adjusted the reins and placed her red boots on the footboard.
Blake didn’t believe she was so into it until he saw her red boots, for him was a real proof of how she was interested on his world. He truly appreciated this coming of her. She wasn’t the kind of woman that he’d see here every day. This rock and roll goddess was on his ranch wearing the most attractive red lipstick he had ever seen, with jeans, a white shirt and red cowgirl boots. How is she even real?
Gwen held the front of the saddle, and got up, she passed her leg to the other side and sat in the saddle adjusting in the seat.
“See? I told you I could do it!” she had a proud smile on her face.
“I knew you could, I knew it.” He went to Domino side and hopped on him. “Are you ready? I want to take you to a river that we have here, it’s amazing at this time of the day.”
Gwen nodded her head in agreement. “In which direction?” Blake pointed the way to the river to her and ordered Domino to start walking.
“Let’s go straight from here for a while, then we’ll change the direction.” Gwen saddled the reins and left with Halo trotting forward in the pointed direction by Blake, he had a smile on his face instigated by the audacity and competition of his friend.
When Blake reached her, Gwen was slowly riding on top of Halo and admiring the trees and the scenery around them.
“Holy Jesus Blake!” her head turned around for him “Everything is just so pretty here, it has a heady freshness”
Blake cherished her enthusiasm, it was like admiring a child opening a Christmas gift, and she had an innocence of discovery that attracted him like a bee to honey. Your charm, the most beautiful smile. It was a pleasure to please her.
"Tell me what you think of it then." He gently lifted his chin indicating the beauty a few meters ahead hiding behind huge trees there was a river, the clear, calm water, bathing the rocks at the edge of the hill that stood the river's edge. Everything was so calm, the water beat light and silent, the calmness betrayed as well as her gaze.
Gwen got off the horse, followed by Blake, stunned by the beauty in front of her. "Tell me how you knew this was all I needed." She headed toward the edge of the river, her boots already lying beside her, crouched on a rock, and dipped her fingertips in the slightly icy water.
"I come here when I need to have a little peace and inspiration. I thought you would like the place".
Gwen sat on the rock by the river with Blake next to her. They were close enough for him to smell the floral scent of her scent, it was a delicate blend of flowers and so was she. He loses his mind thinking about her, he imagined what it would feel like to briefly place his head on her neck and breathe deeply into her captivating skin.
She was still running her fingers through the water, legs crossed, one of her knees resting on Blake's right leg. "You're lucky to have all this lull and time to yourself, just to admire the moment and think." She withdrew her hand from the water leaning on his lap, leaning her head looking into the blue eyes that already appreciated her.
“It's not such a cherished time when all I can think about is how much things have taken a downward turn in my life." He broke his gaze, staring at the slight movement of the water.
She took his hand in hers in his lap, he was surprised at the movement and his gaze showed it as he focused between their hands together and her face.
"I know it seems to be difficult now, but we've made progress, we're no longer at the peak of all the suffering, it still hurts like hell, but we're moving on," she glimpsed, her expression slightly pleading for an affirmation "aren’t we?" she looked into his eyes.
"We are, but you have something to lean on, you have your children to encourage you to keep going. I don’t have anything to try harder for, Gwen" Her face showed a slight fear, surprised by his words. "what?! Of course you have" she shook his hand "you have your family that wants to see you happy, your friends, you have yourself Blake, and you have me to lean on, that's what we've been doing so far" Blake trailed his thumb across the back of her hand, concentrating on their joined hands. "It may seem selfish of me to say that, but although I'd rather you do not have to go through all this suffering, I'm relieved to have someone so close that can understand all the shit that’s going on."
The curves of her lips were accentuated with a faint smile, she uncrossed her legs, and her feet now covered by water, tilting her body a little more towards him. "You know, I appreciate that too" they were so close to each other, it could almost be considered an invasion of personal space. "If you're being selfish about it, then we're both." Her gaze to him was soft, she took her hand from his and nudged him to break the mood, but she eventually stiffened as she brought her arm back and tried to prop him up on the rock, her body leaning back.
"BLAKE" he tried to hold her, bringing her body closer to him, but they both ended up falling into the water.
She submerged in the water, her startled expression, turned her head to look at him, she had traces of amusement in her face, but he could see through her gaze a trace of fear that he might be upset that she'd knocked him down with her even if unintentionally.
Blake drew his body close to hers, his gray curls a mess, made by the water.
"Are you okay?" he asked, sliding his hand lightly over her arm, stopping next to her elbow.
"Oh hm yeah, I'm fine, sorry for knocking you too" she looks at him in the eyes, but his hair catches her attention, the urge to slide her fingers through it is so big, to comb his curls even if it’s still wet by the water. She gently bites the tip of her lower lip as she brings her body closer to him. Blake's breathe caught on his throat as he felt the warmth of her body so close, the water around them no longer feeling icy anymore.
She put her right hand on his shoulder, leaning forward to keep the approach, while the fingers of her left hand lightly touched the ends of his hair that fell on his face. Gwen gently dragged his hair back to feel the softness of the gray curls. Blake still kept his touch on her right arm while his other hand lightly touched her waist. The water covered calmly to the top of his chest, with the touch on her waist, he brought her even closer at a point where their bodies were touching. Lifting her body slightly up, their faces come close to each other to feel their rhythmical breathing. Blake wrapped his arm around her back as her left hand went down to the back of his ear, her elbow resting on his shoulder.
This moment of touch and approach made them both have sensations that they didn’t want to take on maybe for stubbornness, like the heat that went up all over his body when the idea of feeling her soft skin passed through his head, or the butterflies in Gwen’s stomach at the feel of his breath touching her face.
As much as he wanted to make a move and kiss her right in this moment, he shouldn’t. They were starting something special after the divorce and helping each other to go thru all of this. He had to stop it before he regret losing what they had for now.
He lets her go abruptly creating some distance between their bodies. She was caught off guard by his actions, her hands slowly retracted, giving him time to grab it.
His gaze told her words that his mouth did not express, though she was involved with the little moment between them, she was grateful for the interruption, but she could not help the slight disappointment in the depths of her eyes.
''Come on. Let's get you out of this cold water before you get sick.''