Truly Mine (27 page)

“Good morning, babe. I have coffee.” He places a cup of coffee on the nightstand and then sits on the edge of the bed, placing one hand on my hip. “How do you feel?”

“I’m not sure yet. I’m afraid to lift my head,” I whine.

He bites his lip. No doubt, he has the urge to laugh at me. I suppose I deserve it after all the crazy I was rocking last night.

“I’m sorry about last night. I’m sorry that I lied to you all week,” I offer.

“It all led you here—where you belong.” After a slight pause, Tyler lets me off the hook. “Where
we
belong.”

I don’t know what to say. I’m not good with words like Tyler is. Growing up with three girls and a mother like his, he’s more in tune with his emotions than I will ever be.

In an attempt to get myself out of the conversation, I very slowly begin to lift my head and hope Tyler will have mercy on me if I’m in pain. “Oh, ouch.”

Tyler places his hand on my back, and I wrap my arms around his neck. He helps me to a full sitting position and kisses my temple.

I suck in a deep breath. “Okay, it’s not too bad.”

“Good. Then, get your sweet ass out of this bed and join me outside on the deck.”

“Okay.”

Tyler stands, and I slide my legs off the bed. I moan softly.

He raises his eyebrows. “Guess you’re not going to get away without some minor wounds, huh?”

“Actually, my head is fine.”

He squints his eyes in confusion.

“I’m sore elsewhere.”

His smile is full of pride. “Yeah, I like that kind of sore on you, baby.” He drops to his knees between my legs and rests his elbows on my knees before putting his hands on my hips. “I love you. And I feel so complete this morning. I need to know you do, too. I need to know this is what you want.”

I place my hands on either side of his face. “There’s nowhere I’m happier or feel safer than where you are, Tyler. I mean that wholeheartedly. But…”

Tyler’s smile drops.

I quickly press my lips to his for a reassuring gentle kiss. “I’m scared. I don’t deserve a man as good as you, Tyler. I will only fuck us up. Thanks to my mother, I’m not equipped to be a very good girlfriend. I’m an average friend at best. Why would you set yourself up for the trouble, let alone the drama, that comes with me?”

I’m not sure what his expression is, but he takes a moment to think before he responds, “Truly, you’ve done this for as long as I’ve known you. You punish yourself. I don’t know why, but you make decisions based on what you can do to hurt yourself the most. It’s really fucked up, if you ask me. It’s not your mom’s fault. It’s not your fault. It’s life, Truly. Just life. The difference is, Tru, that your mom did what she did to take care of you, to help you. You do what you do to cause yourself pain and discomfort. It’s self-inflicted pain that is so unnecessary. You are not what you say you are. You are a beautiful woman—inside and out. You are a smart, kind, and caring woman, and you’re the most generous person I know. You’re a good friend, and you know it. But, Tru, you have got to quit hating yourself. My wish for you is that you would love yourself as much as the people around you do.”

Whoa.

Before I can pull Tyler back into the bed and show him how much I love him for all his kind words and patience, I hear the front door open and then close. Footsteps make their way quickly down the hall. Tyler and I both look toward the open bedroom door where Rion appears in just an instant.

“Oh! I’m sorry!” He quickly spins around and steps out of view.

I’m in only my underwear and a tank top. Tyler and I both grab his blanket and pull it onto my lap.

“I just wanted to let you guys know that we’re here. Lissa’s here. I went and picked her up this morning, I mean.” Rion is tripping over his words.

By the look on Tyler’s face, he gets the same impression. “Okay. We’ll be out in a minute.”

He pulls my face close and whispers in my ear, “Listen, I know you’re tough as nails, Tru, but I also know that, inside, you’re soft, insecure, and scared. But you don’t have to be. I love you, and I want to make a life, a home, with you. So, let’s start today.”

He kisses me on the lips hard and quick before standing and leaving the room.

I sit for a moment, drinking the coffee he brought me and thinking about everything he just said. I do love him, and I want all the same things he wants. I’m done with the battle inside myself. I’m going to go for it and pray with all I have that it works out.

