He placed a hand at the small of her back, leading her over to the pillows and blankets. She lowered herself to the ground, then he handed her a beer.
“Lauren said it was like looking at the old Trey today.”
“Is that bad?” he asked as he laid down on his side facing her, his head propped up on one hand.
She twisted the beer bottle in her hand, “No, not at all, it’s just…it’s a big change. I have to ask, what happened?”
“What kind of sick were you?” he blurted out.
“Excuse me?” she questioned, unsure what he was asking.
“I want to know, what kind of sick were you?” The flames danced across his face and she watched his beautiful eyes plead with her for honesty. And right then and there, she decided she wasn’t going to fight this anymore. The universe was giving her a chance to experience something she never had. She would give Trey as much as she could.
“I was born with a congenital heart defect.”
“That sounds serious.”
“It was.”
“Did you almost die?”
“Yes.”
“How many times?”
“What?”
“How many times, Callie? I’m not trying to be insensitive, I really want to know. How many times?”
“Once. Right before my –” Her eyes dropped to the brightly colored quilt she sat on. “Right before my surgery.”
He reached for her hand and she happily gave it to him, allowing the touch of his skin on hers to comfort her. He brought her hand to his mouth, kissing her knuckles lightly.
“Is your life anything like it was before? Are you anything like you were before you almost died?”
“No. Everything changed for me that day.”
“I died the day Jamie was murdered. Everything inside of me shut down.”
Callie took his beer from him and set both of their bottles on top of the cooler. She scooted toward him until her knees were touching his chest. He traced a finger along her knee and up her thigh, leaving goose bumps where his touch had been.
“I’m not the same person,” he continued. “I never will be. Like you, everything changed for me.”
She ran her fingers up his arm that now was draped over her knee. “I think it’s okay to be changed. I would be more worried if you told me your brother’s death didn’t change you.”
“I don’t know how to get back to who I used to be. I’m lost.”
“I think you’re just starting over, and it scares you. If there is one thing my illness taught me, it’s okay to be afraid.”
“What scares you?”
Callie pulled a pillow over, laying her head down as he moved in closer so they were both facing each other. She ran her fingers down the side of his face, “Never feeling like this again.”
“When I met you, you made me want to feel again. And I couldn’t, I didn’t even know how. I’d been shut down for so long and been at such a distance from everyone and everything, I’d forgotten what it was like to just breathe.”
“Coming back to the farm made you feel that. Seeing your mom gardening again made you feel that. Being around Lauren and Alex made you –”
He quickly cupped the back of her head and pulled her to him, nose to nose, “Kissing you made me feel it all.”
A soft whimper escaped her as his lips came down on hers. They were soft at first, unraveling every rigid and closed-off part of her soul. Her heart overflowed with emotion, beating with a new type of energy as his kisses grew hungry. She opened for him and as their tongues met, she moaned into his mouth. And suddenly his hands were gently fisting her hair, moving her exactly where he needed her to be. His touch awakening a submissive need in her until he broke their kiss.
She moaned as she threw her leg over and straddled him, taking her turn to claim him with her mouth. She paused long enough to pull her t-shirt over her head. He brushed her hair away from her face, and she lowered herself back down, their rapid breaths tangling in between them.
“Are you sure?” he asked, his voice low and raspy.
She kissed him again, this time pouring all the confusion and hurt, mixed with the trust and hope that their entire journey promised, however long it lasted. “Yes. Please,” she panted as he slowly rolled her onto her back. Her hand went to the back of his neck, pulling him to her again.
He trailed his nose lightly along her jaw. She inhaled deeply, arching her back as he moved down her neck. Her breath caught in her throat as he lowered his mouth to her scar. Small tears escaped as he placed a lingering kiss where her scar began and continued to press tender kisses until he reached the end.
Every little touch, every breath, every heartbeat of his called to her without regret. She knew she needed this man more than she remembered needing anything else.
