Broken Promises

  I DIDN’T WANT Walker to hear the Jeep, so I parked it about a half a mile down the road. Opening up the glove box, I smiled when I saw a flashlight. My father was obsessed with flashlights, so I never doubted that there would be one in the Jeep to light my way to the cabin. I grabbed the flashlight and hopped out of the Jeep.

  I made my way up onto the small porch of the cabin. The lights were all on and I heard music. Putting my ear to the door, I heard “Just a Little Bit of Your Heart” by Ariana Grande playing. I closed my eyes, placing both hands over my mouth to hold back my tears. When I felt my emotions were under control, I turned the doorknob and pushed the door open. I was immediately hit with the smell of a fire burning in the wood stove. I entered the room and found Walker sitting in a chair with his back to the door, watching the fire. The music had covered the sound of the door opening and closing. He hadn’t heard me come in.

  The hunting cabin barely had any furniture in it. There were two beds with a small dresser next to each one and a small table with two chairs.

  Closing my eyes, I placed one hand on my belly, covering my mouth with the other. I loved him so much. I prayed to God I hadn’t messed things up. I opened my eyes and dropped my hands. Slowly, I approached him. He sat up straight. He knew I was here. Biting my lip, I walked over and stood in front of him. He looked up at me, and our eyes met. I sucked in a breath. When I saw a tear slide down his cheek, a sob escaped my lips.

  “I’ve always loved you,” I said, wiping my tears away and smiling. “I’ll love you forever. Only you.”

  I stood there, waiting for him to say something. When he pulled his mouth into a grin, I couldn’t help but grin back.

  He blinked slowly as he said, “I can’t live without you, Liza.”

  Dropping to my knees, I laid my head in his lap. “I’m so sorry. Please forgive me. I didn’t mean to hurt you, Walker. I was so confused and…and...” I looked up into his eyes. “I’ve always wanted you. Only you. I was going to tell you today, but then Keith showed up.”

  He placed his hands on my arms and brought me to him. I sat on his lap and wrapped my arms around his neck as I leaned down and kissed him. The kiss was sweet and gentle, filled with so much love. Walker put his hands on my hips and moaned as I pushed down on his hardness. I rocked against him as he pushed his hand through my hair and pulled me in to deepen the kiss. I could feel the buildup moving through my body. I’d never been able to have an orgasm like this with anyone but Walker. He made my body desire him in ways I couldn’t understand. I wasn’t sure if I ever would.

  I pulled my lips back and looked into his eyes. “Walker. Please make love to me.”

  He stood up and I wrapped my legs around his waist. He smiled as he moved us to the bed and gently laid me down. My heart beat like I was a virgin. In a way, I was. This was my first time with the man I’d been in love with for my whole life.

  He leaned down and placed gentle kisses all over my neck and face. Between each kiss he’d speak: “I. Have. Never. In. My. Life. Loved. Someone. Like. I. Love. You.”

  For once the tears building in my eyes were happy tears.

  “I. Promise. To. Never. Leave. You. Again.”

  Tears spilled from my eyes as I stroked his cheek and looked into his sparkling blue eyes. “I like that promise.”

  He pulled his T-shirt over his head as he stood. He unbuttoned his pants and pushed them down, and his hard-on sprung out. My eyes grew big. I chewed on my lower lip as I stared. He was huge. I moved my eyes up his body to see him smiling at me.

  “Do you like what you see?”

  I nodded and said, “I most certainly do.”

  I sat up and pulled my T-shirt over my head, glad I had a white lace bra on. Walker sat down and placed his hands on my shoulders, pushing me back to a laying position.

  “I want to adore your body,” he said.

  I swallowed as he unbuttoned my jeans. “Lift,” he whispered as he pulled them off of my hips and then down each leg. I rubbed my legs together as he tossed my pants to the side. He looked me over like he was memorizing every square inch of my body. I could almost feel the heat coming from him. I wanted to push my hand into my panties to relieve this insane need to have him inside me.

