A/N: Wow! I have not updated this story in a long time. I hope you enjoy!
"How come you've never taken me to the county fair before?" Elena asked as they walked through the gate. She held Stefan's hand as she looked around, taking in the sights around her. There were vendor booths, food booths and games and rides. Couples were walking hand in hand and children were running around, high off of the sugar they were eating.
"I haven't been myself in a few years" Stefan admitted. He used to go every year with his brother and Rebekah.
"How come?" Elena asked as they walked by a kettle corn stand. She made a mental note to stop and get some on the way out.
Stefan smiled as he swung his hand with hers. "Some pretty girl moved to my family's ranch a few years back. She's been keepin' me pretty busy ever since" Stefan answered.
Elena just rolled her eyes. "Well, I'm glad you brought me today" she told him. It had been a long time since she had been to anything that resembled a fair. "Fair snacks happen to be my favorite."
"Yeah?" Stefan asked. "What kinda snacks?" he questioned.
Elena looked around, knowing that just smelling all of the food was torture. "Kettle corn" Elena told him. "Elephant ears, cotton candy, scones …" she listed off. "Oh! Funnel cake. You can't go to a fair and not have funnel cake" Elena informed him.
"That's a lot of sugar" Stefan commented.
She smiled. "Everything is so good though. It is too difficult to pick just one" Elena defended.
"Fair enough" Stefan told her, tugging on her hand and wrapping his arm around her. "What do you wanna do first?" he asked.
"Probably the Ferris Wheel" Elena answered. "Before it gets too dark" she added. "We sort of had a late start getting here" Elena said, grinning up at him.
Stefan felt the back of his neck warm just at the thought of what they had been doing before coming to the fair. "Yeah, well, no one told you to jump me in the barn" he pointed out with a grin of his own.
"I did not jump you" Elena said, fighting back a laugh. "I approached you, calmly, and kissed you" she explained.
Stefan shook his head, disagreeing with her. "That's not what happened and you know it" he told her.
"I didn't hear you complain" Elena retorted. She honestly could not remember what happened, not when his hands where caressing the backs of her knees and his lips were pressed against her skin.
He pressed a kiss to the top of her head. "I'd never complain … 'bout you jumpin' me in the barn" he told her. "There's a reason we put a bed in that barn loft" he reminded.
"You were shirtless" Elena pointed out. "Couldn't help myself."
Stefan laughed. "Well, if walkin' 'round shirtless is gonna get me that kind of reaction, I'll be shirtless more often" he told her.
"Good" Elena told him. She tipped her head up to look at him and he bent down to kiss her.
Stefan walked them towards the ticket booth. He pulled out some cash and bought enough ride tickets for the afternoon. "Ready?" he asked, tearing off six tickets and stuffing the rest in his pocket.
Elena took his hand and walked with him to the Farris Wheel. Thankfully, the line was short and they were able to get on without much of a wait.
Stefan wrapped his arm around her as the Farris Wheel started moving and they climbed higher and higher. "You go back to school in a couple of weeks" Stefan mentioned. The summer had flown by for them both. It was never long enough.
Elena nodded. "I can't believe I'm graduating this year" Elena said. "It went by fast."
Stefan didn't have the heart to tell her that it did not go by fast for him. The last three years had ticked by slowly, and he was sure that this last year of her college education was going to go by even slower.
His grandmother's ring tucked away in his top dresser drawer tested his patience on more than one occasion the past three years. There had been times while they were in bed, and he was holding her and she looked at him like he could give her the moon if she asked for it. Or times when he would come downstairs and she'd be dressed in one of his button-down shirts, making breakfast because she had some spare time that morning.
So many times he had wanted to pull that ring out and place it on her finger where it belonged. And yet, he held back, knowing that her wish was to finish college first. She did not need to be distracted by a ring and the wedding planning that would follow.
"You're gonna have an amazin' last year of school" he told her, leaning over and tilting her chin up towards him so he could kiss her. One of those slow kisses that had her closing her eyes.
"You think?" she asked, opening her eyes slowly to look at him.
She had a curious smile on display. One of his favorites, actually. "I know" Stefan said confidently.
Elena smiled even bigger, telling herself that it was not possible to fall even more in love with him right then.
Except, it was possible.
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"I want to see you ride the mechanical bull" Elena said as soon as they stepped off the Ferris Wheel. She nodded over towards the small crowd currently watching a young kid make his bull riding debut.
