Nick surged off the chair and paced to the other side of the pool. He ran his fingers through his hair repeatedly and rubbed the back of his neck in frustration. What do I do now? She has loved me for eight years and I had no clue.

  Lindsay watched him as the tears poured down her face. She quietly stood up and walked towards the house. I knew this was too good to be true. I guess he doesn’t really want me to love him as he said he did. Well, at least he knows now. Moving away sounds like a really good idea.

  “Wait. Please come back and let’s talk about this.”

  “Why? This was all a mistake…”

  He reached for her. “Please sit with me.”

  Lindsay reluctantly went to sit down on the chair again.

  “I am either really stupid or you are great at hiding things.” Nick commented

  Lindsay attempted to leave the chair as she spoke “It doesn’t matter anymore. I’ve made a mistake in coming home again. We’ve made a mistake telling our family anything.”

  Nick grabbed her hand to prevent her leaving “No, we haven’t. We do have things to talk about though. Now explain why I am just now finding out that you have loved me for eight years.”

  “That is my business.”

  “Nope. You and me don’t have private business anymore. We are “we” now, not separate anymore. Spill it, no more stalling.”

  “I got really good at hiding it. When I first realized it, I was still in college and I didn’t see you all that often. But since I didn’t even tell Sarah, I had to hide it from her too. Then when I graduated and started working here, I was so busy learning the business that I could forget about it for parts of the day until we had a party or something and I would see you dance with some beautiful woman. Then it would come back hard. I probably avoided you for a while then. But I couldn’t say anything, because I would then lose everything. So I pretended to be a friend or little sister a little while longer until that became impossible.”

  “I’m stunned but happy.”

  “Happy? You look anything but happy, Nick.” She said trying to leave but he still held her hand.

  “Come here.” He said as he spread his legs and moved her to sit between them and lie back on him. “Now, relax for a minute.”

  She started to get up saying “This is ridiculous.” But he wouldn’t let her go.

  He wrapped his arms around her tight “I don’t have the rope but I still have the gag, don’t make me use it again.”

  Lindsay shut up and laid back on him.

  “Finally” he whispered and held her tight. He kissed the top of her head several times as he thought. “I love you Lindsay.” He said unexpectedly and she sat up so quickly she clobbered his chin again. He swore.

  “Oh, I’m so sorry. I didn’t mean to hit you again. You caught me off guard. I’m sorry.”

  He eased her back into his arms and kissed the top of her head again. “It’s okay. Now, I am going to say it again so don’t clobber me again. I love you Lindsay.”

  “Nick, you don’t…”

  He clamped his hand over her mouth. “I am killing whoever taught you to be this stubborn. For every discussion we have, you are going to be bound and gagged.”

  She mumbled something.

  “What?” he asked removing his hand temporarily

  “You, David, Dalton, Colin and Travis taught me to be this stubborn. I had to be to survive.”

  He clamped his hand over her mouth again. “Probably very true. Anyway back to the other subject, I am thrilled that you love me because I love you. I am stunned that you have felt this way for so long. And I am sorry you hurt because of it too. That makes me feel like a complete louse.”

  She was shaking her head vigorously so he let go of her mouth.

  “No, you didn’t know and you didn’t feel the same way. But things have changed.”

  “Yes they have! But you still were hurt because of me.”

  “We can’t go through a lived life without hurt.”

  “But eight years? That is a lot of hurting.”

  “I’m stubborn remember, I took it and survived.”

  “Thinking back on the last few months, I am not sure you were surviving. The pictures in my head show me you were dying a little more each day until you cracked and went away for a month. And you would have made it permanent if you could have.”

  Lindsay nodded in agreement.

  “I was surprised to see you in Las Vegas. I wanted to talk to you then about changing our relationship. But I just made it worse didn’t I? Trying to take you to dinner?”

  She nodded again. “My trouble had just followed me on my escape and I was sick. I couldn’t eat, I just wanted you gone. I wanted you to go with your friend Cassie and leave me to die in peace. Instead I just left.”

  “Where did you go by the way?”

  “San Francisco. We have hotels there too.”

  “Wow you did run didn’t you?”

  “Fast and furious. And didn’t tell a soul where I was.”

  “I feel terrible. I’m so sorry.”

  “I’m sorry too. After a few days, I felt bad for just running from you in Vegas but I had to survive.”

  He kissed her head again and pulled her close. He held her in the moonlight for several minutes.

  “Nick, I am really enjoying this but I am so tired. I have to go to sleep.”

  “All right” he said reluctantly “I’ll walk you in to your room.”

  “Nick, I know how to get to my room.”

  “So?”

  “So, you don’t have to walk me in to my room.”

  Nick hung his head “Don’t make this an argument. I want to walk to your room.”

  “Sorry. I am thrilled that you want to walk me in.”

  He reached for her hand and they walked into the house. All the lights were off except to her suite on the back side of the house he pulled her into his arms and kissed her. “Go to bed.” He said and walked away.

  Chapter 7

  The next morning Lindsay was just finishing putting on her boots when someone knocked on her door.

