My Bad Boy's Secret: A Bad Boy Billionaire Romance (83 page)

“No there’s no hope. I’m seven years too late to ever make amends. We’d best get back. I don’t want Mariette getting angry with me too.”

“Mariette would forgive you anything but leaving, but she tells me you intend to do that anyway,” Hardy said with a sad look in his eyes. Edward knew how much he would miss them, so could understand how they would be hurt at his intention to leave town.

“I can’t stay, much as I want to. I couldn’t ruin Annie’s life further.”

“Haven’t you ever wondered if Annie herself should be the one to make that decision?” Hardy asked curiously. “Maybe, even if you can’t forgive yourself for whatever this is that is causing you so much pain – and I will not pry my friend – she can? She strikes me as a very good woman, one who could forgive the man she loved almost anything.”

“That’s the problem, what I did fell way outside of that. Nobody could forgive me, should forgive me.”

“I still think you should let her make up her own mind. Now, come on let’s get you back home to your bed. You’re going to hurt like hell tomorrow!”

“I deserve it,” Edward said as he accepted Hardy’s help to get on Pinto’s back. He could already feel the discomfort in his buttocks that told him how badly they would be tomorrow. He shifted his weight a little in the saddle in the hope he would relieve the pain, but found no relief.

“I’ll tell Mariette you won’t be in tomorrow, get some rest,” Hardy said as he helped him into his tiny house. Edward grinned at him weakly.

“Thank you.” He hated being so dependent on anyone, but for once he accepted the assistance his friend was giving him to get up to his bed. Every bit of him was already stiffening up and he could barely move his legs or arms. He sank onto his bed gratefully and barely even noticed Hardy taking off his boots and lifting his heavy legs up onto the bed for him.

The sunlight glared down onto him suddenly. He shook his head and tried to get up, wondering why his drapes were open wide. Then the pain hit him as if he had just fallen off Pinto all over again. He groaned as he realised he couldn’t move a muscle. “You stay right where you are,” Annie’s sweet voice said firmly.

“What on earth are you doing here?” he demanded. He didn’t want her to see him like this. Didn’t want her to have to see him ever again. Who had told her about his fall, and then been crazy enough to let her come to nurse him. It could only have been one person – Mariette. She was the only person other than himself who had a key to his home. Hardy must have told her, and they must have decided to take things into their hands and try and push them together. Why couldn’t they have just left them alone?

“Hardy told me you fell off your horse. I knew you would be black and blue, so I came here last night. Mariette gave me her key. I would have broken windows if I’d needed to though so you can take that black look off your face, and stop blaming your friends for something that has nothing to do with them.” He glared at her, hating that she could still read his mind even after all these years.

“Why would you bother? I don’t deserve your care,” he said turning his face away from her in shame.

“Oh stop feeling so sorry for yourself,” she said impatiently. “I have spent the last seven years listening to a man feel sorry for himself, I’m sick of it. Whatever has happened is done. Move on from it, learn from it, but don’t dwell on it and let it rule your entire life.”

“But how do you do that? After everything that my actions have put you through, how can you say it is just in the past?”

“Because there is nothing I can do about it David. Feeling sad will not change what happened. Feeling hard done by because I never got the chance to marry and have my own family will not make those things happen. My Mammy always taught me that life goes on. You make the most out of what you have. I got to see my brothers and sisters grow into wonderful young people. They make me so proud and I know they would have made Mammy proud too.”

“You were always a better person than anyone I knew. I am amazed you still are despite everything. I am so sorry, so sorry,” he said bitterly ashamed.

“I know you are, and as I said last night, you didn’t shoot her. Gable walks his own line, and it was always going to end badly. I lay blame at the foot of the man who did the deed – not the one who found himself in a situation he could never have anticipated.”

Annie left him alone for a moment, and he found himself mulling over her words. If only he could just leave everything in the past. He had learnt so much from his mistakes, had learnt that the best way to bring corrupt politicians, and powerful men to change their ways was to expose them. It was why he had taken so well to the life of a newspaperman. Being a part of an organisation dedicated to exposing the truth had given him pride in himself once more. Maybe it was time to think about all the people his journalism, his printing had brought to justice – rather than dwelling on one terrible moment that changed him forever.

