This Trust of Mine (16 page)

"Madison,
I always knew you would grow up and become the man I hoped you would be. Thank
you for takin' care of your old sickly grandfather."

This was a
first. My grandfather rarely spoke his feelings, and now he was layin' it all
out there. I'm sure it was the fact that he knew he didn't have much time left,
but I would take it regardless. It meant more to me than anything to hear him
say it.

"You don't
have to thank me old man, but you're welcome either way."

The doors
slid open and I helped my grandfather inside and pressed the button to go down
to the parking garage.

Over the
last few weeks, I had been spending most of my spare time helpin' out around
the farm and just hangin' out with my grandfather. It was the least I could do
for someone who had done so much for me. He was the closest thing I had to a
father and I couldn't have asked for a better one. I owed everything I had
become to him. He had taught me to be a man, and I could only wish that one day
I would be half of the man he was.

I had been
tryin' to spend as much time as I could with Kayla as well, but with my
grandfather's sickness moving much quicker than we thought, it left little time
lately. I still hadn't told her what was goin' on, but I'm sure she was
startin' to get an idea. She was always coming over to chat with my gran during
the day and even though I tried to make myself scarce every time she was over,
I still found myself hanging around without her knowing.

Now that
time was getting shorter, I knew I needed to tell her. If anything, I needed
someone to lean on for support, because the worst was yet to come. I missed her
like crazy every day, and the only time I usually got a chance to see her was
when we both ended up beneath that old willow tree. My heart hurt and I was in
physical pain not being able to be with her, or hold her. Every time I did see
her, a little piece of my heart broke not being able to have her the way I wanted
her.

When we got
home, I helped my grandfather into the house and upstairs to his bed. It was
still early afternoon, but he had been sleeping more frequently and he looked
exhausted.

"I'll
come check on you in a bit, Granddad. Just rest. Do you need anything?"

"No
son. I'm good for now."

I quickly
made my way downstairs and dug my phone out of my front pocket. I knew it was
useless to even bother tryin' to call her, but I had to at least try. Of course
given the fact that I had stood her up two weeks in a row, there was a slim
chance that she would actually want to speak to me.

Just as I
suspected, her phone rang once and then went straight to voicemail. When her
voice came on to tell me that she was away from her phone and to leave a
message, my heart skipped a beat. It had been far too long since I had heard
her sweet voice and it was killin' me.

"Kayla
it's me. I know you probably don't want to talk to me, but I just need you to
let me explain. Please meet me out at our spot around six tonight. If you don't
show, I completely understand, but I'm ready to talk. I-I need you."

I hung up my
phone and checked the clock on the far wall. It was now five. Fuck, I wasn't
just late calling or getting a hold of her, now I was just plain standin' her
up. At least I'm sure that's what she thought. I threw my ball cap onto the
couch and pushed my fingers through my hair, as I sat forward leaning on my
knees. How had my life gotten to this point? Why did everything have to be so
damn complicated these days? All I wanted to do was be a normal teenager in
college. But, it would seem college would have to wait as well. With all the
time I had to take off to help out my gran and my granddad, I ended up havin'
to defer a semester. I hated doin' it, but my family needed me and my family
always took precedence over anything else. I could only hope that Kayla would
understand this, if I ever got the chance to tell her.

I sat back
against the couch and let out an audible sigh. I thought I was alone, but
apparently my gran had been watchin' me from the doorway.

"Oh hey
Gran, how are ya doin'?"

She came
over and sat right next to me, planting her hand on my thigh. "You know
I'm okay Madison, but how are you, is what I need to know?"

I didn't
want to tell her everything I was feeling, but lately it seemed that my gran
was the only person I could really talk to about all of this.

"Honestly,
I'm not so good, and to top it all off, I think I may have just lost Kayla for
good." I ran my hands down my face forcing myself not to cry. The last
thing my gran needed was me cryin' on her shoulder. If anything, it should be
my shoulder that she got to cry on.

"Madison,
honey you need to tell her. I know you don't want to let anyone in, but she
deserves to decide for herself if she wants to be there for you. I see that
girl almost everyday, and everyday she searches this house for you. Not
literally of course, but I can tell that one day she's just hopin' you'll show
your face. I've gotten to know that young lady better than even her
grandparents know her, and that wonderful girl would do anythin' for ya. Trust
in her and trust in yourself to be there for each other. That, and I'm pretty
sure your granddaddy would like to say his last goodbyes to his future
daughter-in-law." Her trademark smile appeared and warmed my heart to its
very core.

"I plan
on tellin' her tonight. If she shows up."

"She
will dear. I can guarantee you that much."

"Thanks
Gran. I love you."

"Me too,
son."

I hugged my
grandmother tight and then excused myself to head out towards mine and Kayla's
spot. I knew I would be a bit early, but maybe that would show her somethin',
anything. When I came up over the small hill, I spotted long, brown hair
blowin' in the cool evening air. The scent of strawberries whipped through the
air and directly into my nostrils and I couldn't help but smile. I had missed
her terribly and that smell of hers just made me miss her all that much more.

I hadn't
meant to do it, but I snuck up on her quietly enough to make her jump when I
wrapped my arms around her waist. I spun her around a few times, and then
placed her unsteady feet back on the ground. When she turned to face me I was
prepared for a slap to the face or some sort of retaliation, but she just
simply smiled at me with those beautifully plump lips.

"Kayla,
I am so sorry about today. I know that doesn't mean much at this moment, but I
swear I have a valid reason for not calling or showin' up."

I couldn't
bring myself to look into her eyes, knowing the doubt that they carried.

"And I
am curious as to what that
valid
reason
could be." She wasn't being nice, but she wasn't being as nasty as I had
expected either.