  “Come in” she called

  “Hey babe” Nick said as he entered

  “Hi!” she said with joy “I didn’t expect it to be you knocking on my door.”

  “I couldn’t wait any longer. I have been waiting in the kitchen but Mama threw me out when I got on her nerves.”

  Lindsay laughed. He leaned down and gave her a good morning kiss. They left her room and went to the kitchen so she could eat.

  “Are you happy now son?” Gabby asked sarcastically. “He drove me nuts waiting for you.” She said to Lindsay. “He was desperate.”

  “Mama!” Nick exclaimed in frustration

  Lindsay whispered for his ears only “I’m glad.”

  As she ate her breakfast while Nick stared at her and his mama laughed at him. “Staring at her will not help her to eat faster.”

  Nick thumped his head down on the table. Lindsay reached over and patted his head in sympathy. Then she ran her fingers gently through his hair. “Do you want to go for a ride with me?” Nick asked a few minutes later. Lindsay nodded and they left the kitchen.

  Her horse, Brandy, was already saddled and waiting when they reached the barn. “Pretty confident, were we?” she asked laughing at him

  “Hopeful, very hopeful!” he said mounting his horse “Let’s go before someone else laughs at me.”

  They left the barn and rode to the creek. They dismounted and tied their horses to the tree. It was a little bit cool so they went into the cabin and sat in the living room. They sat sort of facing each other on the couch and he reached for her hands. He pushed the sleeves of her shirt back and kissed her scraped up wrists. “Are you bruised or anything from my roping you yesterday?”

  “I was a little sore when I rolled over this morning.”

  “I’m sorry. I lost my…”
/>
  She placed a finger over his mouth to stop his words. “I was a little sore but it doesn’t matter to me. I lost my temper too.”

  “I never realized you had such a temper either. But my heavens, you are even more beautiful when you are mad.” He pulled her into his arms and kissed her.

  Nick lay back on the couch and pulled her over him and teased her lips open with his tongue. When she opened up to him, he deepened the kiss. He kissed her for several minutes before he let her go to breathe.

  “Wow Nick, that was wonderful.”

  His response was to do it again. He rubbed his hands up and down her back as he teased her tongue with his. When he finished, she laid her head down on his chest and spent a few minutes trying to catch her breath.

  “Did you say I was beautiful?” asked Lindsay

  “Yeah, about 10 minutes ago. Something distracting you sweetheart?” Nick asked innocently

  “Just a bit. Those kisses were umm fabulous. I couldn’t think there for a few minutes.”

  “Want to do it again?” he asked hopefully this time

  “UmHmm” she answered as she lowered her lips to his. A few minutes later when the kiss stopped, Lindsay got up and paced the floor.

  “Something wrong?” Nick asked uncertainly

  “No! Everything is great, fine, wonderful. I just had to pace.” She said shaking her hands at her side like she was trying to wake them up when they fell asleep. “Am I dreaming?”

  “No!” he answered. He motioned her back to the couch with his finger but when she went to sit down he pulled her back onto is lap instead. He gave her some very long slow kisses which left them both out of breath.

  “I’m really looking forward to our first date.” Nick commented a few hours later as they mounted up and rode home. Lindsay still didn’t understand why he thought this was their first date but she kept her thoughts to herself.

  Nick was pacing the living room and getting on David’s nerves this time. “Go knock on her door and stay with her, you are wearing a grove in the floor.”

  Nick didn’t wait for a second more. He rushed back to her room and knocked. Lindsay was still wearing her robe when she opened the door. “David told me I had to stay with you because I was driving him nuts.” He rushed to explain his presence.

  She opened the door wider for him to come in. “You look gorgeous in that suit.”

  “Thanks. I am glad you think so.” He said pulling her into his arms and lowering his head to kiss her. “You smell heavenly.” She beamed a smile at him so he kissed her again.

  “I have to ask this, how much clothes do you have on under that robe?”

  “Honestly?”

  He nodded

  “Not much. The dress I am going to wear doesn’t need, oh never mind.” She stammered a little embarrassed. “You’ll see in a minute.” She pulled away and went to her closet. “I’ll just finish getting dressed in the bathroom.”

  “Lindsay” he said stopping her.

  “What?”

  “When we are married, are you going to change clothes in the closet?”

  “We aren’t married.”

  “Yet. But someday we will.”

  “Someday when?”

  “Someday when we’ve had more time together; when you’ve had more time to believe in me. I think you are still believing that I’m doing this all as a joke. I’m definitely not but the disbelief is still in your eyes.”

  “I’m sorry.” She said sitting down on the bed with a downcast expression on her face. “You are right. I don’t believe in you yet. I want too but I’m not. You are saying all the right things, doing the right things but it won’t last. One of these days you are going to find out that you don’t think of me as anything other than a little sister. And where will that leave me? Gone from my home and family. Heartbroken that I even tried.”

  Nick pulled her from the bed to stand in front of him. He tipped her face up so that she was looking at him “You aren’t telling me anything that I didn’t already know; but I have something to tell you that you need to hear. You are so very wrong. I’m not thinking of you as a little sister. I love you and it isn’t in a brother fashion. I’ll convince you of that in time. I love you and you love me. We will get married one day. I have no doubts and neither will you. In the meantime, we have a dinner date. We are going to have a great time and I’m really anxious to see this dress that doesn’t “need much” underneath it.” Nick kissed her as he finished speaking. His smile was kind, gentle and loving as he released her.

