Just One Reason Read online

  I inhaled sharply through clenched teeth and looked into her eyes for just a moment before picking her up and going the rest of the way up the stairs. Sounds like sweet innocent Lindsay learned a few things during our time apart. It felt like I had been punched in the gut to imagine her with other guys, so I pushed it out of my head and vowed to give her a night she would never forget.

  Somehow we made it up to her bedroom leaving articles of clothing in our wake. I tore off her bra while we were still on the stairs and shoved her skirt and panties to the floor when we reached the hallway. My shirt hit the top of the dresser and slid to the floor. Lindsay fumbled with the button on my jeans before getting it loose and drawing the zipper down. When her hands slid down the length of my cock, I swore. She had definitely learned a few things, and I had to stop her unless I wanted to come in her hands. I’d waited five years for this. I wasn’t about to let it end in two minutes.

  I picked Lindsay up and tossed her on the bed, immediately following to cover her body with mine. She was impatient and urging me closer, wrapping her legs around my hips so my cock was already poised at her entrance. Slipping my hand between us I ran my fingers through her soft folds to make sure she was ready. She was. So ready.

  I rested my face against her neck and groaned, “You’re so wet…and tight.” Her hips rolled, urging me on as I pushed two fingers inside her and rubbed her clit with the pad of my thumb. Nothing about me was gentle and loving right now, and Lindsay seemed to be loving every second of it.

  “Grady!” She gasped. “I need you inside me. Now!” So glad that I always kept a condom in my wallet, I pushed off Lindsay to find it. In record time I tore it open and rolled it on before my hips settled back between her thighs, the head of my cock resting once more against her entrance.

  Lindsay gripped my ass to urge me inside, but I held back, even though my forearms on either side of her head were trembling and the muscles in my back were tight with restraint. I had to make sure this was what she wanted. Lindsay opened her eyes to see what was taking so long, and her eyes softened when she found me gazing at her. Her bright blue eyes were full of emotions - pain, desire, hurt, love. I knew she would find the same in my eyes.

  My body was aching to be inside her - I couldn’t stop myself from pushing into her ever so slightly, but my heart was afraid to risk again. Just like I knew she would change my life the first time she turned those fiery blue eyes on me, I knew that tonight would change everything. For better or worse, I didn’t know. As if she knew what I needed, Lindsay framed my face in her small hands and pulled me down for a slow deep kiss.

  “Grady, please,” she begged me. I shut my eyes tightly against the voice in my head warning me against letting her get too close again and entered her in one fast thrust. As much as I knew this was probably a bad decision, for both of us, I could never refuse anything Lindsay asked of me. We both cried out and moved together fast and furiously, racing to release. Lindsay got there first, screaming out my name when her body started to quake around me. It wasn’t long before I came too, thrusting one last time before collapsing on top of her.

  When I got up to dispose of the condom, I didn’t know if she would want me to stay. Well, too bad if she didn’t. There was no way I was leaving her tonight. I climbed back into bed, pulling Lindsay into my arms and pulling the covers over us.

  “I love you, Grady,” she whispered against my chest right before she fell asleep. Hopefully she would still feel the same way in the morning.

  It was still dark when I was awakened by soft kisses along my shoulder and up my neck.

  “Mmmm,” I moaned and stretched against Lindsay’s soft naked body, which was curled around me with one leg draped across both of mine. I was already hard. Just being in the same room with Lindsay was a turn on, let alone sleeping naked in bed with her. She ran her fingertips from my chest down my stomach, my abs clenching from the feather light teasing touch. Before her hand reached its destination I flipped her over on her back. I had let her hurry us along earlier, but this time I was taking my time.

  I had missed her body and I wanted to explore every inch of it. Grasping both her wrists in my right hand I stretched her arms over her head and held them there. Lying slightly to the side so I didn’t crush her with my weight I rolled one nipple and then the other between my fingers. Lindsay whimpered and arched her back when I drew one into my mouth, sucking deeply and nipping lightly with my teeth.

