Stay (Love In Montana Book 5)

Anastasia was dumbstruck by his words. They weren’t even in a relationship, then how could she belong to him? All they had between them was an incomplete kiss!

“Umm, are you pit of your mind, Blue? How can you say that?” She whispered, looking back at him.

“Why does it seem so impossible to you? Why can’t you belong to me? I mean, I like you a lot, Annie. I’m sure that you already know that by now,” said Ryder in a husky voice. Anastasia was stunned by his admission. Did he really mean it? Maybe he said these things to each and every girl he met. She was unsure whether to believe him or not.

“I don’t know what to say to you, Blue. I’m a very simple-hearted girl and if these are things you say to all the girls who you fancy, then I think you should stop. And if not, then you need to know that I’m not free to like anyone, ever. I’m meant for sacrifice. Please don’t ask me anything more than this. I can’t tell you more,” she said quietly. Ryder quietly tried to absorb what she just now told her. He just couldn’t understand what sort of sacrifice she was talking about. He remembered her mention it before. 

“The other girls run after me, it’s never the other way around. So I don’t need to say these things to anyone. You’re the first one I’ve ever said them to, Annie. They’re my true feelings, please believe me,” said Ryder earnestly. Anastasia was touched by his words. She believed him but did she have any choice? She knew that her mom would arrive soon to fetch her. She was simply stalling her departure, dreading the day she had to leave Fordsville forever. 

“You shouldn’t say them to me, Blue. I’ll soon have to leave Fordsville forever,” she said, her eyes depicting a lot of pain and helplessness. 

“Why do you need to leave Fordsville? No one can force you to. You’re eighteen, an adult,” reasoned Ryder. 

“You won’t understand, Blue. I just have a month at the most,” she said softly, almost in a whisper. Ryder gaped at her with shock. He had no idea that she would leave so soon. He looked lost and wanted to plead with her to stay. His heart started constricting at the thought of her leaving.

“Don’t go, Annie. I’ll talk to your grandparents. I’ll talk to your parents. I won’t let you leave,” he said in an anguished tone, his voice breaking a little. He caught her hand tightly as if she was leaving right now. 

“My grandparents are helpless. They cannot stop me, Blue. It’s of no use,” she said with a sigh. 

“Then tell me whom I should beg? I can do anything to stop you,” cried Ryder. Anastasia stared at his anguished face and felt her heart breaking. She wanted to stay, not because of anyone but for Ryder. He really seemed to like her just as much as she liked him. 

“You can’t do anything,” she sighed dejectedly. 

Anastasia’s phone buzzed with an incoming call from Renée. She accepted the call knowing that Renée would be looking for her. “Where are you Ana? I’ve been looking for you for so long,” she yelled into the phone. Anastasia looked at Ryder with apprehension, her fingers going to her lips to gesture to him to keep quiet.

“I just came to get some fresh air. I’ll be right there, hang on,” she said quietly. 

Renée quietened down upon hearing her. “Is my brother with you?” she asked softly. Anastasia sighed knowing that she might have missed Ryder as well. There was no point in hiding it from her. 

“Yes,” she said softly. She could hear Renée’s chuckle as she disconnected the call. Anastasia looked at Ryder who was watching her with interest.

“You told her? Now she’ll start blackmailing me,” said Ryder with a grin, rolling his eyes. 

“She guessed it already. What else could I do?” Anastasia defended herself. “I think we should go back before they start searching for us,” said Anastasia. Ryder chuckled.

“I don’t think anyone has the interest to look for us. Stay for a few minutes, please,” he pleaded. Anastasia didn’t argue and they leaned against the boulder and watched the creek gushing by. 

“What will you do when you go back?” asked Ryder curiously. 

“I’ll be studying Fashion Designing from UNLV and then complete further specialized studies from UNCLA while settling in LA forever,” she said with a faraway look in her eyes. 

“Wow, you’re so focused! You want to be a famous fashion designer, great!” appreciated Ryder but there was a slight disappointment in his tone. 

“Why LA? Why not any other place?” asked Ryder. 

