Say You'll Stay

by Michaels, Corinne

  He crawls back up. “I could drown in you.”

  My eyes open and I grin. “I could let you.”

  Zach pulls his boxers down and I see him fully. Every inch of him is mine again. He was the first man I ever let inside of me, and who knows if he’ll be the last.

  “If you want to stop . . .” He gives me the out again.

  I bring my hand to his face. “I want you to make love to me.”

  “I’m damn glad you said that.” His smile warm and assuring.

  He reaches over for the condom. While he rolls it on, my stomach tightens for so many reasons. What if it’s not as good as I remember? What if he doesn’t think I’m good?

  “Zach.” Fear bleeds through my voice.

  “What’s wrong?” His eyes are wide as he probably senses my distress.

  Now I feel stupid. “Nothing. I’m just being a silly girl.”

  “Presley.” He adjusts his weight slightly. “I can wait.”

  I want to laugh. There’s no way in hell that we’re waiting. I don’t want to wait either. I don’t want this to suck. “I can’t. I’m ready.”

  He shifts forward, and I feel him against my entrance. “Keep your eyes on me,” he requests.

  I stare into his deep blue eyes and see so much love it actually makes my chest ache. Everything I’ve lost in the last eight months has brought me here. To a man who loves me. Who has taken an interest in my kids. Meets me every night so he can hold me when I can’t sleep. He’s the boy who held my hand when my Nana died and I was too scared to go in the house. The teenager who punched Armando Delgado in the nose when he tried to kiss me, but then got him ice. He’s the man I never knew, but has always lived in my heart.

  When he enters me, everything goes still. There are no crickets, no fireflies blinking, there’s nothing in this entire world but us. Our eyes stay on each other as he pushes deeper. Tears form and one spills over. It’s too much. Too many emotions, thoughts, feelings, and I can’t contain them.

  Zach leans down and kisses my tear away. “God, Pres.”

  “You feel so good.” I choke the words out.

  “Don’t cry, baby.”

  I need to explain, but there’s no way to put him at ease. “It’s happy tears. I’m so happy right now.”

  They continue to run down my face as we make love. Zach wipes each one away, and whispers how perfect I am. I flip him on his back and ride him, needing to feel the power of control, and I know how much he used to like it.

  “I’m close,” he says as I rock back and forth.

  I ride him harder, enjoying the way his face tightens and his grip is stronger. I rake my nails down his chest and he clamps down on my wrists. “Let go, Zach.” I move as fast as I can.

  He can’t hold on and he cries out my name over and over as he finishes.

  After our breathing returns to normal, he takes me in his arms. I lie there with my hand on his heart. There’s a lot to say, but all I want is to be right here. Legs tangled, completely sated, and lost in each other.

  “Pres?” he asks while running his finger up and down my back.

  “Hmm?”

  “Will you sleep here tonight?”

  I lift my head and smile. “Yeah, I think I can do that.”

  He yanks me so I’m flush against him, and I close my eyes. I’ll stay here as long as I can, because right now, everything feels right.

  “Y OU SHOULD CURL YOUR HAIR and pull it up,” Grace says as I stand in front of the mirror.

  “I’m so tired you’re lucky I can keep my eyes open.” I go back to getting ready. Emily is on her way over to go out for the night. She’s going to sing at Lucky’s in town, and everyone will be there because no one is driving to Nashville.

  It’s been three weeks of meeting Zach since we made love. I sneak out in the middle of the night and creep back to my bed in the morning. Thank God, I still remember the stair creaking pattern. Although, I think Mama has known for a long time. She’s made plenty of references previously to the bags under my eyes and the grass on my clothes.

  “Emily said it’s mandatory you’re there.” She comes behind me, fixing my hair. “Let me pin it for you.”

  After we figure out what to wear, we head downstairs. Cooper’s eyes lift, landing on Grace, and I wonder . . .

  He watches her a little too long, grunts, and goes back to whatever he’s reading. Interesting.

  “Hi, Coop!” She slaps him on the back of the head, and I hold back a laugh. It seems the feelings aren’t reciprocated.

