Cold State Line

Matt was leaving today. Anna and Tina were back from the rodeo, back with wonderful news that Anna had come in second. They both swore I would have won had I been able to compete. Apparently, the rodeo association had given me a big cheer and told me they expected to see me back next year. It brought a smile to my face, but I didn't want Matt to leave. I knew he would have to because he lived in California. Even if we did form a relationship, it wouldn't last given that we lived so far away.

"Are you okay?" Matt asked, walking into my room to help me get on my crutches. I still hated those damn devilish contraptions.

"I don't want you to leave, is all." I got up on the crutches but put them down. I didn't want to go downstairs. Matt was going to leave very, very soon. I wanted to delay it as long as possible.

He sat down next to me and pulled me into his side. "I don't want to either, but we knew this would come. We knew it would. Things aren't going to be how we want them to be, Haylee." Matt placed a kiss to my forehead.

"I know that. I just... I want to be more than we are," I said and laid down on the bed. I didn't even want to look at him. There was so much more I wanted to say to him. Matt made me feel safe; he made me feel whole and protected. This was a man I could trust, especially since he knew all Clay had done now.

Matt laid down and placed his arms around me. He was so warm against my body. He felt nice and like home. He didn't say anything else, just held me. I think he felt the same way I did. Neither one of us wanted to leave the other; we wanted to be together as long as possible, but he had to go home. He had another album to write.

"We'll stay in touch, Haylee." Matt stroked my hair. "I promise, we aren't going to stop talking. We will stay in touch, okay? And there's planes and holidays for us to see each other. There's even places to ranch in California."

I looked at him, meeting his gorgeous hazel eyes. "Are you saying I should move?"

His eyes widened. He looked down and away from me. "No, not at all. I know Texas is your home, and I would never ask you to leave just for the chance at a relationship, but if you are up for it, I wouldn't mind a long distance one."

I smiled, a real smile. Matt was asking me to date, even if it was miles and miles apart. I couldn't imagine dating any one but him. I had to really trust a man for them to even talk to me. Matt was the only man I felt like that with. Matt made me feel like a real person in a way Clay hadn't. I knew that I didn't need love to feel whole, but it did for whatever reason.

"Are you sure, Matty? That does sound rather magical, even if we are rather far apart." I looked up at him, smiling at this wonderful man.

"I've never been more sure of anything other than Avenged," Matt said and kissed my mouth like a man starved.

I relished in the feeling of his mouth moving against mine. It felt so right and so special. Our tongues tangled as if they were trained dancers. It was like we knew what the other was going to do before the other did it. We matched each other; it felt so right to be here, wrapped in his strong arms.

Matt pulled away from me with a grin on his face. Those damn dimples popped out and he looked at me with a look I had never seen before. "Haylee, I want you, but with your injuries, I don't think we should get too steamed up."

Nodding, I wiggled away from him. "No, we should definitely relax a little." I know how heated the two of us can get. We just wanted to rip each others' clothes off if we got too heated or too close. It was like no other romantic relationship I had.

"Don't take that as me not wanting to fuck you, trust me. All I want to fucking do is fuck you, but I don't want to be the cause for more pain," he said and gently pushed his hair behind my face.

"I appreciate that. You really are a good man, Matt." I pressed a kiss against his cheek. "I mean that."

He smiled again, not as big as his previous one. "It's going to hurt me so much to leave you, Haylee. I feel like the last few days have just flown by. I keep thinking what happens if Clay stops by and I'm not here. What are you going to do?"

"Matt, I'm from Texas. I own guns. Just because I'm afraid of Clay doesn't mean I don't know how to protect myself. I do. If he comes near me again, I think I feel confident enough that I can hurt him."

Matt shot me a smile. "If you need anything or don't feel safe, you call me." He kissed my forhead. "I mean that, babe. I will come to you in a fucking heartbeat."

I rarely trusted men when they said things like that, but on this, I had no doubt that Matt would do exactly as he said. God, I didn't want to leave him. I didn't want him to leave me. We were meant to be, of that I was no sure.

"Of course, Matt. Of course."

Notes

Okay, I hope this slow burn makes up for my shorter chapters. What's going to happen? Are they finally going to be together or is Clay gonna do something to ruin that?