Hard on the Heart Read online

  “Not at all. There’s plenty still to see. I’d like you to meet Oliver Garcia and his mother Stephanie.”

  They are laughing and having fun on the merry-go-round. I wave to them and wait until it stops.

  “I want to go around again,” Oliver cries.

  Cade looks at me and says, “Why don’t we join them?”

  We each find a horse close to Oliver, and for the next hour, we spend time with him and his mother, enjoying several rides and eating cotton candy. Watching Cade with the little boy warms my heart, especially when he lifts Oliver up onto his shoulders.

  “You look like you know what you’re doing around kids.”

  “Well, I have a nephew I spend time with now and then. My sister is divorced, and her husband isn’t much of a presence in Kevin’s life. I try to be a positive male influence for him.”

  The sun has gone down and the lights on the Ferris wheel remind me what I’ve wanted to do all day. I grab Cade’s hand and run toward the ride.

  “How about a turn on the Ferris wheel? I’ve been dying to get on this thing.”

  Cade pulls me back.

  “I don’t know. I’m…”

  “You’re afraid of heights?”

  “I wouldn’t say afraid exactly. Let’s just say I’m not a fan.”

  “Are you sure? C’mon, let’s give it one turn and if you don’t like it, I’ll yell to the attendant to let us off.”

  Cade agrees, and as soon as they lock the bar, he grabs my hand. The very thing I was worried about happens. The wheel stops just as we reach the top. Our chair rocks back and forth. Cade’s face has gone pale.

  “Do you want me to have them let us off when we reach the bottom?”

  “Yeah, I think I’ve had enough.”

  As we jump off the chair, I can’t contain my laughter.

  “I think you were holding your breath up there.”

  “I didn’t want to do anything that might make the damn thing rock. I don’t understand how people have fun scaring the crap out of themselves.”

  “That’s the whole point, silly.”

  Watching Cade feel vulnerable makes my day. Seeing the tough guy act like a scared child makes me want to pull him into a big bear hug.

  “It’s time for fireworks. Let me grab a blanket and backpack from my booth, and we can head over there.”

  Everyone is gathering at the far side of the field to watch the fireworks. We spread our blanket out on the grass and sit close to each other to keep warm.

  “It looks like we’ve raised a lot of money today. It’s not all counted yet, but I think it will be more than enough to help Oliver and his mother stay in their apartment for many months.”

  Cade looks around at all the people.

  “You’ve done a wonderful thing here, Lucy. People like you make all the difference in this world.”

  “It’s not been just me, Cade. Look around. All these people worked hard to make this event a success. It’s not the only time they’ve donated their time and money either. When you have so many working to make something good happen, it can’t fail. No matter how much money we collect, we’re already a success because of the love and compassion of others.”

  I look at Cade, rub my arms up and down to get warm, and say, “It’s a lot colder now that we’re not walking around.”

  Cade pulls me into his arms and massages my back.

  “Does this help?”

  All I can do is nod. I lean my body into his and hope he doesn’t let go. I put my head on his shoulder and wonder what Cade is thinking.

  The first burst of the fireworks explodes in the sky, and so we lay back on the blanket to get a better look. Cade keeps me in his embrace, and his body is like a magnet, pulling me into him.

  So this is what it feels like to need someone so much. In Cade’s arms is where I want to stay, forever.

  7

  Cade

  Holding Lucy while watching the fireworks makes me want to take her right here. I don’t care how many people are around us; all I can see is Lucy.

  When I pulled my truck onto the grass earlier, I could see Lucy in the distance. She was dressed casually, something I had never seen before. Even though she looked as if she was a working farmhand, her clothes couldn't conceal the sexiness of her body.

  Her tight-fitting jeans hugged her ass, and the flannel shirt couldn't hide her large, round breasts. Today was the first time she wasn’t wearing her hair pulled back into a ponytail. The full volume of her auburn curls hides her face when she looks down, but when she raises her head, you see her beauty like a gift you keep getting over and over again.

