Forces of Nature

Chapter 11


By the time Douglas had dressed and left Crystal’s house, he realized that the person who could give him answers had been stonewalling him and if he wanted the truth, he was going to have to contact an unlikely source—Crystal’s attorney, Dena. There was something about the way she spat out Waylon’s name that spoke of an untold history that was more than business.

Pulling the legal forms from his jeans pocket, he typed Dena’s office address into his cell phone. Then he headed to the cottage to take a shower. He hoped that he would be able to find Dena, however since she’d already delivered an injunction on a Sunday, and he figured she wouldn’t still be in her office. But he’d try there first anyway.

What is it about this farm that drives everybody crazy? he thought as he hopped into the shower. In his case, he knew what at Hughes Farm was driving him insane and she was across the way in the big house probably plotting with her lawyer to stop Welco.

As much as he hated to admit it, the short time that he’d spent at the farm showed him that the place was special and had an impact on the community. Where would those girls go without Hughes Farm? Why hadn’t his dad taken this into consideration before he decided that he had to have this farm for his business park?

Following his shower, Douglas dressed in a pair of khakis and a stripped oxford shirt. As he slipped on his leather loafers, there was a knock at the door.

“What a surprise,” he said when he opened the door to Crystal standing on the front steps.

“I guess you’re on your way out,” she said as she gave him a cool once-over.

“I have some work to do. What’s up?”

“Renda and MJ wanted to show you the rose garden,” she said. “But if you’re working today, you can see it later.”

“I have to go into town, but I’ll be back,” he said. “And I’d love to see the garden.”

“I’m sorry about earlier,” Crystal said quietly. “I know what you were saying about business and whatnot. I don’t like it, but I know you’re trying to do your job. Even though you’re the boss and I’m sure you could change things if you wanted to.”

“If I didn’t have a board, maybe. But this is bigger than me saying yes or no.”

Crystal held her hand up to stop him from going further. “I don’t want to argue with you and that’s where this conversation is headed. So,” she said, “I’ll just see you when you get back.”

Douglas closed the space between him and Crystal, fighting the overwhelming urge he had to kiss her. “I will do that and maybe we can share dinner without fighting.”

“Maybe,” she said. “I have dinner with the Starlight girls on Sundays because the girls get dressed up and practice fine-dining skills.”

“Then join me for dessert.”

Crystal folded her arms and started to say no, but as she stared into his eyes and felt a familiar feeling of yearning, she agreed. “Will this be another one of your homemade dishes?”

“No. But you will enjoy it anyway. A chocolate cake from Main Street Café,” he said.

“Sounds good. I’ll make coffee and we can talk about anything but Welco’s land grab,” she said.

“Agreed, but we still have to see each other in court on Monday.”

“Then we will deal with it on Monday,” she said as she turned toward the steps.

“Wait,” he said, reaching out and touching her shoulder. Crystal turned around and speared him with a meaningful gaze. He touched her chin, lifting her mouth to his. In one swift motion, he captured her mouth in a soul-numbing kiss that she couldn’t resist if she wanted to. As his tongue danced with hers, Crystal wanted to forget that he wasn’t the man of her dreams, wasn’t simply her lover and that Dena said she needed to avoid being personal with him. She wanted to forget that he was the CEO of the corporation that wanted what her family had worked so hard for, and that she’d shared the best night of her life with him. Wanted to forget that his kiss was addictive and left her wanting more and more. His hands, stroking her back, made her feel like pure gold. But this had to stop. She pulled back from him. “What was that for?” she asked breathlessly.

“Because you’re simply irresistible,” he said. “And, I figured if I didn’t kiss you now, I might not get the chance later.”

“You’re bringing me chocolate cake, you just may get that chance again,” she said with a smile on her kiss-swollen lips.

Douglas pulled her against his chest and brushed a stray strand of hair from her forehead. Her heartbeat sped up as his fingers brushed across her skin. “You know I’m going to bring you chocolate every day now.”

