Once Upon A Valentine

by Emma Roman

  Staring into her blue eyes, he became entranced as together they soared, every nerve exploding with a pleasure centered in this woman.

  "Ryan," she cried as her body shuddered and with one last thrust, he followed her over the edge, crying out her name as they clung to one another.

  Tumbling back to earth, triumph oozed from every pore. Sex had never been this great with any other woman. Taylor Braxton's Cupid spell had bound him to her and he hoped and prayed it was forever.

  Taylor rolled over and hit a hard, warm male body in her bed. With startling reality, she opened her eyes to see Ryan curled on his side, completely nude. She looked down and realized she was naked and then every detail from the night before flooded her brain like the storm that slammed the town last night. Only this was her own personal thunderstorm.

  Ryan, her best friend's ex, slept soundly next to her in bed. And while she should feel some remorse, she only had happy memories of last night. The sex between them had been melt-down fantastic. Something Taylor never experienced before. Yet, why did it seem like she was cheating on her friend.

  Ryan stirred and she didn't know what to do. Part of her wanted to curl around him and go for a second or third or fourth round, while the loyal friend inside her said she'd created a disaster. How could she ever look poor Kelsey in the face again without knowing she'd done the deed with Ryan.

  The phone rang and she glanced at the number. No! It couldn't be. Not this morning. She answered.

  "Hi, Taylor," Kelsey said. "I'm meeting Meghan for breakfast and thought maybe you'd like to join us. She has some gossip she wants to share."

  Inside Taylor groaned, praying that chatter wasn't about her and Ryan.

  "I can't," she said stuttering.

  "Is everything okay?" Ryan asked.

  She turned and shook her head at him, frowning. She didn't need for Kelsey to hear about her and Ryan this way.

  "Do you have someone there with you?" Kelsey asked.

  "No. It's the television. I turned it down," she said, staring at Ryan who suddenly was all smiles.

  "Well, we're going to meet up in about thirty minutes," she said.

  Taylor really wanted to visit with her friends, but Ryan was here and they obviously needed to talk. "Let's try to have dinner together one night soon."

  "Sure. That sounds good. I'll tell Meghan you can't make it and if she tells me any juicy news, I'll give you a call."

  "Great. I'll talk to you later," Taylor said and pressed the end button.

  She breathed a sigh of relief as Ryan's arm snaked around her, pulling her down in the bed with him again.

  "I gather one of the girls wanted to get together?"

  "Yes, Kelsey," she said stiffening under his touch, feeling guilty for enjoying the pleasure she found in his arms.

  Turning on her side she faced him. "Hey, I like you a lot. I really do, but we can't do this right now. I can't be with you."

  "We're back to that again. I thought last night we'd made progress. I thought you enjoyed being together as much as I did."

  She bit her lip. How could she deny the euphoria the two of them had generated? At times, she worried the neighbors would complain or call the sheriff, only to find out he was in her bed. "I had a wonderful time."

  Unable to control herself, her hand reached up and brushed a swipe of his curly brunette hair away from his face. Even now gazing into his brown eyes, her body lit up like a power unit. She wanted him again and again and again and that wouldn't stop her from acquiring a broken heart. Did she enjoy a lawman crushing her soul?

  "Is this about Kelsey," he asked. "What we shared was special. I'd like for this to be more than a one-night stand, but if you're going to keep insisting we can't date each other, I can tell you I'll get tired of that real quick."

  "I can't help it. We've been friends since grade school. You were hers first."

  "Oh, come on, Taylor, that was six years ago. We've both moved on or at least I have."

  "Then why does she hate you so badly?"

  Ryan's stomach clenched and he feared this conversation couldn't be good. He didn't like that he lied to Taylor about cheating, but he wanted to see where this attraction went. With Kelsey, he'd been a young, stupid teenager more interested in getting into some girl’s pants for the first time than realizing the pain he caused his girlfriend.

