“Um, Brice?”
I love the hesitation and confusion in her voice. “How long has it been since you went riding, Presley?”
She looks at me wide-eyed as I point to the two horses waiting outside the barn door, fully saddled and ready to go. “Brice, I don’t ride.”
“You’re telling me you live around horses and don’t go riding?”
“That’s exactly what I’m saying, Brice. I don’t do numbers, and I don’t do horses.” There’s a slight tremble in her voice, and I’m beginning to feel bad about the surprise I’ve sprung on her. Parking the truck, I turn in my seat towards her, taking her hands in mine.
“Do you trust me, Presley?” She looks at the horses and then back at me. “I won't let anything happen to you.” Bringing her knuckles up to my lips, I leave a lingering kiss on them. “I promise.”
I can feel her relax under my touch as she releases a deep sigh. “I’m not dressed for riding.”
I look over her outfit and let out a hearty laugh, a fitted sweater, leggings, and black riding boots.
“Like hell, you aren’t! You do know you are literally wearing riding boots right now.” She rolls her eyes, and all I can think about is how she’s not going to get away with doing that much longer. “Come on. We’ll go slow. I want to take you somewhere.”
“Can’t we drive there instead?” She looks at the horses one more time as I slide out of the truck.
“Let’s go, Princess.” Pulling open her door, I take her hand in mine.
“Fine! But I have to be back by six; otherwise, my mother is going to kill me for being late for dinner.”
I know dinner is important, but I want to hear what she says; I want to know what she’s been told. “Something important happening tonight?”
“My mom’s best friend and her son are coming over, some best friend though if you ask me. My mom said she hasn’t heard from her in over ten years.”
“Maybe something happened,” I offer.
She lets out a puff of air as I help her mount up, “What could explain a ten-year disappearance Brice?”
I mount my horse and pull out, taking the trail slowly while Presley becomes comfortable with her horse. There’s not much talking between the two of us since I’m in front of her, and honestly, I’m grateful for the silence.
“You’re pretty quiet up there,” she calls out.
“Just thinking.” A few more minutes of silence pass and I see the clearing in the tree line. “Almost there. Right through those trees.”
My horse passes through the clearing, and I pull off the trail to wait for her. I want to witness her expression as she sees my place of refuge and tranquility for the first time.
As her horse walks on through, she pulls back on the reigns. A stunned gasp escapes from her lungs as she becomes entranced with the sight before her. A clear snow-fed river churns over jagged mountain rocks; moss and algae coat the north side of worn boulders lining the riverbank. Only the sounds of a small waterfall disturb the silence. Snowcapped mountains kiss the horizon while the crystal blue sky stretches on for miles full of endless possibilities.
“Brice,” My name rolls off her tongue in a breathy whisper.
“Do you like it?”
*****
Do I like it? There are no words to describe the beauty sprawled out before me, the fact Brice deemed me worthy enough to share this with me draws my heart closer to him. All I can do is nod as I feel his eyes drink me in.
“It’s beautiful,” I say quietly, fearful any sound louder than a whisper might ruin this moment.
“It certainly is,” he says as he dismounts, his eyes locked on me as he comes over to help me off my horse. Holding my upper arms tightly in his hands, he looks fiercely at me, his legs splayed apart, so we are eye to eye.
“Presley, what if I said to you, “Tag, you’re it? Do those words have any meaning to you?”
I cock my head off to the side, “Are we playing a game?”
He shakes his head and holds me firmer, “No Presley. I know it’s been a long time but try to remember. I need you to remember.”
Looking between Brice and the stream, my mind goes into overdrive as I search for the tiniest little hint only to come up blank. I shake my head no and offer an apology.
“Think Tennessee, Presley.”
He gives me a second more, and I’m struck with the realization of how I know him.
“Robert?” He smiles back at me and I try to fight the tears I feel welling up inside. Anger replaces contentment the longer I stare at him. No longer worried about disturbing the beauty of this moment; instead, I’m fully intent on him knowing how bad he hurt me when he disappeared.
“You were my best friend, and you disappeared! Our dads were always stationed together, then you left one day, and your dad was still there.” I yank away from him and allow the tears to fall freely, I can’t stand the thought of his hands on me, and to think I was just warming up to the idea of seeing where things could go with him. “My mom told me you guys went ahead to get everything set up before him, and I would see you soon enough, but it never happened. We moved, and you weren’t there! You left me!”
He doesn’t get to pretend everything was fine for me. I want him to know how devastated I was when he was gone. I pace back and forth as he gives me time to process everything. “What happened? Where did you go?” I need answers, answers only Brice, Robert, whoever the hell he is, can provide.
He walks over to me, halting my pacing, enveloping me in a tight embrace, his lips settle against my forehead as I give myself over to his comfort. Wrapping my arms around his waist, I cling tightly to his shirt, afraid to let go. I pull him closer to me as he tightly adjusts his hold and I rest my head on his chest.
“It’s a long story, Presley,” he sighs as I grab his watch and turn it towards me.
“We have time.”