He heard the clank of a tray, and managed to find a smile to greet Annie with as she came in. She had brought him breakfast. A steaming cup of coffee, a large bowl of oatmeal and 2 boiled eggs sat on the tray. She helped him to sit up, he winced with every movement, and she grinned at him. “Come on you big baby,” she coaxed him. Once he was fully supported by his pillows she brought the tray to him and let him tuck in.

“You always were the best cook,” he said gratefully.

“And you always had a good appetite.” She winked at him cheekily, and it was as if nothing had ever happened between them for one moment. “Now, are you going to get up and come for a walk with me?”

“I can barely move and you want me to go for a walk?” he said indignantly.

“Movement is the best thing for bruised limbs, stops them from seizing up. Now stop being such a namby-pamby!”

She helped him up, and with his arm across her shoulder she helped him down the stairs. He didn’t want to let her take all his weight, but the weakness in his body gave him no choice. Being so close to her was such sweet torture, and he longed to have the strength to pin her against the wall and kiss her until she knew he was no weakling. “Annie,” he said cautiously. “Do you think there could ever be any hope for us again?” As soon as the words had left his mouth he knew it was too soon, he was asking too much of her.

“David, I have loved you my entire life. I have just been waiting for you to grow up,” she said with a grin. “Now, do you think you have managed that at last?” He laughed and gazed at her. He knew he should ever be surprised by her capacity to live life, to make the most of any situation and to do it with such love, such compassion and such forgiveness in her heart – but he was.

“Will you marry me then?” he asked boldly.

“Well, we have been engaged for twelve years now, we just need to set a date my love,” she said practically. She kissed him, crushing his lips with her own.

“Could we maybe save the walk until later,” he asked flirtatiously.

“Why are you feeling too tired?” she asked looking at him anxiously. He tried to hold back a chuckle.

“No, I just wondered if we might find a way to do some exercise here!” She slapped him playfully, and looked at him with a fire behind her brown eyes.

“Are you trying to ruin my reputation? Get me into trouble!” She said in mock horror.

“I promise I’ll make an honest woman of you once I can stand up unaided – and I promise you no trouble ever, ever again.”

“Well, I don’t think I will ever be able to get you back up those stairs again, so I hope you have a couch somewhere down here!” she teased.

“No couch, but I do have some very soft sheepskin rugs and a warm stove,” he said gazing at her longingly. She helped him to hobble to the front room, and assisted him as he collapsed onto the rug. The drapes were still pulled across the window, and so she sank down beside him, suddenly his aches and pains seemed irrelevant. He kissed her neck and felt her body shudder under his lips. He traced a finger over her collarbones, kissing each inch following his fingers in lazy exploration. She sighed and arched her neck, and he traced his finger from her lips to the top of her gown.

When he finally claimed her lips she was quivering with desire, her body pushing towards his. He could feel her slender thighs as they pressed against his, her pelvis gently jutting up against his, pushing his own desire to the very limits. Her hands fluttered at his chest, pushing up his shirt and caressing his belly. Impatiently she ripped at the shirt, revealing his chest. She traced a finger around his muscles, circling towards his nipples which she squeezed gently. He had never known them to be so sensitive, and he gasped at her touch.

Wanting to feel her skin against his he began to fumble with the buttons on her blouse, she took over when one of the tiny pearl buttons skipped across the wooden floor. She stood and stepped out of her skirt, then quickly loosened her corsets. Not looking the slightest bit ashamed, or shy she stood in front of him naked. He sucked in his breath, he had imagined her body and how it would look free of all the stays and petticoats. But his dreams had never given her such perfect creamy breasts, such raspberry pink nipples, or such a perfectly rounded belly. Her hips swelled gently and her legs were long and slender. He ran his hand up her calf, finding the skin soft and silky. She lay down beside him once more and he cupped the soft mounds of flesh, kissing and sucking lightly at her nipples. She moaned and clutched at his shoulders. He let his hand drift down over her belly, and down towards the apex of her thighs. He found her hidden folds moist and ready, and he gently moved on top of her, parting her thighs so he could enter her slowly, and smoothly. He felt her gasp, and saw her face crinkle with pain. “I’ll be so gentle,” he assured her.