“Really?” she quipped. “And when that chocolate sticks to my hips, will you still be coming around?”

“I’m not that shallow, and the only thing that’s going to stick to those hips is going to be me,” he replied boldly.

With another quick kiss, Douglas and Crystal said good-bye. As he drove into town, all Douglas could think about was dessert with Crystal when he should’ve been focused on his impromptu meeting with Dena. Something told him that she wasn’t going to be easily charmed.

The first thing Crystal did when she returned to her house was call her mother.

“Hello,” Joel said when he answered the phone.

Crystal smiled at the sound of her father’s voice. “Hi, Daddy,” she said.

“Baby girl,” he replied. “How are you doing?”

“I’m all right,” she said. “Where’s Mommy?”

“She’s down on the beach. What’s going on with Welco coming after the farm again?”

Crystal sighed. “Daddy, I’m going to handle this.”

“Crystal, I trust that you will and I’m going to hope that you listen to Dena in dealing with this. You have this idyllic view of life and you think other people share your view, but the Wellington family is not to be trusted.”

“Why?”

“Because they’ve been after our land for a long time and I feel Douglas Wellington’s dead hand in this.”

“You don’t think his son could be different?” Crystal asked, hoping that she wasn’t making a mistake getting emotionally involved with Douglas.

“No. I think he’s just as slimy as his father and you need to steer clear of him.”

Too late for that, she thought. “Dad, why do they want this land so badly?”

“Spite.”

“Care to elaborate?”

Joel sighed and said, “All you need to know is that you should stay far away from Wellington and Welco. This is an old fight that I thought ended when the old man died. Your mother and I will be in court tomorrow to make sure they don’t win. That little boy sounds like a carbon copy of his father; he wants what he wants and doesn’t give a damn about who he has to roll over to get it.”

Crystal wanted to tell her dad that Douglas wasn’t anything like that—that he was sweet and caring.

“Daddy,” she said. “Be straight with me.”

“This is something that has nothing to do with you other than the fact that your last name is Hughes.”

“Don’t you think I need to know what’s going on? Especially since I have to deal with Douglas Wellington in court soon?”

“Your mother and I will be in town for the first hearing,” he said. “Then, we’ll explain everything.”

Crystal sighed and then told her father good-bye. Suddenly, having dessert with Douglas wasn’t looking so appetizing.





Douglas wasn’t sure if he was doing the right thing by showing up at Dena’s house. He’d driven to her office and she hadn’t been there. He needed to talk to her and he wasn’t taking no for an answer. Hopefully, she wouldn’t call the cops. He parked his truck on the street in front of her ranch style home and slowly walked to the front door, which was open. Dena was sitting on the sofa typing away on her laptop. Douglas knocked on the screen door, causing her head to snap up.

Dena set the laptop on the wooden coffee table in front of her and walked to the door with a scowl on her face. “What are you doing here, Mr. Wellington?” she all but hissed.

“Good afternoon, Ms. Hopkins. I’d like to talk to you,” he said.

“We shouldn’t have any contact unless your attorney is present.”

“This isn’t about the case,” he said.

“Then we have nothing to discuss, so kindly get off my porch,” she said in a sarcastically sweet tone.

Douglas smiled at her and folded his arms across his chest. “I’m not leaving until you tell me the history between you and my godfather, Waylon Terrell, and why my father wanted Hughes Farm so badly.”

Dena huffed at the mention of Waylon’s name and folded her arms. “If you want that information then I suggest you go and talk to Waylon. Or are you certain that he’s not going to tell you the truth?”

“Why wouldn’t he?”

Dena leaned forward and glared at him. “Waylon Terrell wouldn’t know the truth if it bit him on the end of his nose. Tell me something—what game are you trying to run on Crystal? See, she’s idealistic and believes the yarn about Hughes Farm that her family has spun over the years. But I, like your father, know the value of that land. I told my friends Joel and Erin that I wouldn’t let corporate scum like your father take over that land and I mean it. You’re not going to play Crystal.”

