Misty Reigenborn Romance Boxed Set

by Misty Reigenborn

  "Yes Timothy?" He gave her a wink as he reached to straighten his cufflink. "Don't party so much that all that money we put out for your education goes to waste."

  She rolled her eyes at him. She didn't see herself partying much, couldn't see herself doing much of anything right now other than moping around campus, missing Luke, wondering where the hell they'd went wrong.

  "I won't Timothy, I promise. I'd be wasting some of my own money too."

  "I know." He surprised her by coming over and dropping a kiss on top of her head. "Good luck dear."

  "Thanks."

  He left then, grabbing his keys off the hook and going out the kitchen door towards the garage. Her mom came down a few minutes later, when she was starting her fourth cup of coffee. Though the caffeine was affecting her, she still felt so weary and exhausted both emotionally and physically, that she figured she'd need to stop at a convenience store on the way out of town for some caffeine pills.

  "Good morning Sierra," her mother said. Her voice was shaky, like she was about to cry.

  "Mornin' Mom."

  She wanted to ask her mother about what Timothy had told her about her having wanted to be a teacher herself, but she wasn't sure how her mom would react. She already seemed upset enough so she decided to put it off for another time.

  "I see Timothy had an extra cup of coffee or two this morning." She looked at her daughter then, noticing the mug in front of her then nodded to herself. "Or maybe it wasn't Timothy. Are you okay honey?"

  "Yeah Mom, I just. . .” She didn't know what to say. She didn't want to tell her mother about Luke. It still hurt so much that she was scared she'd end up sobbing like a little girl.

  "You what honey?"

  "I'm nervous about school I guess."

  She turned away from her mother's appraising stare, dumping more sugar into her coffee.

  "You shouldn't be nervous. You did well in high school. I'm sure you'll be making friends before you know it."

  Her mom stopped then, looking like she was starting to lose the fight to hold back the tears.

  Sierra got up from the table, pulling her mother into a somewhat awkward hug.

  They were soon both crying. Sierra broke the embrace reluctantly a few minutes later, going into the living room for a box of tissues.

  She took a couple, blowing her nose and wiping her face and then pushing the box across the table to her mother.

  She was stunned to see that her mom hadn't put any makeup on, as there were no telltale mascara smudges. She was dressed in an old pair of jeans and a sweater. Her mom cleared her throat, throwing the wadded tissues into the wastebasket under the sink.

  "Are you sure you don't want me to drive up with you? I could help you get yourself situated. It would be no trouble."

  She felt herself wanting to accept her mother's invitation but quickly decided against it.

  Although her mother would obviously be in her own car on the trip, as she'd need it to get back home, Sierra wanted to be alone on the trip.

  She'd decided to screw the idea of not smoking in her car. She thought was going to need the combined efforts of caffeine, nicotine and loud music to keep herself alert during her trip. Oh she wanted so badly to crawl back into bed and bury her head under the covers Sierra thought.

  More so, she wanted to crawl back into Luke's bed, tell him she'd do anything to be with him. She'd give up on going to school completely, if he'd forgive her.

  She cursed herself for being so vulnerable. For letting herself fall in love with him when after her disastrous end with Austin she hadn't wanted to get involved with anyone, let alone do something like fall in love.

  And she did love him she thought. Even if her feelings were conflicted. Even with her anger at him, for wanting something like marriage and a family so bad that he was choosing to shut their relationship out completely instead of continuing with the easy routine they'd established.

  What twenty three year old male wanted marriage and kids so damn bad, Sierra wondered? Especially one that had been screwing women indiscriminately before they’d been together.

  Damn him she thought.

  She looked up at her mother, forgetting that she'd posed a question, having lost herself in thoughts of Luke.

  "Sorry Mom. I'm really tired. I appreciate your offer, but I think I'd be better off going by myself. I don't have a lot of stuff anyway. It won't take long to get everything set up. Which reminds me, I should start taking stuff out to my car if I ever want to get out of here."

  "Are you sure honey? I wouldn't want you to get into an accident, driving while you're tired."

  "I've taken in so much caffeine this morning that I'm sure I'll be fine Mom."

  Her mother nodded at her, but Sierra could still see the worry in her eyes.

  Her mom helped her carry her things out to the car, which were mostly her clothes and her laptop. Finished, they stood together beside the car, two women who looked nothing alike. Sierra had both her father's blonde hair and his green eyes. They were so different, yet similar in ways that neither of them usually took the time to realize.

  "Timothy is going to keep your phone on the plan and continue to pay for it. So don't be afraid to call anytime okay? And make sure you call me as soon as you get there. I'll worry if you don't."

  She gave her mother one last hug, tears falling again. "I'll call Mom. I promise. I love you. Tell Timothy thanks and that I," she surprised herself by adding, "love him."

  Her mother smiled then. "I will. I love you too, honey. Make sure you call. Be safe."

  "I'll be fine Mom.” She laughed, leaning out the window to give her mom a kiss on the cheek.

  Her mom stepped back from the car. Sierra strapped her seat belt on, and started the car. She had to turn down the blaring radio, forgetting that she had had it turned up so loud the night before.

  She waved at her mom as she pulled out of the drive. Her mother waved back, looking small and alone, standing in the front yard.

  She pulled into a convenience store on the way out of town. She bought a couple energy drinks and some caffeine pills and a pack of cigarettes since she was almost out, figuring she was going to be so wired on caffeine by the time she got to school that she probably wouldn't sleep for two days after.

  She popped a CD in, opening the window all the way, not caring that her long hair would probably be a tangled mess by the time her trip was done.

  She lit a cigarette and sang along with the music, smoking too much and fighting back tears as she drove.

  She pulled into the campus three hours later, and searched for the assigned space that they'd sent her the parking pass for in the mail.

  She found it without too much trouble and was soon on her way to the dorm that she'd visited the month before with her first load of bags.

  She was grateful that her roommate hadn't arrived yet. She'd met the girl once, only briefly. With the girl's wild multicolored hair and tight clothes, and the marks on her arms which Sierra had been unable to tell were hesitation marks from an attempted suicide or marks that signified that she was someone who liked to cut, she was pretty sure that they wouldn't have much in common.

  She had brought her last load of clothes to the room and was stowing her suitcase under the bed when her roommate walked in.

  "Good." She let out a dramatic sigh. "You came alone, too. I didn't want to have to deal with any parents."

  Sierra laughed. "My mom decided this morning that she wanted to come but. . . Oh shit, I'd better call her."

  She spent a few minutes on the phone with her mom, assuring her that she was indeed fine and had survived the trip in one piece.

  Her roommate, whose name was Ashley, was checking out her laptop.

  "You've got a pc. Cool."

  They spent some time getting acquainted. Sierra found herself liking the girl, finding out that even with the girl's outlandish appearance, she was rather down to earth and they had a few things in common.

  Chapter 11
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  The first weeks of school were busy. Sierra got used to her class schedule. She had little time to stop and think about Luke when she saw other couples together around campus.

  She wanted to call him, wanted him to call her. But she had little faith in the idea of hearing from him and couldn't bring herself to pick up the phone and call him. As time passed, she still didn’t hear from him.

  She was sitting outside underneath a tree on an afternoon in late October, trying to make sense of her English assignment when she looked up. Her heart felt like it stopped beating in her chest.

  A man who looked like Luke was coming her way.

  She blinked, thinking that there had to be a guy who went to school here who looked like him. But when she blinked again and took in the familiar hazel eyes, the dark blonde day old stubble on his chin, she knew that it was Luke who was coming towards her and not some guy who looked like him.

  She wanted to jump up, throw herself into his arms, though she rarely thought about him anymore. It hurt too much. She hadn't worn the locket he'd given her since she'd arrived at school, tucking in into the back of her dresser drawer, burying it beneath her underwear.

  He stood next to her for a moment, looking at her. Then he reached out a hand to help her to her feet. "Hi."

  "Hello, Luke." Her voice sounded strained to her own ears.

  "You wanna get out of here for a while? I've got a room."

  She stared at him for a moment. "Yeah, let me go tell my roommate that I'm leaving. I was supposed to have dinner with her."

  He nodded, leaning against the tree, watching her as she hurried across the campus towards her room.

  Ashley wasn't in the room when she got there. Sierra scrawled a note for her, saying that she had met up with an old friend and wouldn't be back for dinner, wasn't sure when she'd be back.

  She was glad that she didn't have another class until the next afternoon. She felt helpless with anticipation as to what Luke's visit meant.

  He was still leaning against the tree when she got back outside, twirling an unlit cigarette between his fingers.

  He tucked it behind his ear when she approached, reaching to take her hand.

  He led her to his car, not saying anything. He was still silent as he opened the door for her, only speaking when he had settled himself behind the wheel, lighting his cigarette.

  He offered her one and she accepted it, lighting it with the offered lighter. "So how's school going?"

  "Good.” She felt uncomfortable beside him in his car when she had felt so at home there a few short months ago.

  He nodded. The drive was silent then until he pulled up at an almost seedy looking motel a few minutes later.

  "I couldn't find anything else," he said apologetically as she stepped out of the car. "There was some kind of convention in town and all the decent rooms were taken."

  She nodded at him, not knowing what to say.

  He unlocked the door to a room at the corner of the first floor, and held the door for her. Always the gentleman she thought.

  She sat uncomfortably in the room on the only chair. She stared at the worn carpet which was a hideous green color.

  At least it looked clean she thought offhandedly. She finally forced herself to look at Luke, perched uncomfortably on the edge of the bed.

  Damn he looked good she thought. Sexy as hell like usual. But he had bags under his eyes and he looked so tired.

  She wanted to put her arms around him. To kiss all the weariness from his face. See his eyes light up with the fire of sexual want, of need that she knew so well.

  Instead she stayed rooted to her chair and looked at him. She watched as he lit another cigarette. He took his time to smoke it and stubbed it out in an already over flowing ashtray before he came to her. He got on his knees before the chair, laying his head in her lap. She stroked his hair, loving the familiar feel of his soft waves, feeling tears prick her eyes.

  "Oh Luke.” He moved his head to look up at her then. "I've missed you."