“I know, it has passed,” she said, her voice filled with wonder and amazement. He eased inside her gently and she enveloped him fully as if they had been made perfectly for one another.  She pushed up towards him impatiently. He increased his rhythm, and soon he was lost in the sensation of moving together as one, lost inside one another. Her face was lost in passionate abandon. He kissed her, she bit at his lip and suckled at his tongue. He felt himself about to lose all control, but realised as he felt her contract around him that she was too. She began to pant, and he let himself go. “David, I love you,” she cried out as their climax came in perfect harmony.

“I love you more than anything you little minx,” he said playfully as he shifted over onto his side, and gazed adoringly at her satiated face. “Now, we need to set a date before you take advantage of me again!”

Epilogue

Annie sat on the porch of their new home. The ranch was only small, but it had enough land to raise pigs, and have a small herd of dairy cows. It was what they both knew best, and both in their hearts loved most. David had decided to come clean, to tell his story to their closest friends, but he would always be Ted to them all. He didn’t mind one bit. Ted had a new life, one that was full of love and hope. He had handed his notice into Mariette, had helped her to find a new printer. But he hadn’t been able to give up his passion to put right the wrongs in the world, and he wrote articles for her still. But most of his time was spent here, on their farm.

Their wedding had been planned as a small and intimate affair, but Mariette, in her usual generous manner, had decided to ensure that they had the wedding she thought they deserved. She had taken Annie off to her dressmaker in Dallas, and they had returned with a beautiful cream gown that showed off the warmth of Annie’s creamy skin, and the richness of her chestnut curls. It had been adorned with hundreds of tiny seed pearls, and was quite the most expensive thing she had ever owned. David had for a moment felt guilty that he had not been the one to buy her such a luxury, but he knew Mariette thought little of the money. For her it was about showing her love.

He walked up the steps onto the porch and moved towards his beloved wife. She put her finger to her lips, quietly shushing him as she continued to rock the cradle with her foot. He knelt by her side and gazed at the perfect baby boy, wrapped up warmly against the cool air. He had no clue what he had done to deserve to have such perfection in his life. He knew he was so very blessed, so very lucky that Annie had forgiven him. With her help he had even begun to come close to forgiving himself, and that was the biggest miracle of all.

Annie looked at her husband. Though she had been the one to lose her Mammy all those years ago, she had only lost the shell that had held her. Her thoughts, her words of wisdom had all stayed in Annie. As she moved through the days, she knew that she had always been the lucky one. Poor David had been plagued with fear and doubts for too long. But he was finally becoming whole once more, and she was so happy for him.

“Hey darling’” her Daddy’s voice called from inside the house. “Can you get the door for me?”

“Sure Michael,” David said as he moved to the screen door and opened it. A sober and clean Michael walked through the door carrying a large cake.

“Is our little boy all ready?” he asked excitedly.

“He’s fast asleep Daddy,” Annie said as her brothers and their wives, Katie and Brandon, then Margaret joined them on the porch. “And David’s family aren’t here yet either.”

“Mariette did say she would pick them up from the station,” David said with a mischievous grin. “She’s probably turned that damn carriage of hers over rushing to get them here!”

“Don’t you malign her, she may be fast, but she’s the safest driver I have ever seen. Now, everybody settle down, while I make us all some coffee.” Annie walked into her kitchen, and put the coffee on almost absentmindedly. The clattering of hooves as Mariette finally arrived had her rushing to the door. This would be the first time David had seen his family since his disappearance, and she knew he was nervous about it. His Mama had buried him, had given up hope of him ever coming home. She prayed everything would go well.

