“She’s my little sister. You know I didn’t want you messing with her,” he said, sounding frustrated.
I nodded. “I know and I am sorry about that, but it wasn’t me ‘messing with her.’ I cared for her deeply back then, and I still do. She’s the one woman in the world I want to be with. I’m sorry it ruined our friendship, but she means more to me than you did.”
He scoffed. “How do you know that? She was eighteen and you were twenty-one. There is no way it could have been that serious.”
“It was and it still is. I came back for her, and I don’t plan on leaving; especially now that I know about Ellie,” I said firmly. “What you did back then, it wasn’t cool. You acted rashly, and you cost me and your sister a lot.”
Philip looked down at his desk. “I didn’t know she was pregnant.”
“But you knew she loved me.”
“She was a kid. She didn’t know what love was.”
I shook my head. “She did. I did. I’m back, Philip. You can either give us your blessing or get out of the way, but I won’t let you interfere this time.”
He was quiet for a few minutes. “She was really hurt when she found out what we did.”
“Of course she was. You and your dad were smothering her. You refused to accept she had grown up,” I said.
He nodded. “I always felt like I had to look out for her. She didn’t have a mom to talk to. She didn’t really talk to me about stuff like that. When I found out you two had been sneaking off together, I was furious. I saw red. You didn’t exactly have a stellar reputation back then. I thought Erin could do so much better. I didn’t want her getting sidetracked from her goals by the town troublemaker.”
“I wasn’t the town troublemaker alone. You were with me for a lot of those acts,” I reminded him.
“I know.”
“She’s a smart girl. You need to trust her when she tells you what she wants,” I advised.
“Erin needed someone who could take care of her and give her all the things in life my dad couldn’t. I wanted her to be able to move away and live in a big house and go to school or do whatever she wanted. I didn’t see her getting that with you,” he said.
His words stung a little, but I knew they were the truth. “I get it, I do, and that’s why I’ve been working my ass off so I could give her everything she wants and needs. I’ll make sure Ellie is well taken care of too.”
“If I would have known she was pregnant, things probably would have been a little different,” he grumbled.
I laughed. “Like you would have disposed of my body?” I joked.
He grinned. “Basically. I did consider hunting you down after I found out she was having your baby.” He got a serious look on his face, shaking his head. “She was my little sister,” he whispered.
I winced. I did feel guilty about that one little fact. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean for it to happen. I don’t know how much she has told you, but we had been kind of seeing each other for years before anything ever happened. I fought my attraction for her. I told her repeatedly we couldn’t be together because of you, but your sister is tenacious. The entire time I was pushing her away, I was falling in love with her. I loved her. I wouldn’t have hurt her. I wanted to talk to you about my feelings for her, but you made it very clear you would never accept me as her boyfriend.”
“This isn’t an easy situation. I know you’re trying to buy a house. I know you’re planning on sticking around and that means we have to figure out how to live in the same town without killing each other,” he grumbled.
“Philip, I don’t want to kill you. I don’t hate you. I’m pissed at what you cost me, but it’s in the past. I want to move forward. I would like it if we could get along for Erin and Ellie’s sake. Your dad seems to accept me—don’t you think it’s about time you figured out how to do the same?” I asked.
“There’s a lot of water under the bridge,” he said.
I shrugged a shoulder. “Not mine. I’m over it. I have a bright future ahead of me. I don’t really give a shit if you can forgive me. I’m forgiving you. I’m moving on. You can wallow in the past and get mad and try to stir up shit, but you’re not going to get at me. I refuse to play games. I lost eight years with Erin and Ellie, and I don’t plan on losing another day. I’m here. I’m not leaving, and you can either deal with it or sit here and stew. I don’t care.”
“Do you really think you can waltz back into town and everything is going to be all rainbows and butterflies?” he snapped.
I chuckled at his analogy. “It has never been rainbows and butterflies, but I’m not giving up.” I got to my feet and gave him a last look. “It was good seeing you, Philip. Congratulations on the job. I wish you all the happiness in the world.”
I left his office, not waiting for his reply. It wasn’t exactly a good talk, but I sure as hell felt better. We weren’t going to be hugging it out anytime soon, but I felt like we had come to an understanding. Time would tell if we would ever be friends again. That was on Philip. I was turning my focus and energy elsewhere.
28
Erin
I closed my eyes, completely relaxed with the sun heating my exposed skin in the bikini I had put on. The kids were at an outdoor school for the day, and the Welshes had taken off for a second, or third, or maybe even a fourth honeymoon. I was completely and totally alone, something that happened almost never. I was soaking it up by laying out by the pool in the bikini I had bought last summer but was too embarrassed to wear around the kids. It gave Ivy’s bikini a run for the money in the sexy and revealing department.
