Back to my Roots (Montana Roots Book 1)

by Tessa Elaine

  “No, I need to do this, maybe we can start with an easy room and work our way around?”

  “That sounds just fine, open the door and I'll unload all this.” She walks to the front door and I keep my eye on her until I'm sure she's okay.

  When I have everything unloaded I ask, “What room first?”

  “Maybe the kitchen?” She asks.

  “Sounds good, just tell me what to do.” She giggles and looks at me with lust and desire in her eyes. I love it when she looks at me like that.

  “You keep looking at me like that and we won't get a damn thing done today.”

  “Sorry the thought of telling you what to do is very enticing.” I laugh and grab a stack of boxes and some trash bags.

  “Grab the tape boss.” I tell her.

  She follows me to the kitchen snickering behind me. We start with the kitchen, working our way to the living room. She throws away the stuff she doesn't need, boxes up the things she wants to keep and the stuff she's donating. We label as we go. I start loading the donation boxes in the back of my truck and make a nice stack of things she's keeping into the living room.

  I'm taking some of the trash bags out to my truck when I see a car coming down the driveway. It's a black BMW i8, holy shit that's a $140,000 car. Are they lost? When the car pulls up and the driver steps out I'm sure he's lost. He's about eight inches shorter than I am, and I probably have seventy pounds on him. He's wearing gray slacks, Ralph Lauren sweater vest with a button up under it, and Oxford shoes. He looks like he just stepped out of a catalogue.

  He looks the ranch over with disdain in his eyes. I can tell right off he's a trust fund kid, fed from a silver spoon. This guy has never seen a hard day's work in his life. When he walks over to me I throw the trash bag in the back of my truck and stick out my hand.

  “Names Lucas, what can I do for you?” I ask trying to be friendly, he just looks down at my hand like I wiped my ass with it. “Are you lost?” I ask getting irritated by his condescension.

  “Is this the Brighton ranch?” He asks, he even sounds like a snob.

  “It is,” I say. I feel like I might be sick. For some reason I have a bad feeling about this guy, “and you are?”

  “Dorian Graham, Elena Brighton's fiancé.” The minute the words leave his mouth my whole world crashes around me. I feel like I'm sitting at the bottom of the lake, I can't breathe, and there is so much pressure on my head.

  “Did you say fiancé?” I can barely get it out, my throat feels like its closing. I want to hit something. How could I be so stupid? Obviously, there's a reason she wanted to go back home so bad.

  “Who are you?” He asks. I want to tell him to get in his car and to fuck off, but that's not my place, she's not mine.

  “Lucas, let's take a break. I could really use a beer.” I hear Elena say. I turn around as she walks out the door and she freezes. The color drains from her face and I hear her whisper his name.

  “Dorian” So he is the fiancé.

  Chapter 14

  Elena

  I'm finishing up with labeling the boxes we have so far. We have been at it for a while, and I have to admit having Lucas here has made this easier. It was so amazing waking in his arms to an orgasm that had me melting into the mattress, and that was only with one hand. I was a little nervous after his comment this morning. He told me to forget about it but I couldn't. The more time we spend together the more I keep thinking we could have a future.

  Is that something I could change my whole life for? I would have to uproot my life and career in Seattle. Leave Aubrey? I'm not sure I can handle that big of a change. But with Lucas by my side I feel like I could do anything. When I told him he had thought of everything he said, “Not everything, I haven't thought of a way to make you stay.” I was not expecting that to come out of his mouth, and by the look on his face he didn't either.

  I wanted to say something but I'm not sure what it would have been. Before I had a chance, he was taking it back and telling me to forget it. How do I forget that? There's no way. I really want to talk about what is going on between us and what the future holds. I think it's time for a break, I can’t focus and I have been packing nonstop. I go looking for Lucas but he hasn't come back in from taking the trash out to his truck. He left the front door open and I walk over yelling for him.

