by Elle Linder
Copyright © 2020 by Elle Linder
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed or transmitted in any form or by any means, without prior written permission.
Elle Linder/Ocean Dreams Publishing
17976 120th Ave NE
Thief River Falls, MN 56701
www.ellelinder.com
www.oceandreamspublishing.com
Publisher’s Note: This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are a product of the author’s imagination. Locales and public names are sometimes used for atmospheric purposes. Any resemblance to actual people, living or dead, or to businesses, companies, events, institutions, or locales is completely coincidental.
Cover Design by Sunset Rose Books
Book Layout © 2016 BookDesignTemplates.com
Secret Hearts/ Elle Linder-- 1st ed.
A Harts of Idaho Series Book
ISBN 978-1-952423-09-3 print format
ISBN 978-1-952423-08-6 eBook format
If you would like to join Elle’s newsletter list, sign up at:
www.ellelinder.com
We look forward to having you on our email list to share all the happenings, good vibes, special promos and whatever else might be going on in this writing life.
We look forward to sharing with you.
THANK YOU!
This book is dedicated to the growing number of fans and followers of my books and novellas. It is for you I write. I hope you love reading romance as much as I enjoy writing it. It means the world to me and keeps me going every day to write…. FOR YOU! Thank you so much.
All the love,
Elle
SECRET HEARTS
One
Two
Three
Four
Five
Six
Seven
Eight
Nine
Ten
Eleven
Twelve
Thirteen
Fourteen
Fifteen
Sixteen
Seventeen
Eighteen
Nineteen
Twenty
Twenty-one
Twenty-two
Twenty-three
Twenty-four
Twenty-five
Epilogue
Acknowledgements
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
One
The night of the harvest dance…
TORI FUSSED OVER her hair in the bathroom mirror, eager to return to the dance and see Rex again. Rexford Knolls made her heart flutter every time he spoke, smiled, or laughed. Unfortunately, he hadn’t done any of those things very often when around her. But when he did, she turned into a swooning schoolgirl. It was probably not what Rex would want, but she couldn’t help the way she responded to him.
She could hear her younger brother Dylan calling her doe-eyed. He wouldn’t be wrong. Tori was sure she made a fool of herself ogling Rex every day when he dropped his daughter Lyla off at school and then again when he picked her up.
The first time they’d met was in a parent-teacher capacity when school started last month. With each passing week, Tori noticed little changes in Rex. Lingering glances, more smiles, and a twinkle in his eye. Tori couldn’t help herself; she embraced the light flirting, or what she wanted to believe was flirting.
Then last Friday, her hopes had been confirmed when Rex asked if she’d like to go for a ride Saturday afternoon on his property north of Hart Ranch. Without hesitating, she’d said, I’d love to. After spending three hours alone with Rex, she liked him even more.
She lightly touched the tips of her fingers to her pink cheeks. All evening she’d felt flushed just knowing Rex was nearby. She had to play it cool with her parents and brothers in the building. Luckily Rex’s cousin, PW, had been around each time they’d spoken. She hoped her family wouldn’t suspect anything was going on between her and Rex.
Was something going on between her and Rex? She gnawed on her bottom lip, unsure of anything having to do with Rex Knolls.
Tori could recall each conversation she’d had with Rex over the last six weeks, word for word. She could also remember the way her stomach flip-flopped when his blue eyes connected with hers. Or how sizzling tingles shot up her spine at the sound of his deep yet gentle voice. Since the first day of school, she’d been like a silly schoolgirl crushing on a handsome teacher.
But crushing on Rex Knolls was wrong. She knew it but couldn’t stop hoping something more would happen between them. During their afternoon ride, he didn’t touch her once and hardly looked at her. The afternoon was pleasant, and their conversation was light and mostly focused on the horses they were riding.
Still, the sexual tension between them was growing. Tori felt it and was sure Rex did too. Even her classroom helper, Kendra, had asked on Thursday if she was dating Rex. The question had stunned Tori.
