Uncovering His SECRET (20 page)

“I did that to try
and let them know I wasn’t looking. I wanted it to be clear that I
was off the market.”

“Really?”

“Yes. I only had eyes
for you. Always.”

“I was too dumb to
realize that. I just kept thinking about how we were each other’s
first, and that you would want someone with more experience. Someone
who could please you better.”

“Better? Did we not
just recently talk about the barn, and how I screamed so loud the
ranch hands came running?”

“I never said I was
smart back then. Well, not more than book smart, at least. I just
figured we’d been together too long. As friends, and then more. Why
would you want that when you could have a shiny new guy?”

“Despite how I
decorate my places, I’m not all that fond of new and shiny in other
parts of my life. I like old-school and muddy.”

“I couldn’t see
that then. I was just too scared. So when Greg said you’d slept
with him, it made sense to me in a weird way. It validated all the
insecurities I’d been feeling and obliterated my pride. I had to
get at least that back, so I started dating Dee and did everything I
could to tear you down. I wanted you to hurt like I was hurting.”

“I was sixteen and
pregnant, watching the guy I loved kissing the girl I hated. Believe
me, I was hurting.”

“I’m so damn sorry
that you had to go through all of that alone. I should’ve been
there with you, going to your appointments and holding you hand. I
would’ve been there if things hadn’t gone down the way they had,
I need you to know that. I would have fought your parents and brought
you to the safety of our ranch.

“I would’ve kissed
your belly. God, I wish I could have seen it all round with our baby
inside of it,” I tell her as I run my hand over her now flat
stomach. “Did it get really big?”

“Yeah. My breasts got
huge, too.”

“Torture a guy, why
don’t you?”

“You’ll see them
next time.”

I sit up and look down
at her, what I know has to be a crazy smile on my face. “There can
be a next time? Really?”

“Yeah. We’re still
young, and Ethan has always wanted a brother or sister.”

She looks sad again,
and I’m not sure why. “What’s wrong?”

“I shouldn’t have
kept him from you, Cal. I thought you hated me for so long, and then
I was scared you’d try to take him. But what I did wasn’t right,
for either of you.”

“I’ve already
forgiven you, Teeg. Neither one of us made the choices we should’ve.
I’m just glad to have him—and you—now. I’m pretty sure that
he’ll let me teach him stuff now that you and I are good.”

“He wouldn’t let
you teach him things at the ranch?”

“No. I told you the
kid’s ornery.”

“I’m sorry.”

“It’s not your
fault. I know you well enough to know you would’ve told him to be
nice to me.”

“I really would’ve.”

“Knock, knock,”
Stella says, walking in the door.

“Bestie,” Tegan
says with a smile, sitting up to hug her friend.

“Is this okay? I
mean, I know you two were probably talking about serious shit. I just
couldn’t wait any longer.”

“It’s fine. We have
the rest of our lives to talk. How about I leave you two alone while
I go pick up Ethan? I promised to bring him by tonight.”

“Thanks,” Tegan
says, kissing me like she means it.

“I’ll be back soon,
and I’m staying the night.”

“I can take Ethan
back to the house, or ranch.”

“That’d be great,
Stella. I’ll see you ladies soon.”

* * *

Tegan

“You two looked
extremely cozy,” Stella says. We’re sitting cross legged on my
hospital bed across from each other.

“We were.”

“Oh no. You are not
going to doge the big elephant in the room.”

“We’ve both done
things wrong,” I tell her, looking down to play with the edge of my
hospital gown.

“You saved his ass
and he asked for a divorce.”

“I know.”

“What if you
accidentally burn dinner? Or forget to wash his shorts? Is he going
to be all like ‘sorry, Teeg, but I’m out’ again?”

“I certainly hope
not.”

“I’m serious.”

I look back up at her.
“So am I. I’ve loved him most of my life. Back then, I thought it
was the best thing ever. That he was the best thing ever. He wasn’t
then, but I know he is now.”

“And when did you
have this great epiphany?”

“When he removed all
the words from my body while telling me that I needed to go ahead and
cry. That he would be my strength while I let myself break. And then
washed my hair for me.”

