by Elle Linder
Her head fell back and she sighed. “You feel so good.”
Rex was aching like never before. He hoped he could hold back a little longer.
“I’m ready,” she said. “I’m so ready.”
So was he.
He encircled her waist and lowered them to the bed. Tori spread her legs, encouraging him to position himself between them.
It was then that he let spontaneity take over with his mouth. “I love you, Tori. I love you so damn much. You can trust me. I promise I’ll never hurt you.”
The wonder that appeared on her face was what he’d hoped for when he declared his love for her.
She fluttered her eyelashes, her cheeks turning pink. “I love you too. I’m not afraid of you. I want this with you. Now kiss me and make love to me.”
She didn’t have to tell him twice. His lips met hers for a slow, sensual kiss. Their bodies rubbed together as they worked each other up. Skin to skin with Tori was better than he imagined. Everything with her was magnificent.
When the moment came, he slowly entered her, pulling back when met with resistance, then pushing back in a little farther. He repeated the action a few times until he was all the way in.
“Oh. My. Word.” She exhaled, digging her nails into his shoulders. She was so warm and wet—it was everything. “This feels… It feels amazing.” Her hips started to move in time with his, affording him to go deeper. Tori’s mouth opened as he pulled back and slowly drove into her. “Don’t stop.”
Rex made love to Tori. It was slow and intentional. Everything he could think of to bring her pleasure and take her over the edge of ecstasy, he did. All the while, he held back his release as best he could until they could climax together.
Feeling his spine tingle and the fullness down low, he increased his speed and kissed her. “I love you,” he said one more time before he came.
They stilled at the same time and kissed through their release.
Rex would never get enough of Tori. Was it too soon to ask her to move in?
She saw stars when her orgasm hit and Rex filled her with his release. The way he made love to her was gentle and sensual. He didn’t rush through it but took his time. It meant the world to her. It also made her crave more, which shocked her.
She knew what would be coming next. Rex wanted to know what happened the night she had sex with Grant. It wasn’t something she wanted to talk about, but she knew if they were going to have a future together, Rex deserved the truth.
Curled in his arms, she relished the incredible euphoria whirling through her body and being in the arms of the man she loved. She never wanted anyone more than she did Rex. When he’d said “I love you,” just before entering her, she believed him and repeated those three little words back. Now she felt like she was soaring through the clouds on a natural high.
“Are you okay, my love? Did I hurt you at all?”
“Not at all. I’ve never felt better.”
He kissed her forehead. “Me either.”
Rather than wait for him to ask, she pulled up her big girl panties and trudged forward. “His name was Grant.” Rex’s arms tightened around her and his body tensed under her, but she didn’t let it stop her. “He’d been after me for over a month before I agreed to go out with him. He was a defensive tackle on the football team. We’d gone out several times, kissed quite a bit. He was sweet to me. I liked him.” She exhaled a deep breath.
Rex pressed his lips to her head in a comforting way but said nothing. The gesture helped her to continue.
“We’d both been drinking. Something I didn’t often do, still don’t beyond one glass of wine. But I’d made the decision to have sex with Grant. I wanted to lose my virginity. I wanted to be like the other girls and my brothers. Hell, Dylan had been having sex since he was sixteen.” Tori snapped her mouth shut. “Oops. Don’t repeat that.”
Rex snorted. “I won’t.”
“Anyhow. I’m still not entirely sure what went wrong with Grant. I just remember he was carrying me to his dorm room after we left the tavern and I was having a laughing fit. When we got to his room, he threw me onto his bed and told me to strip.”
“Jesus,” Rex muttered.
“I did as he said. Then he told me to get on the bed.” Her voice trembled and she inhaled another breath, then blew it out. “At that point, something felt off to me, but before my brain could process, he flipped me onto my stomach and rammed into me.” She sniffled and wiped away tears she hadn’t even realized were streaking down her face.
“Baby, I’m so sorry.” Rex held her close.
