Read Uncovering His SECRET Online
Authors: Crystal Perkins
Uncovering His SECRET (23 page)
“You’re so good
with him.”
“Yeah?”
“Yeah.”
“Thanks.”
Once the horses are
tied to trees on the banks of the creek, I hug Ethan and tell him
what a good rider he is. “You were great, E.”
“I love riding
horses. Can I have one in Las Vegas?”
“I’ll buy him one
if it’s okay, Teeg.”
“I don’t know why
you’re acting like it’s only my decision. You
are
his father, after all. But yes, I’m totally fine with you buying
him a horse.”
“Yay. This creek is
really cool. Did you really spend every day after school here?”
“From the time we
were ten to when we were sixteen, yes. We were here all day in the
summers, too.”
“Have you seen it
since you’ve been back?”
“Yes. Your dad and I
hung out here after the carnival.”
“Why didn’t you
bring me along?”
Caleb spits out the sip
of tea he just took, as I glare at him. “We just wanted some alone
time in our special place.”
“You just wanted to
kiss on the lips, you mean.”
“Oh yeah, E. I
definitely kissed your mom’s lips,” Cal says with a laugh.
I roll my eyes, but I
laugh right along with him. Once we get back to Las Vegas, things
aren’t going to be so easy for us in regards to sex. Sure, my
friends will watch Ethan any time we want, but we can’t just send
him away all the time. We’ll figure it out, especially since we’re
going to try to have another baby as soon as possible.
* * *
Caleb
Today is my big day.
I’ve been doing interviews with my dad and grandpa all day. I’m
really proud of my formula, and I know the others I’m working on
will be even better, but I’d really rather just be hanging out and
watching movies with my wife and son. Duty calls, and my mom would
kill me if I missed this party, so here I am, waiting for Tegan to
arrive so we can walk into the giant tent outside together.
Ethan comes in first,
telling me I’m going to die when I see his mom. I don’t doubt
him. My wife is always stunning, and I can’t wait to see what she
has planned. I send him on inside with my mom while I wait.
Holy hell, he wasn’t
kidding. The top of her dress is conservative, with a high neckline,
and sleeves that go just past her elbows. Below her waist, all bets
are off. Her dress is super short in front, but falls past the floor
into a short train in the back. The dress is cream colored with all
kinds of beading covering the entire dress. The way the material
ruffles around the bottom of the dress reminds me of a flower, one I
want to peel back from the stems, which is what I’m going to call
her longs legs for a moment. She’s got cream colored heels on and
no jewelry other than her wedding rings. Her hair is up in a
sophisticated twist, and there’s very little makeup on her face.
“No boots?”
“Stella threatened my
life if I wore boots with this dress.”
“I bet she did.”
“Do you like it?”
What? Oh, shit. “I
fucking love it. You look gorgeous. I should’ve said that first,
but seeing you like this killed a few of my brain cells.”
“Good thing you have
so many extra rolling around up there.”
“I don’t know about
that.”
“This is me—you
don’t have to be modest. I’m crazy proud of you.”
“That means more to
me than anyone else saying it.”
“Don’t you dare
make me cry tonight.”
“I’ll distract you
with kisses if I see that happening.”
“It’s happening
now.”
I lean in and kiss her.
My arms go around her as she grips my biceps. “You look fantastic
tonight. I just realized I didn’t say that, Cowboy.”
“Stella helped me,
too.”
I have on a black suit
with a black shirt, and a dark pink tie that we both chose because
it’s Tegan’s favorite color. I also have black cowboy boots on.
She wouldn’t let me wear a hat, but I refused to budge on the
boots. I know how much Tegan likes it when I wear them.
“We should go
inside.”
I offer her my arm,
“Yes, we should.”
We enter the ballroom
to cheers. I join my dad and grandpa at the front of the room, where
we make a short speech before joining the crowd once again.
Everyone compliments
Tegan on her dress and congratulates us on our recent wedding. We
smile, and make small talk until I honestly just can’t take it
anymore. I prefer to be in my lab, or better yet, our bed. These
crowds are just not my thing.
“Let’s go,” I
whisper in her ear.
“Go where? Your mom
will kill us if we just disappear. She put a ton of work into this
party.”
“She said I could
steal you away for a little bit before dinner. I need to take you to
the barn,” I say with a grin.
“Stella’s going to
kill me when I mess up this dress, but at least I’ll die happy. We
have to hurry, though.”
“When have I ever
made you wait for an orgasm?”
“Last night, when you
wanted to play like you’re a dominant,” she reminds me.
