Loving True (38 page)

For the next several hours,
True
sat on the floor and unwrapped tree ornaments.
 
She handed them off to
Hayward
. Conversation flowed back and forth concerning their favorite childhood memories at Christmas time to the last time they really enjoyed the holiday as an adult.

She had difficulty believing that
Hayward
and his family
would
 
sing
carols in front of the piano every holiday. Did
Hayward
really expect her to believe that Lance fixed homemade eggnog and watch
It’s a Wonderful Life
on television?

“Do you have anymore for me to put on the tree?”
Hayward
asked.

“Yes, I do have one more.” True took the last ornament out of
Hayward
’s box unwrapping it, she held it in the palm of her hand. She stared it with apprehension wondering should she give it him or placed it back in the box.

“Hey, what are you hiding in your hand.”
Hayward
asked. “If it’s another ball I have a free spot for it.”
 
He stuck out his hand and waited for her to hand it over.

“After you see it I don’t know if you’ll want to hang it.” She placed the ball in his hand. Nervously, she moistened her dry lips with her tongue and waited.

His brows drew down in a frown as he searched her face. “True what has got you so upset?” She clamped her mouth shut and pointed at the ball in his hands.

Twirling the red ball around in his hand
Hayward
stared down at it. She noted a muscle quivered in his chiseled jaw as he read the words written on there.
World’s Best
Dad
.
 
His expression changed from surprise to hurt.

“I had forgotten all about this. Clint had taken
Tyler
out Christmas shopping and they brought it for me.” His grip tightened so hard on the ball that his knuckles turned white. “I haven’t seen it in two years.”

“Sweetheart is this going to be too much for you?” True asked “We can box everything back up if it will help.”

“No, I want to celebrate Christmas with you by hanging my son’s decoration right in the front the Christmas tree.”
Hayward
knew that he wouldn’t be able to move on with his future if he continued to let his past rule him.

Chapter Twenty-Nine

“Merry Christmas, Kitten.”
Hayward
whispered, whilst holding a piece of mistletoe above
True’s
head. Bending down, he planted a kiss on her soft lips. “Are you ready to exchange Christmas presents?” He whispered against her moist mouth.

“Let me see what you got for me.” True jumped up from the chair and tried to brush past him, but he stopped her by wrapping his arm around her waist.

“What are you doing? I want to see what my Christmas present.”

“Wait, I don’t want you to see what it is.” He pulled a blindfold out of his back pocket and covered her eyes.

True felt unsure and put her hands out in front her trying to get a bearing on her surroundings. “Hey, I’m not into anything kinky.”

“Here. Take my hand.”
Hayward
grasped her hand, firmly and pulled her behind him through the door. He stopped suddenly; causing her to run into his back.

“
Hayward
please let me know when you are going to stop.” She muttered.

“Sorry, baby I didn’t want you to trip on the steps.” Lifting True in his arms,
Hayward
carried her over the two small steps. Once they got into the living room, he stood her in front of her Christmas present. “Are you ready?”

“Yes, I’m ready. The suspense is killing me,” she confessed with extreme excitement. He untied the blindfold and flipped it off her eyes.
 

The stand
that
 
stood
 
before True was a vision of beauty. She blinked to make sure it wasn’t a figment of her imagination. Her hand trembled as she reached out and touched the deep mahogany engraved stand. Her heart filled with love for the man standing behind her. She knew, without asking, he had drawn the designs for this breathtaking masterpiece.
True’s
amazement continued when she noticed all her beloved bears staring back at her, looking like they had always been there. She had always wanted a bigger stand to showcase her favorite collection but none of them fit her personality, until now.

“Baby, this is a stunning piece of work. I can’t believe it’s really for me. How in the world did you know I wanted a stand for my collection?”

“I noticed one day how you took such care dusting and cleaning off the tiny shelf they were on and I knew then what I would get you for a Christmas present.”
He
 
replied
. “I hope you don’t mind that I personally put the bears inside the stand. I was very careful with them.”

Turning her neck she looked at him, “How did you get them over here without me knowing about it?”

