by Elle Linder
“Hey…” Dawson lifted it with his finger. “It’ll be all right. If what you say is true, Rex is a decent man who treats you well and makes you happy, we’ll all stand by you. Even if Dad throws a nuclear fit.”
“Thank you. That means a lot. But I gotta be honest, nuclear scares the crap out of me.”
“Trust me, I know.” He winked, placing his hand on her shoulder.
“Right. I remember what happened the night before you left for marine basic. He hardly talked to any of us for weeks. Even then, it took months before he was himself again.” She gripped her stomach. “Will this be worse than you joining the marines without telling anyone?”
Dawson kissed her forehead. “Maybe. You are his only daughter. But at the end of the day, he only wants you to be happy. So fight for what matters to you, Tor. If you don’t, you’ll grow bitter, and bitterness can lead to emptiness. If you pick Rex and it doesn’t work out, at least you’ll know. If it does work out and you fall in love, I don’t see how that’s a bad thing.” He shrugged and stepped out of the stall.
“I’m glad you’re home.” She smiled, finally having a bit of clarity.
“Me too.”
“Stay safe out there.”
“Always.”
She watched Dawson leave the stables, then turned toward Daisy. “Why does everything always come down to fighting for love? Shouldn’t it be easy when you find the right person?” All these years she should have been paying closer attention to the couples around her. She might have learned a thing or two about love.
Tomorrow she’d go to work, and she couldn’t wait to see Rex.
Ten
“DADDY MADE THE cat stick its tongue out so he’s not scary.” Lyla was perched on Tori’s lap as they examined the giant carved pumpkin. When Tori had entered her classroom and seen the monstrosity on her desk, she couldn’t believe her eyes.
Lyla had bolted into the room and into Tori’s arms when she and Rex arrived. Their eyes had met and her insides warmed.
“This huge pumpkin… might it be—”
“She insisted I bring it to you,” he’d said, cutting her off. When no children or parents were around, he’d whispered, “I’ll take it as a personal rejection if you send it back home with her at the end of the day.”
Butterflies had danced in her belly being close to him. But Rex had been a perfect gentleman and didn’t touch her. Although, the stinker had muttered on his way out that he’d like to smother her with kisses. He hadn’t entirely played fair, leaving her wanting.
It’d been ages since she had a jack-o’-lantern of her own. Mama wasn’t a Halloween person; she liked harvest decorations, not gory and ghoulish or ghosts and goblins. It warmed her heart that Lyla wanted her to have a pumpkin she and her daddy had carved together.
“He did a fine job. It’s not scary at all.”
Lyla’s face beamed. “You like it? Really like it?” She snuggled closer and melted Tori’s heart.
Most of the children were still resting on their mats, but Lyla always managed to engage Tori fifteen minutes before quiet time was over. This precious girl had claimed a part of her heart weeks ago… and now her daddy was close to doing the same.
“I do really like it,” she whispered. “Did you help your daddy with it?”
“Yup. I scraped the seeds out and fed them to chickens.” Lyla covered her mouth and giggled. “They’re funny to watch.”
“Chickens love pumpkin seeds.” Every fall, she enjoyed watching the chickens on the ranch go nuts over them.
“Do you have chickens, Miss Hart?” Lyla’s eyes were wide with excitement.
“I sure do. And cows and my own horse named Daisy.”
“I have a pony named Applesauce, ’cause he likes apples.” She quietly giggled again.
“Aww, I love his name.”
“Maybe you can come to my house and pet him. He’s a cutie.”
“I bet he is.”
“I missed you when you were gone.” Lyla nuzzled her head against Tori’s chest.
“I missed you too, pumpkin.” This little girl was wrapping herself around Tori’s heart. If things didn’t work out with Rex, it would break Tori’s heart to not see Lyla.
“So do you want to come to my house?” Lyla asked again.
“Miss Hart, I need to potty,” Cassidy said from across the room.
And so the usual trail of “me too” ensued like clockwork. Tori was glad. She had no idea how to answer Lyla’s invitation. Hopefully, she’d forget she asked, but Tori knew better. Four-year-olds never forgot anything.