“Just wound me with
your words, why don’t you?”
“Didn’t I let you
have your way,
sir
?”
“Yes, I believe you
did.”
“Then what’s the
problem?” she asks, with her hands on her hips.
“There isn’t one. I
swear. I couldn’t be happier.”
“Me either. It’s
like my dreams have finally come true. All the ones I thought were
lost.”
“They were never
lost, honey. Just waiting patiently for us to be ready for them
again.”
“I told you not to
make me cry. Are you really going to keep trying?”
“No, that’s not the
emotion I’m looking for from you.”
“Then get me to the
damn barn.”
We make our way out as
quickly as possible. I have to help her up the ladder with the big
dress, but it’s worth it when we get up to the hayloft. I decide to
just go up underneath her dress while I kneel in front of her. The
one thing we conveniently forgot about is how loud she screams when I
make her come this way.
Within seconds of said
scream, several ranch hands come running in. “Miss Tegan, are you
okay?”
“Oh, um, yeah. I just
got scared when I saw a spider,” she says as I bend over with my
hands on my knees, laughing my ass off. This is one of the many times
when I’m glad that everything old is new again.
Jade
I never thought I’d
be able to come back here. That I’d be allowed back home. Yet here
I am. When I got the call, I hopped on the first plane I could find,
using my real last name for the ticket. I know Ainsley will find me,
but I needed a little bit of a head start. This is hard enough as it
is without everyone I know getting involved. I’m going to need help
at some point, but I have to be alone for tonight’s reunion, even
if I’m battling emotions that I didn’t even know were there.
Pulling into the parking lot, I wasn’t even sure I could get out of
the rental car.
I’ve dreamed of
coming back here from the time I was forced to leave. I know even
though it’s safer for me now that the man who wanted me dead is
gone, I’m still not completely free. There’s always someone who
wants to make a name for themselves, and I’m the perfect person to
help them do that. They won’t get my help, though. I may be feeling
nervous, and even a little scared, but no one’s taking me down—or
out—without a fight.
I take a deep breath
and walk inside the gym, ignoring the peeling paint from the sign
above the door that reads “Garrett’s”. That will be one of the
first things I take care of. I have both the means and the motive for
wanting to make this place sparkle. Well, as much as a fighting gym
can
sparkle, yet
still be manly enough for the guys to want to come here to train. It
was once a boxing gym, but since I’ve been gone they’ve expanded
into MMA, and everything else.
I look around as I
enter, and see all the additional work that needs to be done. I can
get it done. I
have
to,
there’s really not another option after all of the trouble I
caused. A big bear of a man stops me before I get too far inside the
first room.
“This isn’t a place
for a girl like you.”
I smile at him. “This
is the place that created me, so I think I belong here more than
anyone else.”
“Jade. Oh my God. It
really is you.”
I turn and run into the
arms of the gray haired man who is looking like he’s seen a ghost.
“I’m home, Daddy. Sullivan’s dead, and now, I’m home.”
Dominique and Gabi, I’m
thanking you first again, as always!
Helen Williams, Jesse
Gordon, and Ally Murphy- Thank you again for all the hard work you
put in for me!
I dedicated this book
to the Friends of the Society, and here are the wonderful ladies (and
gentleman) who comprise my group. They listen to my ideas, give me
advice, and accuse me of torturing them with sneak peeks on a daily
basis!
Adylenne Ascencio, Alex
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Jessica Hinners, Jill Chatterton, Laura Deketelaere, Lisa Dess, Liz
Tidwell, Lula Andres, Mallory Daybell, Matt Dellisola, Melissa Shank,
Michelle Malone, Cel Legaspi-Mesina (aka Nickyrian), Nikki
Bylina-Streets, Christina Perron, Renee Jones, Renee Kennedy, Rose
Oderon, Sabrina Garrett, Samantha Boydman, Sarah Vela, Sierra
Johnson, Tami Rhea, Tera Childs, Terri Lynn Jeavons, Tracy Wolff,
Velvet Wehrman, and Vicki Plant.
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Author
Crystal Perkins
has always been a big reader, but she never thought she would write
her own book, until she did. She lives in Las Vegas, where you can
find her running author events and selling books at conventions when
she isn’t reading, buying too many Sherlock t-shirts online or
finding a place to put all of her Pop! figurines. A mac and cheese
connoisseur, she travels the country looking for the perfect version,
while attending book conventions and signings as a cover for her
research. The Griffin Brothers series and the Corrigan & Co.
series are international best sellers, and she’s thankful to the
readers who made those things happen!
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her here: