Trish, Just Trish (22 page)

“It wasn’t his fault,” I said to Gayle and
she smiled.

“I know that, honey. Your dad knows that
too, he’s just upset.”

We sat there and talked while we waited… and
waited… and waited, but the men never showed back up. When Gayle
asked if I was hungry, my stomach growled and we went inside.

“Lex wanted to come see you, but she had to
get back to the girls,” I told Gayle as I sat at the breakfast
table to eat the turkey sandwich she made me. Somehow, hers always
tasted better than mine.

“Did I tell you Lex is pregnant again?” I
asked and Gayle grinned.

“Yes, that girl sure does know how to keep
getting herself knocked up,” she answered through a giggle and I
smiled.

“I’m glad you’re moving back,” I said
softly, but knew good and well that that was an understatement. I
was ecstatic and more than a little relieved.

“So am I, honey,” she whispered and she
looked ready to cry again. So, I was glad when my dad and Tony
walked in, and surprisingly, Tony didn’t appear to be hurt… at
least nowhere that I could see, and my dad looked… pleased?

“What were you two doing?” I asked
curiously. Tony ignored my question, walked over to me and kissed
the top of my head. I didn’t move a muscle.

When I narrowed my eyes on my dad he said,
“We were getting a few things straight.”

I rolled my eyes.

Then, I sighed. I was tempted to ask what
those things were, but fought back the urge. He wouldn’t tell me
anyway.

It’d been a long day. My body was still not
adjusted to the time. It was only eight o’clock and we were already
getting into bed. Me
and
Tony. He’d insisted on coming with
me, and I’d imagined he was exhausted too. He’d gotten about the
same amount of sleep the night before as I had.

“Are you still sore?” Tony asked as he
unbuttoned his jeans and took them off one leg at a time. He’d
already taken off his shirt which was the reason I was staring at
it. I looked back up.

“Not really,” I answered. I turned and walk
to the dresser to get my sleep shirt, but he stopped me with an arm
around my belly.

“I don’t want anything between us,” he spoke
softly against my ear.

I turned in his hold, looked into his eyes
and told him truthfully, “Tony, this isn’t right; this game we
always seem to play. All the fighting, all of our mistakes…it’s too
much. I know you care about me. I forgive you for the nasty things
you said to me… the nasty things you thought about me because it
was partially my fault.” I paused to take a deep breath because
what I had to say next destroyed me inside. “I love you, but I
don’t think love is enough. I’m leaving when my parents do.”

“Well, I guess I have one week to convince
you to stay,” he said, completely disregarding my speech as he
lifted the hem of my shirt. He took care not to let it rub against
my stitches when he removed it.

I was completely undressed when he pulled me
to the bed.

He didn’t wrap himself around my back this
time. He faced me and caressed my cheeks, my nose and my lips with
his fingers. They slowly traveled down my neck and I whispered,
“Tony,” because I wasn’t sure this was a good idea.

“I just want to feel you. I want to memorize
every inch of your body… the texture of your skin… the way you make
me feel when I look at you. You think we’ve been playin’ a game, mi
reina, but you won a long time ago… I’m yours,” he whispered. I
couldn’t stop the damn tears.

“I’m a mess,” I cried.

“You’re perfect.”

Tony and my parents got along better than I
ever could have asked for, which only served to scare me more. Dad
and Gayle always liked Tony, but it was obvious that they’d fallen
for him just like I had.

On day two after my kidnapping, I woke to
find my charm necklace on the nightstand. Tony said, “I’ve kept
that in my pocket since I took it from you. As soon as your neck is
healed, I’m putting it back around your neck.”

On day three after my kidnapping, Tony went
back to work. He had a business to run and he couldn’t afford not
to. He even took my dad with him when he worked on the property or
in the stable, and I honestly couldn’t say that I’d ever seen my
dad happier. Gayle did her thing and kept up with the house and the
cooking; there was no stopping her and she refused any help I
offered.

I went back to work too, but only in the
stable… specifically with my girl Starla.

