Besides, who am I kidding? The alpha’s long gone, and it was all a charade anyways. He was only using me and now that the cat’s out of the bag, there’s no use in pretending any longer.
When the bus finally pulls into the station my stomach fills with butterflies as anxiety pumps through my frame. The terminal looks so much different from this perspective, and a part of me just wants to turn around and go back to Colorado, avoiding my problems again.
But I can’t.
I’ve come so far.
It wouldn’t be right.
So steeling myself, I force my feet forward
There’s the taxi stand, and like a robot, I get in, swinging my bag in the back.
It’s incredibly strange riding down the dirt road that leads to my farm in a hired car, but that’s nothing compared to the nerves running through spine. I’ve accepted that there are only one of two options – either the Morgan brothers have already razed the farm, or the place hasn’t been touched since I left.
While neither are great options, I’m hopeful that I’m left with the latter, and quietly vow to spend the rest of my life fixing the farm, if possible.
But as we veer into the drive, my eyes go wide, a gasp escaping my throat.
“Is everything okay?” the driver asks curiously, throwing me a look over the back seat.
I can’t answer, emotions choking my windpipe closed.
“Here,” comes my hoarse whisper before shoving a twenty dollar bill in his hand and grabbing my bags.
Because my childhood home’s there, sure. But it’s more than that. The Double H has been transformed into a fully-functioning ranch, shiny and sturdy. What used to be the broken steps leading to the front door are mended, leading to a wooden deck complete with a bench swing at the edge of the porch. The siding around the house has been replaced and painted a fresh beige color. Even the creaky front door has been removed, and now a red wooden one stands in its place, slightly open with a black screen.
But as I approach, the porch light flickers on, making my eyes blink in the sudden glare.
And I feel him, I literally feel the air shiver and shift even before he appears, that broad silhouette intimidating. My heart drops into my stomach as I peer upwards, and as Tyler’s face becomes more visible, it’s clear that the alpha’s glowering. Oh yeah, that handsome face is pulled into a mask of rage, blue eyes burning like the coldest ice.
Oh god, oh god. He hates me and wants me gone. Maybe Tyler was promised my farmhouse for closing the deal and he considers this his home now. Maybe this is squarely his turf, and I’m the intruder. Instinctively, my hand falls to the small bump of my belly.
The rancher’s expression becomes unreadable, a myriad of expressions crossing that handsome face. But then he grunts.
“You’re pregnant,” are the harsh words.
“I am,” I confirm softly, still rubbing my belly. “The baby’s yours, Tyler.”
And before I know it, the big man’s on me in an instant, swinging me into his arms, limbs flying, cradling my huge form against that broad chest. What in the world?
“Tyler, stop, stop!” I beat against the wall of muscle. He ignores my flailing fists, and grimly stalks up the stairs, before depositing me gently on the couch.
I sit up, smoothing my hair, trying to look dignified even while stealing a look at all he’s done. The interior looks familiar, just upgraded; everything is shiny and bright, clean as a whistle.
But Tyler doesn’t care about the house.
“What’s going on?” is his enraged growl, eyes piercing my soul. “Where the fuck have you been?”
I take a deep breath.
“Well, I’m pregnant, as you can see,” I say slowly, willing my courage to stay. “But we don’t need anything from you. This baby will be just fine. All I ask is that you help us through the pregnancy. It’s been hard to work long hours while I’m big, but I will. I will if that’s what it takes,” I say bravely, chin in the air.
A pause hangs in the air, those blue eyes boring into mine.
“You’ve been working while carrying my child?” he spits finally, gesturing furiously with those big hands. My pussy shivers, remembering where those hands have been, but I force myself to mentally repeat the mantra that he’s the enemy.
I take another deep breath.
“Yes. I had to make a living for myself, and for your child, Tyler, so I worked. But you don’t need to worry. I’m going to take care of this baby on my own. We won’t need your money or anything else,” come my brave words.
Oh god, I’m supposed to be demanding my farm back, I’m supposed to be making a play for the Double H. But instead, I’m just a wilting wallflower, and Tyler knows it, pressing his advantage.