  "Would it help if I spoke to Kelsey?" he asked not wanting Taylor and Kelsey to talk about him, hoping he could ward off the coming storm he despaired would soon erupt over him.

  "No," she said. "I think we should keep what happened last night to ourselves. Let's give this more time. If it develops into something more, then when I think she's ready to hear about us, I'll tell her myself."

  And Ryan knew then all hell would break loose. While he didn't like hiding their relationship, no matter which way he went, a truckload of trouble waited for him. He should probably confess now to Taylor the reason Kelsey hated him, but this felt so good he didn't want it to end. Not yet.

  There was no way to keep this information hidden from her. Sooner or later, she would learn what he'd done and when she did, her trust would go up in flames. Evidently, it didn't appear he'd learned from his past mistakes. Because if he had, he would have been honest with her right up front. Yes, he cheated - one time.

  Taylor met the girls at Valentino's Bar and Grill. The last time they'd been here had been the night they danced drunk in front of the Cupid statue. Tonight would end differently.

  "We're all together again," Meghan said hugging her.

  "Where have you been?" Kelsey said. "I don't see you very often."

  "Working. I don't leave the restaurant most nights until after ten. By that time, I'm exhausted."

  They sat at a table in a quieter area of the bar and gazed at each. "I'm not letting you girls talk me into anything foolish tonight," Meghan said. "I'm still paying for that stunt."

  "Me too," Kelsey said.

  "What about you, Taylor. Ryan still coming around?"

  They both looked at her expectantly. "Occasionally, he comes into the diner. But tell me about you girls."

  No way would Taylor discuss Ryan with Kelsey. Not now. Maybe not ever, but at this moment, she didn't want to know what happened between her and Ryan. She feared he and Kelsey had sex while they were together in school. The thought of being with a man who'd slept with her friend was well...icky. So she wanted to be oblivious for as long as possible.

  "Coach Max and I are battling it out. The man has some nerve. He's still mad at me about high school. I don't understand."

  Taylor shook her head. "Men."

  "I think from now on we should all forget that we knew each other back then and start fresh. We've all changed. I have," Meghan replied.

  "Not me," Kelsey said. "I'm still the spoilt little princess or at least my brothers think so. You'd think I was nine years old instead of twenty-six. But now the idiots are pushing me toward Cody. My oldest brother told me he would make me a fine husband. Like that's going to make me want to go out with the man."

  "I thought you liked him," Taylor said.

  Kelsey sighed. "I do. I just don't want anyone to push me, especially my family. He's their best friend. It would be like me convincing one of you girls to marry one of my rowdy siblings."

  Meghan laughed. "Your brothers are handsome men, but they're a little too bossy for my taste."

  "Nice guys, not for me," Taylor responded laughing. "I know too much about them."

  "Exactly," Kelsey said. "Do you want to date a man you saw running around in his Superman underwear, playing games? Not an image that gets me all hot and bothered."

  "But you're interested, aren't you?" Meghan said.

  "Meghan, you are way too perceptive," Kelsey said with a sigh. "Abs of steel, a trim waist, and the darkest emerald eyes that when they look at you, seem to start a fire in your belly. But I'm fighting this all I can. My family loves him. That's a strike against him right there."

  Tayl
or laughed, wishing she could share her new feelings, knowing it would ruin the evening if she did. "I'm happy for you."

  "Don't be happy for me. Warn me, tell me to run."

  "Tell Ryan--" Meghan stopped. "Speaking of the devil, there he is."

  Taylor's head almost spun around in a complete circle as she glanced behind her.

  "Hello, ladies," he said. "I hope you girls are staying out of trouble. Don't let Taylor convince you it's a great night to dance around the Cupid statue," he said.

  She frowned and shook her head. "Hardly. Someone promised to arrest us if we did that again."

  "I'll be waiting down the street with handcuffs if you want to test me," he said as he tipped the edge of his hat and walked away. "Duty calls."