Chapter Seven
“Presley, my dad wasn’t a good man. He had a temper, a vile temper, which only got worse the more he drank. When he was home, he was never sober. You know from experience; your dad is never the same when he comes home. They can't talk about what happens when they’re done with a mission. Your dad is one of the good ones, you and your mom kept him centered and moving forward. Mom and I weren’t so fortunate. Dad found himself at the bottom of the bottle most nights, which found Mom in the emergency room on more than one occasion.
“Mom had it the night I was sitting on the hospital bed with a broken arm and concussion, instead of her. She filed a restraining order against him, and we ran. Four months later, he found us and almost killed her for disappearing. She went to his commanding officer, who got us into a program similar to witness protection. We were assigned new names, moved a couple of times, and finally settled here.”
Her tears have been replaced with tiny sniffles, and she nestles against my chest. Her fist still tightly clutching my T-shirt as I run my hands along her back.
“Your mom still goes by her real name, Robert. I thought you said you were given new identities. What if he finds you? Oh my God Robert, what if he comes after you? I just got you back. I can’t lose you again. I won't lose you again.”
I chuckle as her questions come like rapid fire. I’ve never had anyone other than Mom seem to care so much about me. “Calm down there, turbo. He died a couple of years ago. Mom was told it was from enemy fire, but I still have my doubts. She went to identify the body to confirm it really was him. They did a dental and fingerprint comparison for her. Mom took her life back, but it was harder for me. I had friends, and I didn’t want to be seen as the odd one, so I kept my identity and continued my life as Brice Harte. I didn’t want to explain to everyone Brice was a fictitious character. It was easier to keep living the lie. Nobody had even heard of Robert West until you mentioned it today at school.”
I’ve waited for this moment to tell her who I am, to be honest with her and give her a part of me no one else knows.
“I’m sorry,” sque
aks out through sniffles. “You were so young. You must have been terrified.”
“Not really. I didn’t quite understand what was going on when it all started. Mom told me we were going on an adventure, and I could be anyone I wanted to be.”
“And now, who do you want to be? I don’t even know what to call you. Robert? Brice? You should know I’m not good at keeping secrets. It’s up there with my math skills and horseback riding.”
“Both of which you’re getting better at.” I tighten my embrace on her, not ready to let her go, and she follows suit. Cupping her neck, I sip her soft and tender lips; she eagerly greets mine, wanting to savor every feeling. The way her hair smells like strawberry kiwi, the way her body molds into mine, the way her hands feel as her fingers dig into my sides, and her lips, so soft and inviting, parting slightly, welcome my advances. There is nothing hurried about this kiss—each slow stroke tethering us to one another. Presley Donovan is perfection, and she is mine, body and soul.
She pulls back breathless, chest heaving and pulse racing, her eyes dancing as she looks into mine.
“You could call me your boyfriend.” A beautiful smile spills across her face as our foreheads rest together.
“Boyfriend, huh? Do we have to tell anyone?”
“Is it such a bad thing? Are you embarrassed by me so much you want to hide this? I laugh a little at the ideocracy of the whole thing, but I’m curious.
“No,” she mumbles, casting her eyes down towards the ground. “I want to stay in this bubble with you for a little while. Please?” She looks up at me through her eyelashes, and I know I will never be able to tell this woman no.
“Just for a little while. I can't wait till everyone knows you’re mine.” I kiss her button nose as she sighs and nuzzles against me again, inhaling deeply and relaxing every muscle as I hold her.
“Hey, Robert?” she muffles out.
“Yea?”
“Tag, you’re mine.”
I squeeze her tighter as my hands run down her back. “I wouldn’t have it any other way.”
*****
We drop the horses off and get back in time for dinner. Our mothers are looking at us strangely, as we walk up the front path.
“Oh, Robert! It’s so good to see you. What a handsome young man you’ve grown up to be. Presley dear, do you see how handsome he is?”
My mother elbows me in the side, and I know from here on out, it will be her life’s duty to humiliate me in front of Robert.
“Mom, will you please stop it already.”
Mortification takes over, and Robert grins like he’s the greatest thing since sliced bread.
“Well, Pres, ain’t I handsome?” He’s parading around like a damn peacock as I roll my eyes and stick my tongue out at him.
Leaning in, he whispers against my ear, “Be careful with that tongue of yours; I might just bite it off.” He makes a chomping sound sending shivers down my spine.
“Oh, I’m sorry, Robert, your mom told me you still go by Brice. Would you prefer it if I called you that instead?”
“It’s fine, Mrs. D. You can call me Robert. It’s been so long since anyone besides Mom has called me by my real name, it’s kind of nice to hear it again.”
Mom is a bundle of excitement and can't stop herself from talking.
“Oh, I’m so happy to see you both again. I’ve missed you so much.” She goes about hugging everyone multiple times while ushering us into the house.
“So, how did you two already connect?” Mrs. West asks, looking back and forth between Robert and myself.
“Mom, this is the girl Coach assigned me to tutor. It just took me a while to figure it out.”
“Ah, I see.” She gives a wink and an up to no good smirk before leaning into me, “Is somebody hot for teacher?”
