On the Tip of My Tongue – Part 3

Song Inspiration: Strawberry Wine - Deana Carter

Yeah, I was caught somewhere between a woman and a child
One restless summer we found love growing wild
On the banks of the river on a well beaten path
It's funny how those memories they last
Like strawberry wine and seventeen
The hot July moon saw everything
My first taste of love, oh bittersweet
Green on the vine
Like strawberry wine

One Year Later:

Graduation came and went, and Bonnie and Damon finally felt like life could start. They spent the whole summer frolicking around the ranch, riding to the lakes and rivers, building memories that would stay with them forever.

He helped her out of his truck at the end of one hot July night, walking her back up to the main house. As his graduation gift from Rudy, he was given his own cabin on the property. He deserved a space of his own outside the bunkhouse. It was only fair considering he outranked some who had been there longer. But she had yet to spend the night. He wished more than anything that it was his bed she was sleeping in, if only to wake up next to her, but things hadn't gotten that far yet, and the last thing he wanted to do was make her feel pressured. However, there was a giant elephant in the room that neither of them had addressed yet, and Damon wasn't going to let it go on for another day.

"So, I hear New York's nice in the fall." Damon commented following her up the steps.

Bonnie glanced back at him sharply, momentarily stunned. "What makes you say that?"

"Come on, Bonnie…how long did you think you could put off tell me about Columbia?" he asked stopping in front of her. "I don't why you didn't tell me, it's a great opportunity." He added running his arms up and down her bare arms affectionately.

Bonnie had the decency to bow her head guiltily. "Well, I haven't decided if I'm going yet."

He was surprised. "You're kidding right? Bon, they have the one of best the law programs in the country, you can't pass that up."

Bonnie perked up. "But I got accepted to Montana State too, full scholarship. Plus, it's close to the ranch, close to you…" she reached out, nervously brushing off the invisible lint from his shirt. "What more could I want?"

He grabbed her hand, forcing her to look him in the eyes. "I don't want you missin' out just to stay close to me. I can't be that selfish with you. I always knew you'd go places; and what kind of boyfriend would I be if I held you back from that?" he told her seriously, but the underlying sadness was evident in his tone. "All I want…" he snaked his arms around her, bringing her a couple inches closer. "Is for you to have all the things that make you happy."

Bonnie flushed; he still floored her sometimes with how candid he was with his feelings. She broke into a beaming smile. "Well, all the things that make me happy are here. Why would I want to go anywhere else?"

He shook his head. "You say that now, but you may regret it down the road."

She straightened up, determination in her eyes. "You know what I'd end up regretting? Spending seven years on the other side of the country living a whole life without you in it and wondering if today's the day you get tired of waiting for me. Columbia is great…but this," she cupped his cheek adoringly. "This means more to me. I'm staying. Okay?"

He nodded conceding, with a relieved smile. "As long as that's what you want. I'm not gonna complain."

"It is. Even if I wanted to go…I honestly don't think I could do it. Besides leaving you, it means leaving my dad, and all my friends…I'll even miss Jamie a little bit." She joked. Their relationship was still rocky since welcoming her brother into her life, but he was starting to grow on her, and he had qualities of her dad that seemed to run deep in his veins.

"Well…" he started swaying her slightly to a silent song. "For the record, I would wait for you…you know that right? There's no one else for me but you." He whispered with soft conviction, in a tone she realized was only for her.

A giddy smile lit up her face. "Then I'm the luckiest girl in Montana." She leaned up on her tippy toes to kiss him sweetly. "I mean it though…Elena and Caroline tell me all the time about how cryptic the guys can be with them about how they feel. I don't have to worry about that with you, why is that?" she asked curiously. Caroline had been with Tyler longer and seemed to still be miles behind her and Damon in the progression of their relationship and Elena couldn't seem to get passed the awkward dating stage with Matt.

He shrugged nonchalantly. "They don't know what it's like."

"Know what what's like?"

His lips twitched in a secret smirk. "What it's like to fall in love with your best friend. I've had a long time to get comfortable with those feelings." He chuckled at the stunned, glassy look on her face. "You okay?"

"You've never said that before." She breathed out, feeling like her head was up in the clouds.

"Well, I didn't want to freak you out. Did I freak you out?" he asked wincing nervously.

Bonnie shook her head throwing her arms around him. "Not at all. Damon, I've loved you since I was twelve years old. I don't think I've ever been happier." She kissed him again, more passionately this time, and Damon pulled her closer, lifting her off her feet.

The kiss was cut short by the porch light flipping on from inside, signalling Rudy's watchful presence. They broke away with hushed laughter, and Damon lowered her back to her feet, resting his forehead on hers. "I think that's my cue. But I'll see you tomorrow?"

She nodded, her forehead not leaving his. "Of course." She paused biting her lip with a giddy smile. "I love you. Just thought I'd test that out." She joked with short shrug of her shoulder.

"I think it went well." He teased back with a sly wink. "I love you, too Bonnie." He continued. The words felt so good to get off of his chest, he felt ten times lighter. He waited until she made it inside, before heading back to his truck a silly boyish smile.

Bonnie closed the door behind her with a similar grin on her face and when she opened her eyes, her father was looking at her with a cup of tea in hand and an amused smirk. "Hope I wasn't interrupting." He teased light-heartedly.

"Honestly daddy…I don't think anything could ruin this night."