  Kelsey watched him walk away while Taylor refused to turn and glance at him. She wanted to. Oh, how she wanted to know if he was watching her. She wanted to run out after him and tell him to meet her at her house at midnight. She wanted to pull his luscious mouth down to hers and explore it one more time. Picking up her phone, she started typing.

  "I'm so glad you didn't start dating him," Kelsey said.

  Taylor jerked her head up from her lap where she was just about to send a booty call message.

  "Why?"

  "In high school, he partied a little too much. Part of the reason we broke up," Kelsey said.

  But that was years ago and people grow or go off the deep end or even go backwards. Earlier they'd discussed how much everyone had settled down in the years since school.

  "You need to find someone to date," Meghan said staring at Taylor. "We're both busy and I don't like the idea of you being alone."

  Taylor sighed. "I don't have time for a boyfriend. We've all changed in the last seven years, hopefully for the better. I'm more responsible now. I don't want to be the person I was at eighteen. I want to be someone unique. Someone better."

  Pausing, she didn't send the text. She waited. Why was she letting the fact he and Kelsey were once together rob her of a chance for happiness? Maybe the time had come for them all to get over being young and stupid. Maybe this was part of growing up, accepting a person for who they were today.

  Twelve o'clock my house. She sent the text, wanting to see him again. Missing him so much, she ached.

  He replied. I'll be there.

  7

  Ryan's body warmed, his dick grew hard at the sight of Taylor's text message. He got off work at ten and that gave him plenty of time to go home, shower and prepare for his date. Though he knew it was only a booty call.

  He didn't like hiding from everyone. If they were going to have a relationship, he wanted it out in the open for people to see, otherwise it appeared tainted.

  He'd experienced that feeling once and never wanted to go there again. Not even for Taylor.

  Hours later, he rolled off Taylor and pulled her in next to him. She snuggled up against his chest.

  "That was wonderful," she said her breath coming out ragged.

  "Not bad," he said, wondering if she really meant it or if she was using him for sex. It had never happened to him before, but he longed for so much more with her. And currently, he wasn't getting what he needed.

  "So tonight was just a booty call," he asked.

  She raised onto her elbows and glanced at him, her brows furrowed. "What makes you think that?"

  "Did you tell your girlfriends we're dating? We're in a relationship?"

  He watched her bite her lip, and knew she hadn't. Flipping over to her back, she stared up at the ceiling. "I'm not certain what we're doing."

  "We're having sex on a regular basis. This is the third time this week," he said. Part of him felt hurt she would keep them secret from the people in the small town. He didn't like sneaking around like they were having an illicit affair.

  "Are you complaining?"

  "Hell no. But it's not right. I don't want to be your booty call guy. I don't want to hide from your friends. I want to take you out and show you off."

  "That's because you don't have to worry about losing friendships. I do."

  Sitting up in bed, frustration pulsed through his veins. "I want to be a normal couple. I don't want to sneak over here at night."

  "You're not," she said. "I told Jack about us."

  "But you didn't tell Kelsey or Meghan."

  "No, I didn't," she said getting up and grabbing a robe lying on a chair nearby. "I'm waiting for the right time."

  Why was he arguing with her over this? Once she told Kelsey, she would unload all the details of their break-up and then Taylor would learn about his lie. The tension and growing vexation between them couldn't be good.

  Rising, he pulled on his underwear and pants. "It makes me think I'm being disrespectful to you. It makes me think I'm using you and I never would do that. I care too much about us."

  At the door, she turned and walked back to him. She slipped into his arms and he wrapped them around her. Warmth spread through him like fire and he wanted to take her back to bed, but the time had come to leave.

  "I don't think you're using me. I'm just not ready to tell the world. I want to make certain this is going to work. You have to remember, I'm the girl who until a year ago, was engaged to be married. I don't want to make another mistake."

  How could he argue with her when she used logic? In a twisted kind of way, she was protecting both of them. In a small town, the gossips could torture you. She wanted to be absolutely sure before they went public and let the rest of their friends know they'd found each other.

