“Morning” he said quietly
“How is Lindsay?” asked Sarah
“Still sleeping. She had a rough night.”
“Why?” asked David and Dalton simultaneously
“Bad dreams again.”
“Damm” replied David
“Shh. She needs sleep.” Sarah said “Nick, are you sure you can handle this? I can stay here and help you or we can hire a nurse.”
“We will be fine Sarah, but thank you for offering. She isn’t going to need constant nursing just some tender loving care.”
“Then you are the perfect person to handle that job.” Sarah said as she winked at him.
They all came in and sat around the table. They were eating breakfast when Lindsay started making noise in the bedroom. Nick went running into see her.
Lindsay was thrashing the bed again. He gathered as close as he could and talked to her. This time though she woke up completely. “Not again.” She said weeping
“It is normal Lindsay. You have had a traumatic experience. It will get better soon. Are you ready to eat something? Your family is here.”
“Yes, can you help me up and to get dressed?”
“Just put on the robe for now. After they leave then we will see if you need to get dressed.”
Lindsay and Nick walked very slowly to the kitchen. Lindsay’s ribs were still healing as were her cuts and bruises.
“Morning everyone” Lindsay said as they entered the kitchen. There were questions on how she was feeling and she answered as she slowly sat down and Nick got her some breakfast.
“Real food. Umm.” She commented after her first bite.
“Are you all ready to go home?” Lindsay asked a few minutes later.
“No, we think we should stay here and help Nick.” replied Sarah
“I told you, we will be fine. We are going to rest and do physical therapy. The doctor faxed over some instructions to the gym and the spa.” Nick said to Sarah’s statement.
“But, I still think I should stay.”
Lindsay laid her hand on Sarah’s arm. “We will be fine. I don’t think it is going to be that long.”
“I can come back if you change your mind, either of you.” Sarah said with a pointed look at both.
They were just about to make another comment when Dalton’s cell phone rang. He looked at the display laughed and handed the phone to Lindsay. “I doubt she really wants to talk to me. I imagine she is more interested in her girl.”
“Hi Gabby” Lindsay said with love and affection
“How are you? Do I need to come and take care of you? I can be there in a few hours.”
“I am fine. Nick is here to take care of me and the others are coming home today. They need you.”
“Let me talk to Nick.”
Lindsay handed the phone to Nick “She wants to talk to you.”
“Oh, lord, here it comes.” He whispered after covering the phone. “Hi Mama, how are you?” Nick said to try to calm her down.
“She needs me but says I am needed here so I will stay here for now. She needs lots of special attention. Give her nutritious meals; give her back rubs as long as it doesn’t hurt her. Warm baths help with aching muscles. Make sure she walks, it will help her lungs. I still think I should come there. I can pack real fast.”
“Mama,” Nick broke in on her “I can handle this. We have specific instructions from the doctor which I promise I will follow to the letter. I will take care of your girl and bring her home soon.”
“But she needs me and I have to take care of her.” Gabby repeated again
“Mama, I love her and it is my job to take care of her now.” Nick replied hoping it would calm her down. He looked at Lindsay and winked at her smile.
“Oh that is so sweet.” cooed Gabby “but I can still come if you change your mind.”
“I know and I love you Mama.”
“Let me talk to David.”
Nick covered the phone and handed it to David “Look out, it is your turn now.”
David grimaced and took the phone “Hey Gabby”
“I need to come there David.” Gabby started to say
“Gabby, she is fine and will be home in a couple of weeks. Nick can handle it and if not, we will fly you over here.”
“But, I…”
“I promise. Here is Lindsay again.”
“Mama,” Lindsay said as the phone was handed back. “I love you for wanting to come here, and I will call if I change my mind. Just stay there and fix all my favorite foods for when I get home.”
“I will. I love you my sweet girl.”
“I love you too, I will call you tomorrow.” Lindsay said and hung up the phone. They all burst out laughing after a couple of seconds. Lindsay groaned and stopped sooner than the rest of them. “She is wonderful to us.” Lindsay commented with a smile. And they all nodded and went back to eating.
David, Dalton and Sarah were all packed and ready to go. “Call every day.” David demanded as he hugged her gently “And if necessary we can be back within a few hours.”
“David, I love you but I am fine. I love all of you for being here with me during this. I will be home shortly.”
Dalton hugged her gently and so did Sarah. Nick walked them to the elevator as they waited. “Call immediately if she gets worse.” David told Nick
“I will, she is getting better and she will be home soon. I love her more than anything; I will take care of her.” Nick promised with a hand to his heart.
Sarah hugged him and Dalton shook his hand and said goodbye as the elevator arrived.
Nick walked back to the suite and found Lindsay walking towards her room. “Our family is something else” he said as he caught up to her. “Loving and threatening at the same time.”
“Who threatened you?” gasped Lindsay
“Your brothers.”
“What did they say?”
“It was more the glare in their eyes instead of words. But I got the message. Take of their little sister or else.”
“I’m sorry. They are protective of me.”
