Love Thy Neighbor (Friend-Zoned #2)

by Belle Aurora

  I love smooching my husband!

  Oh my God…my husband. I can’t believe we just got married. This is awesome!

  Ash pecks my lips before muttering against them, “I love you, pretty girl.”

  Smiling against him, I whisper, “Oh God, I don’t think I’ll ever get sick of hearing that. I love you too, Ash.”

  Elvis interrupts us with, “Hey now, save that for the hotel.” Ash never takes his lips from mine when he tips him big and the celebrant says in full Elvis impersonation, “Thank you very much.”

  He carries me out of the Love N Wed chapel and out to our rental car. He sits me on the hood and steps between my spread legs. Smiling down at me, he says, “I promise, one day I’ll give you a big wedding with all the sparkly shit that women like, I swear it, but right now, I’m about as happy as a kid in a candy store.”

  I reach down to take his hands in mine and ask, “Do you think we made the right choice? Doing this, here of all places?”

  Ash nods without hesitation. “Yep. I do. I don’t need anyone approving of what I feel for you, babe. I just need you and I hope all you need is me, too.”

  Suddenly sad, I whisper, “I probably can’t have kids, Ash.”

  He smiles a small smile and says, “You want kids, baby?”

  Looking up at him, I nod. He lowers his face to mine, kisses my lips gently and says, “Then we’ll have kids. We’ll make it happen somehow. I promise.” After a second, he frowns and says, “Don’t know what kind of father I’ll be though.”

  Holding his face in my hands, I say with total faith and conviction, “If you stopped to think about what kind of father you’re going to be, then you’re going to be a great father.” I whisper, “You are nothing like him.”

  Swallowing hard, he nods and whispers back, “I’m nothin’ like him.” He cups my cheek and runs his thumb over my jaw line. He says, “I’ll do everything I can to be the man you deserve. I know we did those vows in there, but I should tell you that there’s nothing I won’t do to make you happy. Just say the word and I’ll do it, girl. I’ll take care of you and I’ll love you forever.”

  Reaching up, I pull him down for another slow kiss. I try to show him through this kiss that I feel the very same, but I back it up with words anyway. “I could never love someone as much as I love you. I’ll be everything you need in a wife. I promise. I’ll yell at you when you drink milk out of the carton. I’ll smack you across the back of the head when I see you checking out other women. I’ll kiss you when you need some love. I’ll even kick your ass when it needs kicking.” Smirking, I say, “See? Perfect wife.”

  Chuckling, he says, “Perfect or not, you’re the one I want. And now that I’ve got you…you mentioned lovin’ somewhere in ther-”

  Cutting him off with another kiss, I tell him, “You get me back to the room in fifteen minutes or less and…” I move my head so we’re cheek to cheek, nip his earlobe and whisper, “…I’ll beg to suck your cock, baby.”

  Looking down at me through hooded eyes, he says, “Get in the fucking car, girl. And buckle up.”

  Not ten seconds pass and he’s already in the driver’s seat. I get up off the hood and walk over to the passenger side chuckling. I shake my head and still smiling, mutter, “Such a man.”

  My man.

  My heart.

  My husband.

  Chapter Twenty-Seven

  Best weekend ever

  “Oh my God! Yes!”

  I wrap one arm under her lower back and the other under her ass, lifting her slightly and elevating her to that perfect position we both need to get off.

  Nat moans deep in her throat, almost a growl. I watch her body move with every thrust.

  I give it hard and she takes it. Like a fucking pro.

  I pant, “I don’t think wives are meant to screw like this, girl.”

  Without looking up, she moans, “Shut up and fuck me!”

  Fisting the sheets, her back arches when I pull her deeper into my thrusts and her eyes flutter. I can’t take my eyes off her perfect body. Her perfect curves. Her perfect tits. With her back arched, I can reach them. I hold her lower back firmly, my feet planted firmly on the floor at the foot of the bed with her ass just off the edge of the mattress.

  Nothing beats sex with someone you love.

  Making love. That’s it. We’re making love.

  Panting and grinning, I lower my parted mouth to her nipple and lick it once before I suck it hard. She moans and grips the back of my head. She clenches on my cock and I bite her nipple. Her nails dig into my head and I groan, gently chewing on her nipple. Her pussy clenches around me again.