Finally, I get dressed and find one of Tyler’s ball caps on my way out of the room. I pull my ponytail through the hole in the back and pull the cap down on my head. Just like old times.

The four of us spend the day at Tyler’s house. We hang out on the deck, talking, until the afternoon when Rion and Tyler bring two four-wheelers down from a huge building where they keep all their toys. We ride down the paths in the woods to a creek where they race through the water and rocks. Lissa and I alternate between screaming and laughing with excitement. It’s the first time I’ve done this since I left Fallport, and I’m pretty sure this is the first time Lissa has ever been on a four-wheeler. I’ve forgotten how much fun this is.

When we get back, we’re exhausted. Tyler and I go into his bedroom and take a nap.

When we wake up, Tyler and Rion cook steaks and potatoes on the grill while Lissa and I prepare a salad and boxed brownies for dessert. With Tyler and I on one side of the table and Lissa and Rion across from us, we eat an awesome dinner and drink a few beers.

I belong here, with these people, which brings up a thought that ruins my appetite. I’ve been with Lissa and Marie most of my life. My entire adult life. I can’t leave them. I for sure can’t leave Lissa. Marie has a life and a plan, but all Lissa has is Marie and me.

“What’s wrong, babe?” Tyler slides his hand over my thigh as he notices my change in demeanor.

I lift my chin and lean in for a kiss. He seems satisfied. I am far from it. I’m not sure Lissa understands where this is going. She is happier today than I’ve seen her in…maybe ever. It swells my heart that she is so happy and comfortable here with Tyler and Rion.

I need some alone time with Tyler to find out what’s going through his mind. I’ve no idea how the logistics of us being together is supposed to work.
Is he planning on moving to New York? Does he want me to move to Fallport?
There’s so much to discuss.

But, for tonight, I’m just going to enjoy my man.

We end the night with a movie. Tyler is on one end of the sofa, and I’m lying with my head in his lap. Lissa is curled up on the love seat, and Rion is sitting on the floor in front of her, leaning up against the couch near her stomach.

I’m so impressed with the young man Tyler has raised. He has gone above and beyond to make Lissa feel welcome here. They appear to be forming their own friendship, apart from ours. It’s just what she needs right now as a distraction from all the drama in her life.

Watching them laugh together brings a smile to my face. Tyler must have been watching me because, when I look up at him, he’s smiling down at me.

“I’m tired, baby. Take me to bed.” I love that I’m able to let Tyler take care of me. It’s not something I’m used to.

Tyler lifts my head and stands. Before I can sit up, he scoops me up and cradles me in his arms.

“Whoa!” I squeal, embarrassed. This is a side of me that Lissa has never seen.

Still carrying me, Tyler turns toward Lissa and Rion. “I’m taking my woman to bed, kiddos.”

“Ha!” Lissa laughs at Tyler for calling her a kiddo.

“Rion, you’ll take good care of Lissa, right?” Tyler asks.

“Gladly.” Rion leans back, nuzzles his head into Lissa’s stomach, and smiles sweetly at her.

I feel like I’ve won the best prize in the world. Not only am I happy, but also my dearest friend is also happy. And these wonderful men are happy…because we are happy.

As Tyler carries me away, I drop my head down and look back at Lissa. “Good night!”

Tyler kicks his bedroom door closed and carries me to the bed. He sets me down on the bed and places his hands by my sides. He kisses me long and deep, and my stomach does somersaults.

“I’m going to run us a bath. I’ll be right back.” He plants another kiss on my forehead and takes off toward the bathroom.

I fall back on the bed and throw both my arms over my face. It’s late, and I’m tired, but I really want to at least begin discussions about how this relationship is going to play out. I certainly don’t have the energy to figure it all out tonight, but I want to hear what he’s thinking—or if he is at all.

