Page 90 of A Montana Rodeo Star

She couldn’t breathe. He wasn’t suggesting what she thought he was, right?

He turned to face her and reached for the hands that rested atop her book. “Competing was amazing. It was thrilling and I in no way will ever regret the experience. I can understand why my father—Louis—was drawn to it. But I can also appreciate what my dad has with my mom. Having someone in my life who loves me like they love each other is… more fulfilling than winning any competition could be.”

She straightened. “But I said I could come⁠—”

“Even one event with you not at my side… it wouldn’t be fun, Faith. I know that sounds terrible, but the love I have for bronc riding partly comes from knowing you’re in the stands to cheer me on. I wouldn’t want you to miss even one⁠—”

Faith squeezed his hands. “Then I won’t⁠—”

He released a chuckle, one that warmed her from the inside out. “Don’t you get it? It’s not about the ride, baby. It’s about who I’m going on an adventure with. These past couple of months have taught me a lot about myself. I love the sport. I always will. There’s a connection I have with my dad when it comes to being in the arena that will never go away. But being a professional rodeo star?” He shook his head. “I don’t want it anymore. I want you.”

Her eyes rounded and the feelings in her stomach exploded. She couldn’t tell if she was going to be sick or if she was simply experiencing what it was to be loved by him.

Because that was what this was.

Love.

Still a cloud seemed to move in over the happy parade taking place in her chest. Her voice was barely a whisper. “I don’t want you to resent me.”

Brent moved so fast, she couldn’t help the startled gasp that slipped past her lips. He knelt down in front of her and stared up at her with so much conviction there was no avoiding his eyes. “You are my future, Faith. Today. Tomorrow. Forever. I want you in my life. And as long as I have you, I won’t have any regrets.”

Tears threatened. He couldn’t be serious. What he was saying sounded an awful lot like a proposal, but no, he hadn’t even said he loved her yet. This was merely a promise. A promise that he wanted her in his life and they’d figure out everything else as time went on.

“Brent,” she whispered, “are you sure?”

He laughed, his voice turning teasing. “Babe, if I wasn’t sure, I wouldn’t be kneeling at your feet telling you that we’ll have a future one day. A house. Kids. Whatever you want. I’m not letting you go. You’re stuck with me.”

Maybe his words should have scared her away. Maybe a smarter woman would have run for the hills. Or maybe, just maybe this was where she was always meant to be.

A smile spread across her lips and she felt lighter. There was something about this man that could send her heart soaring to new heights. With him, she could see a brighter future. With him, she could be capable of anything.

“I want that, too. All of it.”

In the next second, Brent swept her up into his arms and spun her around. She threw back her head with a laugh before he placed her on her feet. Then he curled his finger beneath her chin and tilted her face upward. “I meant what I said, Faith.” He lowered his lips closer to hers and barely grazed them on her warm skin. Then he mumbled his next words against her mouth like he was breathing the promise into her soul. “Forever.”

EPILOGUE

ONE YEAR LATER

“Hey, can you handle the rest of this?” Brent dragged his gloved hand across his forehead to wipe away the sweat. His cousins Bo and Jack were wrestling one of the last of the cows into the corral to administer her annual vaccine. They were just about done and at this rate, Brent was going to be late for a very important meeting.

Today’s work had taken longer than usual. They were down a few of the guys which left Brent cancelling some of his training sessions to help out.

Thankfully, Tate and Jason were understanding. They’d offered to work with the two boys that Brent was teaching, but Brent refused. He wouldn’t ever tell the twins this, but the kids liked him better. He understood them in a way that the twins simply couldn’t.

It had been Faith’s idea to send out the word to people in town that he was teaching now. With his wins last year, he’d drawn his fair share of interest. It wasn’t even just kids he taught. There were some adults who wanted to try their hand just because they wanted to see what it was like.

Suffice to say, the amateur competitions were filling up faster and faster in Rocky Ridge and the surrounding cities.

Word did get out who Brent’s biological father was, and his extended family took it all in stride. He wasn’t treated any differently, and neither were his parents. He didn’t know why he’d thought that would happen, but it was nice to know that his family had their backs.

Tate and Jason warmed up to him again once they realized he wasn’t going anywhere, which was probably the reason his phone had been buzzing nonstop for the last ten minutes.

Bo glanced up at him and nodded with a grunt as he released the cow he’d been holding steady for Jack. “Good luck tonight.”

Brent grinned. He hadn’t told many about his plans for tonight because he couldn’t trust the girls not to go spreading the news. Hallie and Faith’s relationship was still a little rocky, but he wouldn’t put it past Wendy or Serenity not to spill the beans.

Faith finished her first year of college and she was planning on diving right into the next. It had been torture to wait until after finals. But now that nothing hung over their heads, he was in the clear.