  Walker placed his hand on my leg, moving it up, gently using his fingertips to send chills throughout my body. He licked his lips as he reached my panties. Placing his hand on my abdomen, Walker slipped his thumb just under the waistband. When his hand slid into my panties, my chest heaved with my quickening breath. He lightly brushed my clit, making me arch my back and gasp. Then Walker slid his fingers between the sensitive lips and massaged inside of me, making me thrash my head back and forth. He smiled as he watched my body react to his touch. When he pulled his hand away, I wanted to scream.

  “Take off your panties, Liza.” He said in a seductive voice.

  I quickly sat up and pushed my panties down, kicking them onto the floor. Looking down at his dick, I licked my lips and he moaned.

  “Lay back.”

  I did what he asked. He moved down the bed as I pulled my legs up in anticipation.

  “I’ve always wanted to taste you, baby. I don’t think I can wait any longer.”

  I took a deep breath. “Yes,” I whispered as I felt him move between my legs. He ran the side of his face down my legs. I could tell that this was going to rock my world. He was going to…

  “Oh God!” I yelled as he buried his face between my legs, sucking on my clit. He pushed his fingers inside of me, and the buildup was instant. I grabbed his hair with both hands. I moved my hips as I felt the orgasm building in the very tips of my toes. I thrashed my head whispering, “Don’t…want…to come…yet.”

  He swirled his tongue and began working it in and out of my body. “Walker. Walker!” I screamed as he moved back to my clit, my orgasm hitting me full on. Grasping the sheets, I yelled out his name. I felt my insides pulsing as my body reeled with one of the most intense orgasms of my life. If I hadn’t known any better, I’d swear I’d left my body, gone to heaven, and come back down.

  “Holy…crap…” I panted as Walker kissed all around my abdomen. He moved his lips up and sucked on my nipples as I took a fistful of his hair and pulled. We moaned in synch as he reached his hand down and finger-fucked me.

  “You’re so wet, Liza. I want to bury myself so deep in you that you’ll never forget I was there.”

  My breathing was erratic and I sounded needy, but I didn’t care. “Yes. Oh God yes, Walker. Please. I want you so much. I need to feel you.”

  He moved his mouth up to my neck and kissed me until he found the spot behind my ear that drove me mad. I reached down and stroked his dick. I wanted him inside me. I needed him inside me.

  “Uh, Liza? I want to come when I’m inside you,” He breathed into my mouth.

  “Then please give me what we both want, Walker,” I panted.

  He moved over me and teased me with his tip. When he looked into my eyes, I could feel the love passing between us. “I love you, Liza.”

  I licked my lips, cupping his face in my hands. “I love you, Walker. I love you so much.”

  As he leaned down to kiss me, he pushed himself into me, making me suck in a breath. He slowly moved in and out as we continued kissing. I’d never in my life felt so loved and wanted. The feeling of him moving inside my body, so slowly, was the most amazing feeling I’d ever experienced.

  “I love you,” Walker whispered against my lips as he moved faster.

  I grabbed onto his ass as I moved my body in perfect rhythm with him. I could feel my build up starting. I wanted us to come at the same time, and I was trying like hell to hold off my orgasm. As Walker’s rhythm increased, he looked into my eyes, and something magical happened.

  Something I don’t think I will ever experience again.

  I WAS TRYING to hold off coming, but I could see it in Liza’s eyes. She was close.

  “Liza…”

  She bit her lip and moved her hands
into my hair and pulled. “Walker…I’m so close.”

  I pulled out, then pushed in harder.

  She moaned. “I’m coming. Walker, I’m coming.”

  I pulled out and pushed in again, moaning. As I repeated the motion, I could feel her squeezing on my dick. “Liza, baby I’m gonna come.”

  I slammed my lips into hers and kissed her as I poured myself into her body. I’d never experienced something like this before. The love moving between our bodies as we became one was a moment I’d cherish forever.

  When I finally finished, I shifted my bodyweight but stayed inside Liza. I could feel my dick twitching and I had to take a few deep breaths to calm my heart.

  Liza ran her fingertips along my unshaven face and smiled. “I’ve never felt anything so amazing. I love you.”

  I kissed her nose. “I feel the same way, baby. It was beyond amazing. It was…”

  “Magical,” we said at the same time.