  Her nipples are sensitive.

  Harder than a fucking rock, I pound into her, rolling my hips, trying to get that perfect angle that hits her spot. As soon as she gasps, I know I’m there. I demand, “Look at me.”

  Her eyes open and she looks up at me with this face, this desperate expression, and I can’t help it. I pinch her nipple and tell her, “Say it.”

  Her pussy tightens around me, her eyes flutter and she whispers, “I love you, baby.”

  And I’m gone. I drive into her, groaning long and hard through gritted teeth. Her pussy contracts around me and I still, jerking my come into her sweet warmth.

  Nothing better than this.

  Collapsing onto her chest, I pant on her breast, “Holy shit. That was something else.”

  I feel her silent laughter and she pants back, “Well, babe, that was make up sex and honeymoon sex, so I think it was meant to be that hot.”

  Looking up at her, I ask seriously, “Can we do it again?”

  She dissolves into fits of laughter and I chuckle with her.

  I love my wife.

  Lifting her up, I pull back the covers and place her in the center of the hotel’s king size bed. I lie next to her on my side, and she shifts to her side so we’re close and facing each other. Leaning forward, I take her lips in a slow and sexy kiss. Her hands come up to hold my face and I tell her, “Love you.”

  She smiles, a joyous smile that I rarely see her wear. I think she saves this smile for special occasions. Her white teeth gleam and her eyes sparkle. I love this smile.

  You don’t need words when you’ve got a smile like that.

  She says through her smile, “Well, that’s a relief, being that you’re my husband and all.”

  Husband. Fuck me.

  Putting a hand on her bare hip, I use my thumb to draw lazy circles on it. Avoiding her gaze, I utter, “Didn’t know it was possible for someone to feel like this.”

  Her hand rests on my scarred chest and she asks quietly, “Like what?”

  I breathe deep and reply on my exhale, “Happy. Just…happy.”

  Her eyes tear up and my brow furrows in confusion. I mutter, “The fuck I do now?”

  Nat responds through a shuddering breath, “You’re just being you, Ash.” Then she runs her fingertips over my brow and says, “Stop that. You’ll get wrinkles.”

  Chuckling at her bad joke, I pull her to me and burrow my face into the crook of her neck.

  I’m a married man.

  I smile into her and I hear her amused, “What are you smiling at, dork?”

  Kissing her throat, I mutter against it, “I’m gonna get so much shit from the guys when we get home.”

  Angling her head, allowing me more access, she sighs, “Me too. From the girls, I mean. Tina’s going to kill me. What did you tell Nik?”

  Wrapping my arms around her waist, I reply, “I told him we both needed a few days off. He didn’t ask so I didn’t tell him. He said he’d tell Tina and that as long as everything was okay, he was cool with it.”

  Nat chuckles, “You know we only get one day here, right?”

  What?

  Shaking my head, I say, “No, girl. We got two nights here.”

  Pulling away from me, she looks a little uncomfortable as she utters, “No. We don’t. There’s one stop we need to make before we go home.”


  The look on her face makes me think wherever it is we’re going I’m not going to like it. But she’s my wife and if she says we need to go, then I guess we’re going.

  Narrowing my eyes at her, I ask suspiciously, “Okay, baby. Where exactly are we going?”

  Her eyes gleam and she whispers with a small smile, “You know I love you, right?”

  Oh shit. I’m so fucked.

  ***

  Using my key, I open the front door to my childhood home and call out, “Mama? Tata? Is anyone home?”

  Approximately ten seconds pass and when no one answers Ash whispers, “Oh well. We tried. C’mon, let’s go.” He takes my hand and tries to pull me back out the door.

  Laughing at his ridiculousness, I mutter, “I can’t believe you’re nervous. They’re just my parents.”

  Ash’s brows lift. He shakes his head. “No. They’re not just your parents, babe. They’re your protectors. They aren’t gonna want you with someone like me. I know it.”

  He’s not wrong.

  It’s not that they’ll have anything against Asher. It’s just that they’ll wonder why we eloped. Doing something like that, in our family, means something’s wrong.