  “Sit down while I finish getting ready.” She said as she turned back to the closet. Her hands were shaking as she removed the robe and hung it up.

  “Oh my heavens!” he exclaimed “Not much was a bit of an understatement sweetheart!” Not much was a black lace garter belt, a g string and black thigh high stockings.

  “Shut up Nick. I’m nervous enough.”

  “You are also gorgeous!”

  “Shh. You are not helping. Just don’t look.”

  “Yeah right.” He scoffed at her “It’s all I can do not to touch, not looking is impossible.”

  Lindsay laughed nervously and pulled the dress up. He was there in an instant to do the zipper. The dress was strapless and form fitting. Her shoulders were bare and he took advantage of it. He kissed and suckled her shoulders and neck moving her hair out of his way.

  When he was finished he turned her to look in the mirror with him standing behind her. He wrapped his arms around her from behind and stared at them in the mirror. He was speechless. Her dress came to the top of her breasts except for the shallow vee in between them. The rest of the dress fit her perfectly.

  He ran his hands up her rib cage and stopped just below her breasts. She stopped breathing in anticipation. “Breathe babe, I’m just looking.”

  “I was anticipating not being fearful.”

  He moved his hands slightly so that his thumbs could caress the outsides of her breasts. He watched her melt at his touch. She closed her eyes and relaxed back against him. “Does that feel good?”

  “Yes” she answered shyly

  “Well, you haven’t seen or felt anything yet, but not now, I have to resist.” He said as he released her and moved to sit down again. She moved to her jewelry case and added earrings and a necklace to her outfit. Then she put her high heels on and finished with her hair and makeup. “I think I am ready” she said removing her coat from the closet. He moved to take it from her and helped her into it. He turned her around and said “You are absolutely gorgeous!” and kissed her.

  Nick drove them to Dalton’s Fantasy restaurant in his vintage Corvette. It was his pride and joy.

  They were ushered into the Matthews’ private dining room. The room was decorated like a night in France. There were hundreds of little tiny lights in the ceiling and plenty of candles around the room. There was a single red rose in the vase on the table. The waitress came and took their orders and left the couple in privacy.

  “I like these perks. Complete privacy with my girl.”

  She smiled sweetly at him

  “Would you dance with me?” he asked rising from the table

  “I would love to.” She said giving him her hand.

  He led them to the dance space and folded her into him. He snuggled her hand in his up against his chest and placed his other hand at her waist. She placed her hand on the back of his neck and smiled adoringly at him. They danced several slow songs together. After the first song, he released her hand and wrapped both arms around her to rest at her waist and she wrapped both arms around his neck and shoulders and laid her head on his chest.

  “This feels so wonderful. I could do this forever. And you smell so good.” She commented

  “I smell good? I am not wearing cologne.”

  “It’s you. Your scent, I know it already. By-the-way, you aren’t getting that shirt back from yest
erday. It smells like you and its mine now.”

  He laughed and asked her what she was going to do with it.

  “Sleep in it.” She replied

  Nick groaned. “That will make it so much easier to sleep now. After seeing you nearly naked and now picturing you in my shirt, I may never sleep again.”

  She giggled “Sorry.”

  His reply was interrupted by the waitress. They enjoyed their meal and more dancing. They returned to StageWest and went into the main house’s living room. He sat in one of the chairs and pulled her onto his lap. She wrapped her arms around his shoulders and laid her head on him.

  “Tired?”

  “Happy and tired.”

  He kissed her a few times and then they said their good nights.

  Her phone rang again just as she turned off the light

  “Can you see my room from your house?”

  “Yes. I watched until you turned off the light and then I called. Are you wearing my shirt?”

  “Yes! It smells and feels wonderful.”

  He groaned silently I am in deep trouble here.

  “I love you Lindsay!”

  “I love you Nick!”

  Chapter 8

  Nick was working in the barn one morning after Lindsay and he had gone on a date when Dalton came walking down the aisle, “Hey Nick, want to go for a ride?”

  “Sure, are you going to string me up in the woods?” Nick said as he went to saddle his horse.

  Both men finished saddling their horse and they headed out. They were just out of ear shot when Dalton got to the point of this ride. “So did you and Lindsay have fun on your 2nd date?”

  “We have only had one date. Dinner the other night.”

  “Lindsay told Sarah you all had gone out on a date before you got hurt.”

  “No, we didn’t.”

  “Yes, you did.”

  “Are you sure?”

  “Yes. Anyway did you have fun?

  “Yes, we did. But is that what you really wanted to know?” Nick asked

  “No. I am concerned about Lindsay. What really happened on the helicopter ride when you were injured?”

  Nick groaned as he remembered the hurt he had inflicted on Lindsay. He repeated what Lindsay had told him. He admitted to Dalton that he still didn’t remember doing it but he knew Lindsay had told him the honest version of the events. Nick rubbed his heart unconsciously.