  “Lucas, let's take a break. I could really use a beer.” I get to the door and as the last word leaves my mouth I freeze. I am so stupid, I completely forgot. Why does life have to kick you when you're down. It's like, hey Elena you don't have enough crap going on in your life let me dump more shit on top of that. Thanks life, I say to myself.

  Shit Lucas looks pissed. What did Dorian say to him? His fists are clenching at his side and his jaw is ticking. He looks ready to tear shit up.

  Dorian looks like a smug bastard with his sweater vest and Oxford shoes, standing next to his expensive car. He looks completely ridicules standing on this ranch. What did I ever see in him? I almost laugh at myself, seeing Dorian next to Lucas. Lucas is everything I want in a man, Dorian is what I thought was safe. He couldn't hurt me, he couldn't break me. Lucas on the other hand has the power to shatter my world.

  In that moment I realize I will never stopped loving him. I will never find a man like Lucas. He is strong, sexy, caring, super smart, and that's just to name a few.

  I finally find my voice. “Dorian” his name comes out in a whisper because I'm caught up in the realization that Lucas is everything to me. The look on Lucas’s face tells me he thinks Dorian means something to me. He couldn't be more wrong.

  Lucas narrows his eyes at me and I want to spill everything, but I don't get the chance. He walks back to the house with long angry strides. I grab his arm to stop him, trying to tell him it's not what he thinks. But he jerks away from me and leans in so only I can hear him.

  “Don't worry, your secret is safe with me.” His lip is curled in disgust and I hate the way he’s looking at me. My heart breaks in that moment, he thinks I made him the other man. Does he really think so little of me? Before I can say a word, he's slamming the front door. Dorian walks over to me trying to hug me, I hold up a hand stopping him in his tracks.

  “Baby, I drove eight hours to see my fiancé, and this is the welcome I get?” Is he serious right now?

  “Did you fall and hit your head? Dorian, I haven't heard from you in three weeks. I get a phone call out of the blue that you're on your way to Eureka. You wouldn't answer my phone calls, my text, or when I sent Aubrey to your house telling you not to waste your time.” He’s just standing there like nothing I say makes a difference. I can't believe this guy. What did I ever see in him?

  “Dorian if you remember correctly I turned down your proposal, I am not your fiancé and we are no longer together. I'm sorry you wasted a trip.” He still looks unaffected by my words. About the time I start to tell Dorian he needs to leave, Lucas comes storming out of the house with the rest of the trash. He throws it in the back of his truck and turns to me.

  “I'm sure your fiancé can help you finish up, or pay someone to do it for him.” His words all full of anger. He opens his truck door to leave and I start to go after him, wanting to stop him.

  “Lucas” I call to him but Dorian grabs my elbow stopping me.

  “Let the hillbilly go.” Dorian says in disgust to Lucas. Lucas stops half way in the truck and looks over his shoulder at us.

  “Let go of me.” I tell Dorian, but he just wraps an arm around my waist and holds me to him. I feel the tears burning my eyes. Lucas looks at me with hollow eyes, he has never looked at me like that.

  “You're right, I don't know you anymore.” He slams the truck door and tears fall down my face. I rip away from Dorian running after Lucas's truck, he just leaves a trail of dust until I can't see his truck anymore. I fall to the ground crying, I can't breathe and it’s like someone is sitting on my chest. I'm shaking and it feels like the world is swallowing me up. Dorian walks over and grabs me by the arm
, jerking me to my feet.

  “Get it together Elena, why are you crying over that hillbilly? No women of mine will act like this.” I'm seeing red, my anger pushes my panic attack to the back of my mind. This self-entitled asshole has pushed the only man I have ever loved out of my life, with lies.

  “You stupid lying prick, how dare you.” I'm so consumed with rage I start pushing him toward his car.

  “How dare you come on my property and insult the only man I have ever gave a damn about.” I push him again. His eyes go wide, he's surprised by my outburst. I'm usually quiet and let him call the shots. That Elena is gone, along with the happiness I thought I could have.