“What I’m doing is a business deal. It’s not personal—for me—but it seems to be for you.”

“Little boy,” Dena said, “I know this game you’re running. What did Waylon call it? Heart and Mine, capture her heart and then everything else is mine. Why don’t you run along and ask your godfather about that. Now, leave. I’ll see you in court.”

She slammed the door in his face with such force that the glass rattled. “Damn,” Douglas muttered, then turned and headed back to his truck. As he climbed in and sat behind the wheel, he pulled out his cell phone and called Waylon.

“Trey, what’s going on?”

“We need to talk. Can you meet me at the Main Street Café?”

“When?”

“Now.”

“What’s going on?”

“I’ll wait for you,” he said, then disconnected the call. Douglas couldn’t help but wonder what the deal was between Waylon and Dena.

When he arrived at the café, which was nearly empty, the first thing Douglas did was order the cake that he and Crystal would share and a large latte with an extra shot of espresso.

“You need some extra energy today, huh, Mr. Wellington?” the barista asked as she handed him the drink.

“Something tells me that this is going to be a long evening,” he said as he took the cup and handed her a five-dollar tip. Then he found a seat at a table near the door and waited for Waylon. When his godfather finally arrived, Douglas was filled with questions and doubt.

“Trey,” Waylon said as he sat across from him, “why did you feel the need to drag me away from the Golf Channel?”

“What happened between you and Dena Hopkins?”

Waylon leaned back in his chair and chuckled. “She’s representing Hughes Farm, isn’t she?”

Douglas nodded.

“Is she still fine?”

Douglas shrugged. “It’s hard to tell because every time she sees me, she’s scowling, frowning, or looking like she wants to slap the hell out of me. And when I bring up your name, it’s even worse.”

“You have kicked a hornet’s nest with this,” Waylon said. “And I was hoping you’d never have to get involved in all of this.”

“So, that’s why you took the file?”

“This is the second time you’ve accused me of stealing. One more time and I’m going to treat you like I’ve never changed your diaper,” he replied forcefully.

Douglas threw his hands up. “No disrespect, but the file isn’t the only thing that’s miss—”

Waylon cut him off. “Your father and Crystal’s mother dated for a little while. I met Dena through them. We were young, bored, and a little reckless. Your father fell hard for Erin Hamilton. But one day, she met Joel Hughes and started working on the farm with him. They fell in love and that was the end of Erin and Doug. He never really got over losing her to that “farm boy.” Then he met your mother. I thought that was the end of his obsession with Erin.”

“It wasn’t?”

“You know what happened with your parents.”

Douglas sighed and nodded.

Waylon had witnessed Doug’s parents’ tumultuous marriage with both sides having affairs and doing other scandalous things for money. What they failed to do was take care of their son. Douglas spent more time with Waylon and various nannies than he did with his parents. His father had always been working, building Welco from the bottom up, and Evelyn wasn’t happy about the fact that her husband didn’t have time to be with her. He’d stopped being the fun man she’d married once they returned to his hometown. She’d never known why, but Waylon knew. He pondered what to tell his godson as he’d sat there staring at him.

“Trey, this was all about a woman. Listen, you and I both know Doug didn’t like to lose and when he wanted something or someone, nothing could stop him.”

“Then why did he marry my mother?” Douglas felt like a child, as if he was finding out that Superman wasn’t real and Santa was just a big fat lie.

“Part of his plan. He wanted Erin to see the life she could’ve had. To his dismayed surprise, she was already happy with the life she had.”

“So, he wanted to take over the farm to punish her?”

“Her and her new husband,” Waylon said. “But you’ve put this in motion and one thing was right about your father’s plan. That farm is prime land for development.”

“Are you saying I can’t stop this?”