"I reckon I can do that" Stefan told her, taking her hand and walking over with her. He grabbed a clipboard and signed the waiver. As soon as he went to put the clipboard back, Elena stopped him.
"I want to ride too" she told him, taking the pen and clipboard from his hands before he could reply. She filled out the waiver and signed it with her perfect penmanship. Satisfied, she looked up at him and saw him smiling at her. "What?" she asked. "If my boyfriend can do it, surely I can" she said, passing him back the clipboard with a bit of sass. "You can go first" she told him, walking to the gate so she could watch him.
Stefan shook his head slightly as he walked toward the bull operator, handing him the clipboard with their waivers.
"You up first?" the operator asked.
Stefan nodded, noting that the guy had a Texan accent along with snakeskin boots. "Yes sir" Stefan said, making his way over to the bull. He hopped on and got himself in position. Then Stefan glanced around him, seeing that a good size crowd had gathered to watch. That didn't bother him. He was used to crowds.
Stefan looked over and found Elena leaning against the metal fence, grinning at him like she knew he was going to kick ass on that bull and make her proud. She mouthed "love you" to him and he smiled at her.
He adjusted his seat on the mechanical bull one more time before nodding towards the operator, letting him know he was ready.
Typical for any mechanical bull, it started out slow, rocking up and down gently and spinning in a circle slowly. Anyone who could ride a horse could stay on at that pace.
But the gentle rocking and slow spinning did not last long. The operator bumped up the speed and before Stefan knew it, he was gripping the bull a little tighter and doing his best to hang on.
The crowd watching was cheering him on, and Stefan could hear Elena's cheers too.
When Stefan was sure the bull could not buck any harder or spin any faster, he loosened his grip and allowed the movement of the bull to throw him off. He had held on for far more than the required eight seconds. The crowd cheered even louder and Stefan gave them a small wave as he picked himself up and walked towards the gate to get to Elena.
"Well well Cowboy" Elena said, smiling at him as he approached. "That was actually pretty hot" she said, grabbing ahold of his t-shirt and pulling him close to kiss him.
"Yeah?" he asked, completely forgetting about the crowd around them as he leaned in to kiss her again.
Elena stopped him though, pressing her hands against his chest. "My turn" she reminded him, stepping around to walk towards the bull.
Stefan followed her, giving her a leg up. He got her situated on the bull, giving her a few tips. "Squeeze with your thighs" he told her. "And when the bull's head is up in the air, you should be leaning forward. When his back end is up in the air, you should be leaning back" he explained. "Got it?" he asked, knowing she had been to enough rodeos to know what riding a bull looked like.
"Got it" Elena nodded. She accepted his quick kiss before watching him walk towards the operator, lean in towards him for a moment, and then exit the fenced area.
"You ready?" the operator asked.
Elena nodded, suddenly a little less confident without Stefan by her side. But he was watching her, giving her that same proud smile she always gave him.
The bull started to move forward and back and spinning slowly, just like it did with Stefan in the beginning. She was focused and thankful for all those riding lessons Stefan gave her in the beginning. They really helped with her balance.
The bull began to move faster and Elena really had to start focusing on hanging on. She could hear the crowd cheering for her too, and she could hear Stefan yelling over them.
Just as she was feeling pretty sure of her bull riding skills, the bull turned sharply to the right and she fell off to her left. The landing was soft and although she would have liked to have stayed on longer, she could now say that she had rode a bull.
Elena had the biggest smile on her face as she got up and walked back to Stefan. "I think I'm ready for a real one" she told him, stopping in front of him and looking up at him to see his reaction.
Stefan cupped her face and shook his head. "Over my dead body" he told her, bending down and kissing her. "Nice job, Cowgirl" he said. "Looks like those ridin' lessons paid off" he added.
Elena shrugged. "Maybe. Or maybe I just have natural talent" she told him, leaning into his side as they started to walk.
Stefan laughed. "Maybe" he humored her.
"So what did you tell that guy when you walked away from me?" she asked curiously.
"Told him he'd better not let you get hurt" Stefan answered. There was no reason for that guy to operate the mechanical bull in a way that would fling Elena off like it did with some of the experienced riders.
Elena rolled her eyes. "You can't protect me from everything" she reminded him. That just wasn't possible.
"I can sure try" Stefan told her. "That's my job, lookin' out for you" he reminded her. It had been his job since she showed up at the ranch.
Elena decided not to even try to argue that with him. While his protective nature bothered her at times, she appreciated knowing that someone was looking out for her. "Let's get a snack" she said instead, steering him towards the elephant ears.
"Wanna split one?" Stefan asked, grabbing for his wallet as they stood in line. "Or, you want your own?" he questioned. He knew she could eat a whole one on her own. He had seen her do it at a rodeo once.
"We can split one" Elena told him. "As long as you want raspberry jam on it" she pointed out. She was not in a cinnamon and sugar kind of mood. Elena had to smile when Stefan added two lemonades to the order. How well he knew her.
"We can watch the gaming events" Stefan offered, nodding towards the arena. He chose seats near the end of the bleachers, close to the ground so they did not have to climb with the elephant ear and drinks. "Here okay?" he asked.
"Perfect" Elena smiled, taking a seat next to him. "Thank you for this" Elena told him as she tore off a piece of the elephant ear she was dying to try. It was just as good as it looked.
Stefan returned her smile, appreciating the little things that made her happy. "Love you" he said, leaning in and kissing her, tasting some of the raspberry jam she had on her lips still. He kept the kiss short, not wanting to put on a show for the other people sitting around them.
They both were watching a horse run the barrels when Stefan sensed someone staring at him. When he looked over at the young girl in a wheelchair seated not far from him, he smiled her way.
"Are you a real cowboy?" she questioned, both suspicious and in awe of his boots and his hat.
"Hadley!" a woman, her mother, Stefan guessed, admonished quickly. "I'm sorry" the mother apologized.
Stefan could tell right away by their accents that they were not from around there. That was definitely a New York accent that Stefan recognized from all of Ric's business dealings. "That's all right" Stefan assured her. He liked the girl's inquisitiveness. "Yes darlin', I am" Stefan answered her, watching the little girl's eyes light up.
"So you ride horses?" she asked, turning herself slightly in her wheelchair so she could face him.
"I sure do" Stefan told her, taking his attention off of the barrel racing so he could have a conversation with the child next to him.
"He trains horses too" Elena added, joining in on the conversation.
The little girl's eyes grew wider with excitement. "Do you get to ride horses every day?" she asked.
"I do" Stefan answered. "My own horses and horses that other people send to me to train" he added.
The little girl smiled. "That's so cool" she told him. "I can't ride horses, but I wish I could" she told him.
Stefan furrowed his brow. "Who says you can't ride a horse?" Stefan asked.
The little girl looked up at her mom, giving him his answer. "Because I can't walk. I'm in a wheelchair" she pointed out, as if somehow Stefan had missed that detail.
"We have not found a safe enough horse for her to get on" the little girl's mother corrected.
Though, Stefan could sense the mother's hesitancy and for good reason. Horses were large and powerful animals. Without the ability to use your legs for balance and control, you really had to depend on the horse to keep you safe.
Stefan reached for his wallet and fished out one of his business cards that Elena made him get. As much as he protested getting them, he did have to admit that they came in handy. "I have the perfect horse for you to ride" Stefan said, handing the mother a business card. "Here's my number and my address for my ranch. You can call to set up a time to come out or just show up. I'm usually around" he explained.
He watched the mother study his business card, still unsure of the whole idea.
"Can I Mom, please?" the little girl asked, overcome with excitement at the idea of being able to ride.
Stefan watched the mother's hesitancy slowly dissolve at her daughter's enthusiasm. "How about this coming Thursday, after school? 4:00?" she asked.
Stefan nodded. "That'll work" Stefan smiled.
For the next hour as they watched the barrel racing, Stefan explained the event to the mom and daughter while the daughter asked him endless questions about horses and living on a ranch.
Elena chimed in every now and again, but was content sitting back and watching the interaction between Stefan and the little girl. There was no doubt about it. Stefan was amazing with kids.
And Elena could not wait to watch him with one of his own.
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It was nearing 9:00 PM when Elena went in search for Stefan. He had mentioned he was going to work with one of his horses right after they got home from the fair. Elena had gone inside to finish up some laundry when she realized the time.
She found him right away, in the round pen with one of his rescue horses. She climbed up on the railing and watched him loop a rope around the horse's front left foot and ask him to pick it up. With gentle pressure and a lot of patience, Elena watched Stefan coax the horse into a bowing position before gently helping him lay down.