“I screamed from the pain. I’d never felt such a burning pain like that before. Like he’d ripped me in two.”
“Of course you did, you probably weren’t properly aroused.” Rex rubbed soothing circles on her back as she curled into him.
She shook her head. “No, Rex. He went into the other hole.” A deluge of tears hit her all at once.
“What?” Rex shouted and cradled her face in his hands as his enraged gaze bore into hers. “Are you sure?”
“Yes, because once he was done, he flipped me back over and took my virginity, which wasn’t as painful as when he came from behind.”
“Son of a bitch,” he hissed, pulling her closer. “Did you file a report?”
“On campus? Why would I do that?”
“No, baby, with the police so they’d arrest him.”
“Arrest him for what? He didn’t force himself on me… not really. I went willingly and took my clothes off. I’d wanted to have sex with him. I just never thought it would be so painful.”
“You’re in denial, sweetheart. He assaulted you, and I’ll kill him for it. What’s his last name?”
She propped herself on his chest. “You’ll do nothing of the sort. I need you. Lyla needs you. The way you’re reacting is the reason I never told anyone. Tanner and Dylan would be in prison now if they’d known about it.”
“I respect your brothers even more.”
“I appreciate that you want to protect me and exact vengeance on my behalf, but it’s not necessary. I’m okay.”
“I don’t know how you can say that. You were under the influence. Any decent guy wouldn’t have done that. More than that, it sounds like he wanted to hurt you.”
“Afterward, he apologized and even cried. It was the strangest thing. It was as if a switch had been flipped. I never cared to find out why. I didn’t want to see him again.”
“I’m so sorry, sweetheart. Sex should never have been like that for you.”
“I know that now. You just showed me how incredible it should be.” A yawn silenced her.
“Let me get a towel to clean us up,” he gritted out.
“Are you okay?”
“I’m furious as hell, but not at you, baby. Never at you.” He kissed her cheek and left the bed.
Oddly, she felt better now that she’d told someone about the night she was with Grant. Had he really sexually assaulted her? The thought had never crossed her mind before now. She’d just figured Grant liked rough sex.
But telling Rex after he’d made love to her helped her in more ways than he could ever know. She felt unburdened and free and wholly loved.
Now if she could just tell her dad Rex Knolls was her mystery man and she was in love with him.
Eighteen
THURSDAY AFTERNOON, REX and Lyla were in the hardware store picking out paint samples. It’d been five days since he made love to Tori for the first time, and they’d each said “I love you.” Since then, the three little words were said often by both, and they had sex every chance they got, even if just a quickie.
Taking their relationship to the next level prompted this little trip. He wanted to transform the master bedroom into one Tori would feel comfortable in. Hell, one he would feel comfortable in too. It would be a reflection of their relaxed country style.
“I think she’ll like pink!” Lyla chirped.
Rex chuckled. “Oh, no. No pink. That’s y
our favorite color.”
Lyla laughed into her hand. “It is. How about purple or orange?”
Maybe bringing her was a bad idea. Tori couldn’t drive Lyla home after school because she was meeting up with some of her friends for dinner. So he took the opportunity to swing by the hardware store to pick up some samples he’d surprise her with later tonight.
“I was thinking something like tan or beige. Tori doesn’t like bright colors.”
“Is Miss Hart moving in with us? I want her to move in and be my mommy.” Lyla shocked Rex with her statement. “You love her. She loves you. I want a baby brother, Daddy! Can we have a baby brother?” Lyla asked in a high pitched tone, bouncing on her toes.
“Shh, quiet down, sweetpea. We’ll talk about this at home.”
A growl came from behind him. The sound made the hairs on the back of Rex’s neck flare like a porcupine. He slowly turned around, his stomach churning as his heart rate kicked up a notch.
Conway Hart stared at him with a deadly glare.
“Shit,” Rex muttered.
Lyla gasped. “Daddy, you said a bad word.”
“Pick some more colors, sweetpea.” He patted her shoulder while eyeing Conway and praying it didn’t come to blows in front of Lyla.