Smiling at his own sneakiness,
Hayward
said. “Remember the night you stay in the den reading your romance book for two hours? Well, I wasn’t in the office I went over to your house with the key you had made for me and wrapped all the statues up and brought them over here.”

“
Hayward
, you’re very good at keeping secrets.” True remarked.
 
“I hope you like my gift.”

“Kitten, you have already given me so much, you didn’t have to go out and buy me anything,”
Hayward
disclosed.

“Oh, I had to get you something. Stay right there while I go and get it.”
 
True ran from the room and came back with a medium size wrapped box.
 
“Merry Christmas,” she said, handing the box to him.

“Baby, what have you done?” He asked feeling the weight of the box.

“Just open it and find out.” True stated, pointing toward his gift. She sat down on the living room table and waited for
Hayward
to open his gift.

Hayward
tore the paper off the box like a five-year old boy on Christmas day. Opening the black leather box revealed an eye popping diamond and silver watch on the inside.
Hayward
couldn’t believe his eyes. He had wanted this watch for the last three years, but didn’t want to spend the money the dealer was asking for it.
Hayward
’s silence bothered True. “Do you not like it?” she mumbled.

“God, True, how in the hell did you afford something like this? Baby, this watch is very expensive.”

“Price doesn’t matter when it comes to my love for you. I wanted you to have something really special for Christmas.” True delicate hand reached over to touch his. “If you turn it over there is an engraving on the back.”

Unclasping the watch, he turned it over and read the inscription.

Time meant nothing until I met you. Now I cherish every second.

Love

True

Hayward
’s eyes misted at the loving words staring back at him. “Oh god Kitten, I love you so much.”

Smiling at him, True said, “Go ahead and try the watch on, I want to see how it looks.”
 

Pushing back his sleeve he placed the watch on his right wrist. “It’s a perfect fit.”

After cleaning up the living room of all the wrapping paper,
Hayward
stuck a movie into the DVD player. Settling down on the couch with True,
Hayward
celebrated the best Christmas he had in years.

* * * *

The next morning,
Hayward
was cleaning snow and ice off the windshield of his car, when a snowball zoomed past his ear. He knew who it was instantly.
True’s
beautiful laughter filled the air. “Kitten, you need to stop throwing snowballs. You’re looking
at
 
a
snowball throwing champ.” She didn’t listen to him, as she threw another snowball that hit him on the back of his shoulder.

Hayward
dropped the ice scrapper on the hood on his car. Spinning around he gave
True
his best glare.
 
He tried to keep the smile off his face while watching the huge grin that lit up his girlfriend’s gorgeous face.

“True,
This
is the last time I’m going to warn you about throwing one of those things at me.” He threatened as he brushed the loose snow from his gloves. Secretly, he wanted her to do it again so he’ll have a chance to roll around in the snow with her.

Gathering up more snow, she rolled it into a good size snowball. Moving her arm back, she aimed for his chest and let loose with venom. “Okay, I warned you woman.” He growled, playfully.
 
Brushing the remaining snow into the palm of his hand,
Hayward
rolled it up into a medium size snowball
like
the kind he loved making as a kid. “Are you ready?”
 

True took a step back and held up her hands in surrender. “I give up. Don’t throw that thing at me.” Tossing the medium size snowball up and down in the palm of his gloved hand, he stalked her.

“I don’t think I can do that, Kitten. When I asked you to stop you kept throwing these at me you didn’t, I think it’s only fair I get to throw one at you.” He raised him arm up and got ready to throw.

True turned away from
Hayward
and ran back in the direction of the house. He let it go and watched as it flew through the air, catching her on the top of her shoulder. The impact sent her falling into the snow.

“Baby…I’m sorry I didn’t mean to throw it that hard.”
Hayward
laughed as he headed toward True. “Stop playing games and get up out of the snow before you catch cold.”
 
True knew better than to play games with him now. He could take a joke, but this wasn’t funny. Why wasn’t she getting up?
 
Panic started to set in when he realized that True wasn’t moving at all. He
raced
 
the
rest of the way across the yard and turned her over brushing the snow from her face and coat.

