#cara dutton

Curled up in front of the burning fireplace inside my family’s living room I had a good book sat on my legs. Snuggled up underneath one of the warm blankets while the cold and harsh winter winds blew outside the windows. Currently my parents were over at our friend's ranch that belonged to the Dutton’s. They were helping them get their herd to safety before the winter storm got worse.

Hearing a loud knock on the front door I jumped dropping my book onto the wooden floor not expecting anyone to be coming to see me when a harsh storm was heading for our part of Montana. The person knocked a few more times but I didn’t move from my spot till I heard a familiar deep voice call out my name. “Y/n! Y/n, it’s me Spencer.”

“What in god's name are you doing here so late. Didn’t your aunt tell you about the storm coming?” Unlocking the door once I had gotten up from the couch I allowed him inside seeing his clothes were nearly completely covered in snow.

He removed his boots knowing my mother hated tracking in snow and mud across the lodge. “I needed to see you. It’s too important than how mad my aunt will be angry with me about going out into a storm.”

“What could be so important that you’d risk your life for me in the freezing cold?” I asked my life long best friend who I knew like the back of my hand. For you see Spencer and I have been attached at the other's hip from the moment we could walk. My friends have been telling me for years that I needed to just marry and take his last name already.

He reached inside his jacket pocket revealing a letter that he extended out to me. “Read it, Y/n.”

“Spencer Dutton, the federal government has declared that your name has been drawn from the service draft and it is decided you offer your services and fight in the World War our nation faces.” Nearly dropping the paper from my hands I felt tears welling in my eyes at the thought of everything that the letter meant. This war has been long and harsh on everyone and now he could be one of the soldiers that die at its hands. “They drafted you. You - you can’t go fight.”

Spencer sent me a weak look telling me he didn’t want to go even though those weren’t the words that left his mouth. “I don’t have a choice, darling.”

“You can’t go - you can’t die before I get to tell you how I feel.” I clutched the paper in my hands, beginning to cry in front of him.

The Dutton man stared down at me closing the gap between us and crashed his lips down onto mine. I gasped, taken back by his forwardness, feeling my mind going to mush now only able to focus on how good it felt to kiss him. I truly had only ever imagined what it would feel like to kiss him, what it would be to be his wife, what it would be like to have his kids and raise them the way we have been raised on our family ranches.

Moving my hands up his chest my fingers threatened the fabric of his shirt bringing him closer. Spencer wrapped one arm around my waist, breaking the kiss and reconnecting our lips for another heated kiss until we needed air where I nearly felt like I couldn’t catch my breath.

“I love you too. I always have.” He declares meeting my gaze, resting his hands on my hips.

I giggled up at him. “You didn’t know that was what I was going to say.”

“I can tell by the way you kiss that’s how you feel.” Spencer points out with a smirk on his lips as he tugs me against his body more. “If you want me to stop right now I will. Just say the word and I will stop.”

Wrapping my arms around his neck I guided his lips down to meet mine once more. “For years I’ve attempted to push my feelings for you away, thinking you wouldn’t feel the same. But now that I know you do and I may lose you to this terrible war I don’t want to stop. I’d keep you here if I could so we can start our life together, Spencer Dutton.”

“I’d make you my wife and give you my last name right here and now if I didn’t have to go.” He rested his forehead down on mine and I sniffed through some tears before he wiped them away with his thumbs. He blinked his eyes briefly, changing his tone altogether. “To hell with that. If this is my one chance to call you mine I’m taking it.”

“Let me be yours tonight, Spencer.” I responded to him, grinning the biggest smile I ever had in my life.

I let out a yelp when he lifted me into his arms, I wrapped my arms around him and pressed my lips against his. He kissed me back passionately and he ran down the hallway to my bedroom. Kicking open the door, he walked towards the bed and dropped me down to the bed. My back hit the soft silk sheets before I rose up from the bed staring at him softly. Spencer teasingly removed his shirt crawling back onto the bed and hovered over me. My hands started to trace his bare chest, I began to run his fingers up and down his muscular chest softly while I began to feel his hand start to crawl underneath my shirt. He yanked my shirt off my head, throwing it to the ground only once breaking the kiss.