“That’s my baby, Maisie. I’m going to be a father whether you like it or not,” he growls and I feel myself losing control.
“No,” I say tightly. “This child is mine.” My hands rub the bump reassuringly, possessive and maternal.
But Tyler won’t be put off.
“Maisie, I swear to God, if you don’t stop …” his words trail off, eyes boring into mine.
“Then what?” I prod, wound tight, beginning to unravel. “Then what? What are you gonna do?”
“Maisie,” he warns again while pacing the living room like a caged animal, running his fingers through his hair.
But I’m on a roll, my emotions pouring out now.
“I gave you everything, Tyler. Everything I had. I was so open and giving, and you were a fucking lie. That’s all it was; a fucking lie. But my baby was made in love, even if it was my love alone. You had your chance to be real with me and you chose to betray everything we built. So no, you will not have a role in this child’s life,” I hiss emphatically. “No child deserves a liar for a father.”
The words sting, making him jerk back, big body tense. But Tyler gives as good as he gets.
“Are you serious? You up and left me without even saying goodbye. I haven’t heard from you in months! Do you know what it’s been like here? Waiting for you to come back, with no idea where you were? Do you know how fucking awful it’s been?”
His last sentence comes out in a fury, the pain and rage palpable, but I can’t hear it, I’m so angry.
“So what?” is my challenge. “Waiting is nothing compared to your betrayal, big boy. Just in case you forgot, you pumped our life full of lies. You did that, not me.”
And Tyler explodes then.
“BUT YOU’RE MY FUCKING WIFE!” he rages and I swear the entire house rattles from the fury in his voice. My stomach muscles clench at his possessiveness, curling in on itself. But what the hell does he mean, I’m his wife? Why does that justify anything?
Riding the wave of courage, I go for the jugular then.
“There’s no reason to keep that up,” are my cold words. “I get it now. You wanted my land so you pretended to care about me. You’re a masterful businessman,” I mock him while rubbing my belly. “Fucking girls left and right to make more money. What else have you done?” I ask nastily. “Have you fucked truckloads of prostitutes, hoping to turn a buck? Gotten horny with a bunch of working girls to start a gold rush?”
And the fury in his eyes sears me then, the air around that big frame literally vibrating with anger.
“Don’t. Start,” come the words, low and harsh, trembling with suppressed rage.
But I’m on a roll, and let it fly again.
“You’ll never touch my pussy again, Tyler,” come the harsh words. “This pussy and ass are off-limits to you. Forever,” I spit, and with that the cowboy springs into action. I cower in my corner, thinking for a moment that he’s gonna hit me. But instead, the big male seethes, pinning me with a murderous gaze before swinging silently on his heel and stalking out of the house, screen door banging loudly.
Suddenly, the room is too small, the air warm and stuffy, and I can’t breathe. Leaning forwards, I try to put my head down between my knees, gasping for oxygen. Because before,
I thought my worst nightmare had come true, with the lies, betrayals, and hopeless situation.
But for some reason, this is worse. This is Tyler and me fighting, exchanging verbal blows, drawing blood and I can’t take it. It hurts so bad, and I hate myself as much as I hate him. Why won’t it stop? Why can’t I stop? My soul is crushed, heart in smithereens, and for the first time in my life, I wish I was dead.
CHAPTER FIFTEEN
Tyler
The world feels like it’s stopped spinning. My boots pound into the earth even as I heave deeply, trying to breathe. Fuck! I’ve spent the last six months working tirelessly to fix the Double H, praying that Maisie would return one day. But now that she’s here, it’s all gone haywire.
Because everything the female yelled was true. How could I have taken her virginity without telling her who I truly was? How could I have lied about my identity? Why did I pretend I was a know-nothing ranch hand, when all along, I was the enemy next door?
And now look what’s happened. The little lass is everything I want in the world, yet she wants nothing to do with me. Even worse, she’s carrying my child, that curvy body firm and round. Oh god. My heart feels torn from my chest, breathing erratic and choppy. I’m so fucked.