  “Get in your overpriced car, with your overpriced clothes, and go back to your holier than thou life.” He laughs at me; this asshole has the nerve to laugh at me.

  “You are nothing without me Elena, why would you throw away the opportunity to become Mrs. Dorian Graham for some backwoods redneck. There are thousands of women that would kill to be in your shoes. You could have had whatever you wanted.” Now I'm the one laughing.

  “You are a moron Dorian, and you can take your money and shove it up your egotistical ass.” He leans against his car and smirks at me.

  “When you come to your senses and come crawling back I will think about taking you back.”

  “Ugh!!!” I scream in frustration, I have had enough. I stomp off toward the house.

  “Where are you going Elena?”

  “To get my daddy’s shotgun.” Before I even get to the door I hear his car start and burnout. Thank god, he’s leaving. I crumble on the porch and start crying again. I have no idea where to go from here, Lucas made it clear he doesn't trust me. It hurts me that he thinks I would cheat on my fiancé, if I had one. I have never been that girl.

  I finally stop crying and try to think of what I should do. I come to the conclusion that I should call Lucas and tell him the truth. I go inside and grab my phone, find his number and hit call. It goes straight to voicemail, he shut his phone off. This is such bullshit! He won't even hear what I have to say. After everything he can just throw away whatever we almost had? Coming back here was a mistake. Everything in this town just reminds me of loss and heartache. I think it's time to go home.

  After talking to Mr. Wayne, I can't bring myself to sell the ranch to Mr. Breck. I will just find a Realtor to put it on the market so I don't have to deal with it. When I finally have a plan, I remember I don't have a car. “Damn it!” I rode here with Lucas and he just abandoned me. How the hell am supposed to get back to the Inn? It's not like this town has a cab service.

  I go through my phone and call the only other person in town that can help me. Forty minutes later her small car comes down the drive. When Sarah pulls up, I feel relief wash over me. When she gets out of her car she just looks around the ranch.

  She smiles and says, “This place brings back a lot of good memory's.”

  I look around the old place feeling every emotion possible, sadness for the loss of my family and my future, anger for the time I can't get back, frustration with the uncertainty of what's to come, and there is happiness there. Sarah is right, this place holds so much good. It has to outweigh the bad, right?

  We don't say anything we just stand there taking it all in, the feeling that life has come full circle. We obviously never thought when we were kids we would be standing here almost complete strangers. Not knowing anything about each other’s lives. All this emotion has me wanting to cry again. I wipe my eyes and turn to lock up the house.

  “Elena, you sure you don't want to tell me what’s going on? I know you said you didn't want to talk about it over the phone but maybe I can help.”

  Sarah has always been the kind of person to help whoever she could. I wish there was something she could do but this is my problem. I don't think I can handle her being mad at me for hurting Lucas again. She was right though, I should have just stayed away from him.

  “Just a ride back to the Inn, that's more than enough. Thank you for coming.” She looks at me suspiciously, she knows something is up. It makes no difference that we haven't seen each other in seven years, she can still tell it's something more.

  “Does this have something to do with my brother?” Damn, why does she have to push.

  “Sarah, really I don't think I can do this right now. I just want to go back to the Inn and pack. I will be out of everyone's hair by tomorrow.”

  “So just like that, you’re running again? Do we get cut out again? Because if so I don't think I can forgive this one.” Why? Why did I come back here? They all would have been better off if I had just kept my ass in Seattle.

  “I'm sorry Sarah, I really am. If you don't want to give me a ride I understand.” She shakes her head at me looking disappointed.

  “Get in the car.” I say thanks and climb in her car. I take one last look at the place and hope I can be done with all this soon. Maybe I can rent a truck and come back in a month to grab what I want to keep. We don't say a word on the way to the Inn. When we get there, I move to get out and Sarah grabs my hand. I turn to looks at her.

  “Is this goodbye for good?” I feel the tears pull in my eyes again, I'm a mess. But I can't say yes, I don't want it to be for good. Unless Sarah comes to Seattle then this is goodbye.

