Now to have met her and have the vision didn’t seem real. Was this meant to be two years ago?
And if so, what or who had waylaid it. Granted two years ago I was nowhere near ready for marriage and she would’ve been too young at eighteen, but still, I wonder.
I stayed awake half the night listening for her voice. When I couldn’t stand it any longer I snuck through the connecting door and stood over her as she slept.
She slept like the innocent I’d come to see in her. Had we really only just met? How could I feel what I was now feeling as I looked down at her beauty in the moonlight?
Reaching down, I lightly stroked her hair with my fingertips. Who would’ve thought the Firefox would turn out to be my future?
Leaning over, I kissed her forehead before slipping from the room again. Now I just have to see that whatever happened two years ago didn’t happen again, if only I could figure out just what that was.
Chapter 24
MAXIE
I woke up to someone in my bed. It took a few seconds for me to process what was going on, and I barely curbed my natural instinct to come up swinging.
Cracking my one eye open, I saw the very naked and very muscular back of a man lying next to me.
I was pretty sure of who it was, but that didn’t stop me from screeching and almost falling off the bed, which I would’ve done had he not reached out a hand to catch me.
I was about to ask him how he knew I was going to fall when I noticed him watching me in the mirror over the bureau that was across from the bed.
“What are you doing in here, are you mad?” I sat up with the covers pulled up to my chin.
“Is this how you plan to wake up every morning love? Because if it is, then we’ve got to work on that.” He rubbed his ear as if my screeching had hurt it.
“What the hell Collins?” he sat up and stretched before kissing me on the lips and getting out of bed.
I hid my face and screeched again before looking through my fingers. He was bare ass naked.
My face was like ripe pimento and I was about to pass the hell out as I buried my face in the pillows. “You can look now.”
He was pulling up the pajama bottoms that he’d obviously dropped at the side of the bed before he climbed in.
“I couldn’t sleep with you so near so I slid into bed with you in the early morning hours. You didn’t seem to mind since you cuddled into me like a kitten, but then I had to let you go for reasons of self preservation.”
I didn’t like the sounds of that. “What’s that supposed to mean?”
“It means that you’re fiery even when you sleep. By the third time you almost geld me, I figured if you wanted me to father your children in the future, it would be best if I turn you loose.
Another thing we’ll have to work on, since I find I like holding you when we sleep. Your weight on me feels about right.”
“You didn’t do anything else to me while I was asleep did you?” I checked my body to be sure there was nothing missing.
“There will be many times in the future when I will take you in your sleep. With my working hours, I’m sure there will be many nights when you go off to bed before I make it home and I’ll be so starved for you by the time I get here that I won’t be able to help myself.
But now, this first time, while we’re still doing the dance, I want you wide awake for everything I plan to do to you.”
“Oh my.” Dammit, didn’t mean to say that out loud either.
“Let’s go have breakfast, who knows what mom has planned and I’m sure your sister will want you to go over the wedding stuff with her. Plus I have some things to look over.”
“I’ll get up when you leave.”
“If you’re trying to hide the fact that you’re wearing a tank and underwear, too late. I already saw and looked my fill sorry. It was too good to pass up.
“What a pig.” He laughed and left the room and I rushed from the bed to the shower, feeling a small fire starting in the pit of my stomach.
***
JACKSON
She was too adorable, and utterly cute in her innocence. After I’d gone back to my room last night, I’d tossed and turned until I left my bed in a fit and came back to her.
It was as though there was an invisible string leading from one to the other.
I’d been very careful not to disturb her as I’d climbed in with her, but she’d still known I was there.
She’d turned and cuddled into me so naturally with a sigh, that I’d held her in slight wonder for the first five minutes.
I hadn’t lied about her sleeping habits though; she was as wild in her dream state as she was awake. I’d dodged her knees and elbows until I couldn’t anymore.
I had the feeling that after spending that one night with her, it was going to be next to impossible to sleep without her again.
I knocked on her door half an hour later. “You decent in there love?” I didn’t exactly give her a chance to answer before pushing the door open.
She was in the middle of brushing her hair which she stopped doing at the sight of me. I didn’t miss the way she swallowed as she took me in.
I had dressed in my usual uniform when I was home on the ranch. Jeans, boots and Stetson, today’s top was a Henley; it was still too warm out for chambrays.
“You ready?” I leaned against the doorframe and took in the relaxed way she went back to stroking her hair with the brush.
I couldn’t resist walking over and wrapping my arms around her from behind. “Hmmm, I love your scent.” I nuzzled her neck before turning her around in my arms.
The kiss was long and hard and left us both wanting. “Let’s go trouble.”
“Hey, you’re in my room, remember?” I pulled her along behind me before she could gear up for battle.
I felt giddy as a kid as I made my way down to the breakfast room with her hand in mine. I just had to leave her for a little bit today and then I was hers for the next few days.
