Protective Love (Hidden Secrets)

by P. J. Belden

  He started to move in slow, shallow thrusts. Nothing too drastic, and I was thankful. The slow movements allowed me to get used to the feeling and the need for him to make love to me started growing again.

  He was trembling, and I knew it was because he was trying to stay in control. It made me love him all the more. His thrusts were now slow, long, deep thrusts that had both of us moaning with pleasure.

  “I’m okay, Jason. Please just make love to me,” I breathed between each of his thrusts.

  Jason stared at me for a moment before finally moving faster. At first it was overwhelming, but soon my level of desire was there with him and I was raising my hips to meet each of his thrusts. My nails dug into his back and down to his butt. I wrapped my legs around his waist and lifted myself into him, taking him deeper. Then I felt it. I felt the build start. It started in my toes and worked its way up.

  “Oh God! Jason!” I moaned as my orgasm took over me and spread through the rest of my body. It was like it was the fourth of July behind my eyelids. I cried out again as another wave coursed through me.

  “I. Love. You. Kayla.” He grunted between his thrusts.

  His thrusts were becoming erratic and sweat covered each of our bodies. I opened my eyes looking in his again. He sped up his movements even faster and I rose up and took his mouth with mine. The feeling was incredible. I didn’t know anything could feel so good. I didn’t know that you could literally feel your souls come together in a connection like that. A connection. That was such a mild term for what I was feeling.

  There it was again. Not as intense, but still as overwhelming. I broke the kiss and fell back, pushing my head into the grass beneath me. He supported his weight on his forearms and thrust faster and more erratic. It was as if he couldn’t control himself any longer.

  “Jason…” I whispered right before my orgasm took over me. I was coming down when I heard Jason moan.

  “Shit, Kayla!” He moaned loudly.

  It was the sexiest sound I had ever heard. He seemed to be having just as intense of a climax as I had and several short, erratic thrusts later he collapsed on top of me. We laid there, both of us are trying to catch our breaths. He rolled us to the side and he cradled me in his arms still breathing heavy.

  After a few minutes of lying there, I shivered. The sun had gone down some time before we started to make love and it was starting to cool off.

  I just made love to the most amazing man under the moon and stars. AND, we are engaged! Oh. My. God. I’m engaged. I, Kayla Williams, am engaged to be married.

  I shivered again. He wrapped me in his arms tighter and kissed my head.

  “Maybe we should gather our stuff and head up to my house?”

  I nodded my head, unable to say anything at the moment. I redressed, as did he. We collected our picnic and walked back up to the car. The drive was short and quiet, but when his house came into view, my breath left my lungs. It was stunning. It was a two story log cabin built on a drop off that overlooked his lake. When you first drive up on the house you see a wrap around deck to the back of the house toward the lake. Down below the wrap around deck is a three bay garage. If you continue around, there is a small front porch and on the other side of that a two car garage that connects to the log house.

  “This is my house. I built it with the help of a crew of course, but I did as much as I could on my own. All the logs used to build the house were from the trees that I cleared for me to build my house. I then planted new trees to replace the ones I cut down elsewhere on my property. This is a private lake. I own about 1000 acres of land in total. I love the outdoors and I wanted to have my turn in protecting it. I wanted to have a place that I could come home and completely relax after work.”

  “It is so beautiful.” I whispered.

  He laughed.

  “Come one, sunshine. Let me show you the inside. Just leave everything out here.”

  When you walk in the entryway, you walk into the foyer. In front and off to the left a little was a coat closet and further to the left was a guest half bath. To the right were stairs that led upstairs. If you walked straight ahead, you walked into the great room. The whole back wall was glass either by windows or doors. The view was breathtaking. To the left was the kitchen and dining room it was all open concept. My first stop was in the kitchen.

  There was an island with a cook top in it and seating around. The counters were gray granite with oak cabinets. There were dual wall ovens, double sinks, and a walk in pantry.