  But he wouldn't wait much longer. Concealing seemed wrong and he wanted nothing to do with anything unseemly.

  "Soon," she said. "I promise you once I'm convinced, we'll let everyone know we're a couple."

  Part of him wanted to shout to tell the world that Taylor was his girlfriend, while a smaller part realized his history with Kelsey would cause them trouble. Lots of trouble. So why did he continue to push the boundaries?

  Because he cared.

  Two days later, Taylor saw Jack come through the door of the restaurant. For nearly a week, they hadn't been able to talk. She walked out of the back and hurried to his table. "Good morning," he said, smiling at her. "You look all bright and chipper."

  "The sun is shining, we've had some rain, and I'm hoping spring is on the way," she said.

  “Calving season started and I’ve already lost two babies. I just hate losing the babies. Makes the momma cows very sad. Makes me feel bad for them.”

  “Oh dear,” she said and sank into the chair across from him.

  “It’s part of being a rancher, but still, it's damn frustrating when you don't understand why Mother Nature took the little one.”

  ”How did your wife help you handle disappointments like this whenever they happened."

  He laughed. "She cried whenever we lost one of the animals. I would hold her while she sobbed. Afterwards, she would get the ice cream and fix us banana splits. Margaret got down, but she never stayed there. Right up till the time they gave her the cancer diagnosis. Then she wasn't depressed, just sad. She kept telling me she was worried about leaving me behind."

  "You've done all right," Taylor said not really sure, but wanting it to appear she thought he was a strong man. He gave that appearance anyway.

  Shrugging, he looked down at the plate the waitress had placed in front of him. "I do all right. While I appreciate your company and the restaurant's cooking, I miss Margaret's. I miss her chicken enchiladas. The woman's food could rival any diner."

  She smiled. "I'm here all day and yet I'm so tired on the weekend from working, I don't cook. There's nothing like a home cooked meal."

  "How did you do in the storm the other night. That was quite the doozy."

  Taylor glanced at the older man. She needed someone to confide in. Someone other than her girlfriends who would never understand. She felt so confused about Ryan.

  "Ryan came by and took me home so I didn't have to walk," she said with a sigh.


  Jack's brows rose. "That was a heavy sigh. What happened."

  With a flip of her hair, she told him about how Zeus had almost drowned and how Ryan risked his own life to save her dog. The dam seemed to break and she confessed to Jack while drying Ryan's clothes the electricity went out and somehow they found themselves in her bed.

  Normally, she wouldn't tell a stranger about her love life, but Jack was a friend. A confidant, and at this moment, she desperately wanted a friend to help her feel less perplexed.

  "So why so pensive? Do you regret being with Ryan?"

  Closing her eyes, she thought about their time together and knew it wasn't regret that had her unable to sleep at night.

  "No, I miss Ryan. I want to spend more time with him. He fills a missing space in my heart, and that both excites and frightens me. We've seen each other nearly every night this week."

  Nodding, Jack finished his eggs and pushed his empty plate away. "So what's holding you back?"

  "My friend Kelsey, she used to date Ryan."

  "So?"

  "She hates him. She's warned me about him."

  "Have you ever asked her why she's warning you about him?"

  "I'm afraid. I'm not sure I want to know. Whatever it is happened when they were dating in high school. I asked my other girlfriend, Meghan, but she had no idea."

  He shook his head. "You need to talk directly to Kelsey. You need to learn what happened before you go much further."

  Taylor picked up her coffee and nodded her head. "I know. I know, but I'm frightened of what I'll find out. I have put this off as long as possible. I like Ryan a lot and I don't want it to end. But I also realize he's getting frustrated because I won't allow him to go public with our romance."

  "Sometimes fear of the unknown is worse than what you find out. Deal with the problem so you don't lose Ryan."

  Taylor glanced around the table at her two friends. Since they'd all returned to town, they were making it a habit to have dinner or drinks at least once a week at Valentino’s Bar. The country music twanged in the background as they sat around reconnecting.