  Terribly wrong.

  I scoff, “You don’t know that. C’mon, I think they’re in the yard.”

  We walk through my house when he spots a picture of me and my sisters when I was about eleven. I’m wearing a hat. He chuckles. “Let me guess. Nina and the Mohawk?”

  Laughing, I tell him, “Oh yeah. That wasn’t the first time either. You should see our family photos, especially the ones where dad has no sideburns.”

  His body shakes behind me in silent laughter, and when I reach the back sliding door, my stomach dips. I won’t let Ash see how nervous I am though. Pasting on a huge smile, I open the door and step out onto the back porch where my mom, dad, Nina and Helena sit at the outdoor setting.

  Helena spots us first and stands so fast, her chair tumbles backwards. She squeals and runs over to us, jumping up on me. I throw my arms around her and laugh, “Whoa, whoa, whoa. You’d think I haven’t seen you for years!”

  Helena lets go of me and to my surprise, she jumps up on Ash. And he lets her, hugging her and smiling too.

  Maybe this isn’t going to be as bad as I thought.

  Nina stands and comes over to me. She bear hugs me and says, “It’s so good to see you, honey.”

  She cups Ash’s cheek and kisses the other. I watch my sisters flank my husband. Helena wraps an arm around his waist from one side and Nina wraps an arm around his waist from the other side. I smile.

  They’re forming a protective barrier around him. They know something’s up.

  Ash stands there looking dumbfounded for a sec before he wraps both his arms around my sisters’ shoulders.

  My nose tingles and my eyes blur.

  Nawww. Stupid feels!

  Clearing my throat, I turn to my parents who are both standing now. Mom wears a small smile. Dad…well, he doesn’t look so happy.

  Mom comes forwards and wraps me up tight. I whisper, “Hi, Mama.”

  She rocks me from side to side and whispers into my ear, “He’s very good looking, beba.”

  I chuckle and she lets go of me. My dad comes forwards and gruff as ever, hugs me so hard that he almost cuts of my air flow. I gasp. “Tata, not so tight!”

  He lets go of me and moves to stand in front of Asher. He says, “The man from Tina’s wedding, no?”

  Ash nods and says, “Yes, sir. I am. Nik’s friend, Asher.” Then Ash holds out his hand for dad to take and my stomach knots.

  Please, Tata. Oh please, just take it.

  Dad looks at Ash for a good ten seconds before he takes his hand and pumps it twice before letting go. He turns his back and says to Asher, “You come.” Then he walks inside.

  Ash looks at me as if I should confirm whether he’s walking into his imminent death. Choking down my laughter, I tell him, “Go with him. He probably just wants to show you something manly.”

  Ash swallows hard, straightens to full height, nods into the distance and walks inside, following my father. Shaking my head, I chuckle.

  Fare thee well, brave soldier.

  ***

  Oh shit. The man has a basement.

  What do people need basements for these days?

  For dismembering bodies of their daughters’ husbands, that’s why.

  I am so fucked.

  Walking down the steps, I think of my beautiful wife’s face and remember that whatever this is right now, she’s worth it.

  When I make it to the last step, I look around and my mouth gapes.

  This is the coolest fucking room I’ve ever been in.

  There’s a pool table, a dart board, a poker table, a huge flat screen TV, a very comfortable looking sofa, a library along the back wall and a bar in the far corner. Walking with wide eyes, something hits the side of my head and I reach up to steady the…hanging pork leg?

  What the fuck?

  Nat’s dad sees me holding the leg with what is probably my what the fuck face and he says a heavily accented, “Is prosciutto. Very nice. Salty ham. We do every year. Is traditions.”

  He motions to the bar, and satisfied that he’s not going to kill me…yet, I move over to him. My eyes widen once more when he pulls out two shot glasses and an old bottle of something clear. He pours them both and says, “My Natalie. She smart. If she bring a boy home, I know she love him.”

  I pipe down the urge to puff up my chest and bang on it like Tarzan while doing a jungle call. He goes on, “So, I must ask. Nina tell me about the other boy, the one who hits her. She say a good man help Nat. Is this man you?”