  “Grace.” He rubs his head. “Going to see Emily?” he asks me, trying to keep from looking over at her.

  I give him a knowing grin, I answer with, “I think you should come.”

  His face falls as he confirms what I suspected. “Yeah.” Grace chimes in. “We should probably have a chaperone.”

  Cooper gives a lame excuse, but I let it go. Grace was Trent’s girl for a while. And when a Hennington claims his girl, everyone backs off. Unless, of course, you’re a Townsend. I can only imagine how this will play out.

  “Have fun, Mom!” Logan says as he flips through the channels with my dad.

  “You guys behave.”

  “We won’t leave the house, Mom.” Cayden attempts a joke.

  “Good.” I mess his hair.

  Grace and I head out to where Zach will be, and I remind myself that I’ll have to pretend nothing is going on between us. We’re still keeping things under the radar, but I don’t know how I’m going to be able to stay away from him. In fact, I know I won’t. When he’s around, I’m unable to resist being close to him. He fills me up and makes everything brighter. The dark isn’t void when he’s near. Plus, since we’ve been having sex, all I see is him naked when I look at him.

  “Grace,” I call her attention.

  “Why does the way you say my name worry me?”

  I shake my head. “It’s not bad.”

  “Are you finally going to admit you and Zach are back together?” she says with a sly grin.

  “You know?” I question, slightly flabbergasted.

  “Of course I know. Everyone knows, Presley. I mean Zach is walking around town as if he just won the state championship. You’re suddenly smiling all the time. Both of you look like you’re staying out all night . . .” She nudges my elbow and laughs. “We’re not dumb, but we did let you have your secret.”

  My mouth hangs open. I really thought we were in the clear. “Unreal,” I mumble to myself. “I thought . . .”

  “You thought nobody knew?”

  “Yes!”

  “Don’t ever go into acting.” Grace parks the car and turns to me, placing her hand on my forearm. “I’m happy for you, Pres. You’ve been so sad since you’ve been back. I know it couldn’t be easy coming back here, but we love you. I’ve never been married, and I don’t have kids, so I won’t even pretend I understand what it’s like to lose your husband. Just know that I’ll always listen. And I won’t lie . . . I’m really happy you and Zach have found a second chance.”

  I smile and nod. “I’m scared that I’m happy too.”

  “Why?”

  “It’s so soon.”

  She shakes her head. “I think it’s been too long. You don’t remember the Presley and Zach that I do. The ones that everyone wished they could be like. Loving each other so much that other people were jealous.” She laughs at the memory. “I mean . . . I broke up with six guys because they didn’t look at me like he looked at you.”

  “That’s crazy,” I chide. “You can’t think that what we had is normal.”

  “Exactly, Presley. It wasn’t. It was so special. I think we all wept when we heard y’all broke up. Don’t get me wrong,” she quickly adds. “I think you were right. You’d spent your entire junior and senior year waiting for him. Then he took that contract like you were irrelevant.”

  “Thanks.” I sigh.

  “You were so young, though. He was an immature boy with dollar signs in his eyes.”
r />   I get what she means. In the last few months, I’ve come to see that I was too naïve to even understand the situation. Do I wish that things had happened differently? Yes. Maybe. I don’t know. If he had never taken that contract, then I wouldn’t have my boys, and really, they’re everything.

  “I think that things worked out the way they were supposed to,” I admit. “I’ve been angry at him for so long. I don’t want the town butting in either.”

  She laughs. “I get being angry. Those men have a way of getting under your skin and embedding themselves there.” Ahh, her and Trent. I wonder what exactly is going on in this town. Grace and Cooper were definitely giving each other some lonely eyes. “Let’s get in there.” Grace’s smile brightens.

  We head into the bar where my eyes immediately seek out Zach. What I’m faced with is not what I am expecting. Felicia clutches Zach’s arm as he talks to Trent. Her hands cling to him as she rests her head on his shoulder. He doesn’t pay her any attention, but I couldn’t give two shits. I watch her stare at him, hanging on every word while my rage starts to churn.

  Is she out of her mind? He’s mine. We were at his place last night and well into the morning. She needs to get her nasty hands off my man.

  “Well,” I say under my breath.