But words come to my mind then.
You’ve gotta try, the voice urges. There’s so much at stake, you can’t give up now.
And my subconscious is right. I can’t give up. Maisie’s my woman, we’re bound together before the eyes of the law, and she’s carrying my child. I won’t give up, I can’t give up.
So making my way to my truck, I shake my head furiously. She came back, and that has to mean something. I know the female’s hurt, but hurt and rage are the flip side of love. All I need to do is prove my adoration and loyalty.
Suddenly, an idea strikes. Fumbling through my glove box I finally find what I’m searching for before striding back to the house. Fuck me, but where is she? The kitchen’s quiet, the lamps in the living room dim. But I know she’s here. There’s a sweet perfume in the air, her unmistakable musk.
Bolting up the stairs, I bang down the door to the guest bedroom, ready to shout her head off. But the sight of the female stops me. Maisie’s dressed in a sheer pink thing, something that I picked out for her a long ago. Before, she was a goddess, beautiful and enticing. But now, the lacy outfit is deadly seductive because heavily pregnant, her tits are huge, straining the fabric, and her stomach protrudes, lifting the hem up so that I can see tiny pink panties underneath. Oh shit, oh shit. My crotch goes hard, pole poking stiffly.
“Here,” I grunt like an animal, unable to drag my eyes from the vee between her thighs. “Take it.”
A small hand reaches for the envelope.
“What is this?” she asks, turning it over in her hands. But I can’t answer, captivated by that heady female succulence, the big tits and steamy cunt. Fuck, I can feel the heat from her pussy from five feet away, that cavern beckoning to my dick.
But Maisie’s not having it.
“Tyler, what is this?” she repeats louder, eyebrows drawn.
I jerk back to attention.
“The harvest proceeds,” I manage to get out. “I set it aside for you.”
Slowly, she opens the envelope, gasping as the contents come into sight. Oh yeah, it’s stacks of bills, greenbacks galore, rubber banded and held together tightly.
“I saved it for you,” is my agonized whisper, hands clenching by my sides, aching to touch her. “It’s all yours.”
Maisie takes a deep breath.
“Thank you,” she says slowly. “I’ll use the money to pay some of my outstanding bills. I think I owe the electric company something, as well as the vet over in town. He treated Betsy without charging me, putting it all on credit. I imagine he’ll be happy to finally get something for his services.”
But I interrupt then, voice rough.
“I paid off everything, baby. You have no outstanding bills anymore. You don’t owe nobody nothin’.”
Her indrawn gasp is music to my ears.
“Tyler,” she breathes, and I feel like the luckiest man in the world as my name falls from the lips of an angel.
I shake my head roughly again.
“Look, I know it’s nothing in comparison to what I did, and I know you’ll never be able to forget what happened. But I swear,” comes my raspy voice. “Everything I felt for you was real, Maisie. Every single thing.”
She shakes her head slowly, not looking in my eyes.
“But how do I believe that Tyler? I mean, everything you’ve told me so far is based on lies.”
I shake my head furiously then.
“Not everything,” I rasp urgently. “Not everything. Sure, I made up that ranch hand stuff, but a lot of other things are real. My love for the land. I love this land, I love farming and ranching. I love the sky, the wind, the goddamn heat in summer. I love the winter even, when the ground won’t sprout a thing. All of that is true.”
But Maisie’s not having it, turning her face away again.
Oh shit. I have to step up my game. She’s not listening, and panic swells in my chest.
“Maisie,” I say roughly. “My feelings towards you were always real. Every time I touched your body, every kiss, every stroke, every caress, that was all real. You have to believe me.”
Taking a deep breath, I continue.
“Yes, my brothers wanted me to steal your property. They wanted me to take the deed to your home, but I haven’t. I’ve been here, but I haven’t taken anything, not legally.”
She turned wide eyes to me then, lips trembling softly.
“You haven’t?”
My head shakes furiously again.