She stopped in her tracks, and rested against the door frame. Mrs Evans was cradling her son, sobbing her heart out. David was in tears too. Within moments she could no longer see her husband, as he was surrounded by his Father, brothers and his little sister Carrie. She wiped a tear from her own eye as Daddy came to stand beside her. He put his arm around her waist, and chucked her under the chin. “I am so sorry my darling girl. You deserved better than me, I let you and your Mammy down. She would have been so ashamed of me.”

“Yes she would, but like me she would have forgiven you too. Now, you go and finish fixing the coffee while I welcome our guests,” she chided him gently. This day was proving to be an emotional one, and she still had to introduce Mrs Evans to her grandson. “Mrs Evans, I am so glad you could come. It is such a long journey, we would have come to you.”

“Oh don’t be silly, and please call me Carole,” she said patting her warmly on the cheek. “Do you really think that a few hundred miles would get in the way of me seeing my son after all these years? Thank you for finding him, forgiving him and making us all whole again.”

“Would you like to meet Edward?” Annie asked as she lifted her son from the cradle. She placed him in Carole’s arms, and watched as the woman she had always believed was tougher than old boots burst into tears all over again. Annie looked over at David and smiled.

“I love you,” he mouthed.

“I love you too,” she mouthed back. “Now, who wants cake?”

THE END

Caitlin and the Cowboy

Prologue

The rain dripped onto the glass of the large sash windows and ran in rivulets that gathered on the large sills outside. The drawing room was suffocatingly hot, as Caitlin tried to pay attention to the droning monotone of Mrs Pinkerton as she extolled the virtues of her nephew. If he was one whit as dull as he sounded, she was sure that her brother would deem him perfect, and she would spend the next month trying to convince him, again, that she did not wish to marry the poor young man, or any man at all.

All she could see, beyond the rain, were buildings, carriages, and people rushing around looking busy, yet achieving nothing. She longed to see something green, to be in the wide open spaces she knew filled this great land. She got only the shortest moments to enjoy anything approaching freedom when she rode in the park each morning. Her brother frowned upon it, wished she would take the carriage like other young women – but she had to have something that wasn’t dictated for her, by him or the rest of the society they lived in.

“Caitlin?” he said suddenly, a black look on his face that told her she had missed something again.

“I am so sorry, I was feeling a little feint,” she hedged. “Did you ask me something Mrs Pinkerton?” She hadn’t ever felt so much as a little under the weather in her entire life, but it was a polite face-saving way of avoiding her lack of attention.

“I asked if you enjoyed embroidery my dear, the piece by the fire is quite exquisite.” She pointed at the frame that her sister-in-law had sewn and left lying around casually. The purpose of its presence was indeed for just this moment, that callers would think it Caitlin’s. She almost snorted at the thought of wasting her time doing something that had so little purpose, but contained herself as Robert glared at her. She hated lying, and felt it wrong to mislead anyone. But, her brother was in charge of the house, and the price of her remaining there was his good will.

“I try Mrs Pinkerton, my fingers are a little clumsy but I try,” she said honestly, simpering ever so slightly. She had perfected this response. It was true enough and did not lay claim to the work in question, yet to a visitor’s ears, and her brother it sounded as if she were simply being modest.

“Shall we see you at the ball tomorrow?”

“I believe my brother and his wife intend to take me to Mrs Elliot’s supper party and for us to follow on,” she said honestly.

“Then we shall be doubly blessed with your company as we do the same,” Mrs Pinkerton said with a smile. Caitlin couldn’t help but return it. She may be boring, but she was a sweet lady and she clearly loved her nephew deeply. She prayed he would not be as staid and unforgiving as all the other young men her brother had pushed into her path since their parents had passed away. She knew she could never be happy with anyone as traditional and conservative as he.

She had barely re-entered the parlour when Robert turned on her. “Will you never take anything seriously?” he demanded. “Mrs Pinkerton will surely have noticed how little attention you paid, will be highly offended.”

“She seemed more than happy as I saw her to the door brother, it seems that only you are ever offended by me,” Caitlin responded, fed up of the constant criticisms.