  The hand not holding her wrists trailed between her breasts and down her stomach. Lindsay raised her hips slightly anticipating my touch, but instead I moved my hand over her hip and down her leg. She groaned and wiggled in frustration and I chuckled.

  “Patience,” I murmured in her ear before kissing her neck.

  I released her wrists to move down between her legs, nudging them apart with my shoulders. She drew her knees up and I positioned her feet wider on the bed so she was completely open for me. Lindsay’s hands gripped the sheets on either side of her body and her hips strained to get closer to me. Starting at her knees I kissed and licked my way slowly up her inner thighs. She was so beautiful and perfect, and I inhaled her heavenly scent. When I licked in one long stroke from her entrance to her clit, she nearly jumped off the bed.

  “Aaah, Grady!” She screamed and her hands left the sheets to fist in my hair. I was really glad I had let my hair grow long. Lindsay’s hands in my hair and her breathy moans let me know what she liked. Plunging my tongue inside her, I mimicked what I would be doing shortly with my cock. Then I ran my tongue up her center to circle her clit, pausing every now and then to suck it lightly into my mouth.

  “Oh, God. Grady. Don’t stop,” Lindsay begged me. Her legs were quivering and I could tell she was close. Pushing two fingers inside her, I sucked her clit harder this time. She screamed and pulled my hair so hard it was almost painful. But I didn’t care. She could pull it out for all I cared. When her body calmed I gave her one last lick and crawled back up to lay next to her. Lindsay turned her head to smile at me and then moved to straddle me.

  “Now my turn,” she purred sexily. I gripped her hips, ready to guide her down on me when I suddenly remembered something.

  “Lindsay, I don’t have any more condoms,” I groaned in frustration.

  She shrugged one shoulder. “It’s okay. I’ve got it under control.”

  I breathed a sigh of relief. She lifted herself up and positioned my cock right where she wanted it. In one quick motion she sank down, taking all of me in one thrust. I hissed out a breath between my teeth and held her hips still for a moment. Otherwise this would be over real soon.

  When I was sure I wasn’t going to blow, I released my grip on her hips and she started to move. Lindsay on top of me, naked, the moonlight streaming through her hair took my breath away. She braced her hands on my chest and rode me hard until she cried out and her body clenched around my cock. I grabbed her hips again and thrust upward three more times before coming inside her. My first time with Lindsay and right now were the only times I had ever had sex without a condom, and it was amazing. Lindsay was amazing.

  She collapsed on top of me and we fell asleep like that with me still inside her. When I woke up again it was almost 6:00 am. I needed to get to the shop and get my work done so I could leave early again this afternoon. Come hell or high water, Lindsay and I were going to get our shit straightened out - tonight.

  Easing out from under Lindsay I brushed her hair off her face and kissed her forehead. After finding my clothes I dressed and scrawled a quick note to her.

  Chapter Sixteen

  Lindsay

  An icy coldness encompassed me as I opened my eyes and realized Grady had left me alone. It was only 6:00 am - he didn’t need to leave this early. He left because he wanted to. I thought we had finally turned a corner last night, but I guess I was wrong.

  I turned away from his empty side of the bed and pulled the covers tightly around me in an attempt to ward off the chills that were racking my b
ody. Tears slipped down my temples and soaked into my pillow as I huddled under the covers and stared at the ceiling. Was this his way of hurting me like I had hurt him? Leaving me like I had left him? The questions swirled around in my head until I drifted back to sleep.

  I didn’t feel any better later in the morning, and in fact I felt worse. It wasn’t just my heart hurting, but my stomach as well. I wasn’t hungover, and I wasn’t on my period. I got out of bed and threw on an old t-shirt and some pajama pants. Rummaging around in Lana’s bathroom, I found a bottle of Ibuprofen and swallowed four with a glass of water. That should take care of it, I thought, as I fell back into bed.

  Lana was gone, so I didn’t have to work. Leah was going home from the hospital today, so unless she called me I wouldn’t be seeing her. There was nothing I wanted to do other than hide under the covers and go back to sleep.