Waylon shook his head. “That’s what it looks like, son. Dena thinks that I was using her because of her close relationship with Erin and Joel and hates me to this day, but I stopped your father back then.”

“How?”

Waylon rose to his feet and started for the door. “Remember when I took off for a few years?”

Douglas stood as well and nodded. “Yeah, that’s when I got to see that Welco was all Dad cared about firsthand.”

“Well, that was my exile so that I couldn’t explain to Dena what I’d done and ask her to marry me. I loved that woman and wanted a life with her. Your dad wasn’t going to allow that to happen. He took great pleasure in spinning a yarn about why I left. If he couldn’t be happy, no one else was going to be happy either.”

“And you didn’t feel the need to tell me this? Is that why you wanted me to come back and take over this damn company? So I wouldn’t be happy either?”

“No. You know I don’t operate like that. I wanted you here because your father was dying. Part of me hoped he’d come clean and make peace with you about everything. And I also knew that Welco wouldn’t be the same without a Wellington running things. As much as you hated the corporate world, I knew you could do this.”

“You also knew I didn’t want to do this,” Douglas shouted, then grabbed his godfather’s arm. “I found something else. Dad kept a diary and it’s gone too. How much trouble would Welco be in if that gets out?”

Waylon looked down at Douglas’s hand and shook his head. “I’m not sure what the contents of Douglas’s diary are, but knowing your father, it’s nothing good. He had a lot of animosity toward many people in town. If he recorded that and it falls into the wrong hands, the results could be devastating for the company.”

Douglas dropped his hand and sighed. He wondered if the diary’s contents would hurt Crystal as well. Douglas was a bit surprised that he cared more about Crystal’s feelings than Welco’s stock prices or the reaction of the board. This was not how things were supposed to go.



Crystal paced back and forth in her living room, still reeling from the things her father said about Douglas’s dad. He’d wanted the land out of spite, so was Douglas really carrying out his father’s plan for vengeance? What about the time they’d spent together? Was he like his godfather, who according to Dena would use a woman’s heart to get what he wanted? Had she been a big fool and now needed Mommy and Daddy to save her?

“This is nuts,” she mumbled. “I don’t even know how to bring this up to him. Should I?” Crystal chewed her bottom lip and continued to pace. As she was about to walk into the kitchen to get a glass of water, the doorbell rang, causing her to nearly jump out of her skin. She was happy she didn’t break another glass.

Crossing over to the door, she wasn’t entirely pleased to see Douglas there. “Hi,” he said. “Hope you’re ready for dessert.”

Crystal tried to smile, but her heart wasn’t in it. “We need to have a serious discussion.”

“I know,” he said as he stepped inside. “With or without chocolate?”

“I think we’re going to need all the chocolate in that cake and some wine,” she said as she took the box from his hand and headed into the kitchen. Crystal set the cake on the counter and crossed over to the cabinet to grab a bottle of Chardonnay.

“Got anything stronger?” he asked as she handed him the bottle and corkscrew.

“We don’t need anything stronger,” she said. “Douglas, what are we actually doing?”

“I don’t know,” he replied honestly, the conversation he had with Waylon replaying in his mind.

“You’re the CEO, the boss, just kill the deal,” Crystal pleaded, silently adding, And prove my dad wrong about you.

“I wish it were that simple,” he moaned.

“What happens now?” she asked. “We have a court date tomorrow and one of us is going to be unhappy about the outcome.”

Douglas sighed and took a sip of the wine. “That’s true. Are we going to be able to separate business and pleasure or are we going to be like Batman and Catwoman?”

“Catwoman?”

He set his wineglass down and tilted his head to the side. “I’d love to see you in leather with a whip.”

Crystal raised her eyebrow at him. “You’re disgusting,” she said, then broke out in laughter.

Douglas wished things could remain that way between them. She was going to hate him when the court case played out because he couldn’t back away from the site now, not until he got to the bottom of why his father wanted Hughes Farm so badly. He needed to find that diary. If for no other reason than to show the board that this had been a bad idea because of his father’s inane hatred for the Hughes family.