“Okay!”
Conway glowered at Rex. If looks could kill, Rex would already be six feet under.
“You’re the man my daughter has been seeing,” Conway said through gritted teeth. It wasn’t a question, proving he heard Lyla talking about Tori.
Rex didn’t respond. What was there to say? He didn’t want to make matters worse for Tori.
“Of all the women in the world you could be with, you pick my daughter! What kind of a man are you? First, you tarnish my name to get McMurray to sell the land to you, right out from under me, then you take my daughter?”
“I didn’t take her. It just happened.”
Conway shook his head, rubbing his hand over his beard. “No. Not happening. Over my dead body this is happening.”
“She’s a grown woman. You can’t tell her who to love.”
“Love? Never!” Conway’s nostrils flared. “You’re too old for her, Knolls. She deserves better than you!”
“Daddy, why’s that man yelling?” Lyla’s scared voice made Conway freeze.
Rex swooped her into his arms. “It’s okay, honey. It’s okay.”
Conway pointed his finger at Rex as he walked away. “Stay away from her.”
“He’s a scary man, Daddy.”
“He is, sweetpea. He is. I need to call Tori. Did you pick some colors?”
She bobbed her head, eyes on the back of Conway stalking away.
“Pick some more, baby.” He set her on her feet and took his phone out of his coat pocket, dialing Tori.
She answered giggling. “Miss me already?”
“Always. But I’m not calling about that.”
“Did something happen?” Her voice turned serious.
“Yes. I ran into your dad in the hardware store and he heard Lyla talking about you. He knows, Tori. He knows I’m the guy you’re seeing. I’m glad he finally knows, but he’s furious, sweetheart.”
Tori was silent on the other end of the line. Rex gave her a second to process. He should’ve insisted she tell Conway from the start.
“I need to go.”
“Baby, are you okay?”
“I don’t know. I hope I’ll be.”
“Call me later or just come over.”
“Okay.” The call ended.
“Shit,” he hissed, running his fingers through his hair. This was bad, so incredibly bad.
An hour later, Rex had Lyla at the dinner table, eating chicken nuggets and fries. He couldn’t eat a bit, worried out of his mind for Tori. If it weren’t for Lyla and the evening chores, he might go mad.
He tried to put himself in Conway’s shoes. Every way he worked it out in his head, it always ended up with him feeling just as much disgust as Conway felt about him. Rex wouldn’t want Lyla with a man like him—a lying, cheating, older man. Conway had every right to hate Rex.
Would Tori hate him too?
Had Rex been avoiding telling her what happened so she’d fall in love with him and wouldn’t leave him?
He shook his head as guilt flooded his veins. He didn’t manipulate Tori. She chose him on her own; she loved him genuinely.
But would she have fallen in love with him if she knew what he’d done to her dad?
He paced in the kitchen, fighting the urge to call her. All he could do was wait it out.
And pray.
If he lost her over this, it would destroy him. Tori was his person. They had a connection, a deep, soul-binding bond like nothing he’d ever experienced before. When they worked together in the stables, they were a team. They complemented each other.
Tori was so sweet and easy to love. She never whined or complained as Raquel had. Tori wasn’t fussy. She had a calm spirit that somehow magically calmed him too.
He needed her like the air he breathed and loved her with every fiber of his being.
“Call me!” He slammed his hand on the marble island.
Lyla’s gaze shot to his.
Rex grimaced. “Sorry.”
“Is Miss Hart coming over? I want to show her the pretty colors I picked.”
“I don’t know, sweetpea. I hope she does. I really, truly hope she does.”
“Rex, Rexford Knolls… Are you out of your mind?” Conway’s booming voice nearly made the roof cave in on them.
Tori flinched in her seat, along with her mama. Tanner and Dylan had just entered the kitchen only a moment after Tori sat down. She shot Tanner a pleading look, begging him to stay. When he took the seat next to Tori, Dylan dropped into one beside Mama.
