Family Ties (Hidden Secrets) (20 page)

Chapter
Twenty-Three

Mary

Wow,
the wedding was beautiful. To watch them saying their ‘I do’s’, pledging their lives to each other. There was not a dry eye there.  Mom and dad looked so proud of Kayla and Jason. Though now that we were at the reception she was fussing a lot over Colleen, she didn’t look too happy about it. I think she’s overwhelmed between Carson and my mom, I’m sure she can barely breath without either of them rushing to see if she’s okay.

The
rest of us are just excited about the first baby in the family. Looking around at my family, I smile. They are all enjoying themselves. Kayla dancing with Jason, you could see the love in their smiles. It brought tears to my eyes watching them.

“
Hey beautiful. Care to share this dance with me?”

Looking
up I see Jake standing there. “Hey Jake. I’m not feeling well right now. So I…”

“
Come on, I don’t see you that much. Just one dance with my beautiful sister,” he gives me that smile that I’ve never been able to say no to.

That
smile always got me to do things for him when I was little that I shouldn’t have. Even lied to my parents a time or two to keep him from getting in trouble. Laughing quietly, I sighed and stand up taking his hand. He led me out to the floor and we started dancing.

“
Sometimes fate leads us down a rough road to make sure we want to make the journey.” He whispered.

“
What?”

Just
as I asked the question he moved aside and there stood Tobey. God did he look amazing all dressed up. He walked nervously toward me.

“
Can I have this dance?” He asked softly.

With
wide eyes and shaking my head, I turned to run away when Jackson stepped in front of me. “Give him one dance Mare. Please. For me.”

After
some resistance, I turned around and walked back to Tobey. The sadness in his eyes was clear as day. It pulled at me and my chest ached with longing. When his hand wrapped around mine, I could feel the pain increased. He wrapped me in his arms and I wrapped my arms around his neck. Hunter Hayes’s
Wanted
started to play and he started to move.

Before
long he lowered his head down to my shoulder, I hear him take a shuddering breath. The tears burned my eyes. I didn’t want to let them fall. He tightened his hold on me.

“
God I’ve missed you so much. I’m sorry. I’m so damn sorry,” he whispered.

“
I can’t do this.” I pulled away from him. “I can’t. I can’t.” I said looking into his destroyed face.

Turning
I ran from the reception, jumping in my truck and I left. The tears fell harder. Never in my wildest dreams did I think that my family would set me up like that. As if I wasn’t hurting enough now they are just bringing it all back to the surface.

The
long drive to my house gave me a lot of time to think about everything. Of course the only images that kept flashing in my head were the looks on Tobey’s face both times I ran away. Running inside my house, I took several deep breaths. Trying so hard to calm myself, I placed my hand over my stomach. My thoughts were swarming around in my head. Turning I headed into the shower, to occupy myself with something. I stood in there not taking my hair down. Not sure how long I stood in there before I knew exactly what I needed to do.

Grabbing
my dress, I threw it back on. Hurrying out the door, I ran to the barn and saddled up Secrets and took off. Pushing Secrets to his full speed, I prayed that I didn’t hurt him pushing him so hard, but I really needed to do this.

By
the time I arrived it was dark. I could see his truck outside. Tying Secrets’ lead to the post by the barn I ran up the porch and knocked on the door. I knew I looked like shit, but at this point I just didn’t care. Knocking harder on the door, he still didn’t answer. With a shaking hand, I tried the knob. When I saw it was unlocked, I rushed inside but there was no one in there.

A
thought occurred to me then. Running back out to Secrets, I hoped back on him and started off. Patting his neck, “Come on boy. I promise this is the last detour. If he isn’t here we’ll go home. I promise.”

A
few minutes later, I could see the tree and there sitting on his knees was Tobey. The sight of him broke my heart. Quietly I jump down from Secrets then moved over toward Tobey. My hands were shaking and I was second guessing myself.

“
T-Tobey?”

He
whirled around and stared at me. When he didn’t say anything I decided I needed to say exactly what I came here to say.

“
You hurt me. No I take that back. You destroyed me. I’ve never loved anyone before and then I’m told it was all a lie. How could you lie to me, Tobey? You had so many chances to tell me the truth and you didn’t. How can I ever trust you again?”

He
continued to stare at me, not saying anything at all. Before I started crying, I decided to push through everything I needed to say.

“
Even with how bad you hurt me, I still love you. I will always love you. I’m sorry I ran out on you today, but it hurt too much being so damn close to you. To feel your arms around me again. But if you can prove to me that I won’t regret this decision, I’d like to try us again.”

I
waited. I waited for him to say something, do something but he didn’t do anything. He didn’t say anything. My heart broke. I was too late. The tears started to fall and I turned to get back on my horse and head home. Taking only a step, I was spun around and Tobey’s mouth came crashing down on mine.

Once
the shock of what happened wore off, I responded just as eagerly. My hands wrapped around his neck and I rose up on my toes to deepen the kiss further. God it felt fucking good to taste his lips again. To feel him under my fingertips.

Things
progressed rather quickly with neither of us fully getting naked. In a matter of seconds we were making love under his favorite tree. It was fast, but it was wonderful. He made me feel amazing as always. We were both falling over the edge together calling out each other’s name and clinging to each other for dear life.