I can’t wait to share my home with her, to see it again through her eyes. As we passed by one of the huge bay windows in the downstairs, the morning sun shone through clear and bright, catching her just right.
She looked so young, and little. Back in her home it had been easy to miss just how little she really was. No wonder, with that mouth of hers.
But here she looked so small and fragile, I had the strong urge to bundle her up and tuck her away somewhere safe.
Knowing her she’d probably knee me in the balls if she knew what I was thinking.
MAXIE
Breakfast was fun, with Janet and Mike as well as his mom and dad there. Everything seemed so light between all of them and I was happy for my sister, happy that she would have this for the rest of her life.
His parents, instead of looking down their noses at me, treated me as though I were royalty.
There was no mention made of my slight two years earlier for which I was eternally grateful and by the time the meal was over I felt more relaxed than I had in a long time.
Delilah Collins made my guilt build all the more as the day wore on, not by word or deed, just by being.
She was sweet and attentive and full of praise. I played for her, as I hadn't in years, with my whole heart.
That first day, Jackson was never too far from my side. Janet and Michael were busy with the plans for a celebration party, so I was left on my own with him.
Delilah tired easily apparently, and had to take a nap in the afternoons, which left me to wander around their vast property.
It felt different here; less stifled than at home, and not as harrowing as when I was on the road going from performance to performance.
It's almost like I could really breathe here. Then again being alone with Jackson wasn’t conducive to breathing either.
The man was making it harder and harder to resist his charm. True to his word, every time I’d gotten snippy with him, he’d just bend me over his arm and kiss me.
Last nigh
t we’d stayed up late talking, long after the others had turned in and he’d snuck into my bed the way he had been since my first night here.
He’d told me about his childhood, growing up here, and all the fun he and his brothers had had.
Then he’d told me about his mother’s accident a few years ago when she’d been thrown from a horse.
I sat and listened to him, the love and adoration that was evident when he spoke of his family, and it was brought home just how glaringly different it was from mine.
Every morning I woke in his arms since he’d found a way to control my limbs, which was placing my legs between his while lying on his chest.
I knew it was only a matter of time before he didn’t stop the kisses, when they would no longer be enough.
Was I ready for that though? Somehow being here made me feel that I was. Being here with him, with him being so sweet to me, I felt like I could really let go.
But was it just a dream? A leftover from that time when I thought I would die to have him?
It was hard to know, hard to separate fact from imagination. Whatever, I was finding it harder and harder to be without him.
I decided to go exploring on my own since he had some business to take care of today, and I was on my own until this afternoon at least.
Jan and Michael were off doing wedding stuff, they’d invited me along, but I didn’t want to intrude, they seemed so caught up in each other.
I’d just feel like a third wheel. Besides, it was a beautiful day out, way too nice to be cooped up somewhere looking over china patterns.
"Maxie?" I turned at the call of my name. It couldn’t be. Somehow I’d almost forgotten about her.
"Sophia?"
"What are you doing here?"
That didn't sound too inviting, whatever happened to the sugary sweet girl I'd met years before?
"How are you, how're things?" Awkward, the sight of her brought back all that had happened years ago.
"You haven't answered my question, what are you doing here Maxie?" She walked towards me looking none too pleased and I had to wonder at her behavior.
Though we’d never exactly been close friends, the girl I knew had at least been cordial.
She’d shared something very personal with me back then for heaven’s sake and we’d sort of bonded over that.
Granted we hadn’t seen each other in quite some time, but the hostility seemed rather unwarranted.
“I believe I asked you a question, what are you doing here?”
Okay, I have to be patient here because there're things going on here that I still don't understand, but she was really beginning to irk me with that attitude.
"I'm here with my fiancé." Maxie what the hell are you doing? I was playing a hunch; don’t know why, but suddenly I just had to know one way or another.
If this blew up in my face I was going to feel like ten kinds of fool, but nothing ventured, nothing gained right.
"Who, who's that?" She clutched at the string of pearls around her throat as she took a step back.
Her face was starting to look a little green, and I was beginning to regret my mean trick. What if she’d been telling the truth after all? Somehow I couldn’t back pedal now though, I’d gone this far, might as well carry on.
"Jackson of course; you know it wasn't too nice of you to make up that story about him." I wished I hadn’t said the words as soon as they left my mouth but it was too late.
Go with your gut Maxie, that's what Jonas and dad are always saying. From the look on her face and the way she looked around like a trapped animal, I started to get the feeling I was onto something.
"You told him about that?"
She'd lost all the color in her face at this point; wait just one freaking minute. I could feel my fists folding already.
"Yes, I did; there shouldn’t be any secrets between a husband and wife after all. You do know defamation of character is a serious offense, you can be brought up on charges."
"You...you, you've ruined everything, why did you come here? How did you even meet? I did everything..."
