Chapter 5 #3
“How are you feeling?” She held onto the bag and noticed that her knuckles were bruised. “I came out here to see if you needed anything, but thought you had it under control.”
“I feel better.” He said he could tell. “I used to run a great deal. Five miles a day. Then my sister started following me in her car, and I lost the ability to tune her out when she’d yell at me from her open window.”
“She sounds like a real peach.” She laughed, and Reagan did as well.
“Whatever you need, I’ll be there for you.
But I don’t think you can deal with your sister much longer and stay healthy yourself.
I’m not saying that she doesn’t need help because I honestly think that she does, but she needs more than just you to depend on. ”
“You’re right. I can’t deal with her on my own and remain a good person.” He didn’t say she was wrong, and she loved him for that. “She’s been calling since I’ve been here. I know you know that. She has left messages, too, that I’ve not read or listened to.”
“Don’t.” She nodded but didn’t know what to do about her sister. “I’ve called in a couple of favors, and we can be married tomorrow in the courthouse. I don’t know that you’d like to do that this soon, but I heard you tell your sister that you were getting married and decided to make it real.”
“I want that. I have no idea why I trust you not to hurt me, but I do. I also know for some reason that you’d never hurt me in any way.” He told her that he’d not. “Thank you for that. What will your family say if we were to get married tomorrow? Will they think that you’re crazy?”
“They’ll more than likely think that I’m crazy for waiting so long to do it.” He stood up, and she waited for him. “I’d very much like to kiss you right now. That’s all I want for the moment is a kiss. If you’d agree to that.”
“I’d like that as well.” She moved around the bag and cried out. “I’m hurting. Really bad all over my back.”
“You did too much.” He turned her around so that her back was to him.
Massaging her so that she could feel better, it hurt worse for a while before it started to get better.
Just as he was getting her shoulders to move with less pain, she looked down at her hands and wondered who she’d been thinking about when she was punching the bag. “You’re feeling better, aren’t you?”
“I am.” She moved away from his touch when she could stretch her neck and move easily. “I’m going to be more sore tomorrow, aren’t I?”
“I’m afraid so.” He leaned against the railing that was near where she was standing.
Just as she was going to go to him for a kiss, he pulled her to his body.
Their bodies were chest to chest and groin to groin.
She could even feel his erection. Blake looked up at him.
“I’ve fallen in love with you. Just in the few short days that we’ve known one another, I’ve fallen deeply in love with you. ”
Leaning his head down to her mouth, she felt a whisper of a kiss from his mouth. He brushed his mouth over hers back and forth before he took possession. Just as she was ready to wrap her arms around him to have him deepen the kiss, he stiffened and pulled his head away.
“My grandda is coming out here.” She asked him to tell him to go away. “I would, but he’s on a mission from my grandma. She wants to know if you want to spend the night here so that you don’t have to deal with your sister anymore.”
“Hello, the barn.” She giggled when Frank leaned into the barn doors and yelled.
“I have me a couple of questions for the two of you, and I’m afraid it can’t wait until morning.
Blake, honey, would you like to spend the night here?
Reagan knows he’s going to be welcome, but I wanted to let you know that you’d be welcome too. We got plenty of room around here.”
“I don’t know, Frank. I don’t want to put you out.” He came all the way into the barn and saw the way that two of them were close. Even from across the room, she could see his cheeks getting pink. “What will your kids say if they knew that we were staying here?”
“They’d be jealous, is what they’d be. Jealous too that they didn’t get to have you over for dinner tonight like me and my Milly did.
” She laughed and stood up. Leaning on Reagan wasn’t helping her think straight right now.
“You’d have the best room in the house, the two of you.
I’m not saying mine and Milly’s bed, but you’d have one all the same.
Reagan has spent plenty of nights here in that very same room. ”
“I’m afraid that my sister will try to make me do something that I don’t want to.” He said he had faith in her to do the right thing. “I’m glad you do. I don’t just so you know. But I do appreciate you and your wife having me over.”
“We’re just happy to be able to meet you.” He looked at Reagan, who was still leaning against the fence post in the room. “I called me a couple of favors in and had your house looked at. There are about twenty Pride members who are happy to watch over things for you.”
“Do you think she’ll be able to find me?
” Frank told his grandson there was no doubt that she could find him.
All she’d have to do was look it up in the phone book.
“I don’t think they make phone books anymore, Grandda.
But you’re right. If she asked the right person, they could tell her where I lived. I’ll stay here too with Blake.”
“Good. Then, in the morning, we’ll all go over and get her moved into your home.
Then you’ll be able to protect her better.
” Blake asked if they thought that Robin would get violent.
“Yes, there’s no reason whatsoever to believe that she won’t.
She’s already hurt someone once, and that was you.
I see no reason to give her anything more that she can hurt you with. ”
She didn’t even have to worry about clean clothing, as Reagan reminded her that she could change her clothing at will.
And Frank told her they always have extra toothbrushes and such when the boys come around unannounced.
While she did feel slightly bullied into staying, she thought they were right in thinking that Robin would hurt her now.
She didn’t know why, but she had a feeling that she was going to have to watch her back for a while with her sister and be careful not to be caught unawares.
“All right, I’ll stay.” Frank said that he had one more thing to have his daughter be jealous of them about. “I don’t want you to only do this to get your daughter mad at you, Frank. What if she’s mad at me over this?”
“So long as you’re safe, then she’ll be as right as rain about it.
I tell you, it’s going to be fun being your knight in shining armor.
Reagan can be, too, but I’m going to be helping you out with this to keep you safe for the family.
Yes, sir, this is going to be wonderful having the two of you staying around here tonight.
” Reagan asked her if she wanted to get married in the morning.
“Married? Well, don’t that beat all. A wedding, too.
I’m tickled pink to hear that. Yes siree bob, I’m excited as I’ve ever been. ”
He went back into the house, talking about how he was going to have another baby by Christmas of next year. Blake looked up at Reagan and asked him if he was going to be all right with that.
“Whatever you want, I’ll be there for you.
And a baby by next Christmas will be wonderful if he didn’t put too much pressure on you.
” She said that he’d not, she’d been thinking about it too.
“Well then, we’ll have to work on that as soon as possible.
A bride by morning and a baby by next Christmas will be wonderful.