  I move to get up off the blanket.

  “Where are you going?”

  “I’ll be right back. I have a blanket in the truck. I’m going to get that so we’ll be nice and warm.”

  When I return, I wrap both of us in the warmth of the blanket.

  “I use this when I go camping.”

  “You, a city boy, go camping?”

  “There’s still lots you don’t know about me, Lucy.”

  When the fireworks are over and people start leaving the field, I'm pleasantly surprised that Lucy isn't motivated to move any more than I am. We stay on the blanket, letting the crowd dissipate. When we are finally alone, with nothing but the stars in the sky and the sound of crickets and bullfrogs, I turn to Lucy and can see desire in her eyes.

  I lean in and take her face in my hands, lightly kissing her lips. Moving my hand to the back of her neck, I pull her close and kiss her again, this time with passion. She lets out a soft moan as my tongue plays with hers, teasing her with what’s to come.

  Lucy pulls away from our embrace, looks around one more time, and whispers, “Are you sure everyone is gone?”

  “No one is here but us. Have you ever made love under the stars before?”

  “I’ve never made love under anything or anyone.”

  It takes me a minute to process what she just said. “I thought…”

  “No. I always knew something was wrong between us. I finally had to admit that he wasn’t the right guy for me. Trust me, we talked about sex all the time. It was a major issue between us. I wanted to wait until I was sure I wouldn’t regret it.”

  I have to ask. “And now?”

  Lucy grabs the back of my neck and pulls my body down on top of hers.

  “And now, I’ve never felt anything so right as this. I know you don’t do relationships, Cade, but I don’t care. No matter where this goes, I want to be with you right now. I want this.”

  I’m kissing her and unbuttoning her shirt as she reaches for my zipper. We move quickly to remove our clothes and toss them aside. Our bodies are on fire, and we hardly need the blankets anymore.

  I’ve never considered myself a gentle man. I go one hundred miles an hour all the time, but right now, all I want to do is stop the clock. I need to take my time with Lucy so that I can make love to her the way she deserves.

  I look down at her beautiful body. Her breasts are large and soft, and I can’t wait to taste them. My mouth covers her left nipple and I suck, my tongue moving back and forth over the tip. My mouth alternates between her breasts as my fingers caress each nipple. As I play and then pinch, Lucy gasps and arches her back, pushing her breasts higher in response. Every part of her body is soft, and my desire to claim her is all-consuming.

  I turn her on her stomach and taste her skin as I lick down her spine, finally reaching her tailbone. My tongue circles and kisses there as I pull her ass cheeks aside, making way for my tongue to continue its journey. Lucy’s body responds to every touch, every movement, and I can feel her arousal increasing with each lick.

  I move her up onto her knees and press her body to mine as my hand grasps both breasts, kneading and pulling her nipples at the same time. Lucy pushes against me, and my pulsing hard cock is massaging her ass. As I move my right hand down to her mound, my fingers slide up and down her drenched pussy.

  “You feel so good
, baby. I can’t wait to get inside this. You are so wet for me.”

  Lucy reaches behind her back, feeling my hardness, and strokes, my pre-cum wetting her hand.

  “You feel that? That’s what you do to me. You’ve got me so hard. Do you want me to put this inside you? Do you want me to fuck you?”

  “Please, Cade, please. Yes.”

  “Tell me.”

  “I want you to fuck me.”

  I turn her over, lay her down, and pull a condom out of my wallet. Stroking my cock, I quickly roll the condom down over it. I open Lucy’s legs and lower myself to enter her. Knowing it’s her first time, I take care to go slow. I slide in a bit at a time, listening to her response to each movement. Gauging her pain, I push deeper until I reach the spot that resists my entry.

  I stop, giving Lucy a moment to adjust to me, and when it feels like she's ready for more, I move again, thrusting as she rocks her pussy against my cock.