“I know, but what they haven’t figured out yet is that I want take care of you to the best of my ability for the rest of my life. You are my life and seeing you hurt has been harder on me than on them. They love you like siblings but I love you as a man loves his woman.”
Lindsay reached out slowly and hugged him. “That makes me feel so loved.”
“I do love you!”
“I love you.” Lindsay returned
“Now, since I have been warned and threaten to take care of you, that is what I am going to do. Now lie down and get comfortable, I am going to give you a rub down to help with the soreness.”
“Yeah” she said as she lay down on the bed. She was wearing a shorts pajama set so he could work on her legs. They hadn’t been too injured but the inactivity was starting to get to her.
“Comfortable?” he asked and she nodded “tell me if this starts to hurt at any time.” Lindsay nodded again.
Nick took her feet in his hands and started to massage them. Her eyes closed in pleasure at his touch. “Finally” she said in a whisper
“What’s finally?”
“I said that out loud?” she said
“Yes, now tell.”
Lindsay blushed a little “Well, umm we are finally alone with no interruptions and you are touching me.”
“Yes, and?”
“I missed your personal touch. It gives me great pleasure.”
“Oh really?” Nick smiled “tell me more about that.” He said continuing her foot massage.
She blushed more “well, I like, no love, how you touch me. That’s all.”
“Sweetheart, you ain’t seen nothing yet.” He said and she blushed even more. He laid her foot back down on the bed and got on his hands and knees to crawl over her but not touching. He looked lovingly in her eyes “You can’t handle it now, bu
t when you are well I will touch you and you will think you have reached heaven on earth.”
“But I want that now.” She said in anticipation
“Some now, more later. Much more later.” He said with a quick kiss. “Your body would kill you if I gave you all the pleasure now. It isn’t so sweet and gentle and that is what you need. Trust me.”
“Always.” She replied and he moved gently back to her feet and started the massage again. He started to talk as he moved from her feet to her lower legs. “You have beautiful legs, my Lindsay. They are long, slender and strong.” He switched from massaging to caressing to kissing her legs at a slow leisurely pace. He kept an eye on her for signs of pain but didn’t see any. “When we are married and we are making love, you will wrap these gorgeous legs around me as I become part of you. You will want me to be so close to you to ease the ache.”
“Yes” she gasped as he continued his massage up to her thighs. She had loose fitting shorts on so he was able to massage under the shorts to her hips. He drew his fingers down the inside of her thighs but not quite touching her center. She moaned and sunk into the bed in pleasure.
“Gently babe. No sudden movements you might hurt.”
“I feel wonderful. Your hands feel wonderful on me.”
“I am glad you liked it, how do your legs feel?”
“Alive and energized.”
“Is that better than before?” he asked teasing her
“Oh yes! Much better.” She answered in pure pleasure.
“Now, where else needs a rub down that won’t hurt you?”
“I don’t think there is anywhere else yet. My arms are still bruised and my ribs couldn’t take it.”
“Ok, then how about some medicine and a nap?” Nick asked as he handed her the medicine and a drink
“Will you sleep with me?”
“I will lay down with you. Get in a comfortable position” He said as he lay down next to her. “Sleep my beautiful girl. I’ll be here to hold you.”
She fell asleep but didn’t stay calm so he started to talk to her. “Think about taking a horseback ride with me. We ran ride Spade doubled up. You can sit in front of me and I will wrap you up in my arms. I will feel you against all of me.” Lindsay calmed down and continued to sleep. That didn’t take as long, I hope that is a good sign.
Lindsay took a long nap and felt much more rested. “I think I finally got some good sleep.” She said “I felt you with me and it helped.”
“I thought it might. I didn’t have to talk to you as long until you calmed down again.” Nick replied “I don’t mind talking to you but you need good sleep.”
“I think I just need you to make me feel better.” She said as she snuggled a little closer to him.
Nick kissed the top of her head and gently hugged her. “Are you going to sleep some more?”
“No, I am not sleepy.” She replied
“Okay, what do you want to do?”
“Be with you. And later can I take a shower?”
“Sure.” He said as he kissed her. “We need to call the gym and get your appointments scheduled.”
“Hand me the phone.”
Nick handed her the phone and she called the gym and talked to the physical therapist. Her first appointment was tomorrow morning.
“Let’s get up and walk a little babe.” Nick said as she finished the arrangements. “Your legs need it and so do your lungs. This floor is empty so we can walk around a little.”
She got up gingerly and started towards the door. He walked beside her and talked to her. She was moving pretty good and he could tell her nap had helped her. “I feel better already.” She said “I might just get through this.”
“As long as it doesn’t hurt, the more you move around the better. Your muscle tone will come back and your lungs will strengthen.”
“You know a lot about this, why?”
“I studied anatomy in school, it interested me. And I talked to your doctor extensively. I also researched on the internet about collapsed lungs and the treatments.”
“Wow, I am in good hands.” She said with a wink
“The best!” he said as he hugged her and gave her a long kiss. “I missed that.” He commented as he released her.
“Me too” she sighed against his chest.
They went back into the suite and Lindsay asked for a shower. “All I can feel and smell is hospital, I want to feel clean and fresh.”