  “This kitchen is amazing! It is exactly like my dream kitchen. My kitchen is too small. Wow! You must love cooking in here,” I said running my hands along the countertops.

  He then led me to a little hallway. There was a door straight in front, and then another to the right. The door to the right led to the mudroom and out to the garage. The door straight in front led to Jason’s room. This room had floor to ceiling windows with double doors that lead out to the deck. There was a huge walk in closet.

  “Wow, this closet is as big as the bathroom in my house,” I laughed.

  Next to the walk in closet was the master bath. A whirlpool Jacuzzi tub, separate shower complete with built in bench seating, three shower heads and jets on all sides, double vanity, and of course the toilet.

  I walked back out of the bedroom and through the doors to the deck. Leaning against the railing, I stared out over the lake.

  “You are so lucky to look at this view every day.”

  He walked up behind me and wrapped his arms around my waist and rested his head on the top of mine.

  “Only one thing I like looking at more.”

  Leaning my head back against his shoulder, I took a deep breath.

  “There is a view better than this?”

  “Yes, you. I could look at you all day.”

  Laughing, I said, “Oh, so original there, Mr. Gold. If I search your dresser will I find “How to Woo… Corny Lines to Make Her Love You” guide book in there.”

  He shrugs. “Maybe, I know you would find, “World’s Dumbest Jokes” in there,” They laughed. “There are also four additional bedrooms upstairs complete with their own bathrooms and walk in closets too.”

  “So much space for a single guy. It must get lonely.”

  “It did, but then again, I’m not single, now am I?” Jason lifted my left hand and kissed my ring finger before he handed me a key.

  I looked up at him and my heart sped up. After all things considered, I hadn’t even factored in the fact that he might want me to move in with him.

  “Jason,” I whispered.

  “Listen, I know today has been an overload on your emotions between getting engaged and making love for the first time, but I want you to know that at any time you are ready you can move in here. Until then you can stay here whenever you want. My house is safe. I have alarm systems that will make it impossible for anyone to get in here without either us knowing or having to let them in. We will take this at a pace you are comfortable with, sunshine.”

  I looked back out over the lake. It was a breathtaking sight watching the moonlight dance across the water. I held the key in my hand. It meant more than just a step to me. He knew of all the things I felt I had taken from me was my safety and there he was giving me that. Jason had given me so much, and I would be forever grateful to him for it all. A tear slid down my cheek, as I wondered what I have given him. He had been shot, run ragged, fought nightmares, and so much more. What could I possibly have given him? My body jerked as I fought to control my tears.

  “Hey, what’s wrong?”

  He turned me around and cradled me against his chest as I cried. He ran his hand from the top of my head, down my back to my waist and back up. How can I make everything up to him? How can I thank him for all he’s done?

  “You have given me so much; everything. What have a given you other than difficulty?” I sobbed into his chest.

  “Hey,” he pulled my head back and made me look him in the eyes. “You have give
n me so much more than you know. Kayla, things haven’t been easy for us, but together nothing seems to be too big for us to handle. When I’m with you, nothing else matters. Please don’t start feeling that this is one sided. It’s not. Okay?”

  I nodded my head and he wiped the tears from my face.

  “I love you,” I whispered.

  He took a deep breath.

  “I will never get tired of hearing you say that.”

  He kissed me long and slowly. It was the kind of kiss that made you feel cherished and loved. Jason was the man of a woman’s dreams and here he was in love with me. He wants to spend the rest of his life with me.

  “Stay with me tonight, please? I know you have work in the morning, but you can leave from here. I, uh, had Mary pack you a bag and she gave it to me before you came out of the bathroom. Nate took it to my car. Are you mad?”

  As much as it would have made me scared before, Jason had changed me some. He has taken a lot of my fears away. I was happier, and it is all because of him. There is no amount of thank you’s I could say to make up even for that. He was piece by tiny piece giving me my life back.