  "I know baby.” He took her hand and pulled her towards the bed. "My bed is so empty without you. My whole fuckin’ life is so empty without you."

  He held her in his arms for a long time, both of them fully dressed and laying on top of the covers.

  She didn't know who made the first move to undress. But they were both soon nude and making love with such passion, such need that she never wanted the moment to end.

  She fell asleep in his arms, sleeping better than she had in weeks, though she hadn't let herself think about it. When she awoke it was dark outside.

  He was sitting up in bed smoking. He handed her a cigarette without a word, moving to light it for her.

  There was so much in his eyes. Pain, need, love and something she couldn't quite decipher. Was it hope, or some kind of resignation Sierra wondered?

  She wanted to ask him why he was here when he hadn't bothered to call the whole time she'd been gone. But she left it alone, not wanting to spoil their time together. She had a feeling that this might be the last night they spent together for a long time. Maybe forever.

  "You hungry?" he asked. "There's a little diner down the road."

  She wasn't really hungry, was unsure that she'd be able to eat her stomach was so tied up in knots. But she knew he was trying to make some kind of an effort at normalcy and she nodded, reaching for her clothes.

  They didn't talk much during dinner, and neither of them ate much. The drive back to the motel was silent.

  They tried to watch TV for a while, though the reception was bad and they soon gave up.

  Luke reached over with a shaky hand to switch off the lamp. She reached for him in the dark and soon they were making love again. But she found herself sobbing her eyes out in his arms only moments after they'd finished.

  She awoke early the next morning to find him seated at the small table, two large Styrofoam cups of coffee in front of him. He handed her a cup of coffee, and offered her a cigarette which she waved off.

  "Luke I. . ." He was rummaging in his bag. She felt her heart skip a beat when he pulled out a small box, the size that could only hold a ring.

  "Sie, I changed my mind baby. I don't want to be without you anymore. I want you to marry me. Maybe not now, it's not fair to ask you to marry me now. But I wanted to tell that I'll do whatever you want. I'll move today and it can be like it was. I've missed you so much."

  He pushed the box toward her. She opened it was a shaking hand, seeing a beautiful diamond engagement ring nestled inside.

  She closed the box. The small click was overly loud in the otherwise silent room.

  "Sie. Baby, say something. Tell me yes. Tell me no. Tell me to fuck off."

  She looked at the box for a moment and then let it drop to the bed. Hadn't this been what she'd wanted? What she'd begged him for the night before she left for school she thought? All of a sudden she wished he hadn't come at all. As much as it hurt, she knew he'd been right then. Right that it was fair to neither of them for her to ask him to put his life on hold until she finished school.

  She got up on shaky legs, moving over toward the chair. She pulled his head to her chest, much as a mother would do to comfort a small child.

  "You know I can't say yes Luke. It's not fair to you."

  He nodded silently against her. She held him for a long time, leaning down to give him a kiss when she broke away, trying to put everything she felt into the action. The love, the hurt; the regret.

  When finally she pulled away, she dressed slowly, feeling his eyes on her.

  When she had finished and was bending down to tie her shoes she wished irrationally for a hair brush. Oh how could she be worried about what her hair looked like at a time like this she thought? She caught sight of the ring sitting on the bed and made a move to hand it back to him.

  He shook his head at her, pushing it back into her hand. "I bought it for you. I want you to have it."

  They were silent as he led her to the car and silent on th
e drive back to the college campus.

  He opened her door for her, taking her hand. She found herself in his arms once again.

  They stood together like that for a long time, oblivious to the world around them.

  He pulled back. "I'd better let you go. You've probably got class."

  She looked at him silently, shoving the ring box into the bottom of her purse. "Yeah."

  He kissed her then. She found herself lost again, in a moment that was over altogether too quickly. "Goodbye Sierra."

  "Goodbye Luke." She watched him as he drove away, wanting to cry, to run after him like a mad woman and tell him she'd changed her mind.

  But she hadn't, and dragging her feet, she made her way across the campus to her dorm room.

  Chapter 12

  Ashley was sitting on the bed painting her nails a funky shade of bright blue when Sierra opened the door. Her eyes lit up. "Is that hunk you were with last night your boyfriend? Some girls from the dorm saw you leave with him last night. They've been talking about nothing else since you left."

  "Can we talk about this later Ash? I'm tired and I want to take a nap before class."

  "Sure hon." Sierra could see in her roommate’s eyes the dawning of understanding that maybe the night before hadn't gone quite as good as the gossipy girls had thought.

  When Sierra awoke from her nap, a half hour before she was due in class, Ashley was already gone. She was glad she didn't have to face the other girl's questions and possible sympathy yet.

  Ashley didn’t mention her mysterious boyfriend again. Sierra went back to keeping Luke out of her mind, having shoved the ring into the nether regions of her underwear drawer where it kept the locket company.

  She stayed at school over Thanksgiving, as her mom and Timothy were away yet again, though she couldn't remember where it was they had gone or what they were doing.

  She had been invited to spend the day at her grandma's house but she had declined, not wanting to face the relatives she hadn't seen in years.