“Ok, tell me how to help you.” Nick agreed
“I am going to try it alone, but stay close.” Lindsay stated
“Lindsay, I don’t think…”
She placed her fingers over his mouth. “I said try, I will call if I need you.” He nodded in reluctant agreement. She moved to the bathroom and started to shower. He stood by the door and waited impatiently. “I’m fine so far, Nick.”
“How did you know I was waiting anxiously?”
“Just a lucky guess.”
He opened the door and went in. “Do you need help washing your hair?”
“No, I am doing it one handed. Will you get me some clothes to wear and lay them in here?”
“Be right back.” Nick went and got some comfortable clothes for her to wear for the evening. “Here you go. I’ll be right outside.”
“Ah, I am going to need your help. I didn’t think about how to dry off. I can’t bend over.”
She had the towel already wrapped around her so he took another towel and wrapped her hair up. He moved behind her and took the towel from her. He gently dried her back “You are so beautiful.” Then he moved to her legs and dried them. As he moved around the front of her, he got his first look at his love. “Merciful heavens, you are stunning.”
“You are supposed to be drying not staring.”
“I can do both.” He said as dried her front. He kept her eyes locked with his as he finished. Nick moved to hang up the towel and then went back to his Lindsay. He lovingly caressed her with his eyes and then gently wrapped both arms around her and drew her close.
“Are you okay?” she asked after a moment
“Yes, just appreciating how lucky I am. You will someday be my wife and I will love you forever.”
She beamed at him and he took her mouth in a deep kiss while trying to hold her cautiously.
“Will you help me comb my hair and put on some lotion?”
“Grab the brush and let’s go into the bedroom so you can be more comfortable.”
They moved so she could sit down in the chair. He stood behind her and brushed her hair. Then he went and retrieved the lotion from the dresser.
He poured some lotion in his hands and sat down on the footstool in front of her. He picked up her leg and placed it on his. “You have such wonderful legs. I love to touch them.” He gently moved back and forth in a caress as he rubbed the lotion on. “I want to feel them wrapped up with mine. I want to start at your toes and kiss you all over.” He bent and moved her legs so that he could demonstrate what he was describing.
He moved up to her thighs with the lotion but stopped the verbal description; he was trying to be careful not to jar her. As he finished with the lotion, he helped her to get dressed.
They moved to the living room and Nick sat on the couch and pulled Lindsay between his legs. “Does this hurt?”
“No, I’m fine.”
“You are more than fine, sweetheart. You are breathtaking.” Lindsay smiled shyly as he kissed the top of her head and wrapped his arms around her neck since her ribs were too sore. “mmmm, I like that feeling.” She said
“What?”
“The feeling of your arms around me, I love it.”
They picked a movie to watch and just enjoyed each other’s presence. She would doze and get restless until he soothed her. They called for their dinner and then they worked on her computer for a while. She was feeling comfortable so she wanted to work.
Chapter 1
1
Lindsay had been out of the hospital for a week. She was getting stronger everyday with the physical therapy and the walking. Nick had been sleeping with her so her sleep had gotten better. One morning she had awoke to find Nick had been replaced by a big stuffed bear dressed as a cowboy. She had cried at his thoughtfulness. “He is adorable.” She said thanking him with a sweet kiss.
“He will keep you safe if I don’t happen to be here.”
“Where are you going?”
“Nowhere. But the trip to the Turner’s is in a couple of days. You will be alone that day.”
“Can’t I go? I want to go, please.”
“Call the doctor and ask. It might be very uncomfortable for you to ride in a car.”
“Please let me try. I can lay down in the limo if it hurts.”
“Ok, but call the doctor first.”
The doctor cleared her to make the trip but advised her to take the pain medicine first and a pillow to cushion her ribs.
Lindsay and Nick had arranged for limousines to pick up Scott’s family and Katie’s family and drive them to the Turner’s ranch. Nick and Lindsay met them there. Nick rushed to greet them as they arrived. He picked up Katie and gave her a big hug. She wrapped her arms around his neck and hugged him back. Lindsay was crying by the time he set her down. He is going to be a wonderful father.
Nick moved to greet Scott with a hug and a “high five.” After greeting the kids he introduced everyone and they all moved to the barn. Nick took each child by the hand and walked them through the barn looking at each horse and letting them talk to each one.
“How are you feeling, Lindsay?” Deena, Scott’s mom asked as the guys and the kids were wandering around.
“I’m getting better. I will get to go home in about a week.”
“I bet you are getting anxious.”
“Some. Nick has been wonderful at taking care of me and we are learning so much about the other in a concentrated time.”
“How long have you known him?” Samantha Katie’s mom asked
“Well, that is a complicated story.”
“We have a while and we love a good story.” Katie’s mom replied taking Lindsay’s arm to help her.
“Nick’s family has lived on our ranch since I was a baby. He is about four years older than me. So I grew up around him. He is my brother Dalton’s best friend and I tagged along after him and my brothers and his brothers. We lived at the same place for so long our families just paired us as brother and sister. But that isn’t what I felt.”