“Naw honey. I can’t just walk in and say, “This is all mine because she’s my wife.” The law won’t allow it, we’re not in the Dark Ages anymore. My brothers were planning something else. They figured that by marrying you, the game would change. I’d make you fall in love, and then you’d sign away your property rights. But I haven’t,” I added roughly. “And I won’t. You won’t ever have to sign anything to me. This is all yours,” I say, arms outstretched. “Forever.”
Maisie takes a deep breath then.
“I wasn’t sure how land rights worked,” she says softly. “I thought for some reason, my stuff automatically became yours. At least fifty percent.”
“Naw honey, like I said, this ain’t the Dark Ages anymore.”
She nods slowly, still looking down.
“And I won’t ever have to give you anything?” she repeats slowly. “Not now, not ever?”
“Never,” I confirm. “The Double H will always be yours as proof of my loyalty and commitment. And because honey,” I say roughly. “I love you. I can’t forget what I did, so please let me make it up to you,” the words burst from my chest, pleading. “Please baby.”
Maisie takes a deep breath, still not meeting my eyes.
“I don’t know Tyler. This is a lot to process. We’ve been on a rollercoaster, and I have to wrap my head around it.”
“Of course, of course,” are my words. “Just think about it okay?”
She nods her head.
“Yes of course, I will. But Tyler,” she asks again. “We have to start slow, okay? We can’t just go back to being Maisie and Tyler again. We have to be the new “us,” if there’s even a new “us”. Do you understand?”
And I nod my head gratefully. Because suddenly, the door’s opened a crack, a sliver of light showing. My best girl is gonna give me chance, which is already far more than what I deserve.
“Absolutely,” I promise fervently. “Absolutely.”
She nods slowly, her brown curly hair dropping in front of that sweet face. But then, she lifts her chin, caramel eyes direct.
“And you’ll never lie to me again. Do you promise?”
I can’t resist then. Stepping forward, I take her face between my big palms.
“I promise,” I breathe against her lips, inhaling the sweetnes
s that’s my girl. “Never again.”
And then Maisie leans forward for a kiss. Shit, I’m not a romantic guy. I don’t ever watch that rom-com shit, Sleepless in Seattle or whatever. But when my best girl leaned forward to kiss me, it was straight out of a movie. In slow motion, the beauty stretched onto her tiptoes, lips arching my way, and I couldn’t resist. Her pout was so luscious and perfect that I took everything she had to offer.
Our liplock was a shower of sparks, a fireworks display going into full-gear. The feel of that lush, pregnant body against my rock-hard body made my dick zoom into high, pressing insistently into her waist, even as my hands circled her waist, squeezing that heavenly rump.
The brunette wiggled then, backing away slightly with a pant.
“I guess being pregnant doesn’t turn you off,” she murmured mischievously, looking down at the tent in my pants.
“Naw honey,” I growled, blue eyes on fire, trailing all over her big tits and the shadowy vee between her thighs. “I couldn’t be happier that you’re having my kid. It’s so fucking amazing, I never thought I’d have children,” is my grunt. “But with you, it’s perfect.”
“Oh good Tyler,” she breathes. “Because I have a surprise for you.”
Oh shit, more surprises? Taking a deep breath, I look into those sweet brown eyes.
“It better be that you’re ready to take it off and get down,” I growl, nodding at the flimsy negligee. “Because sweetheart, I don’t think I can wait anymore. I’m gonna burst just standing here.”
The brunette giggles then, her entire body swaying left and right, making me ache even more. But the show’s not over yet. Because leaning forwards, she places both hands on my shoulders and reaches up to whisper in my ear.
“Tyler,” comes the breathy whisper. “There’s not one baby. There’s two.”
I can’t move. Holy fucking shit. I’m gonna be a daddy to two kids? What the hell, what the hell? I’m not prepared! This is fucking ludicrous, but at the same time the best gift anyone can give.
I grab her by those narrow shoulders, looking deep into the caramel depths.
“Are you sure?” is my rough growl, wrenched from deep inside. “Are you sure?”
Buck Me Cowboy: A Secret Baby Romance Page 14