“I know I can’t heal every hurt you’ve ever had, but I think I’m ready to start over, and maybe we can heal each other along the way. How does that sound?”
“I think it sounds like a beautiful love story.”
His hands slowly moved down her bare stomach, his fingers found the snap on her jeans. “Our love story.”
Sensing her body tensing, he pulled back slightly. “I haven’t… I’ve never done this before,” she admitted, her eyes looking into his, needing understanding and permission to be who she was in this moment – scared, but willing to give into him completely.
He rested his forehead against hers. “Don’t worry, I’ve got you,” he whispered softly.
She smiled as she pulled him in, “And I’ve got you.”
Twenty
The morning sun peeked through the windows, warming Callie’s face. She inhaled deeply and was filled with a type of peace she’d never known and knew it was because she was sore in all the right ways and all the right places. Trey shifted next to her and wrapped his big arm around her waist, pulling her close, her back to his front. She snuggled herself against him and he growled his appreciation.
“’Good Morning,” his gravelly voice whispered as he buried his face in her hair. “I think we should call in sick and stay in bed all day.”
Callie giggled and pulled his arm even more tightly around herself. “I should call in sick to who? Your Mom?”
Trey propped himself up on one elbow, enjoying the smile he knew he was responsible for. Pressing his hard chest against her back, he leaned down and kissed her neck. “Yes, I’m sure –”
“Callie? Callie Loftier, are you here?” The new voice floated up from the first floor.
Callie gasped and pulled Trey down on top of her, trying to see over his shoulder. She covered his mouth with both hands as her eyes anxiously searched the stairway like she expected someone to be standing there. “Didn’t you lock the door?” she whisper-yelled, as panic washed across her face.
“Who is it?” Trey mumbled from behind her fingers. She shook her head frantically, pleading with him to be quiet and let her handle it.
“Callie? Is that you?”
Callie slid out from under Trey. “Yep, I’ll be right down,” she hollered as she rolled off the bed, scrambling to gather her clothes from the floor.
“Callie,” Trey said in a poor attempt at a whisper, “who the hell is down there?”
“Oh my god, you were right. This place is amazing!”
“Yep…uh huh,” Callie called out as she continued the search for her clothes. Trey rolled off the other side of the bed and popped his head up to look at her. Callie threw his shorts at him, landing them in his face. She pointed at his other clothes in a silent command for him to get dressed.
But instead, Trey crawled over to the edge of the loft. He needed to get a peek at the person who had Callie all riled up. She grabbed him by the ankle, pulling on his leg to stop him. “No, please” she begged.
“Who’s down there?” he asked again as he looked back at her.
“Trey…please…can you stay up here and be quiet until I figure out what I’m going to do?”
“Y
ou want me to hide?”
“No…just don’t be seen.”
Trey sat up quickly and pulled her on top of him, his arms trapping her, holding her tightly as she tried to escape. “Isn’t that the definition of hiding?”
Callie squirmed and pushed against his chest. “Tell me who is down there.”
“Please, Trey.”
He kissed her quickly while grabbing her ass with both hands, “Tell me…or I’ll go dancing down those steps in all my glory and introduce myself.”
“No, no, no. Please.” Anxiety was suddenly rolling off her in waves, making him feel bad for teasing her and even making his stomach drop a little. Whoever it was, Callie was concerned. He loosened his grip just as the stairs made a creaking sound.
“Well, well, well. I guess plans have changed a bit since the last time we talked.” Jade Loftier stood at the top of the stairs. Her dark skinny jeans complemented her small frame just as perfectly as her red, fitted top complemented her fiery personality. A string of classic pearls adorned her neck and was her go-to look. Her hair was a warmer shade of blonde than Callie’s honey-colored locks. But it was her dark brown eyes that Callie had always been so in awe of. They were steadfast and warm, and Callie has trusted those eyes to tell her the truth in even her darkest times. But right now, she could feel those eyes burning into her. She dropped her head, dramatically sighing. Speaking into Trey’s chest because she didn’t want to make eye contact with either of them, she waved a hand in her sister’s direction, “Trey O’Brien, I’d like to introduce you to Jade Loftier, my sister.”