It was inevitable that I’d run into Shane. I
was glad to know that Tony actually let Shane come back to work.
Shane and I talked, but I made damn sure he didn’t touch me. He was
upset and expressed his guilt for leaving me alone at the house
before I got taken, but I put a stop to it quickly and asked about
Shannon. That shut him up.

Poor Shannon.

What I hadn’t expected was for Tony to join
our conversation. He hadn’t even glared at Shane; not once. He even
asked Shane if he still wanted me to help at the clinic. Tony
offered to drop me off and pick me up, or if I wanted, I could take
one of the work trucks until I he bought me a truck.

The fuck?

My heart pounded in my chest when he brought
it up. He tried, but how long would it last?

The whole week he’d been great… more than
great… perfect, but I was terrified. We’d been through so much in
such a short period of time that I didn’t know what to expect next
with him. I guessed that’s to be expected with any relationship
really. Nobody could predict the future.

But every night, every morning and numerous
times throughout the day he’d whisper, “I love you,” in my ear.
He’d kiss me on the lips first thing in the morning and right
before he fell asleep. He still didn’t want me wearing clothes to
bed, but I didn’t mind because my body craved his touch… but that
was as far as it went…
touching
.

I had no idea what I was supposed to do now.
I’d told Tony I would leave when my parents went back to New York,
but we’d just returned from dropping them off at the airport and I
didn’t want to leave anymore. I sat on the edge of the bed that had
become ours and glanced at the closet. I wondered if I should begin
packing.

I’d enjoyed the quality time I got to spend
with my parents. I’d known I missed them before, I just never
realized how much. But I was slightly relieved when they left. I
wanted to have a conversation with Tony without him feeling
obligated to say or do the right thing because they were here.

“Trish!” I heard Tony call out and I jolted
out of my daze. I ran out of the bedroom and when I hit the living
room, the worried expression on his face stopped me in place.

“What’s wrong?”

“Starla needs you,” he said quietly.

I lost it.

“No,” I pleaded, my voice hoarse. I ran,
threw the front door open, and nearly fell off the porch steps when
I spotted Starla standing in the front yard.

I ran to her, felt her over and faced Tony
when I saw him join me.

“What’s wrong with her?” I asked
frantically, desperately wanting to help her. I looked at her
again. She looked fine, she was standing, she didn’t look to be in
pain. She even brushed my face affectionately with her nose.

“She doesn’t want the woman she loves to
leave her,” Tony said.

I twisted my body to look at him.

He was right in front of me...

On his knee…

One knee.

And he held a ring.

His words sunk in and I covered my mouth
with a trembling hand to hold back my soft sobs. I shook my head
furiously.

“Mi reina, I want you to be my wife. I want
you to be the mother of my kids. I want us to start a family
together soon. I want to love you and take care of you. I want to
fight with you. I want to make love to you. I want you to be mine
for the rest of my life. Will you marry me? Please?”

I fell to my knees in front of him and threw
myself at him. I kissed him over and over.

“Yes,” I whispered. “You didn’t have to say
please for that. I would have said yes anyway.” I smiled against
his lips

“I wasn’t taking any chances,” he said,
lifted my hand and placed the diamond on my finger. I pulled back
slightly.

“You want to make love to me?”

“Mi reina, right now, I’d rather throw you
up against the wall and fuck you hard, but I don’t think that would
have worked well in my ‘Will you marry me’ speech.”

“We’re playing a game,” I stated and watched
Tony frown.

“A game?”

I lifted off my knees and sat back on my
feet, but I didn’t stand. I wanted to get a head start.

“First person to the bedroom gets to be on
top,” I said, jumped up and ran back to the house, but he caught me
before I even made it inside.

He picked me up, carried me to our room and
we tore at each other’s clothes.

As soon as we were both naked, he grabbed my
ass and lifted me. I wrapped my legs around his waist and held on
to his shoulders as he walked forward. He pressed my back against
the wall and one hand wrapped around my backside.

His fingers touched my sweet spot and I
whispered, “Hurry.”

“Nothin’ between us anymore; especially
here,” he dipped a finger inside and I whimpered. “You get pregnant
before we get married, it’ll be our little miracle.”