  When we laughed together, she squeezed down on my dick again, and I swear I felt a little rise from him. I was about to pull out of her when it hit me.

  Her smile faded and she looked at me, concerned. I’m sure it was in response to the look of terror that was on my face.

  “Liza, oh God, I’m so sorry. I was so caught up in everything I…I totally forgot…”

  She furrowed her brow and opened her mouth to speak, but nothing came out. It must have hit her, too. She closed her eyes and didn’t say a thing.

  I swallowed and prayed she’d say yes to this question: “Are you on the pill, Liza?”

  She opened her eyes and they filled with tears as she shook her head. As a tear traced down her cheek, I kissed it away.

  “Don’t worry baby. I promise you it will all be okay.”

  She sniffled and shook her head. “Walker…what if?”

  Capturing her lips with mine, I kissed her. She ran her fingers through my hair and kissed me harder. I had to admit my heart burst with the idea of having a child with Liza someday. I moved inside her as my dick came to life again. Liza moaned softly as I pulled out and pushed back in. Our kisses were gentle and sweet, but I longed for more passion. For now, though, I knew she needed sweet and slow. As I moved in and out I realized why earlier had felt so amazing. I’d never had sex without a condom before.

  “Walker. We…need…condom,” Liza panted.

  I pulled out and quickly kissed her on the nose before running over to grab my wallet from to the table—my father had always told me to keep a condom in my wallet. I made my way back to the bed, ripping open the condom. I slipped it on and watched the love of my life as I pushed myself back into her, eliciting a long, soft moan from her lips.

  I rolled over, pulled Liza on top, and watched her ride me to another orgasm. She held her breasts and called out my name as she came—it was nearly my undoing. I flipped her over and pumped in and out of her.

  “Walker, I love you so much.” Liza said moving her hands up and down my body.

  I bit her lip and sucked it into my mouth, moaning. “I love you too, baby.”

  She arched her back and cried out my name as I came hard and fast. I leaned over her, trying to catch my breath as she traced her fingers lazily up and down my back. I pulled out, took the condom off, and threw it in the trash. One quick clean up and I crawled back into bed and pulled her close. She fit perfectly in my arms. Miranda Lambert’s “Holding On To You” played in the background as we both drifted off to sleep.

  WALKING UP TO the track, Layton and my father waited for me, staring. My father smiled that big ol’ smile of his. Layton gave me an odd look.

  “Y’all called?”

  My father slapped me on the back and laughed as Layton gave my dad a dirty look.

  Layton came closer to me, his smile slowly fading away. “I’m going to pretend that I didn’t see my daughter break up with a guy last night, only to head somewhere in the ranch Jeep last night. Somewhere I’m pretty sure you were.”

  I swallowed, peeking over to my father. Layton cleared his throat. I looked into his eyes.

  “I’m also going to pretend that she didn’t come back home just an hour ago with a glow on her face like I’ve never seen.”

  I instinctively took a step back as my father laughed. I removed my baseball cap and ran my hand through my hair and was about to plead my case when Layton put his hand on my shoulder.

  “Don’t break her heart, or I’ll break your legs.”

  I nodded, put my hat on, and forced the words out: “Y—yes sir. I’d never hurt her.”

  Layton smiled and slapped my back much harder than normal.

  He turned and pointed to Love Story, one of the new horses we’d brought back from Kentucky this summer. “Get up on him,” he said with a shit-eating grin. “You know how to pick ’em. But do you know how to ride ‘em? Big difference, riding a racehorse.”

  “Hell yes, sir, I do.”

  I walked over to Jerry. He was the trainer my father and Layton had been working with over the last ten years.

  “He’s feisty son,” Jerry said. “Don’t push him. You don’t need to prove anything. Your daddy and Layton both know it’s in your blood, boy.”

  I nodded at Jerry. “I got it. Feisty, don’t push.” I jumped up onto Love Story.

  Jerry held the reins in his hand. “Walker, be careful.”

  I turned Love Story and made my way onto the track. I could practically feel the horse vibrating with excitement as we made our way around. He was getting edgy, so I pulled him back. We made a few circles to calm him. I looked over at my father and he smiled and nodded. I gave Love Story a small squeeze with my legs and he bolted.