“Oh shit,” Trey mumbled and dropped the back of his head to the floor.
Jade cleared her throat, clearly enjoying this. “I can see the two of you may need a moment,” she said with a smirk. “I’ll wait for you downstairs.”
Callie waited only a few seconds before pushing herself off Trey’s chest and giving it a playful slap.
“That went well, don’t you think?” Trey asked as he jumped up and pulled on his shorts.
Callie just shook her head and laughed, “Shut up, Trey.”
“What? I think she liked me,” he grinned as he pulled on his t-shirt and sauntered over to Callie. She wrapped her arms around his waist and pulled him close. “I’m so embarrassed.”
“Why? We’re two adults doing the things two adults do, Crazy Girl. And we do it well.” He smiled and slapped her ass as he released her and picked up her shirt from the floor and handed it to her. “Besides, it’s good I get to meet some of your family. You know all of mine, so it’s only fair.”
“But I didn’t want it to be like this. My sister and I are close, and I wanted the chance to explain things before she knew we were together.”
Callie stilled, her shirt halfway on. Trey grasped the bottom of her shirt and slowly helped her pull it down over her head. When her shirt was in place, she noticed he was looking directly into her eyes. “Is that what this is, Cal? Are we together?” Trey asked as he pointed back and forth between the two of them.
Callie wanted to look away as she felt the blush spreading to her cheeks, but she couldn’t. There was something in his eyes, a softness that made her long to hold him in her arms and forget all the reasons why this shouldn’t be happening.
“I mean…I guess we –” She stammered and glanced back at the bed.
Trey gently held her chin, turning her face to his, “Baby, if that’s your way of asking me where I am in all of this? Then yes. I’m here and not going anywhere. I can be kind of a handful, Miss Loftier. Are you up for the challenge?”
Callie smiled and nodded her head, knowing everything about this was wrong, but she just couldn’t fight it any longer.
“Okay then,” he said as he dropped a quick kiss on her forehead, “let’s go meet the sister…with clothes on this time.”
Callie turned toward the steps but Trey grabbed her hand. She turned to face him, expecting more teasing but instead there was something else. “Cal, I want you to know…” he paused, running his thumb over the top of her hand. “I’m not good at this. Words. Feelings.”
Broken people share themselves in different ways. For others, it would seem like a small gesture, but for someone like Trey, it was monumental. She felt his hand tremble. Instinctively, she covered it with her other hand. A smile lifted the edge of his lips as he looked at their joined hands.
“Thank you,” he said, his words rushing out. “You were so unexpected, and I guess I needed that.”
“I’ve spent the last two years, wishing I could go back to the worst moment of my life. When regret and fear fill your every thought, a future for yourself becomes an unnecessary thing… an unwanted thing. You don’t make plans, you don’t think of the next times. It’s nothing more than an unbearable extension of the painful reality you’ve created. I don’t think anyone else in my life would understand that, but I think you do.”
Callie’s eyes filled with tears as she reached up and lightly touched his cheek. “I do,” she said.
“I’m an asshole and a moody SOB, but I promise, if you’re willing to stick around, I promise to try as hard as I can to make a life without my brother. I don’t know what that looks like, or where to even start, but I hope you’ll be by my side while I try to figure it out.”
A tear rolled down her cheek as she smiled up at him. Trey’s eyebrows pulled together, his lips turning down slightly. “A smile and a tear? Are you happy or sad?”
“I’m both. I’m sad that both of us have had to face such deep hurts and fears in our lives. But I’m so happy that circumstances have brought us together to help us heal. And I’m hopeful this really is the beginning for us and we can move forward together, regardless of the past.”