Her eyes widen as she
looks me over. “Oh my God. I didn’t even notice that your skin
was unmarked. And those things he said? Plus, washing your hair?
Okay, I’m firmly Team Caleb. He’s a keeper.”

“Yes, he is, and I
think he’s finally going to let me do just that.”

“Good. Then I won’t
need to shoot him.”

“Please don’t.”

“Buzzkill.”

“Trigger happy.”

“Besties.”

“For life.”

We talk and laugh until
Caleb gets back with Ethan. My boy jumps on the bed and tackles me
backward when he sees me.

“I was so worried,
Mama.”

“Honestly, I was
too.”

“I knew the SoSh
would get you back, but I didn’t know how long it would take.”

“SoSh?” Caleb asks
him, looking confused as Stella and I smile.

“Yeah. The Society of
Superheroes. Mama and her friends.”

“He started calling
us that a couple of years ago,” I explain.

“Way to go, E.
Already charming the ladies.”

“You know it.”

I roll my eyes and hug
him again. “Are you staying at the house tonight, or the ranch?”

“The ranch, if that’s
okay. Grandma wants to spend more time with me.”

“Of course it’s
okay. As long as you let your dad show you some stuff tomorrow,” I
tell him with that scary “mom” look on my face. Well, at least I
hope it’s scary.

He sighs. “I figured
he’d tell you.”

“Sorry, but your mom
and I are trying to not keep secrets from each other anymore.”

“Don’t apologize to
him,” I tell Cal, and then pin Ethan with another look. “Your
father describes you as ornery? Is that how you really want him to
think of you?”

“Maybe.”

“Ethan Caleb Hall.”

“No. I don’t want
him to think of me that way.”

“One more sigh, and I
swear that I’m spanking your ass.”

“You’re going to be
the fun parent, right Dad?”

“I’m going to be
the parent who tans your hide for sassing your mom. And then takes
you out to a ball game after because I feel bad.”

“Nice.”

“Give your mom
another hug, and then we need to get going,” Stella says.

“Oh. Jade gave me a
bag she said you needed,” Caleb tells her.

“It’s for Tegan.
You two can go wait in the hall for a few minutes.”

“Don’t look at me
like that. I have no clue,” I tell Caleb.

“You’ll be home
tomorrow, right Mama?”

“That’s the plan.”

“Okay. I love you.”

“I love you, too.”

He turns to Caleb and
hugs him. “I love you, Dad.”

“Love you too, E.”

Stella shoos them out
of the room and then turns to me. “I had Jade pack up your recent
Victoria’s Secret purchases.”

“I’m in the
hospital, Stell.”

“With just a few
bruises on your face, and emotional scars that are healing. Tell me
you don’t want to do that sexy hunk of man.”

“I’m hooked up to
machines.”

“I’ll tell the
nurses to ignore your heart monitor.”

“I already have a bad
reputation in this town.”

“Exactly. Why
shouldn’t you use it to your advantage?”

“Give me the damn
bag.”

“Gladly.”

I decide on what to
wear and put it on while Stella tames my hair as best she can. Once
I’m as good as I can get while in the hospital, I stretch out on
top of the blankets and wait for her to send him in.

“Hey,
Teeg…whoa…I…damn, honey.”

“Thanks for bringing
this for me.”

“If I’d known what
was in that bag, I would’ve kicked them out earlier,” he says as
he walks over and runs a finger up my bare leg.

“No you wouldn’t
have.”

“You’re right. The
kid comes before the sex. Oh damn, that sounded so wrong.”

“Yes, it did,” I
say with a laugh.

“I seem to have left
my suave at home.”

“As long as you
didn’t leave your yummy cock there.”

He looks down. “Nope,
that’s still attached, and growing by the second.”

“Just like I love
it.”

He moves his finger
between my legs, pushing the lace of my thong aside, and dipping his
finger into me. He pulls it out and sucks it into his mouth. “You
pussy’s just how I love it as well.”

I almost came right
then. Seriously. That was so fucking erotic. My nipples are straining
against the sheer fabric covering them, and I can feel myself getting
wetter. I need him now.