I’m startled when Tyler slides his hands up my stomach, dragging up my shirt. He continues until my shirt is over my head. I raise my hands and pull it the rest of the way off before throwing it on the floor. I wrap my arms around his neck and pull him down, so all of his weight is on me, and I wrap my legs around his waist.

“What are you going to do with me now, Ty?”

“I’m going to clean you, babe. You stink.”

I push his chest as I gasp. “What?”

“I’m kidding! You don’t stink. But I am going to wash you.”

He stands and grabs hold of the waistband of my sweats and panties, pulling them off. I’m lying in front of him, wearing only my bra.

He peers down at me with all seriousness. “You’re beautiful, Truly.”

For once, I don’t want to hide. I want him to look at me and see me this way, proud and worthy. I maneuver my bra off.

He bends down and kisses my stomach. Then pulls me into his arms and carries me into the bathroom.

In the tub, Tyler lies behind me with me in between his legs and against his chest. His hands are in my hair, lathering the shampoo he just drizzled on my head. He massages my scalp, and it feels heavenly.

“Ty.”

“Yes?”

“Mmm…that feels amazing, first of all.”

“Good. And second?”

“Well, I’m just wondering if you’ve thought about what happens next. With us. You know, how is this going to work?”

Tyler pauses for a long while as he rinses my hair. “Well, I was thinking you could move in here with me, and we would get married. If we could do it all by next week, I’d be happy.”

I take in a deep breath and stay still. I hope he’s joking.

“I’m kidding.” He laughs and massages conditioner in my hair. “In all honesty, I’ve been a little worried. I don’t know how it’s going to work, but I do know that I’m determined to make it work. I love you.”

“I love you, too, Tyler.”

When he’s finished putting the conditioner in my hair and rinsing it, I turn and face him. Straddling his lap now, I ask him a question that I’m not sure I want an answer to, “What if I asked you to come to New York to be with me?”

He sucks in a deep breath and grabs hold of my waist. “If that’s the way it has to be, then I’ll gladly go. But I’d be lying if I said that I did not want to stay in Fallport. My entire family is here, and you know how close we are. But I understand you have a life in New York.” He rubs his temples in exhaustion.

“Can we talk later? I want to enjoy you right now.” He takes hold of my waist again and makes his way to my breasts. He massages them, tugging on my nipples until they’re pebbled.

I only want him inside me. I lift up and take him in my hand, positioning him at my entrance. I slowly settle down on him and sit in his lap, not moving for a moment. He takes hold of my hips and lifts me up, then back down and up, and back down again. He fills me in every way. I’m madly in love with this man, and I want him to know. More importantly, I want him to be happy.

“I’m happy right here with you, Tyler. Let’s stay here.”

“Baby, I love you. Let’s just make love tonight.”

“Yes, please,” I agree.

We make wonderful love in the bath and again when we go to bed. We fall asleep in each other’s arms with the wind blowing through the window, and the curtain lifting and falling as the cool crisp air fills the room. It smells like fall and pure bliss. This is how I want to fall asleep every night.

In the morning, I sit outside with Lissa as I drink my morning coffee. I told Tyler of my plans to talk with her about our future and asked him if he could give me some time alone with her.

“I need to talk to you about something.”

“Shoot,” she says.

“I was wondering something. How much longer do you see us working?”

She pauses and smiles the sweetest smile. She knows exactly where I’m going with it. “Well, I never saw it lasting this long, for sure.”

She reaches over to where my hand rests on the arm of the chair and places hers over mine. We sit, looking out over the lake behind Tyler’s house, until she looks at me and stands. We walk to the lake, hand in hand.

“Fallport is really beautiful. I never thought I would like it somewhere so country. I thought I was a city girl, through and through. I’m really enjoying all this country shit.” She squints her nose. “And you know what, Tru? I think the food even tastes better here!”

I giggle as we reach the lake’s edge and dip our feet in the water. “Yeah, I think you’re right. And you know, it really is breathtaking here and so peaceful. How annoying is it that you don’t appreciate things like this when you’re young? I lived here and couldn’t wait to get to the city. Now, here I am, right back where I started.”