Conklin's Foundation (Conklin's Trilogy) (51 page)

Tyler tugged on my hand again and led me to
the window, and to my surprise, he opened a glass door.  I hadn’t realized there was a door to the porch that wrapped around to the main room and breakfast room.

He held
the door open for me to walk through, and as I did my jaw dropped.  The railings around the porch were intricate pieces of wood with designs and were taller on the outsides then dipped down in a semi-circle with each pillar that connected the designs. The bottom layer of the railings was beautifully crafted tan bricks.  White lights helped the pillars and railings find their shape.  Single roses were placed throughout the space, each with little ribbons attached to them.  Tall vases with candles were strategically placed amongst the flowers on the various benches and end tables.  In the center of the porch was a fireplace made from the same beautiful bricks that were the first layer of the railings.  A very large lounger lying flat and low to the ground was next to the fire pit.  It was draped with white sheets and rose petals were framing the shape of the lounger, some on the edges while others dangled to the floor.  The sounds of the waves hitting the beach in the background with the glow of the slowly fading sunset created the perfect setting.

I turned to Tyler with awe in my eyes.

“Ty, this is… this is beautiful.  All of it… the house… the roses…,” I said in a low whisper, trying to contain my heart from beating out of my chest.

Tyler swallowed
hard as he looked into my eyes, then took both of my wrists and led me to sit on the lounger in front of the fire.  He knelt down in front of me as I sat, settling his hands on my thighs.

“Did you build this for me?” I asked so quietly I could barely hear my own voice.

Tyler slowly nodded once.  “I built it for us,” he answered just as softly.

I held his face in my hands, so unbelievably happy for his gift. 

He took a deep breath then grabbed my wrists, entwining our fingers together and placing them in my lap.

“Becs, you mean so much to me.  You are the most compassionate and caring person I have ever met.  Your ability to forgive and trust speaks volumes, and I am so amazed by you
r love for me.  You’ve shown yourself to me in every way, and I love that I can do the same to you, that I can trust you with all of my insecurities and weaknesses as you have trusted me with yours.”  He took one of my hands in both of his, moving it so the back of my hand was touching his cheek.  He tilted his head to kiss it for a long second, closing his eyes.  He took another deep breath, squeezing my hand.

When he opened his eyes again, they were raw with compassion
. I nearly fell into his arms.

“I started building this house for us and I want you to help me finish it.  I want us to live her
e together, to grow together.  I want to make mistakes together and learn from them.”

He took another deep breath, moving his hand to his back pocket and pulling out a red velvet bag
with a shaky hand.

My breath hitched in my throat as I watched his trembling hands try to
loosen the string on the bag.  He looked back up at me, his eyes so soft and vulnerable.

“Becca…” He swallowed hard again and blinked for the longest second of my life then opened his mouth and
his eyes at the same time.  “I love you more than I have ever loved anything or anyone else in this entire world.  Will you marry me?”

With a trembling lip I nodded my head
yes, unable to speak because my heart was swelling out of my throat, wanting to wrap around my Ty. 

His shoulders relaxed as he took my quivering hand and slid the ring on
my finger, kissing the beautiful single princess cut diamond on a platinum silver band once it was in its place. 

“I love you
too Tyler.  Yes, I will marry you,” I said, my voice cracking.  I held his face in my hands as he leaned in to kiss me passionately.

Chapter 31

Tyler

I stroked the most delicate skin I had ever felt with my fingers as I
lay on my side, staring at the woman I was going to spend the rest of my life with.

The fire was creating a soft glow on her tanned skin, her long eyelashes resting on her cheeks. 
A content and satisfied smile was on her face as she rested her head on her hands.  Her dark brown hair had faded some from the Miami sun, and her natural hair color was starting to show through.  It was pushed to the side and tucked behind her ear.  I loved watching my Becca sleep after we made love.

What a sap I’ve turned into.  Never did I think I would be content to actually spend time on a woman, cherish her body the way I cherished Becca’s.  I had grown up an asshole with an icy heart, and my Becs swooped in and slowly melted it to the core, letting it beat strong and only for her.

Sure Margo was in the back of my mind, but once Becca and I connected, I knew I would never touch her ever again.  My hands belonged on only one woman, and I planned on touching her greedily for as long as we both shall live.  Maybe I could incorporate that into our vows.

I smirked at the thought.  Vows…
I really am a sap for thinking about vows.

By some miracle
, my fucked-up family didn’t scare Becca away.  RJ was a piece of work, and I wanted to rip his head off so badly every time I caught him glancing at Becca’s beautiful body.  He would get that smutty look in his eyes, and I immediately wanted to deck the bastard.  But for some reason, he backed off recently.  My mother even called me before the Valentine’s Day fundraiser completely baffled because RJ had been coming home to her more often, and he rarely did that. He even wanted to spend time with her.

I honestly couldn’t give two shits what went on between my parents. 
While I was growing up they despised each other, and I never looked up to them for anything.  I only looked up to my grandparents.

I wish they could have met Becs.  They would have loved her.