When Larry and Ivy asked if they could double my pay for the week if I agreed to watch the kids all week while they “reconnected,” I happily agreed to do it. I was happy to see them getting along better. I told them I didn’t need the money, but they’d insisted. It was hard to imagine I was getting paid to lounge by the pool.
I stretched my legs, pointing my toes and adjusting my body on the lounge chair. I had on my sunglasses and sunhat and was on the verge of dozing off. The sun was like a tranquilizer and had lulled me into complete relaxation. I could certainly see the appeal to become a beach bum on some warm Florida beach or maybe some tropical destination.
I heard something, something that didn’t fit with the tranquility of the backyard. I turned my head, trying to identify the sound, and saw a shadowy figure. I squealed, sitting up and reaching for the towel I had dropped on the cement beside me. And then I realized it was Jacob. He was wearing dark sunglasses and a suit, looking very men-in-black as he strolled across the patio toward me.
“What are you doing here? How did you get in?” I asked with confusion.
He shrugged a shoulder, standing over me. “I hopped the fence.”
“You hopped the fence? Again?”
His sexy grin sent a shiver down my spine. “Yes.”
I shook my head. “It seems to be habit with you.”
“Old habits die hard, and I only jump when I really need to talk to you. Like now. I’m completely sober this time,” he said, grabbing one of the other chairs and dragging it closer to mine.
I sat up, putting my bare feet on the warm cement and watching as he sat down on the edge of the chair, our knees brushing against one another. “Talk to me?” I asked, somewhat worried about what he was going to say.
He slowly nodded. I couldn’t see his eyes through the dark lenses but imagined they were that same intense gaze I had seen at the park that day.
“We need to talk about how we are going to be the best co-parents to Ellie,” he said, his voice devoid of emotion.
“Oh,” I choked out.
He pushed up his sunglasses. I quickly did the same, sensing what he was about to say was something that needed to be said with full eye contact. My stomach churned with nervousness. I felt flushed and jittery as his gaze bored into mine. He was so damn intense he was making me nervous enough to puke.
“I have a plan,” he started. “The best way to be
co-parents is to do it like it was intended.”
“Oh?” I squeaked.
“I think we need to live in the same house. I don’t want to shuffle her back and forth. If we’re going to be living together, we may as well take advantage of the tax breaks and get married. That way we all have the same last name and she won’t have to explain the very unique situation to her friends as she gets older. We’ll be able to save money by splitting the costs, and we won’t have to spend extra money on gas transporting her from one house to the other,” he explained as if he were proposing a business deal.
I was going to puke. I slapped a hand over his mouth, demanding he stop talking before I truly did lose my lunch. “Stop. Don’t say another word,” I said, shaking my head. “Your plan, it’s a plan. It’s a business model. It’s functional and smart and completely devoid of feeling. There’s no love, no romance. I don’t—”
He pulled my hand away from his mouth, a smile on his lips as he looked at me. “Erin, be reasonable,” he cajoled.
My eyebrows shot up. “Reasonable? Seriously? Reasonable? Is that how you are going to approach life? Is that what you’re going to tell Ellie she should look for in a relationship? Be reasonable?” I shrieked, fury pumping through my veins.
He shrugged a shoulder. “I’m going to be making good money, assuming we get the stupid permits through,” he grumbled. “I can provide for you and Ellie. You can be a full-time mom or go back to school or do whatever you want. I can keep a roof over your head and food on the table and make sure Ellie has a stable place to call home.”
I shook my head in complete disbelief. “And us? Do we date other people?”
“We’ll be married,” he said simply.
“Married for convenience. I can’t—”
He put a finger to my lips. “Shh, don’t say it.”
I twisted my head to the side. “No. I will not—”
He grabbed my arm and yanked me over the expanse between us, pulling me into his lap and cradling me. “Erin, I love you. I’ve never stopped loving you. I want you. I want the total package. I want to be with you. I want to marry you and raise our child—children,” he added. “You are all I want. You are all I need. I can’t get through this life without you.”
“But—”
My question died on my lips when he pressed his mouth to mine. His arms held me close to him as his mouth worked over mine. I could feel a tear of joy and relief slide down my cheek. He pulled back a few inches, looking into my eyes as he rubbed his thumb over my cheek. “Tears?” he asked in a quiet voice.
“Happy tears,” I whispered.
“Where are the kids?” he asked in a husky voice.
“Gone for a couple more hours,” I told him, feeling that familiar pull of desire.
“Good. Anyone else here?”
I gave a small shake of my head. “No.”
“Good,” he growled, squeezing my thigh. “I hate the idea of you wearing this skimpy little thing around other men.”
I chuckled. “I wouldn’t dare. This is my tanning suit I only wear when I know I have privacy, which is never, until today.”
“I like it, but I like you naked even better,” he said, causing a million goose bumps to erupt over my skin.