“My patron lives in LA. She wants to train me to take over her fashion empire,” shrugged Anastasia. She couldn’t divulge further information to him but considering the heartbroken look on his face, she had to tell him a little. 

“Wow! That’s really awesome. I’m sure she must have seen a lot of potential in you to have chosen you,” said Ryder. Anastasia smiled sadly. She didn’t have potential. She didn’t like the fake world of fashion. She was a simple girl with simple tastes. She could wear a sundress and boots and run her grandparents bakery all her life. She didn’t tell Ryder that obviously. 

“I’ll come down to LA and settle down there with you,” said Ryder excitedly. “Will you recognize me when you become famous?” he asked with hope in his eyes. 

“Oh, Blue!” she said, touched by his words. She whirled and just wrapped her arms around his neck taking him by surprise. Embedding her face into his neck, she just clung to him. A tremor ran down Ryder’s spine and his arms snaked around her, pulling her close. They clung to one another, lost in each other. Ryder noted the way she fitted perfectly into him, he felt her heart beating fast against his body, he felt her soft curves, he knew that he was in love with her. This was nothing but love! Everything fell into place, he was in love with Anastasia. His hand went to the back of her head and he tenderly caught her chin, forcing her to look up at him. Anastasia gazed into his eyes which looked the color of a turbulent sea. 

“Blue!” she whispered, closing her eyes, pleading with him silently to finish the kiss he had initiated. It might be the last kiss of her life before she’s whisked away to a life of sacrifice and loneliness. 

Ryder gently claimed her soft lips, the passion flaring between them. His mouth devoured her lips, parting them with expertise and plunging his tongue deep inside her mouth. A moan escaped Anastasia’s mouth and she kissed him back without any inhibitions. In the darkness of the night, they surrendered to one another, kissing passionately to their heart's content. Anastasia tugged at his hair, wanting more, making Ryder groan with an intense need to get all of her. He molded her soft, curvy body close to his and kissed her hungrily. However, Anastasia’s phone buzzed again and they jumped apart, startled out of their minds. 

“It’s Renée. I think we need to go back,” said Anastasia. Ryder muttered curses at his sister making Anastasia chuckle. What was wrong with Renée? Why was she so dictating where her best friend was concerned? He nodded with a sigh and helped Anastasia out of the water’s edge towards the ranch. 

“He had no wish to go back to the party. His heart was a little restless after that realization. He knew that he shouldn’t stop Anastasia from leaving, she had a bright career ahead of her yet deep in his heart, he wanted to be selfish. He wanted her all to himself. He wanted a life with her. Seeing Anastasia go to talk to Renée, he went over to the drinks counter to get himself a can of beer. He saw Renée lead Anastasia to the buffet table. 

Every now and then, Anastasia glanced at him and blushed seeing him watching her like a hawk. A strange excitement filled her mind after that heart to heart talk with Ryder. Her heart wanted to hope. Maybe all wasn’t lost. Maybe she could secretly be with Ryder when he moved over to LA. It made her heart beat faster with excitement. She noted that Ryder too served himself some food. When no one was looking, she walked towards him and fed him a piece of cake from her plate. Ryder grinned happily. That simple gesture made his heart do a somersault with happiness. His heart sang, ‘She cares, she cares!’ and he hovered around her all the time. 

Strangely, Renée seemed to have accepted the fact that he liked her best friend and didn’t bother him even once. She was lost in a world of her own, thankfully. After dinner, most of the elders were engaged in some game while Renée's cousins started rushing towards the dance floor with their partners. Suddenly Anastasia was whisked away to the dance floor. She was about to protest when she was whirled around to come face to face with Matt’s brother, Mark. She knew the family since Renée had told her that Matt was Ryder’s friend. 

Ryder growled and strode angrily towards them. “Let go, Mark. She’s mine,” growled Ryder. Everyone stopped dancing and Anastasia’s eyes widened at the attention. She realized that for the first time Ryder had claimed her in front of everyone. Would she be in trouble if her grandparents found out?