Jordan stood with the crowd as everyone waited for the event to start. The whole town was out to support tonight. Cameras flashed and the crowd buzzed with talks of the new addition to their small town.

Truly he was proud of his sister and her fiancé. They had achieved a lot together to achieve their mutual dream, by the looks of some of the high class faces in attendance this opening was going to be a major success.

The crowd erupted with applause as the doors were pulled opened and Jessica and Javier came out to do the official welcome to the ‘JJ art gallery’. A smile etched on his face when he saw the way they gazed at each other lovingly. Seeing his sister this happy made him proud.

He hated the fact that Bethany had to lose so much and get hurt in the process but he couldn't hold a grudge when his sibling was obviously so in love.

He moved up with the crowd as everyone stopped to greet the happy couple. A few women stopped to gush over Jessica's new engagement ring. She Logan who casually slipped in before Jason and Joseph then they greeted Jason and Joseph and their dates before turning to him with a mischievous smile.

“Really Jordan? Where's your date?” She asked

“Don't start sis” he grumbled immediately feeling a sense of guilt when he thought about Bethany sitting home all alone.

“You OK?”  asked Jessica

“Uh huh, yep sure” he replied. He quickly turned from her to greet Javier before hurrying inside.

He stood over in the corner away from all the chattering as he listened to Javier giving the opening speech. He caught Jessica staring at him curiously which only made him tense and look away.

He joined in with the applause though he hasn't heard a word that was spoken. He did his best to avoid Jessica who kept glancing his way throughout the evening.

His sister had a stubborn disapproving look that made a grown man feel like a naughty toddler.

He was all too happy when Joseph walked over to her obviously cutting his evening short since he had to leave. Jordan however took the coward's way out and waved from across the room before slipping.

As he pulled into the driveway he noticed that the stable door was open. He wondered over and quietly stepped inside and came to a stop when she saw Bethany standing there, brush in hand grooming Betsy's hair.

“I bet you feel much better now, right girl? These boys don't know how important it is to us ladies to always have our hair properly groomed” he heard Bethany say in a soothing voice.

Boys?

The horse responded to her as though it agrees which made him roll his eyes.

Females.

He let his eyes roam over her, she was wearing his shirt. The one he gave her the first night she got here. A sudden sense of possessiveness crept over him.

She looks too damn good in my clothes.

He barely suppressed a groan as she bent over to pick up an apple for the horse. He watched as she hurriedly stood up and turned to look at him.

“Jordan!” She squeaked

“Girls talk?” He drawled

He watched as her face heated up with a blush.

“We were just keeping each other's company” she said with a shrug

It pained him to think she somehow felt lonely.

“Were you lonely?” He asked

Her gaze dropped from his and she shifted from one foot to the other.

He walked over to her and gently held her chin to lift her face to look at him.

“Were you lonely?” He repeated his question.

“Yes. A little bit” she confessed.

“I'm sorry” he told her

“It's not your fault Jordan. You had to go support your sister. I can't expect you to sit around and keep me company all the time.” She replied

“You have dirt on your face” he told her

She made no move to brush it away. Her eyes stayed glued to his. Then her molten gazed moved to rake over him, causing his body to shudder with want. Her eyes lifted back to his, her look so smoldering and hungry that he it too superhuman strength not to reach out and pull her to him.

She lifted the hem of the shirt revealing a hint of skin as she wipe her face to get rid of the dirt. He gulped as his eyes dropped to the bare flesh. She walked around him and out of the stable. His eyes dropped to jeans that so loving cupped her ass, he was definitely jealous of her pants.

They both walked silently back to the house neither of them daring to say anything. The tension was so strong, so thick they were both fighting a battle, a losing battle.

Jordan stepped aside so Bethany could enter first. She brushed past him and he heard her quick intake of breath.

For the love of God I'm about to lose it!

"Bethany" he called before she could disappear to her room.

"Yes" she replied in a low thick voice.

"Turn around" he told her.

"I can't" she whispered shaking her head.

"Please" he said as he took a slow step towards her.

"If I turn around, there's no going back. Are you ready for that?" She asked

He paused, all kinds of questions running through his mind. Was he ready to take the plunge? What would his sister say? How much of himself was he willing to offer to the woman in front of him? Could he trust himself not to hurt her?

Apparently his silence was enough because she made her move, she walked away from him and headed up the stairs.

How long are you going to be a coward Jordan.

As he lay in bed that night, sleep dangled in front of him like a tasty treat. Each time he would get close it would be whisked away. Images of a beautiful blue eyed blonde bent over a horse crying with the equally lonely animal would cross his mind. An animal that trusted no one but her.

It angered him that everyone had so carelessly tossed her feelings aside for so long. Treated her like an unwanted accessory. Yes she did some bad things but why hasn't anyone ever stopped to ask why? No one ever took the time to really get to know her, to listen to her, to care for her, to love her. No one but him.

Ah hell.

He sat upright in his bed and stared out at the moon that was sending light into his room.

When did this happen? How did it happen? Why her? Why now?...why not her? So soon?

"I knew you were trouble when I saw you, but I didn't know trouble could be so darn liberating." He mumbled to himself.

He realized then that he had stop living all these years. He survived for everyone else, making sure everyone was happy and alright. For his own life he had simply pushed it aside and stop living.

Bethany she never leaves his mind, she's always there; mentally if not physically. It's just incomprehensible. She's his one stable force, his one stability in a world filled with chaos and he so desperately needed that in his life. He love her so much for that.

I’m in love with her and I can’t believe I’ve only just realized it.

He sat up straighter as his room door was pushed open. He gulped as Bethany's silhouette stood before him. The light from the hallways making it hard to see her face.

She walked in and closed the door behind her. He reached for his bedside lamp to turn on the light without taking his eyes off her form. The light illuminated the room and heat flared to all parts of his body when he saw the flimsy nightgown she wore. She had obviously taken a shower. He looked up at her face, her eyes screamed hunger. She was on a mission to seduce. Little did she know he was as ready as a kid offered a choice between candy and a plate of broccoli, bottom line was...he was all in.

"Bethany" he said in a thick voice.

"No more running" she replied

He moved the covers back as a silent invitation for her to get in and smirked when he saw her eyes widen in surprise.

She walked over to him and climbed into his bed. He reached over and pulled her to him. As their lips came together, he felt like he was walking on air. It was simply magical, the way her lips connected with his, warm and inviting. The caress of her lips softer than he could have imagined and he opened his mouth with a low moan.

In this moment he dedicated his life to being with her from the moment of this first kiss, for he knew that if he lost her he would lose himself. She was the half that made him whole.

Triple update today! I hope you guys have enjoyed these three chapters! Remember to comment and vote!

Follow me on Instagram @ meeksadorable_romance for some sneak peeks coming up God's willing tomorrow!