  I was awakened much later by sharp pain low in my stomach. Looking at the clock I saw that it was late in the afternoon. Had I slept all day? What had been a dull ache earlier in the day was now rousing me from sleep. And when I walked to the bathroom a sense of panic flashed through me as I remembered the one other time I had felt pain like this. The pain subsided a bit and I rationalized that it wasn’t happening again - this had to be something else.

  But whatever it was, it wasn’t good. I pressed my palms on the cool tile of the countertop and looked at my reflection. That wasn’t good either. My pale face stared back at me and I pressed a hand to my stomach in an attempt to settle the nausea that was rolling through me.

  No luck. I had just enough time to lean over the toilet before I was heaving up everything in my stomach. When it was over I ran a shaky hand over my mouth and slumped back against the wall, feeling achy and sweaty. Maybe it was the flu or food poisoning? No, I thought as the sharp pain returned. Something worse.

  Clutching my stomach and side I mentally ran through my options. Taryn was hours away. Lana was even farther away in the middle of the ocean. Leah and Josh were busy with Maddy. Ford was most likely at work. That left Grady. No, I thought, pulling myself up with the help of the towel rack. I would rather crawl to the hospital on my hands and knees than ask Grady for help.

  I managed to brush my teeth and wash off my face. Then I slipped on a pair of flip flops and grabbed my purse. Normally I wouldn’t go out in public looking like hell, but right now I was just trying not to die. Ever so slowly I made my way down the stairs and locked the front door behind me.

  Shuffling along the front walk to my car, another wave of nausea hit me and I found myself wretching into the bushes. There wasn’t much left in my stomach, but my body kept heaving regardless. Shit. I should’ve tied my hair back so I wouldn’t get vomit in it. I was kneeling on the concrete trying to hold myself up and brush my hair back when suddenly Grady was there deftly pulling my hair back and holding it behind my head with one hand. His other arm came around my waist to keep me somewhat upright.

  “You’re okay. I’ve got you,” he murmured near my ear. He was the last person I had wanted to ask for help, but now that he was here, tremendous relief washed over me. When my body calmed I struggled to stand, and Grady easily lifted me up keeping his arm around my waist.

  “What’s going on, Lindsay? Are you okay?” I opened my mouth to say I was fine, but the pain returned and I could only gasp and shake my head.

  He pressed the back of his hand to my forehead and then to my cheek. “You’re burning up,” he said and his expression turned to worry. “I’m taking you to the hospital.”

  He effortlessly picked me up and carried me to my car, setting me carefully in the passenger seat. I was trying to breathe through the pain, so he gently pulled the seatbelt around me and clicked it in place. Taking my keys he shut the door and jogged around to the driver’s side.

  The drive to the hospital was a short one, but Grady was constantly glancing in my direction and kept his right hand on my leg. “Are you in pain? When did this start?”

  I whimpered, “Earlier today…I took a nap, but the pain woke me up…”

  He frowned at me and demanded, “Were you going to drive yourself? Why didn’t you call me?”

  “You left this morning…” I chewed on my lip and shook my head. This wasn’t the time to get into an argument with Grady.

  For a moment he looked confused, and then he said, “Did you see my note? I had to go to work, but I was coming back, Lindsay.”

  No, I hadn’t seen his note, which was why I was too pissed and hurt to call him when I needed someone. Closing my eyes I rested my head against the cool glass of the window. I could feel his eyes on me, but he didn’t say anything else. His hand stayed on my thigh, squeezing reassuringly.

  When we arrived at the hospital, Grady pulled up underneath the overhang outside the Emergency Room and cut the engine. He was at my side in no time, unbuckling me and carrying me inside where a nurse met us with a wheelchair. Apparently crying out in pain was a surefire way to skip to the front of the line, and she pushed me right back to an exam room. Grady followed us into the room and sat down in the chair next to the bed while the nurse helped me lay down. She checked my vital signs and determined I was not actually dying. Could’ve fooled me.

