The Long Ride Home (Cowboys & Cowgirls) (16 page)

“Ouch!”

“Yeah…now what I told people when I couldn’t walk for almost seven months because I really screwed things up. Well, mainly because I didn’t want to do the physical therapy.”

“What’s that?”

“Let’s see…bear attack. That one was fun, or I was attacked by a man with an ax…I was writing a famous novel and they were reenacting a scene from it.”

“Oh my God. Sydney Sheldon are you?” Elena laughed.

“Oh, you’ve seen the movie. Some people don’t get the reference.” Kate laughed and sighed. “Holton said you were getting depressed.”

Elena was suddenly pissed. “How dare…”

“No, don’t get mad. He didn’t ask me if I would come talk to you, he asked me how to make you less depressed because we sort of had some of the same injuries.”

“I don’t know why he would do that, I’m fine.”

“No, you’re not. I sure as hell wasn’t and I had a lot of family around to help. I had my mom—another woman. You have a guy that you’re in love with. It’s different. It took a lot for me to let Jack help with bathroom duties…but my mom couldn’t always be around.”

“That’s the worst.”

“Yeah, it sucked. And not having sex is a real mood killer.”

“Oh, yeah…” Elena said, blushing.

“Oh look here comes some people,” Kate said as two more people walked over and joined their table.

“Hi, I’m Jessica, Sarah’s cousin.

“And I’m Jonathon, also her cousin.”

“Very nice to meet you,” Elena said.

“Nice to meet you both, I’m Kate and this is Elena,” she said pointing to Elena, and this is my little Sarah. Also with an H.”

Sarah took that time to babble and everyone at the table laughed.

“So, I hate to ask,” Jonathon said, looking at Elena. Kate looked over at her as well and smiled and winked. “But, how in the hell did you get in your predicament?”

“Jonathon!” Jessica scolded.

“No that’s okay, Elena said quietly. “It was terrible.”

Everyone held on to her attention at the table. Kate waited and watched the others’ faces. “I was in a plane crash.
I was the only survivor.”

Jonathon’s hand went up to his mouth and Jessica tried to cover a gasp. Kate laughed. “Good one!”

Elena smiled and laughed, too. “I got hit by a drunk driver. I’m fine now…I only have a few more months until I can get out of all these braces.”

“Oh, well that’s…” Jonathon said and then started laughing. “Reassuring.”

“You really had me going,” Jessica said, laughing. “It’s good you can joke about it, because a lot of people would let it really get them down.”

Kate winked at Elena.

Elena felt much better. Kate was right and so was Holton. “A few really smart people helped me out with that.”

“That’s good. Are you going to get everyone that comes to the table?”

Elena grinned wickedly. “Sure. Help me out, though, I only have so many odd disasters that I can think of.”

“No problem.”

By the time the wedding actually began, Elena had been attacked by bears, survived a plane crash, was trampled by horses, bitten by rabid foxes and fell down an escalator. It was not only funny, but it helped her get past all of the stares and odd comments about her and Holton’s age difference. It was funny that she never thought it was a big deal, yet everyone else found something wrong with it.

After feeling like she turned over a new leaf, she also used Kate’s idea in her favor for the age difference. She got a lot of odd looks and laughs for her reasoning for landing a man like Holton. Most people smiled and were friendly right away, others took a few minutes to warm up.

As the wedding began to start, Elena saw Holton stand up with his best friend and watch as he and his wife got married. She smiled when Holton looked at her as the vows were being said and she smiled when he finally walked over to her when it was finished and he bent down on his knees to wrap her in his arms. He was completely different, this Holton. He didn’t seem to have any hang-ups anymore about their relationship.

“I’m so sorry about the way I’ve been acting, Holton. I love you.”

“I love you, too,” Holton replied and then kissed her.

***

Things progressed the next three weeks. Elena had several physical therapy appointments where she stretched and focused on recovery. And soon, they told her that she could take the brace off. It was two weeks after that when she was finally cleared for physical activity. She couldn’t wait to get home and alone with Holton.

Chapter 17

The day after she was given the all clear, Holton worked the whole day uninterrupted and she enjoyed her day as well. It was nice being able to get your own bath. As she was lying back in the tub with bubbles in between her toes and all around her, the door opened and Holton walked in.

“Oops,” he said seductively. “What do we have here?”

“Holton!”

“Should I close my eyes, Elena, because I don’t want
to?”

“What are you doing in
here?”

“Well, I am finished working and I thought I might come in here and spend some well earned playtime with my fiancé.”

Elena smiled. “I’m naked!”

“I’ve…”

“Don’t you dare say you’ve seen it before because I am pretending that the whole last four months didn’t exist.”

“Oh, I can play that game,” Holton joked. “Is your water hot enough, madam?”