  Impossible to look away, our eyes are locked on each other. Lucy’s fingers dig into the blanket as I pull in and out of her over and over. I can feel her body tightening as she arches her back. I can barely hang on. I hold back my release, waiting for her, and when she calls my name, I fill her with my warm cum, and feel her climax squeezing my cock.

  I collapse on the blanket and pull the other one on top of us. I pull Lucy close to me and hold her in my arms. Nothing has ever felt so perfect, and it feels as if we are both thinking the same thing. Let’s not say one word. Let’s just lie here looking at the stars and listening to the night sounds all around us.

  For the rest of the weekend, Lucy and I made love and slept. We slept to gain the strength to make love again and fed ourselves with take-out food until we couldn’t eat another bite. I couldn’t leave her side for one minute, and I pushed aside the thought of seeing the guys at the bar until I had no choice but to confront what was to come.

  Shortly before one o’clock on Monday, I stop at the construction site and look for the foreman. I’ve got to be vague when I talk with him about my plans going forward. At this point, I'm not ready to talk about the specifics just yet.

  “Hey, Joe, listen, I need you guys to stop work for a while. I’ve got a bit of an issue with the design, so we need to take a step back before you guys continue. It shouldn’t take too long, but I need to get with the architect once more. There will be some changes to the design. I’ll give you a call just as soon as we’re ready to proceed.”

  He looks confused, but since he doesn’t have control over the situation, he agrees to stop. I can hear him talking with his workers as I step into the pub. It’s almost one o’clock, and I know what I have to do.

  Michael announces to the room, “The man of the hour. Have you come to take our money?”

  Everyone laughs, except Sean.

  “I’ll not believe it until I hear it from her. Notice he’s here alone. Where is Ms. Bennett? We need to hear her admit it. I’ll not be taking Cade’s word for it.”

  I go to the office and open the safe. I take the envelope and throw it down onto the bar.

  All five men stare at me in disbelief.

  Michael looks confused.

  “What’s this?”

  “What does it look like? It’s the money. It’s all yours, gentlemen.”

  “What are you saying, Cade?”

  “That you all were right. Lucy Bennett turned me down flat. I gave it my best shot, but no deal. You guys win.”

  As they gather their winnings, Sean can’t contain his glee.

  “What did I tell ya, lads? I knew he didn’t have a chance. Not even the great Cade Montgomery could win that one over.

  Michael is strangely quiet. He looks worried, and I can tell he is waiting for me to say something.

  “What? Take your damn money already, and I’ll not have another word about it. It’s over and done with.”

  I storm out of the bar and walk several blocks before I realize I’m talking to myself, and I’ve no idea where I’m going. I don’t stop, but continue walking, remembering Lucy’s words, and I know they’re my own, coming back to haunt me.

  I know you don’t do relationships, Cade.

  What the hell is wrong with me? She’s everything a man could ask for in a woman, but more than that, she’s everything I never knew I needed. And now I can’t live without her.

  8

  Lucy

  Cade and I spent the whole weekend making love. I made breakfast for him, and I didn't tell him that the eggs he was eating were actually tofu.

  I'll tell him another time.

  The weekend was incredible, and I have to keep pinching myself to believe it wasn’t a dream. Cade likes my cooking so much he's agreed to let me make him a vegan dinner tonight.

  I spend the morning cleaning my apartment and head out to pick up a few things. I decide to shop at the market nearest The Wild Rose so I can stop in to see Cade. After I finish shopping, I put the groceries in my car before heading inside.

  I hear laughter coming from inside the bar. There are two doors leading into the pub, and as I hear my name mentioned, I stop before opening the second one.

  “I knew there was no way he would be able to get under her sheets. From the moment I saw Ms. Bennett, I could tell she was going to play hard to get.”

  Another at the bar answers him. “She wasn't gonna give Cade the time of day, let alone let him into her bed. Did you see her when she was here the other day? When they were done talking she stormed out of the pub like she couldn’t stand the sight of him. We all know how much he loves a challenge. He couldn’t wait to jump at the chance to take that bet.”