The last hour of class breezed by. With each minute ticking closer to the time Rex would arrive to pick up Lyla, Tori’s heart beat just a little faster.
She found herself fidgeting with her hair; no paint in it today. When the first parent entered the classroom to retrieve their child, it was go-time. She had all the kids ready as she did every day, but those darn butterflies were going wild inside her. Anticipation was building to see Rex.
“Hey, girl!” Dana’s voice startled Tori, and she whirled around to see her friend.
“Hi!”
“What’s got you flustered? The preschoolers giving you trouble today?” She adjusted Carter in her arms. He was around three months old, if Tori remembered correctly.
Tori laughed, waving her off. “No, not at all. I just have stuff on my mind.” More like Rex on her mind.
Speak of the devil. The second he appeared, Lyla was at Tori’s side, tugging on her shirt. “’Cuse me, Miss Hart… ’Cuse me.”
Tori’s gaze locked on Rex’s as he made his way to Lyla’s cubby. He was doing a great job acting as if nothing was going on between them. Unfortunately for Tori, she wasn’t.
“Tor, hey, Tor.” Dana nudged her.
“Huh? What? Did you say something?” Tori stumbled over herself.
Dana raised a curious eyebrow as her eyes darted from Tori to Rex, then back at Tori. “Right. We need to talk after your classroom empties.”
“’Cuse me, Miss Hart.” Lyla was bouncing up and down now.
Dana snorted. “She’s been saying excuse me for days now. Tend to the poor child instead of her d-a-d.”
“Why’d you spell dad, Mama?” Cassidy asked from behind them.
Tori’s face heated and probably turned as red as a tomato. She ignored Cassidy’s question and Dana’s snickering and turned her attention to Lyla. “Yes, Lyla. What do you need, sweetie?”
“Can you come to my house?”
“Oh my…” Dana muttered, amusement in her voice.
“Lyla? Are you ready, sweetpea? Tell Miss Hart good-bye,” Rex told Lyla. He didn’t look Tori in the eye as he put his hand on his daughter’s back. Not having his attention made her feel weird… ignored.
“Can Miss Hart come to our house to play with Applesauce? She loves horses and has chickens too! Please, Daddy!” Lyla’s enthusiasm was adorable.
“I’m sure Miss Hart has other things to do.”
“He’s right, sweetie. I need to um… um…” Her mind went blank.
Dana cut in. “Miss Hart is having dinner with me tonight. Maybe she can go on another day. See you at five, Miss Hart… At Pete’s.” Dana winked as she left the classroom with Cassidy in tow.
“Dang, I was hoping…”
“Rex,” she whispered before he could finish his sentence.
He stepped closer to her, eyeing her like she was a decadent piece of cake he wanted to devour. Her body betrayed her and she trembled.
“Bye, Miss Hart.” Lyla threw her arms around Tori’s legs and hugged her. As the little girl was squeezing her, Rex played with Tori’s hair. Thankfully no one could see what he was doing. Only her expression would give anything away. She tried like heck to not appear twitterpated, but his fingers twisting in her long locks wasn’t helping.
“Call me after your dinner date,” he said in a low, husky voice. “Come on, sweetpea. We need to run by Miller’s Market.”
“For can
dy corn?”
“Yes, among other things.” He winked at Tori.
“Yay. Miss Hart loves candy corn!”
A few children and parents turned in Tori’s direction. If her face wasn’t already hot, it would be now with the curious looks shooting her way. She’d give Rex a stern talking to about his behavior in her classroom when she saw him next… after some much-needed kissing, of course.
“Okay, girlie, spill it! I’ve been going crazy with all kinds of ideas about you and Rex.” Dana nudged her side. Across from them were Piper and Bailey grinning from ear to ear.
Piper laughed. “Yes, do tell and don’t leave out a single detail.”
Her eyes flitted to her future sister-in-law. Bailey gave her a barely noticeable nod.
“We kissed at the harvest dance.”
Dana and Piper gasped in unison.