  My gut knots. I had no idea her sisters would tell her parents.

  Nodding, I tell him, “Yes, sir. I helped her.”

  Nodding with me, he allows a moment’s silence before he asks slowly, “You make him pay?”

  Looking him direct in the eyes, I say with sincerity, “In a way he’ll never forget, sir. Ever.”

  He nods once more and I know he gets me. Playing with his glass, he asks quietly, “Are you worthy?”

  Puffing out a big breath, I tell him, “I- uh- I really don’t know. I hope so because I love her. So much that I’d do anything for her. I’ll protect her til the day I die, if she’ll have me. She makes me a better person.”

  Seeming satisfied with my answer, he raises his glass and motions mine. I fumble for it so quick that I almost knock it over. Lifting it high with his, he says, “živeli!” and it sort of sounds like zhiv-yell-ee.

  Not knowing what it means and seriously not giving a fuck, I clink my glass to his and say “živeli!”

  He smiles for the first time and downs his shot like it’s water. I sniff it. It’s strong as horse piss. Not wasting another moment thinking on it, I shoot it. And it burns my mouth and throat simultaneously.

  Horse piss? More like paint remover!

  Being the man I am and wanting to impress him, I coax down the cough that threatens til my face turns blue. He belly laughs when he sees my face, “Cough or you die!”

  Taking his advice, I nod once then cough. And cough. And cough so hard I almost gag. And cough a little more.

  Once I get myself under control, I look up at him and wheeze, “That was strong shit.”

  He smiles so hard he looks almost proud and says, “Homemade. Remedy for any-ting. Cough, burn, cuts…any-ting.”

  Putting his arm around my shoulder, he walks me over to the steps and says, “You call me Boris.”

  I think I just won over Nat’s dad.

  ***

  When Ash and dad emerge from the basement, I exhale the breath I hadn’t known I was holding. Dad wraps his arm around Ash, smiling and says to us girls, “I give him a small drink.”

  The rakija.

  It always comes down to the rakija.

  Rakija is a homemade alcohol that most Croat families make. It’s pronounced rah-key-yah but you have to roll th
e R. For any Croatian family, sharing rakija at your table is a sign of friendship which makes me glad. My dad sharing his best reserve with Ash means he’s accepted the fact that I’ve brought a guy home.

  Now you just have to tell them you got married.

  Thanks for reminding me, brain.

  Now that everyone is in the room, I stand, clear my throat and move to stand next to Ash. I tell them all, “Sorry, guys. I wish we could stay but we’re heading back home tonight.”

  Dad’s brow furrows and he says, “Why? You stay tonight and go tomorrow.”

  Mom nods, “Yes. Stay tonight. We have plenty of room here.”

  Shaking my head, I say, “We weren’t even meant to be gone this long. We both have to get back to work, but we’re here because we’ve got something to tell you.” I look up at Ash and take his hand. He smiles down at me and I suddenly feel lighter. Looking back at my family, I announce, “Asher and I got married yesterday.”

  A huge smile crosses my face and I watch as everyone falls into a stunned silence.

  A minute passes and no one moves or says a thing. I squeeze Ash’s hand in a way, mentally yelling Help when finally my mother comes forward to stand in front of Ash. She says quietly with a small smile, “I’m Ana. Welcome to the family, Asher.” Then she steps forward and pulls him down into a gentle hug.

  My throat clogs.

  When Mama steps back from him, Ash says quietly, “Thank you, Ana.”

  Nina and Helena both stare at me for a good minute before Nina squeaks and Helena shrieks, and they both jump on me and Asher, laughing and whooping.

  Nina wails playfully, “I’m an old maid!”

  Helena wails teasingly, “She’s an old maid!” And Nina smacks her on the back of the head.

  We all laugh together and when they release us, my stomach churns.

  Tata. Oh shit.

  Meeting my dad stare for stare, I tell him confidently, “I love him.”

  A small smile graces my father’s face and he utters, “I know. He love you too.” He looks at my hand in Asher’s and asks, “You want this?”

  My eyes begin to sting.

  Nodding, I choke out through quivering lips, “He’s all I’ll ever need.” Ash puts his arms around me and kisses my head.