  “Holy shit!” I yelled as the horse took off running.

  He was indeed a natural on the racetrack. Why they hadn’t ever raced this horse was beyond me. As we approached turn two, he picked up his pace. I let him go for a bit until we came to turn three. I pulled back some, but he wouldn’t listen. Giving him a bit more force, he almost stopped on a dime, forcing me forward. One foot came out of the stirrup as Love Story reared up. I lost balance and saw exactly what was going to happen. I fell back with one foot in the stirrup, but the horse didn’t care. My head hit the ground and I cried out. The last thing I saw was Love Story headed for turn four. Everything went black.

  I OPENED MY eyes and all I saw was people moving around me. Where the hell am I? It sounded like wind roaring through the mountains. Voices. I heard voices. It was loud. My head throbbed and my back had never hurt so much in my life. I tried to talk, but couldn’t. I looked from one person to another. There was a guy and a girl.

  The girl glanced down, smiling. She hit the other person and said, “He’s awake.”

  I managed to say the word “loud.”

  She nodded. “You’re on a helicopter. I need you to keep calm sir.”

  Helicopter?

  My eyes grew heavy again. As I closed them, all the loud sounds faded away.

  Liza. I love you so much, Liza.

  I PULLED UP and put Walkers truck in park as I leaned back against the seat. My parents had finally convinced me to leave the hospital. I’d headed to the hotel to shower and get some sleep. But I couldn’t sleep. I hadn’t slept in three days. I looked down at the ring on my finger as I cried.

  “You promised you wouldn’t leave again. You promised.” I thought back to this morning, when Walker had pushed me away.

  “WHAT ARE YOU saying?” Walker asked.

  The doctor looked down at Walker. “Mr. Moore, you could possibly have damaged your spinal cord. We won’t know until the swelling goes down and we’ve run some tests. I’m just saying I need you to be prepared.”

  Walker turned his head. The doctor talked for a few minutes more before leaving. I went to the side of his bed and reached Walker’s his hand.

  He pulled it away. “Please just leave me alone.”

  I swallowed hard. “It’s going to be okay. The sedative they gave you will wear off and you’ll be able to mo
ve your legs. I feel it in my heart,” I reached for his hand again.

  He turned to me. “I want to be alone. Please leave, Liza.”

  My mouth opened slightly and I shook my head. “No, I’m not leaving you. No, Walker.”

  Walker turned to my father and gave him a pleading look. My father held me in his arms as he walked me out. The entire time I was pleading with Walker and Daddy to let me stay.

  I WIPED MY tears, opened the door to the truck, and jumped out. I made my way into the hospital and saw Reed coming toward me. I walked right into his arms. I didn’t have any tears left. Reed pulled back and held me at arm’s length. “The doctors said the swelling should go down within a week, but he was able to move his toes a little bit ago.”

  “Oh, thank God. That’s a good sign right?”

  Reed smiled and nodded. But his smile faded when he said, “I think his biggest struggle is going to be mental. All he talked about after you left was the plans that y’all had together. The things you wanted to do. How he wanted to take over the ranch and the idea of not even being able to do one of those killed him.”

  I nodded. “But he moved his toes! He moved his toes! He’s going to be okay. We’re going to be okay. Right, Reed? Right?”

  Reed pulled me into his arms and whispered, “Yeah, sweetheart. Yeah.”

  IT HAD BEEN over a week since Walker’s accident. The swelling had gone down and the doctors expected him to make a full recovery. They’d be releasing him within the next few days. He just had to do a bit more therapy first. I knocked on the hospital door as I slowly opened it. Walker was standing and saying something to the young nurse who was getting ready to help Walker back into bed since he was returning from rehab.

  The slender, blonde nurse looked up and smiled. When Walker saw me his smile faded for a brief second.

  “Hey,” I said as I walked into the room.

  “Hey, Liza.”

  I chewed my lip as I watched Walker with the nurse. He smiled at her. Something he wasn’t doing with me. Walker laughed when she made a joke. He barely spoke to me, let alone laughed. When she took his hand in hers Walker smiled at her again.