They all looked shell-shocked. Conway Hart had that effect on people. It was why most didn’t cross him… other than Tanner, who had dozens of times.
She took her brother’s hand under the table and squeezed it, trying to absorb his strength and fearless attitude. It probably wouldn’t work for her, but it was worth a try.
“Of all the men in PR! You take up with my enemy! Where is your loyalty, Tori? Where is your good sense?”
“Conway,” Mama snapped. “Tori is loyal and she has a good head on her shoulders. But the heart wants what it wants. You of all people should know this.”
“Is that right?” Daddy pointed directly at Tori. “She’s been lying to me for weeks. Avoiding the topic. Running off in the evening and only coming home to tend to Daisy. She’s been sneaking around like she’s ashamed of Rex!”
“I am not ashamed of him! He’s a wonderful man and father.”
Conway threw his hands up in the air. “A father. Are you ready to be a mother to his daughter? What about his ex-wife? Is she in the picture? Do you even know why they divorced?”
“I’m already being a mother to Lyla.”
Conway stilled and narrowed his eyes at her.
“I love that little girl as if she were my own. Rex’s ex-wife isn’t in the picture. He has full custody because she didn’t want to be a mother.” She held her father’s gaze.
“And did he tell you about stealing the McMurray land from me? Did he tell you how he lied to get it? Tarnished my good name in town and nearly tore my marriage apart!”
“What?” Tori cried out.
“Conway! That’s not true,” Mama admonished.
“The hell it isn’t! You nearly kicked me out of our bed because you believed him. You called me a liar.”
Mama’s eyes pooled with tears. “I reacted badly. I didn’t kick you out of our bed. I believed you in the end.”
“Woman, it’s the fact that for six goddamn hours, you thought I cheated on you. That is what fueled my anger all these years when I hear the name Rex Knolls! That son of a bitch made you cry. He made you doubt me. That’s unforgivable!”
She couldn’t believe what she was hearing. The emotion in her father’s voice and the tear
s in her mother’s eyes broke Tori, and tears ran down her face. “What did he tell McMurray?” she asked in a shaky voice.
“McMurray is a staunch Christian man. Rex used it to his advantage and told McMurray that he’d seen me in Big Sky on several occasions with another woman. That he’d followed me to a motel and watched me take her into a room. He told McMurray I was a selfish bastard who didn’t give a shit about my wife or children.”
Tori’s brothers were on their feet, breathing deeply with their hands fisted.
She grabbed Tanner’s wrist. “Please, Tanner, sit down.”
“Did you not hear what he said? Your guy slandered our father, Tor.”
“But it was a long time ago. Rex isn’t that same guy. He’s a good man.”
“Horse shit! He could have broken up our parents’ marriage. Destroyed our family over fifty goddamn acres! You can’t tell me you’re okay with it.”
“Of course I’m not, but… but Rex made a mistake. I’m sure he’s sorry.” Tori was on the verge of falling apart. She’d never seen her brothers so angry. Anxiety bloomed in her chest. She put her hand to her heart, slowing her breathing. If she could just calm everyone down, she would tell them how terrific Rex was.
“Fuck that! I want to beat the crap out of him,” Dylan said through gritted teeth.
“Sit down,” Mama said in a warning tone. “Both of you. Conway, I’m losing my patience.”
“Tori, you’re free to do whatever you please. Your mama’s right. You’re a grown woman. She keeps reminding me of that, but I guess I hadn’t wanted to see it. You’ve always been my baby girl. I took the job of protecting you as my most important job, but it’s time I let you go and make your own decisions.” He paused and sucked in a breath, but Tori was holding hers as tears streamed down her cheeks. “If Rexford Knolls is who you choose, so be it. But I want nothing to do with him. He is not welcome in my home… ever!” Her dad stormed out of the kitchen, slamming the back door and rattling the glasses in the cabinets.
It was as if her heart had cracked open as she sat in disbelief of what just transpired. She felt dizzy and sick to her stomach.