“Are you going to cut the cake or stand here and look at it?” she asked after catching his gaze.

“Let’s take it outside. You were supposed to show me some mythical place here on the farm,” he said.

“All right,” she said, licking her lips and making Douglas’s teeth chatter with longing. “I’ll get a blanket and you cut two big slices of cake.”

“Yes, ma’am,” he said, offering her a mock salute.

When Crystal dashed down the hall, Douglas couldn’t take his eyes off her shapely backside, couldn’t stop staring at her long legs. She was exquisite.

“Ready?” she asked when she returned to the kitchen with a blanket. “And you might want to leave those loafers here.”

Douglas looked down at his shoes and then caught a glimpse of Crystal’s bare feet. The red polish on her toes made him think of cherries and he wanted nothing more than to lick and suck her perfect toes.

When she noticed that he wasn’t taking his shoes off, Crystal shrugged her shoulders. “Suit yourself, but it’s going to be really hard to get that dirt and mud off your thousand-dollar shoes.”

“And how do you know they were a thousand dollars?” he asked as he kicked them off.

“Because anything less would be so unlike you.”

“Is that so?” he said as he placed the shoes in the corner.

“You are the picture of a silver spoon boy,” Crystal retorted as she opened the back door. She stopped short and Douglas’s hot body pressed against her and she gasped when he wrapped his arms around her waist.

“I guess it’s a good thing I forgot the cake on the counter or I’d have to lick chocolate from your neck and back.”

She turned around quickly, poised to say something, but Douglas took advantage of having her in his arms and kissed her—slow, deep, passionate. Crystal held him tightly as she sucked his sweet tongue and moaned. This, she told herself, would be the last time she would be able to kiss him like this. The last time they could give in to passion without thinking about consequences.

Douglas broke the kiss and stared deep into her eyes. “Crystal,” he intoned. “We’d better get out of here before I turn around and take you back to your bedroom and never let you go.”

Turning her head away from him, she said, “Get the cake.” Crystal wished she could allow him to take her into her bedroom and hide away from the court case, the personal vendettas, and her parents. Her parents! They couldn’t find Douglas on the farm. Not after what her dad told her. The last thing she’d be able to explain to them was how she fell in love with the enemy.

But was he really her enemy? Maybe Douglas was simply doing the same thing she was doing—carrying on a family legacy. But why did the two things their families wanted mean they couldn’t have each other?

Douglas opened the door and grabbed the cake while Crystal chewed her bottom lip and stared off into the woods. “Are you all right?” he asked, putting an arm around her shoulder.

“Douglas, we’re fighting a losing battle. I can’t fall in love with you at night and fight you in court during the day,” she said as they walked slowly.

“So, what are you saying?”

“This is the end,” she said. “This weekend was a wonderful distraction, but I can’t let you stop me from saving my family’s land.”

“I’d be lying if I said I didn’t want to stop you. But the truth of the matter is, I don’t want to lose you either.”

“Then stop this madness. You can’t have me and my land,” she said. “Stop right here.”

Douglas glanced around the rose garden, inhaling the fragrant perfume of the flowers and smiling. “I guess a man should never send you roses to impress you.”

“If a man wants to impress me, all he has to do is understand my love for this land.”

Douglas sighed. “Can we simply eat the cake? Nothing can change today. Trust me, I’ve tried.”

Crystal, against her better judgment, unfurled the blanket and sat down. Douglas joined her and reached over and pulled a rose from a bush.

“Cutting roses is prohibited in the garden,” she said when she took it from his hand.

“Is that why you have a vase full every morning?” he asked, grinning.

God, why did he have to have such amazing dimples? Crystal turned away from him and grabbed the cake slices. “I can do that,” she said as she broke off a piece of the cake. Douglas leaned in and sucked the cake from her fingers.