“How do you want me,
Cal?”

“I should be asking
you that.”

“I want whatever you
want. Please. Don’t get used to it, but right now I want you in
charge.”

“I won’t refuse
you. Now or ever,”

He lowers the side
rails on the bed and then reaches down for the buttons that control
it, lowering it until it’s just above his knees. I watch as he
whips his shirt over his head and pulls his jeans and boxers off
together. He almost trips when he forgets that his shoes are still
on, and I smile knowing that I’m the one who’s made him so
crazed.

He straddles the bed,
moving my legs up, and sitting down before angling the lower portion
of the bed up with the controls. “Turn around, scoot up, and hold
on to the top of the bed.”

I do as he says. Moving
my I.V. line over my head to get it out of the way. Once I’m where
he wants me, he throws my legs over his and lowers the top of the bed
almost to the ground.

“Put your head back
so you don’t get lightheaded,” he says as he rips my thong apart,
grips my hips, and thrusts into me.

I arch my back and
throw my head back without even having to think about it. “You feel
so good.”

“You said we could
make another baby, so we’re not using condoms anymore, even once
your birth control wears off. I want to feel you, and know I’m
leaving myself in you every time.”

“Yes. So much yes.”

I let go of the top of
the bed to brace myself on my hands as he thrusts harder and harder.
It’s perfect. He’s getting deeper with every stroke, and I think
I may go crazy with pleasure. When one of his hands moves below me so
that his fingers can circle and then pinch my nipple, I do. I come so
hard that I don’t think my orgasm will ever stop. I’m still
clenching his cock inside me when he shakes in me.

As soon as I collapse
back onto the bed, he raises the top back up and the bottom back
down. We silently put a few clothes back on, climb under the
blankets, and fall asleep with our arms around each other. The nurses
wake me up to check my vitals every hour, but I snuggle back into
Caleb when they leave again.

We’re still wrapped
up together when the doctor comes in the next morning. I introduce
him to Caleb, telling him he’s my husband. He’s very happy that
Cal got me to open up, and after looking over my chart, tells me I’m
free to go. I thank him and then cuddle back into the chest I love
for a few more minutes. The sensible scientist makes me get up to put
on clothes, reminding me that the sooner I get dressed, the sooner he
can take me home to bed. I’m dressed and out the door in fifteen
minutes. Being married to the town prince definitely has its
advantages.

Tegan

It’s been two weeks
since I got out of the hospital, and things are finally dying down.
Reina told me to take as much time off as I needed, and Luke got
permission for Ethan to temporarily go to school here, but get credit
at his school in Las Vegas. It’s been fun, watching him and Caleb
bond even more.

I sleep in every day,
and when Cal gets back from dropping Ethan off at school, he wakes me
up with his mouth or hands. We make love for a couple of hours before
he goes downstairs to his makeshift lab, and works on his formulas. I
read or binge watch TV shows I’ve missed until school is out.

We both pick up Ethan,
but while they go back to the ranch to do ‘cowboy things,’ I head
to the high school. Soon after I got out of the hospital, the
guidance counselor from the school contacted me, asking if I would be
willing to talk to some of the girls at the school who were having a
rough time. I immediately agreed, and now we meet daily.

I started with just a
small group of girls who were the victims of bullying. For the way
they dress, the poverty they live in, their weight, their sexual
orientation, their skin color, or even their brains. Now, there are
thirty girls, including most of the cheerleading squad and the girls’
sports teams. We even have a few pageant queens. All these girls are
so different on the outside, but through just simple conversations
where they can say whatever they need to, they’ve come to realize
that they’re a lot alike.

Today is a special
day—not just because we’re meeting on a Saturday—but because my
friends are coming to talk to the girls, too. All the Society girls,
plus all of the Griffin women will be meeting me at the school. I
also invited Caleb’s mom, and some of the other women who’ve
supported me. I’ll be going home after next week’s gala to
celebrate the ‘fuel deal,’ and I want to make sure that there are
others who can keep this program going. Especially now that some boys
are asking to join, too.

“Why are you so
smiling so big, Caleb Hall? You look like the cat who swallowed the
canary.”