“Are you still okay with this, Y/n?” We had removed the rest of our clothes and were as close as we could be to each other but he didn’t move before asking me.

“Yes, I’m sure.” Within moments I felt the pain suddenly vanish and began to feel pleasure. I began to move against him and leaned up pressing my lips down upon his. He embraced me back instantly when my fingers dug into his back.

He ran his body over every inch of my body he could reach, both of us slick with sweat as he moved against one another, our pants and moans filling the room. “I love you, Y/n.”

“I love you too.” I whispered when we were finished and simply fell asleep in my bed holding onto the other for dear life. Unaware of how our lives would change from that night on.

Two months later

Walking into the living room of my parents lodge they were both sitting on the couch waiting for me to tell the, the news I said that I needed to share with them immediately. Clasping my hands together in front of my chest I released a heavy breath saying the words quickly rather than dragging them out. “I’m pregnant.”

“What!” My father jumped up from his spot beside my mother on the couch.

My mother slowly rose from her spot walking up to me and gently taking hold of my hands in hers. “Who’s the father? Why didn’t you tell us you were getting married to someone?”

“I’m not married to the baby’s father, mother. He was drafted for the war. It’s - Spencer is the father.”

My mother took a few steps back and removed my hands from hers with a scowl on her face. “You bear a child out of wedlock. I thought - how dare you we taught you better than this.”

“I didn’t know it was that easy to get pregnant the first time. Aunt Lana didn’t have a child until two years after you had me - gah!” Grabbing my cheek it burned from the harsh slap my father had gave me while I collapsed down onto my knees on the wooden floor.

My father shouted down at me making me start sobbing at the reaction of my parents. I didn’t think they would throw me out in such a time of need. “You are no longer my daughter. Since you’ve decided to keep that bastard I suggest you go to your new family cause I won’t have you and that baby under my roof!”

“Daddy. Mama please!” I begged them but neither of them lost the disappointing looks on their faces.

My mother crossed her arms over her chest and stomped up the stairs telling me I should go silently. Gathering my things I grabbed my horse from the barn and made the journey across the small valley to the Dutton ranch. Making my way up the stairs I knocked on the door lightly crying as I saw Cara Dutton open the door and greet me. “Y/n - oh dear come inside. What ails you child?”

“My parents have disowned me. I didn’t - I didn’t know where else to go but here.” I sniffed stepping through the front door with my suitcase.

She brushed hair out of my eyes asking calmly. “Why would they disown you, child?”

“I’m pregnant.” She didn’t say a word already knowing who it could be and immediately helped me set up a room in the house.

Exiting the barn I heard someone running over to me and I was nearly tackled to the dirt by a familiar bundle of dark brown hair and a sweet giggle that could only belong to my three year old daughter Helen Dutton. “Ohhh careful little lady. I ain’t as quick reflective as you are anymore.”

“There’s a stranger coming over here and he has a woman with him. I don’t know who he is, mama.” She explained to me with fear in her voice where I scooped her up in my arms.

Kissing her forehead I walked us over to the end of the barn but sharply halted in my tracks coming face to face with someone I hadn’t seen in years. “Spencer!”

“Y/n, what are you doing here?” He asked me while I eyed him up and down seeing a blonde woman hanging on his arm that I didn’t recognize.

Helen tugged on my shirt nuzzling her head into my neck trying to hide from the man. “Mama, who is he?”

“Spencer, I - I thought you were never coming back here. Who - who is the blonde with you?” Blinking my eyes I felt so many emotions running through my mind. I wanted to run into his arms and tell him that he had a daughter since he clearly didn’t know. But I also wanted to kick his ass for bringing another woman home when he said that he loved me.

The blonde separated herself from my childhood lover and extended her hand introducing herself. “I’m Alexander, his fiancé and you are?” Shifting my gaze over to Spencer I glared at him, unsure of what to say to him next.