  Grace’s gaze locks on what I’m seeing and she lets out a growl. “Pres.” She draws my attention away. “Listen, the only way you’re going to fix this is to walk over—”

  I don’t let her finish. I know exactly what I have to do.

  My feet travel quickly as I march toward them. Anger boils in my blood as I think about the last few weeks when Zach held me, kissed me, made love to me like I was the only woman alive. Now this bitch is touching him? Not just no—hell no. She’s going to learn really quick where her hands do and don’t belong. And Zach, well, he’s going to learn a few things as well.

  Zach’s eyes follow me as I approach. He glances at Felicia and then back to me. Yeah, you’re in trouble.

  I don’t slow down or pause. I stand right in front of Zach, grip his neck, and pull his mouth to mine. Right here in the middle of the town bar, I kiss him. I let every person know exactly what we are. Zach doesn’t falter, his hands grab my back and he holds me tight to him. His lips move with mine as catcalls and whistles ring out around us. I don’t know how long we’re like this, but it feels like an eternity.

  I stake my claim on the boy that has always been mine. The worry melts away about what people will think. Grace is right—we’ve always been special.

  Once I feel my point is made, I lean back. Zach’s lips form a cocky grin. “Hi, darlin’.”

  “You’re in trouble.”

  “If that’s how you punish me, I think I could accept this.”

  My head dips as I give him a no-nonsense look. “Big. Trouble.”

  “Felicia,” he says as he pulls me against him. “I’ve decided I am going to go to the auction gala next week.” I look at him with confusion. “Get me two tickets. Presley will be coming as my plus one.”

  “Be sure you get us a hotel room too,” I tack on. “We’ll probably need some privacy after.”

  She huffs and walks away.

  “So we’re going to a gala?”

  “It made my point.”

  I gaze at him, remembering why the point needed to be made. “Why exactly was she hanging on you?”

  He brings me flush against his body. Zach’s nose rubs against my ear as he whispers. “She’s drunk, and I was being nice. Nothing more. But you ousted us in one hell of a way.”

  I lean back so I can look in his eyes. “I guess it’s time the women in this town know that you’re not available.”

  “Presley.” His deep voice grumbles as the gratification in his eyes shines. “I haven’t been available since I was fifteen years old.” He kisses my forehead, pulls me tighter, and goes back to talking to Trent like nothing happened.

  I look over at Grace, who’s standing with her arms crossed and sporting a grin.

  Well, no more hiding for me.

  Wyatt shows up with some chick I’ve never seen before. “If it isn’t Mr. and Mrs. I’m-so-stupid-I-think-I-had-the-whole-town-fooled.”

  “Shut up, asshole.” Zach jokingly punches his brother.

  Wyatt rubs his shoulder. “I’m hurt. I go through all the trouble of makin’ you both realize how dumb you are, get you back together, and you punch me? Dick.”

  “You did this?” I ask with a smirk.

  “Well, yeah, Cowgirl. How else did you think you’d wake up?”

  I love that, even with all the crap between us, Wyatt would never make me feel uncomfortable.

  I lean in and kiss his cheek. There are so many things I want to say, but not here. Wyatt is the reason that I’ve been able to see past my own pain. “You’re a good friend. You’re going to make some woman very happy someday.” I glance over at the girl he brought with him. She basically has a bikini top on and shorts that are more revealing than my underwear. “Hopefully someone else,” I say offhandedly.

  He laughs. “I think you’ve been drinking already.”

  “Not a lick.”

  “Well, then maybe you should, because no one can tame the wild beast that is me.”

  His humor is his defense. I see through it, but we all need our armor. I’ve hid behind walls for a long time, and honestly, if it weren’t for him, I still would be. Safety is a luxury that should never be taken for granted. When my world kicked me in the teeth, the vulnerability I felt was unnerving. It rocked me to my core. While Wyatt hasn’t had that type of horrific experience, he hurts.

  “The only thing wild about you is your hair.” Zach nudges him.

  Wyatt flips him off, grabs his drink, and throws his arm around his bimbo of the night. “Peace, suckers.”