She pulls back, laughing, and once again, I’m mortified. Not only do I have to worry about my own mother, but now Robert’s mother as well. I can't believe she would say that about her own son.
My cheeks turn a bright red, as she laughs and playfully pats my arm. “It’s okay, dear. He is a handsome young man if I do say so myself. Thank the Lord he got his momma’s genes.”
I excuse myself from the kitchen and the sexual innuendos being thrown at me every few seconds, making my way out to the wooden swing on the back porch. I sit, admiring the striking purples, ambers, and golds of tonight’s sunset. The long shadow of the oak tree stretches across the pasture as the sun sets behind it, a few cattle lay in the lush grass below its branches, and a tiny calf makes its way over to its mother.
My temporary haven is interrupted as Robert sits down next to me, hands clasped in front of him, draped in between his spread legs as he helps to rock the swing with his heels. “They can be a bit much.”
“You think?” I close my eyes and roll my head back against my shoulders.
“Don’t worry; my teasing was way worse than yours.”
“Doesn’t make me feel better, Robert.” I glance at him out of the corner of my eye, watching him as he puts his arm across the back of the swing, and I scoot closer to him. His arm wraps around me, and I rest my head on his shoulder. His other hand laces our fingers together. I’m perfectly content.
“You know, they’ve already set our wedding date,” he chuckles out and I take a deep breath.
“Oh, sweet baby Jesus! Maybe the two of them finding each other was a bad idea.”
He nods and kisses my temple. “And what about us? How do you feel about where things are headed with us?”
A smile too wide to contain gives me away, and with more confidence than I have ever managed to speak with, I utter, “Now the idea of us is an excellent idea.”
He places a gentle kiss on the crown of my head, and I shiver under his touch.
“But in all seriousness, what do I call you? I met you as Robert and my favorite memories growing up are of you then, but everyone here knows you as Brice, and I want to respect your wishes.”
He rocks us a little more before answering, “What do you want to call me?” He pulls a deep breath before continuing. “Because the way I see it, at the end of the day, the only name I care about hearing is the one coming from your lips.” He brushes his nose against my cheek, bringing his lips millimeters away from my ear, his breath hot against my skin as his voice deepens into a seductive rasp, “The name you’ll eventually be moaning when I make you come.”
He nips at my neck, and I struggle to maintain my sense of control. This man already knows how to turn me into putty with his words alone.
“My Robert.”
“Only for you.”
Chapter Eight
The next couple of weeks go by as usual at school. Outside of Olivia, no one suspects a thing between Robert and me. Secret glances and stolen touches are the highlights of my day. But I look forward to the confines of his truck on the days after tutoring, where we can simply be Robert and Presley, two souls destined to live a life together, feeling incomplete without the other.
Homecoming is quickly approaching, and the biggest problem our group is dealing with is who is going with whom and coordinating outfit colors. Olivia has, of course, taken it upon herself to make sure everything is perfect for our little group. “Trey, are you still gonna ask the girl from chemistry?” she asks.
“Eh, I don’t know, she’s kinda off.”
“Marcus? What flavor of the week are you bringing?” the sarcasm drips from her mouth.
“Haven’t thought about it. I’ll probably grab someone last minute. I’m not really concerned with it.”
She rolls her eyes at his nonchalant attitude towards the whole thing. “Brice, what about you?”
Robert squeezes my knee under the table, and I let a small smile rise to the surface while keeping my head down, reviewing my notes for my algebra test. Ever since he’s started tutoring me, numbers have begun to make sense, and I no longer worry about losing my valedictorian position. I knew the material for this test, but it’s nice to currently h
ave a distraction.
Heather’s whiny, nasally voice settles over us, and I cringe at her very existence. “Brice and I will be wearing red. Why don’t the rest of you partner up with each other so we can color coordinate for pictures?”
Bile rises in my throat as I try not to murder Heather with a look. Robert’s hand quickly grips the underside of my knee as he pulls my leg closer to him, trying to reassure me he hates the idea as much as I do.
“Marcus and Presley can go together, and then Trey and Olivia. It’ll be perfect,” she says with a smile on her face, utterly pleased with herself thinking she has Robert and me separated.
If I could reach over the table right now and strangle her, I would, but I told Robert I wanted to keep our relationship a secret for a while, and I’m not quite ready to burst our little bubble.
*****
There is no way in hell I’m letting Marcus touch my girl. I’ve known him longer than anyone else, and he has zero respect for women. There’s a reason Olivia referred to his date as the flavor of the week, and she didn’t mean it as a compliment; the dude’s the closest thing to a man whore as I’ve ever met.
“Heather, what makes you so sure I even want to go to homecoming?” Presley asks confidently, seeming a little put off that it was assumed she would be going.
“Umm, hello. It’s senior homecoming. What could be more important?”
“Oh, I don’t know, world hunger, social unrest, the plight of slave labor, all of which are far more important than a high school dance.”
The guys all snicker, and Liv has a huge grin on her face. Presley sits there, very matter-of-factly, as Heather tries her best at a retort. Point for Presley.
“When’s the dance anyway?”
Riled up, Heather says, “Next weekend. First Saturday of November.”
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