“Hey!” she exclaimed as he licked the chocolate icing from her finger. “Ooh, you shouldn’t do that.”

“The icing is the best part,” he said, then reached for a piece of cake and brushed it across her lips. “Now, let me get a taste of that.” He leaned into her and slowly licked the chocolate from her lips. Then he nibbled her bottom lip, causing her to moan and forget about eating the cake. Douglas leaned her back on the plush blanket, breaking the kiss and stroking her cheek.

“If this is the end for us, then shouldn’t we make it count?” he asked as he nimbly unbuttoned her blouse.

Before Crystal could protest or push away his hand, Douglas’s hot mouth covered her breast. She silently chided herself for not wearing a bra and that lasted about thirty seconds before she gave in to the pleasure of his tongue. Douglas eased his hand between her thighs, touching her femininity through her wet panties. She screamed his name and arched her hips into his touch. He pushed the crotch of her panties to the side and slipped his finger between her wet folds of flesh until he found her throbbing pearl. Leaning into her, he replaced his finger with his tongue, licking, sucking, and kissing her passionately until she howled in delight.

Grasping the back of his head, Crystal expelled a satisfied sigh as she exploded from the inside. “Don’t stop,” she cried.

“I’m just getting started,” he said as he took a brief break from tasting her sweetness. “Lift your hips.” Crystal followed his command and Douglas slipped her panties off, stashing them in his pocket. Then he quickly shrugged out of his slacks and wrapped her legs around his waist. The moment he felt her wetness against the tip of his erection, Douglas wanted to bury himself deep inside her and forget the court case, forget the business park, and forget everything but the woman in his arms.

“I need you,” she moaned. “Want you.”

Douglas responded with a hot kiss, covering her mouth with his and drawing her tongue into his mouth. She pressed her body against his and he forgot about protection. He spread her thighs and pressed into her. Reveling in the hot wetness between her thighs, drowning deep in the flesh to flesh contact. Her moans punctuated the air as Douglas pumped in and out. She matched his strokes, adding a twist or grind to make him scream out her name. Crystal wowed him, thrilled him, and made his toes curl. And as much as he knew he needed to pull back, needed to pull out, he couldn’t and wouldn’t. He reached his climax inside her, unprotected. Douglas had never been so reckless, so careless, and so calm. He even thought about seeing Crystal’s belly swelled with his son or daughter. He’d never had those thoughts about a woman—ever.

Crystal, on the other hand, was mortified. Had she really just had unprotected sex with Douglas? With a man who she was sure had his share of women all over the county and possibly the country? “Why didn’t you protect us?” she demanded as she punched him in the center of his chest.

“Look,” he exclaimed as he grabbed her wrist when she went to slug him again. “I just had an insurance physical a month ago and I have a clean bill of health.”

She narrowed her eyes at him. “I don’t imagine you were told that you’re sterile.”

Douglas shook his head and chuckled softly. “What about you? Healthy and sterile?”

“I’m healthy, but that’s not the point. I don’t want to have your baby,” she exclaimed as she pushed him off her and rose to her feet quickly. For a moment, she’d forgotten that she was naked. “This is not good.”

Douglas handed her the blouse they’d discarded earlier. “Maybe you ought to cover up and calm down.”

“Calm down?” she hurled as she snatched her shirt from his hand. “My life could be really . . . Oh my God, how would I explain this to my parents?”

“Aren’t you a grown woman?”

“Yes, and I certainly didn’t act like one being all irresponsible with you. I . . .”

Douglas stood up and closed the space between them. “What’s the problem? If you were pregnant with my child do you think it would ruin your life?”

“Yes. And I wouldn’t put it past you to use my womb as a bargaining tool in this land grab of yours!” she spat.

“That’s not fair.”

“This was another mistake. No wonder my parents think they have to come here and fight this battle. You have to go, Douglas.”

“Wait a minute.”

Crystal snatched her skirt on and stomped back to the main house.