“Get out of here!” Elena laughed as Holton walked over to the tub and stuck his hand in the bubbles.

“Now, that’s not the way to treat the help, Elena.”

“Oh, is that right? Well, if you don’t get out…”

Holton frowned. “Please? Don’t make me beg…I am, after all, very dirty. I think you should let me get a bath with you. I can scrub your back.”

“Really? And that’s all you want to scrub?”

“No, ma’am,” Holton said, grinning. “No, I’m pretty sure I want to do a whole lot more than scrub your back.”

“That’s what I thought, and what about your great plans on me still being a virgin until the wedding in three weeks?”

“Well, I didn’t say I didn’t want to do anything…”

“Wipe that grin off your face, Holton Dade!”

“You can wipe it off,” Holton replied as he slowly unbuttoned his shirt and then his pants. He let his clothes drop to the floor and then he climbed into the hot bubbled filled bath and smiled.

“I can’t believe you just did that,” Elena smiled, flicking bubbles at him.

“Really? Because I can.”

Elena laughed. “I should get out and leave you in here all alone.”

“You probably should, but you won’t.”

“No you’re right, I won’t.”

Holton grinned and placed his hand on her leg and brought her foot into his palms, massaging it out of the water. “How are you doing?” he asked softly, concern still in his voice.

“I’m great. Thank you for everything, Holton. I feel wonderful.”

“No, you feel great…you will feel wonderful, though,” he said as his hand moved up her leg and then to her thigh.

“What are you doing?”

“
I’m going to round some of the bases…”

“I didn’t know you were in to sports?” Elena joked.

“I happen to like water sports,” Holton teased and then continued his path.

Elena gasped as his hands fingers moved on her slowly, moving up and then down. “God you are so beautiful, Elena.”

Elena closed her eyes and then leaned back in the claw foot tub. Her breasts surfaced the water and Holton groaned. Soon he was as much out of the water as he was in. Slippery and all over her.

“Oh you feel so good,” Elena whispered. “Are you sure you want to wait?”

“Yes…but the decision is a lot more difficult now.” He kissed her on the lips hungrily, his tongue mimicking that of his fingers that were slowly touching her beneath the bubbles.

“That feels so good,” Elena cried. She arched her body and Holton moved his lips down further, capturing one beaded nipple in his mouth.

“Mmm,” Holton moaned. “So sweet.”

“Let’s just…let’s…”

Holton got out of the tub quickly, dripping water all over the floor and dropped a towel to prevent them from slipping. He then picked up Elena, still wet in his arms, and carried her to his bedroom.

During the length of her stay so far, she slept alone. It was necessary since he couldn’t be trusted not to kick in his sleep, and with her back and her ankles healing, that was an impossible promise. Elena smiled nervously as he placed her on the center of his bed. She had only been in here a few times, and she was a lot younger. She smiled at the changes and at the man whose arms were wrapped around her.

Holton moved over her with deft perception. His movements were slow and skilled. His mouth trailed her hot skin, leaving goosebumps in their wake. His hands lovingly stroked her center as his mouth traveled down her navel until finally resting on her core.

And then he licked.

Elena arched back as her fingernails trailed Holton’s back. She heard his soft moan as his tongue played inside of her, bringing her to the brink of insanity.

“Oh, Holton,” Elena cried as
the strokes became longer and slower. Her breathing came out in gasps as she went over the edge.

Holton kissed his way up her navel a few minutes later, smiling like the Cheshire cat. “See, Elena,” I have found a way to keep us both sane until the wedding.

Elena’s eyes widened. “Oh wow!”

“Yeah,” Holton said gruffly, and then he felt her hand on him. It wasn’t the first time she touched him, but it was the first time she was able to move with him.

He lay down on his back and she crawled over him. “Baby, you don’t have…”

“If I don’t get a taste of you, I think I’ll go insane.”

Holton smiled and then closed his eyes as he felt her tongue on the tip. She swirled it around, making the tip bead up with moisture. She licked it off and moaned, making his cock twitch with excitement. Her hands alternated fast and slow, long and hard until he was barely able to keep from pulling her on top of him and sheathing himself inside of her. And then he came.

“That was awesome,” Holton breathed.

Elena laughed and then laid down on her back, too tired to move another inch. “Yes, it was.”

“You are perfect.”

Elena looked over at Holton his eyes were closed. “Do you want to try it again?”

“Are you trying to kill me?” Holton said, his expression tilted into a grin.

“Something like that.”

“Maybe we can in a little bit. How about some dinner first?”

Elena pouted and Holton laughed. “Just wait until we actually have sex…I’m afraid what I have created.”

“Race you to the kitchen,” Elena said.

An hour later, they were still sitting at the table
, grinning at each other like two teenagers.

“So, I was thinking June 1
st
for the wedding,” Holton said, looking into Elena’s eyes.