Her father would likely blow a gasket over Tori having anything to do with Rex Knolls, but she hadn’t put a stop to their innocent flirting. Betraying her father wasn’t something she ever imagined doing. She adored him, and he’d always been her hero.
As much as she tried, Tori couldn’t resist Rex. She inhaled a deep breath, but it didn’t calm her.
Satisfied with her appearance, Tori swung the door open and darted out. “Oh!” she exclaimed, bumping into someone. The dimly lit hallway made it difficult to see who she had carelessly plowed into.
A steady hand gripped her waist. The tingles she’d come to know well returned with a vengeance. “Are you okay, Miss Hart?” His voice turned the bones in her spine into limp noodles.
Her gaze flitted up to his handsome face. “Rex… I mean, Mr. Knolls. I’m so sorry.” Her face heated as their eyes locked, his glittering with mirth. Or maybe he’d drunk a little too much.
“Call me Rex. It’s not like we don’t know each other.” His grip on her waist grew firmer and his voice huskier. A spark in her southern region launched a series of electric tingles and zings. This was the closest they had ever been to each other.
“You’re right.” Tremors of excitement exploded inside her. “How is Lyla? I meant to ask about her earlier.” When the spunky four-year-old had entered Tori’s classroom for the first time, she’d had no idea how the little girl with golden blonde locks would change her. Nor had she known she would fall head over heels for the little girl’s father—Tori’s own father’s rival.
“She’s good. With the babysitter.” He shrugged and had yet to remove his hand from her waist. The heat radiating from it branded her, quite possibly ruining her for any other man. She’d felt a powerful draw to him the first time they met in her classroom. The pull grew in strength last weekend when she was alone with him. Now feeling his hand on her intensified it tenfold. “I don’t get out much, being a single parent, but PW convinced me to come to the dance.”
“Oh, sure.” She bobbed her head like a silly schoolgirl staring in awe at the most popular professor on campus. “I imagine you don’t get much time to yourself. But Lyla is precious and so smart.”
“She feels the same about you.”
Tori’s breath hitched. “She does?”
Rex’s slate-blue eyes danced over her face. Her heart thumped rapidly in her chest. She desperately wanted him to kiss her. Just one might satisfy her… No, she knew it would never be enough.
“She talks about you all the time. How pretty you are.” He touched a section of her dark brown hair cascading over her shoulder and over her breast.
She exhaled. “Really?”<
br />
“Mmhmm. And how she loves the way you sing.” His eyes zeroed in on her lips again.
Unconsciously her tongue darted out, swiping across her lower lip. “Wow…”
“But mostly, she says you give the best hugs.”
That statement sobered her. Lyla was a delightful little girl, but it was easy to see she was starved for affection. Tori didn’t know a lot about Lyla’s home life. All the little girl had told her was that her mommy moved away. Tori assumed Rex and his wife were divorced, or at least she hoped they were. She felt awful for wishing something so final, given how much Lyla seemed to miss her mommy.
“I—”
He placed a finger on her lips, stopping her. “Shh, I don’t want to talk about Lyla. But I am curious about something.”
She drew in a deep breath when his eyes dropped to her chest. “What’s that?”
“What a hug from you feels like.” His hand cradled her cheek. “And what it would be like to kiss you.” His thumb caressed her jaw.
“That’s two somethings,” she whispered, feeling herself falling, falling, falling.
Rex’s lip curled. “For six weeks, I’ve been dreaming of kissing you.” He laughed, shaking his head. “Dammit, I’ve had a little too much to drink tonight. My defenses are down. You’re quite irresistible. But tonight, I don’t care if you’re a Hart.” His lips ghosted across hers. It was then she smelled whiskey on his breath. “I should have kissed you last weekend.”
“Then kiss me now.” She fisted his shirt collar, tugging him closer, and their lips met.
Timidly Rex’s mouth moved over hers, his other hand encircling her body. He pressed her against the wall, putting her body flush with his, and their passion ignited.
Rex’s tongue swiped across her upper lip like a silent request to be invited in. She whimpered with need and opened her mouth, welcoming more. He groaned, his arms squeezing her.
“Delicious.” He softly bit her lip. “Delectable. Addictive.” His kisses grew more desperate. “I haven’t been with anyone in two years. Since before the divorce.” His hand glided up her torso to her breast. “I never wanted anyone more than you.”
Tori shivered as her core turned molten with desire. She threw her arms around his neck and returned equally eager kisses. She didn’t believe him for a second that he had never wanted anyone more than her. Surely the whiskey he’d had and the heat of the moment were the culprits. Even so, she liked hearing it.
“Rex, I’ve wanted this for weeks.” Her declaration set him off. They kissed wildly, all hands and tongues and moans. She rubbed against him, feeling the firmness in his pants.
“Do you want to leave?” he asked through his frantic kisses.
“Yes…”
“Tor?”
The gravelly sound of Tanner’s voice jolted her. She pulled away, breathing heavily. “Tanner, oh God. I… Um…” she stuttered, taking two steps away from Rex.
“Right. Exactly what I thought.” He eyed Rex. “You know my father will have your head for touching her, don’t you?”
Tori’s heart raced. “Please don’t tell him.”
Rex’s face hardened. “It was a mistake anyway.” He stalked off, holding his head high, without a backward glance.
“Rex, wait!” Tori hollered.
But Rex Knolls didn’t stop, and he left the building.
“What in the hell are you thinking?” Tanner grabbed her arm before she could run after him.
“Tanner, stop,” Bailey forced his hand off Tori. “Come here, honey.” She reeled Tori into her arms. “Rex is your mystery guy?”
Tori nodded, hugging Bailey. “Yes. He’s gone, Bay. And now Tanner knows.” Tears pooled in Tori’s eyes as she stared down the hallway toward the glass doors Rex exited through.
“It’ll be okay. Tanner won’t say a word. Will you, Tanner?”
Tanner grumbled something Tori didn’t understand. Curse words, she assumed.
“Come here, sis.” Tori was pulled into his arms. “I won’t say anything. But, Tor, you and Rex? Darlin’, you know that can never happen.”
Her tears fell as her chest caved in on her heart. She knew it was wrong to even consider Rex, but it wasn’t fair. If he hadn’t been the first man to make her feel flutters and tingles, she wouldn’t have thought twice about him.
“It just can’t. Dad would go apeshit. He’d never approve of Rex Knolls dating his daughter. What were you thinking, Tor? You know their history.”
“Don’t be a jerk, Tanner,” Bailey hissed from behind Tori. “The heart wants what it wants. I’m going to the bathroom. Be. Nice.”
“Yes, sweetheart. I’ll be here waiting for you.” Tanner released Tori. His dark eyes were soft and sympathetic. “Tor, if it were anyone else, I wouldn’t care. But, darlin’, you can’t let this continue. If you’ve had something going on with him, end it now.”
“You make it sound dirty. Like I’ve been with a serial killer. Rex is a good man, Tan.”
He shook his head. “He swindled the land Dad wanted right out from under him. He got the owner to pull out of the deal he’d made with Dad. That is not the mark of a good man, Tor.”
“He didn’t steal it! He bought it legally.” She sniffled, trying to regain control of herself.
“You know it doesn’t work that way. Don’t be foolish.” Tanner gripped the back of his neck. “What if you fell in love with him and wanted to marry him? Do you honestly think Dad would welcome Rex into the family? His home?”
She’d already thought of that and didn’t have an answer. She only had prayed her father would find it in his heart to forgive Rex, though she didn’t feel forgiveness was necessary. The land had been appropriately purchased, from what she knew. Her dad needed to let it go. If he couldn’t, she didn’t have a clue what she’d do.
“It doesn’t seem to matter now, does it? Rex is gone.” Tori steeled herself as Tanner narrowed his eyes, assessing her.
Before Tanner could say anything else, Bailey stepped out of the bathroom and took Tanner’s hand. Tori could tell he wanted to say more but probably wouldn’t.
“Are you ready, sweetheart?” he asked Bailey, tucking her into his side.
“Yes. Everything okay here?” Bailey issued Tori a small, sympathetic smile.
“I think so,” Tori replied. She was lying straight through her teeth. Nothing was okay. She glanced at the glass doors again, her heart aching.
“We’re ducking out of the dance for a little bit.” He kissed Bailey’s forehead. “If you need anything, call me.”
“I will.”
As they left, Bailey mouthed, Go after him. Had Tanner seen, he’d probably have a fit. But Bailey gave Tori just the nudge she needed.
Family loyalties be damned.
She needed to talk to Rex. When he said kissing her was a mistake, it had crushed her. How could he say such a thing?
Tori squared her shoulders and went back to the dance. Half the room appeared to be line dancing, and she was glad. It meant all her friends and anyone who would care she was leaving wouldn’t notice.
Except her parents were sitting at the table where her coat was, with the mayor and his wife. They were probably discussing Tanner and Bailey.
Shoot. Tori gnawed on her lower lip.
Last night when Tanner and Bailey announced they’d been secretly together for nearly a year and were having a baby and getting married in December, Tori’s family cheered and clapped. They all loved Bailey and had known Tanner had been crazy about her back in high school. It didn’t surprise anyone that he’d finally gotten the woman of his dreams.
However, the baby part was a shocker. Not that anyone would be upset by it. Mama had squealed with delight when she hugged Tanner.
That was the thing about Tori’s family; they supported and loved each other through thick and thin. But she knew she wouldn’t get the same response from her family if she started dating Rex Knolls. Tanner’s reaction would be considered mild compared to how her fat
her would react.
Tori went to the table and collected her things. “Mama,” she whispered, “I’m heading out.”
A suspicious glint flashed in her mama’s emerald eyes. “With who?”
“No one. I’m just leaving. See you tomorrow.”
Her dad’s dark eyes cut to hers when her mama grabbed her wrist.
“Are you okay?” Mama asked as she carefully examined Tori. “You’ve been crying.” Mama glanced at Dad with a concerned expression.
“I’m fine. Really.” She kissed her cheek. “Bye.”
Tori smiled and waved to Bailey’s parents and rushed out of the building before anyone else could stop her.
Two
REX ENTERED HIS quiet home. The lights were dimmed, a sure sign Lyla was in bed. It was after nine o’clock, after all, well past her bedtime.
Was he ever glad too. Rex needed time to brood over his stupid mistake kissing Miss Hart. Not only was she his daughter’s preschool teacher, but also the younger daughter of the man who hated him. Rex couldn’t remember how old Tori had been back when he bought the McMurray land under less than honorable conditions. She’d been just a kid; he knew that much. He’d been twenty-five at the time—fifteen years ago. For obvious reasons, he’d hardly paid any attention to Conway’s kids. The land was his only concern.
He slipped off his coat as he crept into the den and found Kelly watching a reality show with a bunch of men wearing swim trunks. He furrowed his brow at the teenager.
“Do your parents let you watch this?” He pointed at the large flatscreen on the wall.
Kelly snorted, waving him off. “I’m seventeen, Mr. Knolls. Practically a legal adult. What’s so bad about The Bachelorette? She gets to have all these men fighting for her attention, hoping she’ll pick him. It’s a woman’s ultimate fantasy.”
Rex groaned, tilting his head back and counting to five like he often did when Lyla tried his patience. No chance in hell he’d allow his little girl to watch a show like that, much less be on it. He found those types of shows degrading and immoral for both sexes.