“You are ungrateful Caitlin. After everything that Philomena and I do to try and ensure your happiness, and every time you throw it back in my face,” he fumed.

“Robert, if you truly cared for my happiness, then you would let me find out what it might be that could prosper it. I have told you time and again that I do not wish to be married. I have never asked to be paraded in front of all these doting Mothers and Aunts. It seems that marrying me off would however give you happiness.”

“Of course it would. Mother and Father would want me to ensure that you are safe and cared for.”

“Oh Robert, do not bring their memory into this to make me feel guilty. Mother and Father loved me as I am. They never tried to mold me into something I am not, unlike you. I know you believe that my happiness lies within matrimony, but not with men like you.” Caitlin didn’t want to wound him, but she knew she would never be able to be the kind of wife that Philomena was to Robert, meek and subservient.

“Men like me?” he puffed self-righteously. “There is no other kind of man. Show me a man who wants a wife who is a better rider, shot than him and I will show you a figment of your imagination Caitlin. Let alone the idea that there is a man alive who would be happy for his wife to work with horses, or livestock as you do. Do not look at me as if you are surprised that I know of your forays out to the stables, this is my household – nothing happens here without my knowledge.  I can tell you now that every man wants a good wife, who obeys and does him honour my girl. They have no desire for a hoyden who insists on trying to be a man.”

“Which is precisely why I keep telling you that I am happy to remain a spinster, Robert! Please brother, stop trying to marry me off, or I am afraid I shall have to leave and make my own way in the world.”

“If you wish to live under my roof Caitlin, you will behave as a good young lady of Boston should, you shall be polite to any guests we may have, and you shall consider any potential husband I deem suitable for you,” Robert said pompously. Caitlin wanted to laugh at his puffed up chest, and indignant expression, but she could see he meant every word. But so had she. She could not continue to live like this, always being made to feel as if she was somehow made incorrectly, that if she would just do as she was told that she would be more content.

“Then we have reached an impasse,” she sighed. “I shall pack my things and leave tomorrow for if those are the terms of living under your roof – my family home too Robert – then I should rather take my inheritance and find myself somewhere to set my own rules. I shall write to you when I am settled.” She gave him a sad look, and swept from the room, up the wide stairs and into her room. She slammed the door, and flung herself onto her bed. She took her pillow and punched it brutally, imagining it was her brother’s jowly features she was able to displace as easily as she did the feathers. She knew that to wish to display anger, to want to inflict hurt to another was not ladylike, but she couldn’t help it. He made her so angry. She didn’t want to hurt him and she knew that she had, but he hurt her every day when he refused to accept her as she was.

She lay down clutching the pillow, and pulled out the scrapbook of clippings she had been making from the newspapers. Each one was the tale of a woman who had gone against convention, had made her own luck and forged her own future. She flipped through the pages of cowgirls, ranchers, miners and even prospectors. Caitlin knew she was like these women, not the simpering parlour Miss she was expected to be. They were strong, determined, courageous. They had taken risks. Some had even driven the stage coaches and battled tribesman to make their place. She would be at home amongst these women, finally she would be able to make her own dreams come true.

“Caitlin, please don’t leave,” Robert said as he held the door closed. “Why you aren’t even taking any belongings with you?”

“Robert, I will have no need of dresses and fripperies. If I find I do I shall send for them. I shall write, and I shall make sure that you know I am safe.”

“But…” he tailed off.

“Robert, you want me to be like Philomena, like all of the young women of our acquaintance. I do not wish to be anything like them and if that makes me mannish and unappealing to young men then I do not have any problem with that. Let me go, let me be myself. I shall be happier that way.” She moved towards him, seeing him soften. She put her arms around his waist and kissed his cheek lovingly. “You are not throwing me out, think of it more that I am heading into the world to find my fortune.” She smiled at him and held him tightly. Finally he put his arms around her too, and kissed the top of her head tenderly.

“Take care little sister. Remember we love you and you will always have a home here. If you need anything at all just let me know.”