  She settled at the computer and pulled up the patient intake program. Glancing at Grady she asked, “I assume you’re family?”

  Grady leaned forward and took my hand in his. “Yup,” he said simply. Grateful that he was here I squeezed his hand. Not taking her eyes off the screen the nurse started asking me a series of questions.

  “When did the pain begin?”

  “This morning…but it was more like a dull ache then.”

  “Where is the pain located in your abdomen?”

  I pointed from my belly button to the lower right side of my stomach. “Here. In this area.”

  “Any nausea or vomiting?”

  “Yes. Both.”

  “Dizzyness or fainting?”

  I shook my head. “No.”

  “Any chance you could be pregnant?”

  I swung my eyes to Grady, who was watching me intently. “No.”

  “Are you currently taking any medication?”

  “No.”

  “Any previous surgeries?”

  Oh, crap. I knew it was important to tell the truth, so they had an accurate medical history. But this was absolutely not how I wanted Grady to find out. My anxiety level shot through the roof, and coupled with the pain, caused me to start shaking. Grady noticed immediately and pulled the blanket over me, rubbing his hand over my arm.

  The nurse looked over at me, still waiting for my answer. “Any previous surgeries?” She asked again in a bored tone. This situation was about to be anything but boring.

  “Yes,” I whispered.

  “What kind of surgery?”

  The tears that had been gathered in my eyes from the constant pain in my stomach spilled over onto my cheeks. This was it. Grady was going to find out what I had kept from him for five years. I turned my head away from him and spoke through trembling lips, “I had surgery for …an…an ectopic pregnancy.”

  Grady’s hand tightened on mine and I could feel his eyes boring into me, but I didn’t look at him. The nurse said nothing and just typed this earth shattering information into the computer as if it were no big deal.

  “Date of surgery? Month and year.”

  I heard Grady suck in a breath and he squeezed my hand tighter, waiting on my answer that could change everything. I turned my head back toward Grady and locked my eyes on his as I spoke quietly, “October 2006.”

  He exhaled the breath he was holding and closed his eyes. “Fuck,” he muttered. When he opened his eyes, they were full of pain. Reliving this with him was almost more than I could bear. I was full out sobbing now, and the nurse took that as an increase in my pain level.

  “I’ll get the doctor in here to examine you, and then we can get some pain medication started.” I didn’t tell her the only pain I was feeling right now was
in my heart, and there was nothing that could take that away.

  When she left, Grady leaned forward and dropped his head into his hands. His shoulders were tense, and he was shaking his head slowly back and forth like he was in disbelief. He was silent for so long, and I had no idea what he was thinking. There was more that I needed to tell him, but the doctor came in before I could.

  He washed his hands and said to Grady, “You can wait right outside while I examine Miss Ross. It shouldn’t take very long.”

  Grady stood up, shoving his hands through his hair and stalked out of the room without looking at me. The doctor was young and friendly, though I couldn’t focus on anything he was doing. He asked some of the same questions as the nurse about my symptoms, and after a pelvic exam and pushing on my stomach he declared that I most likely had appendicitis. I would have a CT scan to confirm and then be prepped for surgery.

  When I left I could hear him talking to Grady outside the door. But Grady didn’t return to my room, and I curled on my side and cried while I waited for the nurse to come back. It wasn’t long before I was taken up to Imaging for the CT scan. Grady was nowhere to be seen, and I feared that he had left. I could only imagine what he thought of me now. He probably thought I had broken up with him because of the pregnancy, but that couldn’t be farther from the truth. The secret I had held inside for five years desperately needed to come out, but Grady was gone and I was about to go into surgery.

  The radiologist read my scan immediately and confirmed I would need an appendectomy. I was then taken to the surgery prep area and the nurse started an IV of fluids and pain meds. It took the edge off the pain in my stomach, but my heart was still breaking.

  I closed my eyes, but I couldn’t get the image of Grady’s pained expression out of my mind.

  Warm fingers brushed the hair from my forehead and trailed down my cheek, and I opened my eyes to Grady sitting beside me once again.