  “No, I’m not mad. I’m not mad at all,” I rose up on my toes and kissed him with all the passion I felt.

  We made love again that night. It was spectacular and consuming and unforgettable, but nothing will ever top making love under the stars for the first time after getting engaged. Yeah, he may have been frustrated, but I couldn’t think of a better way to have our first time have happened. He pledged himself to me and I to him. We promised that we will embark on a life together. We promised that we would never be alone in our journey. We promised this all in him asking five words and me answering in one.

  Tonight, I fall asleep in Jason’s warm, safe embrace. Visions of the future were dancing inside my head instead of nightmares. For once, I will look forward to tomorrow and the future. I owed it all to the man who held me. The man that whispered he loved me over and over again as we both came apart in each other’s arms.

  Morning came way too early. The sun shone brightly through the still open doors. I sat up and walked quietly out onto the deck, taking in the scenery.

  This is a view I wouldn’t get tired of waking up to.

  Taking a deep breath of fresh air, I moved quietly inside. I didn’t want to wake Jason, who looked sexy as hell sleeping with this bare chest exposed, one arm extended out where I had been laying and the other behind his head. The blankets covered him from the waist down.

  Walking over and grabbing my overnight bag, I carried it into the bathroom and quietly shut the door to begin getting ready for work.

  When I came out of the bathroom, Jason was still sleeping. I walked into the kitchen and left him a note before heading out of the house and taking Jason’s car again. I will have to call Nate and see if he can take the car back to Jason. I didn’t like the thought of leaving him with nothing.

  The smile on my face would not falter. It was a strange feeling to be happy. I almost didn’t know how to act. Happiness was not exactly a normal emotion for me. Fear, sadness, loneliness, pain, anger… those I can do something with. Happiness was a complete alien feeling for me. As I turned into the parking lot, the sun caught my engagement ring, sending shimmering lights around the inside of the car. I smiled.

  He loves me. Today is the first day of my happily ever after!

  Walking into my clinic, I am immediately greeted by a frantic Jenny. She is talking a million miles a minute and I can barely keep up with her. She walks with me as she talks and I take my purse to my office. Just as I was about to drop my purse in the drawer it rang. Silencing Jenny for a moment to answer it.

  “Hello?”

  “Kay? Do you know where Jason’s at?”

  “Nate, hey. Uh, yeah, he’s at his house. Do you think you can come pick up his car and take it back to him? I had to use it to drive to work.”

  “Yeah, I’ll walk there now. I’m just leaving your place. See you in a few.”

  “Actually, I’m super busy. I will leave the keys with Jenny.”

  “Sounds good. You okay?”

  “Yes. Never been better,” I beamed as I spoke.

  After hanging up, I dropped my purse into my drawer and walked out with Jenny, giving her the keys. It was appointment after appointment. They almost seemed to be never ending. One of my other vets called in today and I had to pick up their appointments.

  It was well after noon when I was walking back to my office. Jenny looked just as tired as I felt. I gave her a small smile and continued on to my office. I did find out that Cara was back to her normal self. It was just the news I needed to push through the rest of my day.

  Looks like I need to talk to Jason about Cara. Wonder if he remembers I do have a dog and if he will object to having a dog in the house?

  I had just walked into my office when he moved toward me slamming into the wall. I screamed a blood curdling scream as his fist flew toward my face. My head snapped hard to the right. Looking toward the door, I could see Jenny headed toward my office.

  “No! Get help! Call Ja—“

  My pleas for help were cut short as his fist made contact with my face again. He had me held against the wall by my throat. When he let that hand drop, my body fell to the ground. He slammed the door to my office shut. The clicking of the lock echoed in my head. It was like a gun fire echoing through the night because that is what it felt like. I was locked in my office with no escape. I had no idea if Jenny was calling for help or if they would even get here in time.

