Free Love Country (BWWM Romance) by BWWM Crew, Destiny Lewis Page B

the man.
     
    “Come on, D, you're going to scare the poor girl. Please excuse my wife, she gets a little excited you would say at times.” He quickly hugged her as well and looked to his son. “So what happened with the cars? Carter called me himself and said something needed to be done.”
     
    “You know Uncle Carter?”
     
    “Why yes, my dear. Just because I don’t live here doesn’t mean I don’t keep track of the stupidity of my family. My son is here.” Keeara watched Craig roll his eyes then look sheepishly as his mother made a sound at him.
     
    “Both our cars were vandalized. They think I'm a traitor. I don’t get it. Some stupid feud has been controlling two families for so long. They let it control their every move. I refuse to live like that.”
     
    “I know, son, but we will fix it. Now I need to stow this monster of a vehicle away for a couple days and get ready for this big festival on Saturday. That looks like the best place to sort all of this out. We just need to make sure both families come to the damn thing. That‘s it. Money! That is the one thing that the Jenkins will come for. How about a contest like shooting or something for a prize. And a substantial one. I can pull money out of the account tomorrow.”
     
    The four of them sat down at the table and devised a plan to get both families together.
    ***
    It was Thursday and Craig had asked Keeara if they could go back to her favorite place by the river for some alone time. Not wanting to disappoint, she readily agreed. Craig admitted he needed to get a horse even though he loved the huge black stallion her father let him use.
     
    They were lying on the blanket looking up at the sky. He was drawing lazy circles on her bare belly as she squealed.
     
    “Marry me?”
     
    She sat up quickly. “What?” She was looking at him like he had grown three heads.
     
    He sat up and looked at her. “You heard me. Marry me. Look, we apparently are good together and I love your family. Why spend life alone when we are so happy together?”
     
    “Because Craig. You are supposed to love the person you are married to. And you know your family will tear us apart.”
     
    “Don’t start with that damn feud thing again. Who gives a shit about what other people think. I adore your son and although I know I can never replace your husband in either of your lives, I can be here for the both of you and make you and him both happy. Don’t you want that?”
     
    “Well yes. But…”
     
    He grabbed both her hands in his. “We can have a small wedding, maybe at your parent’s place or at the church, I really don’t care. I just want you next to me every morning. I want to be able to take Lewis to baseball games and play ball with him. I want to feel your body next to mine every night.” Just then they heard a loud rumbling in the skies. The clouds started moving faster as it started to get darker.
     
    “Shit. Come on. We need to get back before it starts raining.”
     
    He stood and turned her to face him. “No. Not until you answer me.”
     
    “Can’t we do this later?” He shook his head and a large streak of lightning fell from the sky behind them. They turned in time to see the horses rear up and gallop away. “Damn it.” She looked around, looking for cover. The only place she saw was up ahead in the mountains. Maybe they could make it to a cave or something.
     
    Craig grabbed her hand and they started running just as large rain drops started to crash down on them. He steered them towards the caves and they crossed a small grave site on their way with a large headstone. He stopped and looked down at the name engraved on the front of it. Beth Ann Murray. He looked at her questioningly, but she took his hand and started for the caves.
     
    “My grandmother!” She had to yell above the noise of the rain now pouring down around them and the thunder in the distance.
     
    They finally made it to a small opening in the mountain and Craig