"Yes I know, including lying to me about him molesting you and causing you to have an abortion."
Now she was red in the face and I could see the venom and evil seeping through her pores. If she could slug me she would’ve but that wasn’t about to happen.
As for her, she wasn’t going to get off so easily. There was an ass whipping in her future, she just didn’t know it yet.
She posed up as if ready to pounce, all that healthy hate just pouring off of her in waves.
Please twit, compared to my sisters and Petra, you're a rank amateur.
"It worked didn't it, he's mine-he's always been mine. You’re nobody why would he ever marry someone like you?
My family and his have always been the most influential in this town, we suit. Who are you other than some mediocre piano player from a family of no consequence?
“So you decided to make up that horrendous story?”
“Well what else was I to do? You were always mooning over him and then that stupid invitation came. Stupid Delilah."
"You bitch." The voice came from behind me and froze me in my tracks, which might’ve been a good thing. I’m pretty sure if I’d carried through with the roundhouse kick to her jaw she would’ve pressed charges.
Chapter 25
Oh shit; I turned to the new arrival in surprise. I'd had no idea anyone was about; after all, I'd been walking in the vast gardens for quite some time, trying to get my thoughts together.
Trying to reconcile the man I'd finally met, with the one this viper had painted a picture of. Questioning how I could be losing my heart to a monster.
I don’t think I’d ever seen anyone as red in the face as Jackson was at that moment.
I’ve heard of steam coming out of a person’s ears before, but I don’t think I’d ever seen it in real life either.
I looked from one to the other, trying to figure out if the outburst was because it was a lie, or because the truth was out.
I didn’t have much time to ponder, because somebody had murder on their mind, and for once, it wasn’t me.
"Hold it." I put myself between Jackson and her. From the looks of it, he was about to get himself in a whole world of trouble.
“This is my fight buster you just stay right there. I know how to handle her kind; I wasn't raised around Miranda the twit and Jenny baby the nut for nothing. This snake is just another one in a long line that I’ve had to deal with.”
She was in a sad state if I was the lesser of two evils, which appeared to be the case. And I was finally getting it. He wasn’t mad because she had outed him, but because she had lied.
No one could be that indignant if they were actually guilty cold they? Unless, I’d totally misjudged the situation again.
“What the fuck did you say to her and why?” I still had my hand in his chest holding him back from going after her.
Not that I expected the debonair Mr. Collins to smack her one, but he looked mad enough to do something.
“Well, answer him.” I folded my arms and face her. She had eyes only for him and I wondered how I’d missed it before. She was in love with him, or as much as a viper could be in love with anyone I guess.
"Are you telling me you made it all up?" My ears were starting to burn and that was never a good thing. Usually somebody always ended up with a black eye or a busted nose whenever that happened.
She tried looking around me at him, "Jackson, I don't know what she's been telling you..." Now he was the one pulling me back when I made a grab for her lying ass.
"She didn't tell me anything but you just did. How long have you been spreading these horrible lies, and who else have you sold this bullshit to?" Oops, the estimable Mr. Collins was about to lose his cool.
She turned her eyes back to me; poor thing, she wasn't looking too good there. Nothing at all like the stunning blonde who'd ruled the circuit with her looks and queen of the castl
e attitude.
Jackson was seriously contemplating throttling her and I wasn't sure what I wanted to do next.
I couldn’t let him at her though, that would just make matters worse.
I had a lot to think about now, like the fact that everything I'd believed about him was a lie, like there was nothing standing in the way of my original feelings for him anymore.
It was finally sinking in that she had lied, that she had made it all up; and that I had been so stupid I’d believed her.
I gave a brief thought to my treatment of him since we'd first met, but brushed that aside, I would've probably acted the same no matter, that's just me.
Still, I hadn’t been fair to him and that was on me thanks to this fool.
The misguided quack was going on and on about how I'd ruined her life. I had one hand on Jackson's chest again, keeping him back from going the ten extra feet to reach her. At this point it was a toss up as to who was holding who back.
"So now we know that you're a pathetic liar, I think you should run along now before this one strangles you and buries you in the back yard." I looked around at all the nice places that would work just fine.
"Sophia, I think you should think of an excuse as to why you can't make the wedding festivities.
If you show your face here I'm not sure what I would do, you disgust me; but be sure at some point I will be meeting with your brother to discuss this, it will not be swept under the rug.
Now if you'll excuse us, my fiancée and I have better things to do with our day."
Oops, guess he heard that, oh well. She slinked away with her tail between her legs, but somehow I didn't think we'd seen the last of her.
I know for damn sure I hadn’t. She had something coming her way alright.
"So, you were mooning over me all those years ago huh?" Shit he’d heard that too.
"Don't go getting a swell head Collins, that was eons ago." He was grinning like a jackass from ear to ear.
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