“
A June bride,” Elena mused. “Yes, I think that’s perfect. But do you think we’ll have enough time to get ready? That’s not very much time.”

“Do you want to wait even longer?”

Elena grinned. “No.”

“Then June 1
st
it is. Have you heard from the university when graduation is?”

Elena had been taking the rest of her exams and classes through online classes. She was almost finished with her last year of college. “Yes, the last week of May.”

“Well, I guess we have to make a trip to Sunnybrook, get your diploma and then bring you back here so we can get hitched.”

“I think that’s perfect. While we’re there, I’ll ask Cheryl to be my maid of Honor, her and Sarah. And I’d like Kate there, too. They have all helped us. Hell, I’d have Joe, but I figured you were going to ask him yourself.”

Holton laughed. “I’ve already asked him. I have been ready for this for a while now.”

“Me, too.”

***

On Saturday, May 24
th
, Elena was a proud owner of a Bachelors Degree in Nursing. She smiled at the certificate she held in her hand and then looked into the mirror at her old apartment. She was still wearing her cap and gown and felt like a million dollars. She took a deep breath and thought of all that she had been through since her freshman year of college.

***

“Elena Rose, I want you to be careful on campus,” her mother, Claire, said as she leaned in and gave her a kiss. They had just parked the car in the front parking lot of her freshman dorm—Eastway Hall, and came out to help carry her things up to her room.

“I will, Mom,” Elena said, smiling. She looked off toward her home for the next four years and grinned. “Do you think Holton will miss me?”

Elena’s mom looked at her with a knowing smile. “Oh, I don’t doubt that he will, Honey.” She shifted her weight to her other foot and she held Elena’s gaze. “Give him time. He’s going to have a rough time at home without you there. You guys have grown close.”

Elena reddened. “He’s my best friend.”

“He’s more than that, and you know it.”

“I wish,” Elena admitted, embarrassed that she was so easily read. “He keeps telling me to wait.”

“He probably just wants to make sure that you go to school…he wants what you want.”

“But I want him,” Elena said, looking at her mom with her heart in her eyes. “I…it doesn’t matter. I’m going to get an education, come home, get a nursing job at Ricon and marry Holton.”

Claire laughed joyously. “Wouldn’t that be something? The boy next door and my daughter. That would be wonderful.”

Elena grinned. “Yeah… It would.

***

Elena walked into her
old bedroom and picked up a few remaining boxes that were left from the last time she was in Sunnybrook. Cheryl was an absolute gem. She handled everything, along with Holton. They packed up some of her most precious things…including some of the mementos her parents gave her along the way. She saw a picture of her Mom and Dad in front of the University. The photo was taken just before her mother passed away. Elena felt the tears on her skin before she realized she was crying. “I miss you, Mom. I miss you, Dad.”

***

“Now, you get yourself that education, Elena!” Claire pleaded as she was laying in the hospital bed. The doctors said it would be any time now. The cancer had finally taken its toll on her body.

“But…how am I supposed to go and do those things without you!”

“Elena, do you remember the day we dropped you off at school?”

“Yes,” Elena whispered as she held her mother’s hand.

“I can’t tell you how proud I was to see you in front of that school. You had all those dreams in front of you and you had such a determined grin on your face. Do you remember what you said you wanted?”

Elena nodded and closed her eyes. She didn’t want to upset her mother even more by crying, but she couldn’t help it.

“Well, I am not going to be the end to those dreams! I want you to get the things you want. I want you to become the nurse that you want to be. You were always meant for great things, baby. Those things don’t have to end because I won’t be here.”

“I know, Momma, but…Who am I going to go to when I need to talk about things?”

Claire looked at her daughter sadly and moved her left hand up to cradle Elena’s face. “Your father, and if he’s not there, then Holton.”

“What if it’s about him?”

“About Holton? Honey, it’s time you told him. You can see that life isn’t all about having all the time in the world. Life is about the moments you have left and the risks you take. I’m going away. You have to live for you, Elena.”

Elena’s lip trembled and she leaned in to her mother’s hand. “I love you, Mom.”

“Honey, you are my greatest joy.”

***

Elena wiped the tears from her eyes before she packed the photo away. She closed her eyes once more and then opened them. She looked up toward the ceiling and felt an overwhelming comfort. She knew that they were all with her once again: her mom, her dad and Holton’s parents.

Just then the door opened. Holton, her future, was standing there with his arms out. “Come here, baby.”

Elena gladly walked into his arms and surrendered to his touch.

“You okay?”

Elena nodded. She could feel the beat of Holton’s heart against her. “Yes, I’m okay.”

“Good. Are you ready to become my bride now?”

Elena smiled and looked up into Holton’s eyes. “I’ve been ready for a very long time.”