The horse stayed down and Stefan gently rubbed his neck, praising him. When Stefan realized Elena was watching, he smiled. "Come here" he said quietly, careful not to startle the horse.
Elena carefully climbed down and into the round pen, walking towards them. Stefan guided her in front of him and let her pet the horse too. "What are you teaching him?" Elena asked softly, amazed by what Stefan had done.
Stefan smiled. "I can lift that little girl up on Red any day so she can ride" he admitted. "But if I can teach a horse to lay down for her on command so she can slide out of her wheelchair and onto the horse herself … imagine the sense of independence she would feel" Stefan told her.
Elena smiled, completely amazed with the man she was lucky enough to call her boyfriend. "You think this guy is a good fit?" Elena asked, still stroking the horse's neck.
Stefan nodded. "He's gentle as can be" Stefan answered. "I planned on trainin' him so Jeremy could rope off him, but I think he's gonna be too small for him" Stefan explained. "But he'll be the perfect size for that little girl."
"She'll love him" Elena said, knowing that Stefan would make sure the horse was a perfect fit.
"I think so too" Stefan smiled. "Let's let him up" he said, helping Elena to stand and then backing up. "Up" Stefan said, giving a soft tug on the lead. The horse began to stand and shook all of the sand off of him. "Good boy" Stefan said, patting the horse's neck. "I'm gonna to put this guy away and then I'll be in" he told her.
"Okay" Elena smiled, making her way back towards the house. She headed up the stairs and changed into one of his t-shirts for bed. She brushed her teeth and placed her hair in a ponytail. She could hear him walk into the house and head for the downstairs bathroom to brush his own teeth and wash up, knowing Elena was upstairs doing the same.
The cedar stairs creaked as he walked up them. Then the dresser drawer scraped open as Stefan found a pair of sweats he wanted to sleep in.
Stefan sat up in bed and waited for her, never wanting to fall asleep without her unless she was going to be up late.
The bathroom light clicked off as she walked out. He never got tired of seeing her in one of his shirts that barely covered her thighs. And he never got tired of watching her climb up on their bed and swing her leg over his hips so she could sit on top of him.
Elena was face to face with him and it took all his will power not to lean in and kiss her. She looked like she had something she wanted to say and he was going to let her.
"You are the sweetest, most loving and kind man I have ever met" Elena said softly.
"It's not a big deal" Stefan said, down playing what he was willing to do for that little girl so she could ride a horse.
"It is to her" Elena told him. "You are so incredibly selfless. And I love you so much" Elena said, allowing a small smile to form. It was difficult to not smile when she told him she loved him.
Stefan shrugged slightly. "I have everything I need. Everything I want in life. Why not help others?" he asked. "I have this house, a growing business that allows me to work with horses" he said with a boyish smile. He really was living the dream. "Most importantly, I have the girl of my dreams, livin' this life with me" he said, letting his hands work their way up and down her sides, sliding the cotton material of his shirt up a little each time.
"Am I what you pictured? The kind of girl you thought you'd end up with?" she asked, searching his eyes for his answer before he even voiced it.
His fingers found their way under his t-shirt and the moment they touched her skin, she sucked in a small breath. Stefan leaned in just a little closer so his lips were mere centimeters from hers. "You're so much more than what I ever imagined" he said quietly, his eyes moving from her eyes to her lips, then back to her eyes. "Beautiful. Intelligent" he said, smiling as he told her. Then he grinned. "Sassy" he added.
Elena grinned too and it was enough to make him lean in and finally kiss her. His fingers on her waist, massaging gently had her hips moving involuntary. His touch made her skin feel warm and made her shiver at the same time.
"Elena" he said breathlessly. Her forehead fell to his shoulder and her lips continued to kiss the exposed skin. His breathing was heavy as her hips continued to move against him. Knowing that she had only her underwear on with his t-shirt made him even a little more lightheaded. "Elena" he said again, wondering if he was really even saying her name out loud.
"Hmm?" she murmured against his shoulder.
His arm wrapped around her as he rolled them over. Stefan's lips found hers as his hands worked on ridding her of the t-shirt she wore.
Elena sat up so he could get the t-shirt over her head. They paused, breathing heavily and just looking at one another.
She smiled as she leaned in and kissed his lips gently. Then she leaned over, clicking the lamp off.
He helped her lay back down so he could kiss his way along her skin as the setting sun filtered through the bedroom window.