“True, are you okay?” Her beautiful eyes were closed and she wasn’t responding to him. “Please say something to me.”
Hayward
pleaded.

Fear gripped his heart as he realized he couldn’t notice if she was breathing.
Why
 
in
the hell did he throw that snowball. He was so much stronger than her. His snowball had to hurt worst that hers. If he had done anything to hurt her he’ll never be able to forgive himself.

As he leaned down closer to check and see if she was breathing,
Hayward
felt the back of his coat and shirt being moved. A second later a handful on snow was shoved down the back of his shirt.

“What the hell!” He screamed; jumping up and away from True. Cold wet snow slid down his back into the waist of his pants sending tiny chills all over his body.

Hysterical laughter from the ground drew his attention down back to True.
 
She was getting up off the snow pile. Brushing the snow off her clothes, she grinned at him while he danced around trying to get rid of the remaining snow in his clothes.

“That will teach you to throw a snowball at me.” She giggled.

“You’re in a lot of trouble, Miss Williams.” He growled lunging for True but missed as she spun around and took off in the opposite direction.

Hayward
couldn’t wait until he got his hands on her sexy little body. He’ll teach her to scare the hell out of him like that. Taking off down the snow-covered hill he chased after her. She raced ahead of him covering more ground than he thought. His long legs finally ate up the distance between them and he caught her.

Wrapping his hands around her waist,
Hayward
spun
True
around and fell backwards into the snow, so she rested on his chest. Even though the thick layers of clothes his body jumped to life at her touch.

“Do you know what a scare you gave me back there? I thought I had done some serious damage with that snowball. Don’t play with me like that ever again. I don’t think my heart could take it.”
 
He complained.

“I’m so sorry. I forgot what an old man you are compared to me.” True teased, touching the two gray hair at his temples.

“I guess tonight I have to prove how this old man can make you scream with pleasure.” He promised as he cupped her butt in his hands.

True’s
eyes lit up with excitement. “Hmmm, is that a promise?”

As they stood up,
Hayward
responded. “You bet it is, but you’re not going to find out what it is until later.” He noticed the look in her eyes. She would grow to enjoy surprises if it was the last thing he did for her. “Let’s get inside out of this weather before the both of us catch a cold in these damp clothes.”

“Good…I thought I was the only one who was feeling the chill.” True shivered; rubbing her hands up and down her arms.

Hayward
wrapped his arms around her shoulders and pulled her closer to him while they walked toward the front door. “Come on. I think there’s a slice of peach cobbler left in the refrigerator. If you’re nice to me I’ll share it with you.”

“Yuck…You can keep it.” True frowned and stuck out her tongue.

“You don’t like peach cobbler?”
Hayward
questioned.

“Can’t stand it,” she hissed, making another face.

Pausing by the front door
Hayward
stared down at True, he couldn’t let her hate his favorite fruit in the world. He had to convince her that they were worth enjoying. “What if I can find a way to make you like them?” He asked. “Would you give them a chance then?”

True snickered. “All right, I’ll take you up on that bet, but there’s nothing you can do to make me like those nasty things.”

He did his best to hide his smirk as he opened the front door and ushered True inside. “Well, we’ll have to wait and see about that.”
Hayward
declared; closing the door behind them.

* * * *

Later that night, as promised,
Hayward
sat a bowl of freshly sliced peaches by True She was reading her favorite magazine-
Lucky
in their bedroom. She glanced up and gave him a ‘what are you up to now look’.

“Hmmm, why are you putting those beside me?” She asked. She looked at the bowl of sticky, plump juicy fruit.

“I’m going to teach you how to appreciate and enjoy peaches.”
Hayward
said taking the magazine out of her hands as he threw it in a nearby chair.

“You can't do anything to make me like them.” True said rolling her eyes. She folded her arms underneath her breasts. She shouldn’t let
Hayward
waste his time, but a small part of her was curious about what he was going to do.
 

Hayward
untied the black satin ribbons on the front of her lingerie and slid it off her shoulders. Lifting her he removed it completely tossing it to the floor. “Is that a challenge I hear coming from those luscious lips?”
 
He asked,
then
kissed her.