"Will
you sit with me?" I reached out for her hand and surprisingly she took it.
I led us over to the tree and pulled her down next to me. An overwhelming need
to touch her came over me and for once, I would make no apologies for doing so.
I wrapped her hands in mine and refused to let her pull them free.

"There's
somethin' I need to tell you." I fidgeted where I sat and suddenly became
extremely nervous. "My grandfather is sick. I don't mean he just has a
cold kind of sick, he's really sick. He has stage four lung cancer and it's
quickly spreadin' to the rest of his organs." I could feel her tense under
my touch and I instantly felt awful for layin' all this on her. "I've been
taking care of him and helpin' out my gran. I know it's still an excuse, but
that's all I have. My family means the world to me and I have to be there for
them. I just hope you can understand why I have been the way I've been lately.
I never in a million years wanted to push you away. Hell, it was the last thing
I ever wanted to do, but with everything that you've been through, you didn't
need my problems along with yours. So there ya go. Did I say I'm sorry?"

I still
couldn't bring myself to look over at her, but I felt her warm touch against my
cheek seconds later. I couldn't help but look at her now. Her eyes were filled
with unshed tears and her face expressed the sorrow I knew she was feelin'. Her
other hand slid up my other cheek and then she was pulling her leg over the
other side of me. I had never seen her look more beautiful than in this moment
with me. She was straddling me, holdin' my face in her hands and lookin' at me
with all the love in the world.

"I'm so
sorry Madison. I'm sorry you felt as though you needed to keep this from me and
I'm sorry I've been so selfish."

Before I could
say anything her lips were falling onto mine. It was a slow gentle kiss, but it
was enough to bring me back to life. I wrapped my arms around her tiny waist
and pulled her closer to me, deepening our kiss at the same time. If this was
understandin' on her part, I wish I would've looked for it a long time ago.

Kayla

My mind was
having a hard time processing what Madison had just told me, and the only way I
could think to respond was to show him I was here, emotionally and physically.
I hadn't intended on kissing him, but man I was glad that I did. I wish I could
have taken all of his pain away, but unfortunately not I or anyone else had that
power. The only thing I could do for him now, was to be here for him.

I could feel
his excitement from our kiss growing harder beneath me. I knew it seemed wrong.
I mean he had just told me that he was basically losing the only father he had
ever known and here I was wanting more than anything to have him inside of me.
I wanted him to forget it all, for just a little while. He must've felt the
same way because seconds later, he had me flipped onto my back as he hovered
above me.

The sun was
startin' to set and it set off a gorgeous orange pink across the night sky. It
brightened every feature of his face and I couldn't help but pull him down to
my waiting lips. I instantly slid my tongue across his and he graciously
accepted me inside. He tasted sweet and salty and like Madison. Oh how I had
missed this man. I missed his touch, the way he felt above me and the sweet way
he tasted. Our kiss turned fervent and he acted as though he just couldn't get
enough of me, so I let him take it all. His mouth moved from my mine, leaving a
heated trail down the side of my neck that led down to my breasts. He slid the
thin camisole down to expose my bare chest. I sucked in a deep heated breath,
urging him on. He pulled my nipple into his mouth and I arched my back to meet
his touch. He then made his way over to the other and by the time he had, I
could feel the wetness growing in my panties. I needed him, I wanted him in
every way I could have him.

Without a
second thought, he was pushing my shorts off of me, taking my panties with them.
I eagerly wrapped my legs around his waist urging him to do the same. He
finally freed himself of his pants and within seconds I could feel the tip of
him at my entrance. His eyes made their way up to mine and without another
word, I pushed him inside with my heels. I gasped in pleasure and the small
amount of pain of not having had him inside me in so long.

He stopped
for a second to gauge my reaction to what we were doing and when I simply
smiled up at him, he slid all the way inside of me. He was gentle and slow with
every push, and I couldn't help but wonder if this was the last time I would
ever get to experience him. I pushed those thoughts aside for now, because for
all I knew it was. He tenderly began to pick up speed and I could tell he was
still holding back. I reached my hands around his back to his shoulder blades
and with every push, I dug my nails deeper into the taut muscles across his
back. This must've been the encouragement he needed because within seconds he
was thrusting into me harder and harder, just the way I liked it. I arched my
back in pleasure as tiny moans escaped between my lips. We both gave ourselves
over to the pleasure completely and let it consume us. Minutes later, we found
our release together, before he collapsed on top of me out of breath and
dripping in sweat.

My eyes
fluttered open and caught emerald staring right back at me. He looked beautiful
in the glow of the setting sun and in that very moment, I knew I would never be
able to let this man go, no matter how hard he or I pushed the other away. He
blinked once and then his stare became intense and raw, before I could ask him
what was wrong he opened his mouth to speak.

"I love
you Kayla. I'm completely and utterly in love with you."

My eyes went
wide and stayed unblinking as I let his words settle over me. And just as a
single stray tear fell from the corner of my eye, I whispered, "I love you
too, Madison. There was never a question about it. You're all I want in this
life."

We both lay
there for what felt like a blissful eternity, just staring into one another's
eyes. I knew this day would come, but I never expected to feel the way I did in
this very moment. The earth could have fallen out from beneath us and I
honestly wouldn't know until we were in the depths of hell.
 
A little while later, Madison must've
felt the shiver that ran down me, because he was pulling my clothes back on for
me. Once I was fully clothed, I sat back against that tree and watched as he
pulled his pants back on. Every muscle on his delicious body was taut and
willing me to touch him again, so I did. I stood and wrapped my arms around his
neck before placing an open mouth kiss against is bare neck.