  His foot made contact with my stomach and the urge to vomit came at me full force. He was kicking me over and over again, screaming at me, but I couldn’t hear anything. Breathing was difficult and my heart pounded so loud in my ears that I thought my ear drums were going to burst.

  Suddenly, I felt like I was floating. I could feel a breeze flow over my body. It wasn’t until my back made contact with my table that I realized he had thrown me across the room. Using every bit of strength I could muster, I tried to move away from him. Blood trailed into my eyes, making it impossible to see. It hurt to shift my body, and I was finding it very difficult to breathe.

  Pain coursed through me like the blood did down my face. It was constant and didn’t slow one bit. Fear was no longer the front runner in how I was feeling at the moment. Pain - teeth clenching, bite through steel kind of pain - surged through me with a vengeance. He wasn’t letting up. I tried to beg; to plea for my life, but it was falling on deaf ears.

  “Not so tough now, are you bitch?!” he screamed at me.

  Everything around me was disappearing. Sounds were beginning to muffle and my vision was going. A sudden sharp pain shot through my chest and the last of my breath left my lungs. The pain that had been constant was lessening. It was like I was going numb. Suddenly I felt like I was no longer part of my body. I felt like I was watching him hit, kick, punch and toss me.

  There was a crashing noise and more noise sounded in the room. It was like someone else had come into the room. The pain was leaving me and with it everything faded as well.

  “Oh God, baby. Hang on sunshine the…”

  A feather floating in the breeze has no weight, but glides seamless to its final resting place. The feather floats through the air, raising and lowering with any breeze. No matter the amount of wind that may be there, the feather will land and rest on the ground. Gravity takes hold of everything, even something as insignificant as a feather, changing the direction it could have been and taking it where it wants, but the end will be the same. The feather will land on the ground.

  Like the feather floating casually to the ground, everything around me did the same. It all faded until there was nothing left. I was nothing. Suddenly, what seemed like a bright and happy world dimmed and disappeared; lost to me…

  CHAPTER THIRTY

  ~JASON~

  When I woke that morning, Kayla had already gone to work. When I walked out to the kitchen to make me some coffe
e, there was already some made and a note beside the machine.

  Good Morning Sleeping Beauty (the male version HA!),

  I didn’t want to wake you. You looked so peaceful while you were sleeping. I headed to work and took your car. I will see if Nate can bring it back to you. With all the time off, I am going to try and take some of the load off my other doctors. Maybe try and come up after lunch sometime and we can visit while I work on paperwork and whatnot. You don’t have to, but I thought it’d be nice if you did.

  I love you.

  Your fiancée,

  Kayla

  Smiling at her signing ‘fiancée’, I drank my cup of coffee. After cleaning up my mess, I jumped in the shower. Just as I was walking out of the bedroom I heard my phone ringing. I answered it right before it went to voicemail.

  “Yeah.”

  “Hey asshat! Up for a visit? It seems I have your car.”

  “Yeah, man. Come on over. You know how to get in.”

  Hanging up the phone, I went back to my room to shift all the items in my closet around to make room for Kayla’s stuff. She may not move in now, but she will eventually and I couldn’t wait to share everything with her.

  Before long I heard my door open and Nate calls for me.

  “I’m in my room.”

  “What are you doing?”

  “Shifting shit around to make room for Kayla’s stuff.”

  “Kayla’s moving in with you?”

  I looked up at him with a huge smile on my face. In my head, I’m telling myself to wait to tell him until Kayla was with me, but my heart was already spitting out the words before I could stop them.

  “We’re engaged.”

  “You’re what?” he screamed with a smile on his face.

  I felt like a chick smiling and nodding like I was, but damn it I was so fucking happy. My life finally had a purpose. It had meaning and it had a direction all because of Kayla.

  “I asked her last night and she said yes. We are taking it slow and I told her she doesn’t have to move in here right now, but she will be eventually. Part of me thinks she wants to move in here for the safety, judging by the look in her eyes. I just want to have it all ready for her when she does.”