  “Well I guess that's my answer. Can I ask you one question before you go?” I just nod my head, still unable to speak.

  “Am I going to lose my brother again?” I hope not, I don't want Sarah to go through this again.

  “Please know I never meant for any of this to happen. I don't want to lose you again.”

  “You didn't answer the question Elena. Am I going to lose my brother again?” Maybe I should just come clean about what happened today. No, she can't fix the way Lucas sees me.

  “I hope not Sarah, if he leaves again I won't blame you if you never talk to me again. He sees me as someone I'm not, someone I have never been. I can't help that.” She doesn't say anything as I get out of the car. “I do hope this isn't goodbye.” I shut the door and walk into the Inn.

  I get to my room and cry as I pack my things. When I'm finished I send Mr. Breck an email apologizing for not being able to meet him and tell him I am no longer interested in selling the ranch. I send Aubrey a text telling her I'm heading home in the morning. Then I turn off the phone and go to sleep. I don't have the energy to deal with anything. I fall asleep and dream of my first time with Lucas.

  I'm lying on Lucas chest in the back of his truck shaking from the orgasm he just gave me with his fingers. I'm sweating and we are both breathing hard. My whole body feels like it's on fire. You would think after such an intense release I would be good for a while, but I want more. I want him inside me, I want Lucas Wayne to be my first. I sit up on my knees and pull my dress over my head. His eyes devour my body.

  He makes me feel so sexy. I stand with his help and push my panties down my legs, dropping them in a pile of clothes. I kneel back down with my knees on each side of his thighs. He has a look in his eyes I have never seen before. I reach down and start to unbutton his jeans, he doesn't try to stop me he just sits there watching. I get the zipper down and put my fingers in the sides of his jeans and pull them down. He lifts up a little to help me remove them.

  Once I have him naked I look him over from head to toe, he is stunning. When I look back at his face and our eyes lock, my breath catches in my lungs. He reaches up to caress my face, running his hand up my neck, behind my ear. It sends shivers through my body.

  “I love you, Elena.” My heart races and my mind spins, I lean down and kiss him. His tongue is tangled with mine, in a soft and slow kiss. He rolled us over without breaking our connection. His solid body pressed to mine, I love the way he feels on top of me. He pulls away causing me to whimper and he just smiles.

  “You sure, Laney?”

  “I have never been more sure of anything in my life. I want you to be my first.”

  “I want the same.” Before I can ask
if he means he wants to be my first or if he means I'm his first, he kisses me again. I can't be his first though, the girls around school talk. I don't care though. I push my hips forward and his length slides between my folds, his tip hits my swollen clit and I moan. Unable to control myself I start to move faster, building the release again. He stops me with a hand on my hip and it stills my motion.

  “Let me grab a condom.” I nod, glad he's thinking. I was too lost in the feeling to think of protection. He slides it on and lines up with my center. He looks me in the eye when he pushes the head of his cock inside, I have to force myself to relax.

  “You okay, Laney?” He is the sweetest boy I know.

  “Keep going.” I tell him. He eases himself in nice and slow until we are completely connected. I wiggle around trying to ease the sting and he squeezes his eyes closed.

  “Don't move darlin’, I don't want this to end too fast.” I stay still and watch his face relax.

  “Lucas, I need you to move.” He pulls out slowly and pushes back into me. He keeps going like this until I'm whimpering and moaning needing more.

  “I'm so close” he says. Lucas reaches down and starts rubbing my clit with his thumb. I'm getting closer.

  “Cum with me Elena.” He whispers in my ear and my walls clench around him.

  “Lucas” I say his name as I fall over the edge into bliss. He grunts and starts pumping harder, then freezes calling out my name.

  We lay there holding each other, trying to come back to earth. He’s kissing up my neck and my jaw. When he pulls away I see it again, that look in his eyes. He was telling the truth. All I see is love all over his face. I look him in the eyes when I tell him.