We
laid there holding each other for a moment while our breathing returned to normal. Tobey continued to run his hand up and down my back. He was lost in his thoughts and frankly so was I.

“
Tobey?”

“
Baby, I love you so much. When you showed up I was shocked. Seeing you run away from me again. I thought that was it. I thought it meant there was never a chance to redeem myself and get you back.” He lifted my head up until our eyes met. “I will spend the rest of my life proving to you that I’m worthy of your love and how much I love you.”

“
Tobey?”

“
What baby?”

“
I need to tell you something?”

“
You can tell me anything baby. Except goodbye. I can’t handle that.” He whispered.

Sitting
up, I wring my hands in my lap. “Tobey,” I look up and meet his eyes. “I’m pregnant.”

His
face froze. Then a split second later, he had a beaming smile and pulled me in his arms again kissing me. He placed several kisses over my face before hugging me tightly then burying his face in my neck.

“
I love you,” his voice muffled.

“
You’re happy about this?” I asked shocked by his reaction.

It
was his turn to look shocked pulling back and staring at me. “I’m beyond happy about this. Baby, I’ve been picturing a family with you for quite some time. In fact, this very spot that we are sitting, I want to build our house. Overlooking this amazing view. If I can get them to settle on a price, I’m going to purchase the land down there. So if you’d rather we can build it right next to the water.”

“
You can’t afford that land Tobey.” I stated confidently.

“
Honey, I promise you the ranch is doing well enough that I can.” He laughed softly.

“
No you can’t.”

“
What makes you think that?”

“
Because I own it.” I grinned at him.

“
What? Since when?”

“
Since a week after I left. I’ve been living in what the realtor referred to as a shack for a month now.”

“
I don’t believe it. You’ve been so close all this time.”

I
shivered a bit when the breeze picked up. “Come on babe, let’s get you home.”

“
I need to actually go to my home Tobey.” I said quietly.

“
Oh.”

“
You can stay with me if you want.” Shifting nervously back and forth between my feet.

“
The idea of sleeping apart kills me. I’ll stay with you. Let me go back and lock everything up.”

I
explained how he can get back to my place and I hopped on my horse and road through our fields to my house. This way didn’t take as long and wasn’t as hard on Secrets as taking the actual roads were. Still even though it was shorter by the time I rode up Tobey’s truck was parked in front of the house already.

I
smiled as I watched him hurry over to help me off the horse and settle him for the night. Taking my hand, we walked back to my house. Warning him that it wasn’t much, I opened the door letting him in. He took a look around and nodded.

“
It’s nice.”

“
I think so too. There’s no heat here other than by the fireplaces, but it can get pretty toasty in here. When I can get the damn things to stay lit that is.”

Leading
Tobey into my room, he walked immediately to the fireplace and busied himself starting a fire. Making my way out to the bathroom, I freshened myself up and changed into my pajamas. When I walked back into the bedroom, I watched Tobey strip his shirt over his head.

“
Damn,” I whispered.

“
That’s reassuring to know I still affect you the same way.” He smirked walking toward me.

Wrapping
me in his arms, he just held me. My arms wrapped around him and I started to cry. It was like the flood gates opened. We were so caught up in our reunion before for it all to seep in, every ounce of pain poured through me before relief that he was back with me in my arms followed.

“
I know baby. I know. I feel the same way. Let’s just go to bed. We’ve both had one hell of a five weeks.”

Nodding
my head in his chest, we walk over to my bed and climb under the covers. I immediately cuddle into his side.  With my ear resting to his chest, I listen to his heart beat rhythmically.  It was my reassurance that he was really there and I wasn’t just dreaming.

“
I will never do anything to hurt you again Mary. I promise with everything I have. You are my everything.” Tobey said after a moment of silence.

“
I hope so because I don’t know if I could handle losing you again.” I answered sadly.

We
fell into a comfortable silence again. I was running my hands up and down his stomach and he was running his up and down my back. My body started to come alive again. Before was not enough, I needed him at least one more time tonight.

Lowering
my hand, I massaged him through his boxers. I loved touching him. He began to stiffen in my hands. Pressing soft kisses down his chest, stomach, until I reached his boxers.

He
moaned. “Mary, I thought we were just going to go to bed.”

As
I pulled his boxers down, I smiled up at him. “You can sleep if you’d like but I need you at least one more time before I can sleep.” Then I lowered my head down and took him in my mouth.

“
Oh fuck! Baby,” his breath hissed out through his teeth.

His
hands tangled in my hair as he took control of how fast I moved on him and how deep I took him. His hips started to buck up to push him further into my mouth. I had never been more thankful for my lack of gag reflexes.

“
Baby, let me love you. I don’t want to finish in your mouth.” He pleaded.

Pulling
off him, I crawled up over him. Straddling him, I removed my shirt and rested my hands on his chest before slowly lowering myself down onto him. Once he was all the way in, we both let out a loud groan of satisfaction. Tobey ran his hands up from my hips to my breasts where he teased my nipples into hardened peaks.

Raising
up slowly before dropping down just as fast. Tobey’s hands moved back to my hips. My head tipped back as my movements increased. Quickly Tobey changes our position and starts pounding into me with a vigor I’ve never felt from him before. My orgasm began to build. I could feel it almost boiling in my stomach as it neared overflowing.