Trey pulled her to him, whispering into her hair as she hugged him back. “A new beginning?”
“Our new beginning,” Callie said confidently.
“That’s right,” he agreed as he leaned into her lips and whispered, “our new beginning.”
Trey climbed down the steps, Callie just one step behind and gripping his hand tightly.
Jade watched them from her stool at the kitchen island. “Jesus, you two make quite the dramatically beautiful entrance.”
Trey walked over to her, a hand extended. “Jade, I’m sorry to have met you like that. Callie is embarrassed and I take all the blame for what you saw upstairs. I’m Trey. Welcome to the O’Brien farm.”
Jade took Trey’s hand and stood. “Thank you, Trey. I appreciate that but,” she pointed up toward the loft, “it didn’t look like my sister was being forced to do anything she didn’t want to do, was she?”
“Nope.”
“Then I would only take half the blame if I were you.” She smiled brightly at him.
Callie rushed past Trey and embraced her sister. Trey watched the way she melted into Jade. Her sister was home, she was safe.
“I’m so glad you’re here, but why didn’t you tell me you were coming?”
“Because you would’ve told me not to come because you were fine and there was nothing to worry about.”
Trey blew out an exaggerated breath and both girls looked at him. He put his hands up in front of himself in surrender. “What? She knows you well, doesn’t she?” He grabbed two coffee cups and held them up toward the sisters.
“Yes, please.” They said in unison. Trey’s eyes widened in surprise as he laughed at their enthusiastic reaction to the prospect of coffee.
Callie turned back to Jade. “But I really am fine, and there isn’t anything to worry about.”
Jade’s eyes glanced quickly to Trey and then back to Callie. “I think we need to talk a little bit about that.”
“About what?”
“About if you really are doing fine.”
Callie nodded her head slowly, hoping her sister would see how much she cared for Trey. “Yes, I really am.” Callie knew exactly what her sister was asking, but this was not happening now. Especially after everything Trey had just said to her
upstairs. She knew she was in love with him, and no one was going to take that from her. Not even Jade.
“So, you’ll be coming home soon? That’s always been the plan, right?”
“I’m not sure yet,” Callie said quietly, letting her eyes fall to the floor.
“Callie?” Trey questioned, his voice concerned as he set the cups down.
Jade continued like Trey wasn’t even in the room. “Do you have your next destination in mind?”
“No, not yet.”
“Callie…tell her. Tell her what our plan is.” Trey encouraged as he came to stand next to them.
Jade looked up from her sister, tipping her head to the side and settling her eyes on Trey. “I’m trying to decide if my sister is safe here with you. There are many things about Callie I’m sure you don’t know about.”
Trey released a tight laugh and slid his arm around Callie’s waist. “She’ll always be safe when she’s with me.”
“Is that right?” Jade asked, her eyes tightening around the edges as she took a step back and crossed her arms over her chest.
“Yes, that’s right.”
Jade pursed her lips, lifting one eyebrow. “I’ve been taking care of her all of her life. You have sex with her one time and suddenly you think you know everything about her?”
“First of all,” Trey pointed out as he moved his arm up and draped it over Callie’s shoulders, “it was more than one time.”
“Trey,” Callie said, embarrassed, as she rubbed her forehead.
“Okay, sorry, probably inappropriate, but no. I don’t think I know everything about her because a woman like Callie is a constant surprise. She surprises me every day with her strength and her stubbornness. She’s silly sometimes and sassy the next, and I never really know what to expect. But if there is one thing I do know, she can take care of herself. She doesn’t need me or you to do that for her. She will always be safe with me because I will protect her heart and who she is because she deserves that. But as far as taking care of her…she does a fine job of that on her own.”
Jade smiled at Trey, and then at her sister and shook her head. “Well, you were right about one thing – he’s a charmer.” Both girls laughed, breaking the tension in the room.
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