I stroked Becca’s back again then kissed her forehead.  I had to get up and use the restroom. I couldn’t hold it in anymore.  I pulled up the sheet, dropping some of the rose pedals in the process of covering her.  The fire was warm, but the temperature was dropping.  We were lucky enough to have the semi-nice weather for the evening, but as the sun went down, so would the temperature.

I grumbled when I went into the master bedroom.  They hadn’t put in the toilet yet, fucking Mitch.  Bastard never did anything right.  I had to hound him every damn day to get this house done in the short amount of time. Breaking ground in the winter was a real bitch, but I wanted
our house ready as soon as possible. 

I
knew I wanted Becca to be my wife after Christmas when she bravely showed herself to me.  I had fallen in love with her mind and personality first.  I always thought she was beautiful, but really getting to look at her, I knew I had to have her body as well.  She had to be mine, forever and legally.

I finally found a working toilet in the bathroom off
of the kitchen.  Thankful they had turned the water on, I washed my hands.  The water was freezing cold, and I couldn’t wait to get back by the fire and to my nice, warm Becs.  Maybe she would be ready for round two.  I never thought I’d be able to rally like I could with Becca. God she turned me on.  I swiftly walked through the cooling house, glad I slipped on my boxer briefs.  The last thing I needed to worry about was shrinkage, and the cold of the water on my hands wasn’t helping.  I walked into the cutout where the Christmas tree would be placed to the curved glass door.  I stopped in my tracks as I noticed something out of the corner of my eye when I looked at the fireplace.

I hadn’t seen the fireplace until tonight.  Mitch was working on it this week, and those bricks looked awfully familiar.  I slowly walked over, attempting to examine the bricks in the dim light from the candles outside.  I was happy I put them in tall vases so the breeze from the water wouldn’t blow the flames out.
  Frustrated I couldn’t see, I ran outside to grab my phone, a small smile on my lips noticing that Becca hadn’t moved. 

I loved fucking her into a coma. 

I quickly went back inside, using the flashlight app on my phone to examine the bricks.

That fucker.

He used RJ bricks. 

Now if it
was just one, it would be different.  I would understand.  They really were useful.  I could hide some cash and important papers like wills or birth certificates.

A marriage license.

God, I had turned into a real pussy.

I could recognize an RJ brick from a mile away
, and this fireplace was filled with them.  I knew where the little nub was that opened them.  I touched it, fiddling, trying to get the damn thing to open.  Once I did, fury swept over me with what I found.

Remembering that there were more bricks outside, I marched to the porch, searching frantically
.  They were everywhere.  How did I not notice them outside?

I went to the fireplace by where my baby doll was sleeping, skimming my hands over the bricks. 

Damn it.

Just as I was about to open one, the precious voice that had a spell on me said my name.

“Tyler?  What are you doing?  Come back here and keep me warm.”  Her voice was low and raspy. When I turned around, she was sitting up, holding the blanket to her chest.  She bit her lip in that provocative way, her head tilted to the side, hair mussed and sexy.

“Nothing, I was just checking the fire,” I lied, putting on my most believable smile.

I hated lying to her.  But there were just some things she was better off not knowing.  If she knew something, she would be involved and then she could get hurt.  I wasn’t about to let anything happen to her.  Ever.

Becca slowly pulled the sheet down, revealing herself.  God I loved that she wasn’t afraid to be naked in front of me anymore.  I would
never tire from staring at her.  Like the lap puppy I was, I crawled onto the wide lounger, devilish smirk in place and attacked her, ignoring that my dumbass brother just hid drugs all over Becca’s and my dream home.

Watch for the final book in Conklin’s Trilogy

Coming Fall of 2014

For snippets, teasers, and more information regarding the last installment in

Conklin’s Trilogy please follow Brooke Page
at:

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: [email protected]

Special Thanks

I would like to give a special thanks to my wonderful husband, Andy.  Thank you for putting up
with hearing fingers on a keyboard at all hours of the night.  Thank you for not getting irritated when dishes weren’t done or the floor wasn’t dusted.  You are the dream husband who just wants me to be happy and who has given up way too many things for our family.  You are selfless and the most compassionate man I know.

Without you I would have never been able to write about falling in love.  I will forever feel
like a 16-year-old in love because of you.  So many people thought we were crazy and we wouldn’t make it, but I fall in love with you more and more every day.  You are my rock and my confidant, and you have made all of my dreams come true.  We have two beautiful children, a home to grow old and raise our family in, and you even let me have my two kitties and scoop their litter boxes when you can’t stand the “big nasty cats” that they are.  Thank you for being my inspiration.  Without you, life would be a heck of a lot harder to live.  I love you, and I will always fight for us, no matter what hurdles we will come across, because that is what our marriage means to me.  I can honestly say you are my soul mate, and I thank God every day for bringing us together so early in life. 
Keep rocking my world, love Schack.
 

Brooke Page

Brooke Page is the independent author of the Conklin’s Blueprints Trilogy.  She and her husband live with their two children in the suburbs of Grand Rapids, Michigan.  When she is not writing, she enjoys using the pottery wheel and reading.