“And?” Dana shimmied excitedly in her seat.
“You all promise not to tell anyone, right? My dad has no idea, and I imagine it won’t go well when he finds out.”
“Yes, of course, we promise,” Dana said first.
“You can trust me, babe. I’ve seen Conway’s temper in living color. I’ll take this to the grave,” Piper said next.
“Me too.” Bailey gave her a soft smile.
“Okay, it started last month when school started…”
By the time Tori finished giving the girls all the details, right down to the orgasm she had, they were all giddy with excitement for her.
“He sounds ah-mazing,” Dana squealed quietly beside Tori.
“I’m curious though, how old is he? Not that it matters or anything,” Bailey asked.
“Forty. Do you guys think that’s too old?” Tori watch each one of her friends for their reaction. Not one of them made a weird or disgusted face. But were they okay with the age gap?
“That’s thirteen years older than you,” Piper said in an even, nonjudgement tone.
“He turns forty-one in a few months.”
“Ooh…” the girls said in unison.
“It’s just one more year and not even a full year. A half a year.” She felt like she was grasping at straws, trying to convince her friends that Rex’s age wasn’t a big deal. “Is that weird?”
Again, nobody said anything.
“Can I get you ladies anything else?” Pete asked, breaking the awkward silence.
They all shook their heads.
“I guess we’re good,” Piper replied for the table.
“Let me know if you change your minds. I’ll just leave this here.” He put the bill on the end of the table, his gaze falling on each of them, then darted away. He seemed to sense something strange was going on.
“You guys are killing me,” Tori blurted. “You think I’m out of mind for liking Rex, don’t you?” If this was her friends’ reaction, her parents were sure to disapprove.
Dana squeezed her hand. “No, doll. If he’s who you like, we support you. Right, girls?”
Piper and Bailey nodded.
Her friends were great, always had been. Unfortunately, she wasn’t feeling their support. Just last week, they’d all gathered at Piper’s house to encourage Bailey when she confessed to liking Tanner and that she was devastated over a fight they’d had. The very next day, they had announced their engagement and that Bailey was pregnant. The way it all had happened was jarring for Tori, but she was happy for her brother. The genuine excitement for Tanner and Bailey had been one thousand percent higher than the monotonous support her friends were showing her.
“I’m falling hard for him. A little more each time we’re together. But honestly, I’m worried my being with Rex will tear my family apart.”
“No—”
“Yes.” She cut Piper off. “I know Dawson told you about our talk today. He tells you everything, and I’m okay with it. He might have told me to fight for what I want and that he’d stand by me, but what will that mean to my dad? Will he feel like everyone is against him?”
“Conway is a tough old bird. But he loves you, Tori. I really believe he’ll come around.”
“I do too. I may not know Conway on the same level as you and Piper, but I know he’s a lot like Tanner, and they don’t stay angry for long,” Bailey said with a sweet smile.
“He’s been hating on Rex for some fifteen years now,” Tori grumbled.
“Listen, honey.” Dana turned to face her. “I’m sensing you’re more concerned about what others will think of you being with Rex. Sure it’s a little surprising because he’s a lot older, but every time his name leaves your lips, your eyes sparkle like emeralds. All that matters to any of us is that he treats you well and makes you deliriously happy. Don’t listen to the naysayers.”
“He’s also easy on the eyes.” Piper waggled her eyebrows, making them laugh.
“I don’t care about his age. He’s sexy, and the way he cares for Lyla… It melts my heart watching them together.”
“I can vouch for that. I’ve never seen a more loving and doting father,” Dana said.
Finally, Tori felt like she could breathe as her friends’ attitudes regarding Rex changed for the positive. Dana wasn’t wrong, Tori was concerned about what people would think about her being with Rex. Piper Ridge was a small town. Everyone knew everyone, and people talked… more than they should. Whatever they said about her would find its way back to her daddy, the good and the bad.
The last thing Tori wanted was to bring her family shame or embarrass them. But her heart had overpowered her good sense weeks ago. She didn’t think she could stop seeing Rex.
She didn’t want to stop being with Rex.
Eleven
“I MISSED YOU…” The words left his lips unprompted as he dotted kisses along her jaw. Was Rex ever glad when Tori called like he’d requested and agreed to come over.
“I have a confession,” she said on a sigh. “I hope you won’t be angry.”
Rex froze and pulled back to see her expression. “What is it?”
She hesitated a long second, putting him on alert.
“I didn’t have a migraine. I needed time to think about us. If I saw you…” Her voice trailed, and she pressed her hand to his face. “It would have messed with my heart and my head.”
“You missed work because of me?” He didn’t like interfering with her job.
“I missed work for me.” Her arms went around his neck, and she placed a tender kiss on his lips. “And now I’m here with you.” She kissed him again. “I want you.”
Relief rushed into his heart. “I want you too.”
Their lips collided. He’d never felt so overwhelmed with emotions before. He couldn’t get enough of Tori.
They made out frantically on the sofa in his den. His hands skimmed over her back and the curve of her hips, up to the swell of her breasts. Each time Tori moaned or hummed, he became just a little harder for her.
Getting turned on was a considerable problem. Rex’s mind wandered to his bed and having her in it. He knew he needed to slow down, but slowing down didn’t seem possible with this gorgeous woman in his arms. She was like a breath of fresh air, and he was gasping with the need to fill his lungs with her sweet essence. Whenever he was with her, she cleansed his soul and brightened… everything. He hadn’t ever felt this kind of contentment. He wanted to do right by her. She deserved nothing less.
Tori’s hands crept under his henley shirt, making his spine tingle from her soft touch. Her tongue played with his and she sucked his bottom lip into her mouth, gently biting. She was working him up. If he didn’t stop them now, he might whisk her off to his bedroom. Before he could end their stimulating activities, Tori’s hips rolled into his and her breasts smothered his chest.
“I can’t seem to get enough of you,” she whispered, kissing down his neck. “Do you feel what I feel? The heat between us?”
“Yes. More than you know.”
She stopped instantly and eased back a bit to look at him. Her emerald depths drew him in, seeing d
esire pooling in them. She bit her lip as she smiled.
“I feel you loud and clear.” She rocked on him. This time she was straddling him. It was a fantastic position, but it left nothing to the imagination for his dirty mind.
“You kind of turn me on.”
She smirked, raising an eyebrow. “Kinda?” She rubbed against him in painfully slow motion.
“I find you irresistible, but we should stop.”
She made a sad face. “I don’t want to leave, but I’m not ready for sex. Though I do get a thrill turning you on.”
“Sadist,” he teased.
“Maybe.” Again, she rubbed against his erection. “Does it hurt? I mean, being hard and not getting to… finish.”
The innocent way she asked cooled his jets instantly. This woman was a treasure, seemingly unspoiled if she had no idea how much he ached down low. It didn’t make sense to him. She said she wasn’t a virgin, so how did she not know what he was feeling?
Rather than embarrass her with questions, he simply answered her. “It’s not the best feeling, but I’ll live.”
“Hmm. I guess I should apologize.”
“No, ma’am. Not necessary.”
“I don’t want to leave, but it’s getting late.”
Rex glanced at the clock on the mantle. It was after ten o’clock. Usually, he’d be in bed by now. Lyla had gone to bed hours ago, not long after Tori had called.
“Spend the night with me.” He couldn’t believe his own ears.
Her eyes went wide. “Really? What about Lyla?”
“What about her? I don’t want to hide from her or anyone else.”
She considered him a long beat. “Nobody is at home. They’re gone for the roundup until Friday evening.” There was also the matter of checking in on Bailey for Tanner. But that was easy enough since Rex’s place was north of Tanner’s. Tori could see Bailey for a bit before going to Rex’s.
“Then it’s settled.” He lifted off the sofa, and she put her feet on the ground. “Let’s go to bed.”
“But—”
“To sleep, beautiful. Nothing more, until you’re ready.”
“To sleep, beautiful. Nothing more, until you’re ready.” He kissed her forehead and started to turn off the lights in the house.