  The bartender speaks up. “I don’t know. Cade didn’t seem like himself earlier. I don’t mind taking the man’s money, though. When he said he’d bet us he could fuck her, I thought I might be throwing my money away. I mean, you know Cade. If he says he’s gonna do something, he does it. I’m kinda surprised that he couldn’t get her into his bed.”

  A fourth man chimes in. “Ah, you know, come to think of it, have any of us ever seen him with a woman?”

  Silence for a minute before the bartender angrily responds. “What the hell are you talking about, Sean? Just because he doesn’t bring women into the pub doesn’t mean he isn’t out there escorting lovelies all over town. He’s just private that way.”

  I can’t believe this. He made a bet with these guys that we’d have sex? Is that what this weekend was about? A bet? Now that I think about it, he’s the one who called me and asked me over to his place that first night. The big seduction on the roof, that was all to win a bet. Wait. They said he told them he failed. Why would he do that?

  As I walk out of the bar, my cell phone buzzes. It’s Stephanie.

  “Stephanie, is everything okay? Is Oliver all right?”

  “He’s in ICU, Lucy. He started having a seizure and so I called an ambulance right away. We’re at Children’s Hospital.”

  “I’m on my way. Everything’s going to be fine. Please don’t worry. It’s just a setback. I’ll be there soon.”

  I run to my car and drive as fast as I can across town to the hospital, forgetting about Cade Montgomery.

  It takes me about fifteen minutes to get to Children’s Hospital and another ten minutes to find a parking spot. My phone buzzes again. It’s Cade. I don’t answer. If I wasn’t so worried about Oliver, I’d take the time to block Cade’s phone number. I’m furious at him, but I can’t waste any time thinking about it. Stephanie and Oliver are family to me, and they need my full attention right now.

  I get to the ICU area but can’t go inside because I’m not immediate family. They let Stephanie know that I’m here, and within seconds the doors open, and she comes rushing into my arms, crying.

  “Oh, Lucy. Thank you so much for coming. I didn’t want to be here alone. He looks so frail, lying there in that bed with tubes coming out of him everywhere. He’s in a coma and they are not sure what happened. They still don’t know. All I can do is wait until they
have something to tell me.”

  I put my arm around her and guide her to a chair in the waiting area.

  “I’ll stay with you as long as you need me to. We have to stay positive. As I said to you on the phone, this is just a setback, nothing more. He will come out of this coma just as he has overcome everything else. Remember how many times we felt like losing hope, only to see him push through and get better? It will be like that this time too. We’ve been here before, please don’t worry.”

  Stephanie wipes her eyes with a tissue and nods.

  “You’re right. I need to stay positive. At least now I don’t have to worry about the medical bills, that takes a huge weight off my shoulders.”

  “I’m sorry? I don’t understand. What do you mean that you don’t have to worry about the medical bills?”

  “I thought you knew. Mr. Montgomery promised us at the carnival that he would take care of all of Oliver’s medical bills. He said that we should not have to worry about anything else but getting Oliver better. He told me to focus on Oliver getting well and leave the rest to him.”

  I’m so stunned I can’t speak. I saw Cade talking with Stephanie when they were sitting on the picnic bench and Oliver and I were waiting in line to get on the bumper cars. I had no idea that he was telling her that he would take care of her bills. I don’t know what to say.

  Cade Montgomery has been a conundrum from the moment we met. I haven’t been able to understand half of what he says or does, and now he has me completely baffled. How can this man take a bet on me and at the same time do something so completely selfless as to pay a stranger’s medical bills?

  9

  Cade

  After several hours of walking the streets of Boston, I look at my watch and remember I’ve left my car back at the bar. I make it back to the pub and stop in to make sure Michael doesn’t need anything before I head home to shower and get ready to have dinner with Lucy.