My stomach quivered.

“Okay,” I agreed softly as my eyes locked
with his. He kissed me. I felt his fingers leave me, his hips
surged forward and he filled me instantly.

My head fell back to the wall, my nails dug
deeper and I demanded, “Harder.”

“Give me your mouth,” he groaned and I did.
Every surge pushed me further over the edge, but he suddenly
slowed, stopped, wrenched my body from the door and headed for the
bed. We never disconnected.

He climbed onto the bed, still held me
around the waist and lowered me down with his body. He worked his
hips, slower this time; less frantic. When I looked in his eyes, he
was already watching at me.

“I love you,” I whispered.

“I love you too, mi reina. And I’m going to
show you how much… every day… for the rest of your life.”

The wedding was small; quaint. I didn’t have
much family, but my parents, Lex, Landyn, the girls, Adam, Larry,
the stable boys, Shane and Shannon all came. Tony invited his
aunts, uncles and cousins, but he didn’t invite his sister. It
might have had something to do with the fact that I threatened to
kill her if she showed up, but he didn’t seem to mind. This would
also be my first time meeting his family, and I was more nervous
about that than the wedding itself.

We set up a little tent near the house and
hired a minister. I wore an ivory, knee length, strapless, empire
waist, laced dress with matching peep-toe wedges. My hair was
twisted into a soft bun at the back of my neck and I wore my
precious crown charm necklace.

“You ready?” Dad asked as he walked me
toward the man I was about to marry. I was nervous… very
nervous.

A little sick to my stomach.

But the closer we got, the brighter Tony’s
smile grew.

He was breathtaking. He wore a white
button-down shirt left open at the neck and the sleeves rolled up.
He wore khaki slacks and white converse.

Don’t ask…

When I finally made it to Tony and he took
my hand from my dad’s, I pulled him close. The minister said a few
words, but I couldn’t make them out. I leaned in and whispered,
“We’re pregnant.”

Tony stiffened.

“What,” he boomed and the minister
immediately stopped talking. I glanced quickly at all the people
watching us and they looked confused.

“I just took a test… two tests. I wanted you
to know as soon as I found out,” I whispered.

His hand touched my stomach when he asked,
“Are you sure?”

I nodded. “I missed my period. I was sick
yesterday morning, and today. Then I took the tests… I’m
preg--”

He didn’t let me finish. His mouth slammed
down on mine in a hungry kiss.

When he pulled away he turned to the
minister and said, “Just get to the ‘I dos’.”

I laughed and cried happy tears.

Finally....

The minister took Tony’s demand to heart and
Patricia Grace Kincaid and Antonio Lopez were pronounced man and
wife in less than five minutes. The moment he said, “Kiss the
bride,” Tony devoured my mouth. Then, he pulled back and lowered
his face to kiss my neck, right over my scar.

We faced the family and friends that were
now “ours” and Tony shouted, “We’re pregnant!”

******

I had no idea how many hugs and kisses I
received from Tony’s family. I couldn’t even remember who was
who.

“Congratulations,” I heard offered from
behind me and I turned.

I froze. I couldn’t breathe.

Hazel
… I saw nothing but hazel.

“You make a beautiful bride for my nephew,”
he said and I could feel the fucking tears coming.

Nephew...?

Hazel eyes smiled big, knowingly.

And his smile, bright white teeth and
almost
innocent expression was exactly… like…
Tony’s
!
He was handsome, big, maybe early late thirties, early forties and
I really wanted to know how in the
hell
he was Tony’s uncle,
but I sure as shit wouldn’t be asking
him
.

“Tío Freddy, ¿Qué pasa?” Tony asked when he
walked up. They shook hands, chest bumped, back slap hugged and
pulled apart. They conversed in Spanglish and I never took my eyes
off hazel eyes.

He faced me, but spoke to Tony. “You take
care of this one.”

He faced Tony, did a chin lift and said, “I
like her.” He faced me again, touched the scar on my neck quickly
and his eyes locked on mine. “You stay outta trouble.”