  Zach and I both grab a drink. He drinks his beer while I sip my Jameson until Grace drags me away and onto the dance floor. We giggle and dance, like old times. Songs continue to change, but we keep steady where we are. I love to dance. I love knowing that I also won’t look like a fish out of water when we line dance. I can handle numbered steps.

  “Man.” Grace laughs. “Zach is about to pummel that guy staring at you.” She spins me around and I see him watching someone.

  My eyes dart to where he’s watching and I giggle. It’s the guy who I danced with the last time. “He’s oblivious to the fact that I was making out with Zach before, huh?”

  We continue pretending like I don’t care until I see Zach bang his bottle on the bar and start walking toward him. “Shit.” I rush off, Grace following.

  I catch Zach before he can reach him. “Where you off to, Cowboy?” I smile.

  Zach immediately thaws. “Going to set the record straight with someone.”

  “Not worth it.”

  “You’re worth everything.”

  “Awww.” I kiss his lips. “You’re so cute.”

  “I like you like this,” Zach says as he keeps walking.

  “Like what?”

  Zach leans down, the warmth of his breath tickling my skin. “Happy.”

  I like it too, but God if I’m not scared that this could end quickly. There’s no more secret Presley and Zach. No chance of us going slow, because everyone knows. This town will probably hold a damn parade tomorrow. My kids will need to be told right away, and who the hell knows how that will go.

  The song morphs into one of my favorite two-step songs. “Dance with me,” I command.

  His arm glides around my back and he lifts me, carrying me toward the dance floor. He places me down and grabs my hand. I love this. Right here. The way he holds me when we dance. His hand grips the back of my neck so he can lead me while the other wraps around my fingers against his chest.

  Without a word, we move in harmony. The song is about falling and how he’ll catch her. I can’t help but imagine his voice as the lyrics speak to my heart. It’s something that Zach would do. He’d be there if I fell.

  Zach spins me aro
und the dance floor, all the while never moving his gaze from mine. He leads me effortlessly, and I am completely mesmerized. He mouths the lyrics and tears form in my eyes. The bar melts away as he serenades me with words that speak to both of us. The music stops, but we stand here in each other’s arms.

  “I love you, Presley.”

  My heart stops as I look at him and know. I’ve fallen completely head over heels in love with Zachary Hennington, again. The boy who stole my heart as a child has done it once more. Only this time it’s stronger. I knew it the night we made love. Hell, probably the minute I laid eyes on him again that there’d be no chance of resisting him. We were always Presley and Zach, and we always will be.

  My eyes fill with moisture. “I love you too.”

  He tugs me close and kisses me.

  Clapping erupts, and I push back, laughing.

  I look around as one person continues to clap. I glance over, expecting to see Wyatt being his normal self.

  Instead, my eyes meet a pair of green eyes I haven’t seen in months.

  Angie stops, wipes her face, and walks back out the door.

  “I’ LL BE RIGHT BACK,” I tell Zach as I rush out after her. Dammit. I knew this wasn’t going to go over well, but I didn’t think it would happen like this. I never could have imagined that this was how she’d find out.

  I push the door open and look around. She’s walking quickly away from the bar, shaking her head. I’ve known her half of my life and she doesn’t typically avoid a fight. She’s the girl who will stand toe to toe until she feels heard. Angie only runs when she’s hurting.

  “Angie!” I yell. She halts and then turns, giving me a look filled with a mixture of sadness and anger. Instead of waiting, she takes off, moving even faster. “Angie! Stop!” I rush toward her, but she keeps going. “Dammit! Quit walking away from me.”

  Angie spins and glares at me. “You’re kidding me. You’re going to tell me to stop? How about you stop!” Here’s the girl I know.

  “Don’t you dare.” I stand ready to defend myself. “You don’t know what I’ve been through and you don’t get to judge me.”

  “Zach? Zach is who you’re dating?” As angry as she is, I hear the hurt mixed in her voice. She saw it all. Every horrible thing that I endured and all the nights I spent sobbing in her arms. “Really, Pres? After everything? Zachary fucking Hennington? I mean, why don’t you go back in time and be a damn kid again. Oh, well, you kind of are. So, really?”