He took a sip. "I guess he finally told you, huh? That boy has more patience than any man I know."

Bonnie rolled her eyes indulgently. "Figures he'd tell you before he told me. You two are thick as thieves." She complained, but in her heart, she loved how close Damon was with her father.

"He didn't have to tell me, Bonnie Bee…and neither do you." He grinned happily, proud of how grown up his daughter was for her eighteen years. "I'm happy for you, sweetheart. Damon's grown into a fine young man."

Bonnie beamed crossing the foyer to give him a tight hug. "Thank you, dad."

…

Bonnie had been living on campus for the first semester and while she enjoyed the independence if brough her, she missed the ranch. Damon would visit her on campus sometimes when work would allow, and on a few of the weekends he didn't, she came home, but it didn't feel like enough. So she cherished these little moments of home while she could.

It was the last weekend of spring break, and Damon had planned a full day to enjoy it. It started with a morning ride, then a dip in the river where they shared a handful of heated intimate moments, followed by a quaint picnic. Now, with the sun setting, the last surprise was just around the corner. He guided her from behind, his cupped hands covering her eyes as he led her up the three steps to the cabin. She stumbled a little, eliciting a laugh from both of them.

"Careful." He chuckled. "Almost there."

"I know where we are, you know…" she reminded him with a smile. "I've walked these steps about a thousand times."

"I know, but it's different this time." He whispered, his lips barely touching the shell of her ear.

"Oh yeah, and why's that?" She breathed back.

He stopped at the doorway, kissing down the column of her neck. "Because tonight's special. And I want it to be perfect."

"Are you trying to make me swoon?" she half teased. "Because it's working."

He smirked, dropping his head to her shoulder briefly with a chuckle. "Perfect. Right on schedule then. Keep them closed, okay?" He came around in font of her, keeping a watchful eye to make sure she wasn't peeking while he opened the door.

"So care to tell me what the special occasion is? I'm fairly certain I didn't miss a birthday or anniversary." She learned long ago to expect the unexpected when it came to Damon, but he seemed to be pulling out all the stops for this one.

"Do I need a special occasion to do something romantic for you?" His voice was close so he must have only been inches away, then she felt the pad of his thumb brush affectionately across her bottom lip. It made her breath hitch in her throat.

"No…" she started shakily before swallowing thickly. "But you have to admit, you've kind of out done yourself this time." She felt him grab her hands and guide her through the entrance.

"Have I?" There as a smirk in his tone she could literally picture in her head; it always made her weak in the knees. She wanted so much to peek her eyes open catch it, but her excitement of his surprise nearly matched his and she didn't want to ruin it.

"Damon!" she stomped her foot impatiently, earning a chuckle from him. "Stop stalling; you know how antsy I get."

"I know, I'm greatly enjoying this." Her eyes were still closed but he could she the attitude in her perfectly raised brow. "Okay, okay, hold on…" he pulled her further into the room, quickly moving around putting the finishing touches on quickly before standing in front of her. "Alright…open."

Bonnie glanced around; her jaw hung open in shock. His cabin was lit with dozens of candles casting the room in a soft yellow glow that flickered off the walls. There was a vase of red roses sitting center on the dining table with a small box in front of it. Almost as if pulled by gravity, she walked over to it, both terrified and excited to find out what was inside. She knew it couldn't possibly be a proposal, the box was the wrong size, but her heart hammered in her chest all the same.

Damon smiled, watching her, completely enamored by the look on her face. "Go ahead, open it. I promise it's not as life changing as you may think. I know it's too soon…" For her, maybe, but not for him. He'd marry her tomorrow if she'd let him. "but it is a big step; one I'm ready to take with you, if you are." She glanced to him sharply, curious and eager. Her fingers shook as she took the lid off the box to find a key nestled in a bed of cotton. "I know it's more of a commute to get to school, and I know you have a perfectly good room in the main house but I-"

"Yes." Bonnie beamed up at him throwing her arms around his neck and planting a kiss on his lips. "You can't possibly imagine that would be a hard sell." She laughed.

"No, no I didn't think it would but I think you're the only woman in the world that can still make me nervous." He admitted easily, wrapping his arms around her.

Her face began to fall. "My dad on the other hand, might take some convincing." She knew he'd have an objection or two at least.

"Yeah, he did. But luckily for you he already gave me his blessing." He flashed his eyes at her sexily, earning a look of amused surprise. "I basically had to sign a contract consenting to endless torture and pain if I fuck this up in anyway, which I fully intend not to do." He half joked, slowly swaying them to a songless dance. When he asked Rudy how he felt about Bonnie moving in with him at the cabin, he's first reaction was a clear no by the look on his face. He had stated his case, promising him that this was just one step closer to the future he saw for them; that he knew deep down that Bonnie was the only woman for him, and Rudy could trust him to take care of his daughter for as long as she'd let him. The genuine sincerity was hard to say no to, and ultimately Rudy agreed with a proud smile. "Now, you can move in your things whenever you want; there's no rush, but this place is yours just as much as it is mine. I want you to feel at home here."

Her eyes darted between his. "You're my home, Damon." Suddenly her eyes darkened sultrily. "Maybe you can show me to our room?" she whispered leaning up and brushing her nose against his.

Damon lifted her effortlessly, tossing her over his shoulder relishing in her squeal of delight. "You couldn't possibly think that was going to be a hard sell, did you?" He repeated her words back to her, carrying her off down the hall.