“We’re alone,” I reminded him.
He grinned. “You said that. Do you want me to kiss you?” he whispered, giving me a soft kiss on my lips. “Touch you like this?” he asked, running his hand over my breast barely covered by the vibrant blue triangle of fabric I was wearing.
I whimpered, adjusting myself on his lap. “Yes, touch me.”
“I want to touch you, but I think we should maybe go inside for this.”
“Okay. Upstairs,” I said, jumping off his lap.
I grabbed my phone and padded barefoot across the patio, anxious to get the man inside. I had electricity humming through my body. I turned to see if he was following and stopped moving when I saw him still standing next to the chair. “What are you doing?” I asked, wondering if he had changed his mind.
He grinned. “Watching you walk away in the sexiest bikini I have ever seen.”
The way he was looking at me, like I was on the menu at one of the best restaurants in the world, gave me confidence. Without thinking, I reached behind me, unhooked the clasp of the bikini top, and dropped it to the ground. He reached down and adjusted himself, his gaze on my bare breasts. He made no move to come toward me. Feeling completely emboldened, I hooked my finger in the tiny bottoms and pushed them down my legs, bending over and very carefully pulling them over my feet before tossing them on top of the bikini top and standing fully erect. I stared at him. In that moment I was completely stripped down in every sense of the word. I was giving myself to him. I was vulnerable and exposed.
He slowly moved toward me, his hand reaching for his tie and pulling it off before tossing it onto the cement. He ripped open his shirtfront, casting it to the side and coming to stand in front of me. I looked up at him, feeling so small in my naked state.
“You’re the most beautiful woman in the world, and you’re mine,” he said, putting one finger under my chin.
I slowly nodded. “I’m yours.”
“Baby?” he whispered, his mouth hovering just above mine.
“Hmm?” I murmured, completely lost in the moment.
“I need to get you into bed. Where are the damn stairs?” he growled.
I smiled, leaned up on my toes, and gave him a quick kiss before spinning around and walking toward the side door. I could hear his heavy footsteps behind me. He reached out once and squeezed my ass, groaning loud. I picked up the pace. I was so hot and ready for him I feared I would climax on my up the stairs.
I pushed open the door to my apartment and turned to face him. He closed the door behind him and immediately undid his pants, stripping naked before coming to stand in front of me. He reached up and cupped my face, his thumb brushing across my cheek as he stared into my eyes with such love and tenderness I almost started weeping. I could feel his love for me. It infused me with warmth and pleasure and made me want to curl up in his arms and never step away.
His mouth covered mine, a sweet kiss full of hope and promise as our bodies melded together. I reached up, sliding my hands up his strong back. I held him with comfort in the knowledge he was mine. He was my man, and I wasn’t ever going to let him go. Touching him felt different. It was different knowing he was mine. I knew without a doubt nothing would ever come between us. We’d fought to get to the point where we were, and I was going to hold on to him with every ounce of strength I had.
“Bedroom,” he muttered against my lips.
I walked backward, pulling him with me as he continued to kiss me. I nearly stumbled over a stray shoe in the hall, but his arms were there to catch me. We made it to my room with no injury. I climbed on top of my bed, ready for him to love me with his body.
He crawled in beside me and gently pushed me onto my back. His hand caressed over my chest as he watched with such intensity it made goose bumps spread out over my body once again. He cupped my breast, holding it up as he gently closed his mouth over my nipple. A soft whimper escaped my lips as he worked his mouth over my body.
“You taste so good. I want to taste every inch of you,” he whispered.
I opened my eyes and looked down just in time to see him dive between my legs. The next several minutes blurred as he took me to a place of such exquisite ecstasy, I knew I would never be the same again.
29
Jacob
I wanted to brand her with my tongue and set out to do exactly that. I kissed every inch of her body, right down to her toes and paying very special attention to the area between her legs. With two orgasms for her, I made my way back up to her mouth, kissing her and letting her know in no uncertain terms she was mine forever.
“Always and forever,” I whispered against her lips. “You will be mine always and forever,” I repeated.
Her eyes, slightly glazed over, stared
back at me. “Always and forever.”
I reached between my legs, guided myself to her slick opening swollen from the two climaxes, and pushed in gently at first. She was so tight and wet, I nearly exploded before I even got more than a couple of inches inside her sweet body.
She let out a long, satisfied moan as I slid deeper inside, seating myself fully inside her. I held my weight off her, using one hand to brush the hair back from her brow, slick with perspiration. I smiled, looking down into her face and feeling such complete happiness I could do nothing else except smile. She smiled back at me.
I dropped my lips to hers, meaning to give her a quick kiss, but her body squeezed around mine, sending a jolt of fire through me. My kiss intensified and I began to move. Need drove me on to pump in and out of her body until I was suddenly desperate, frantic for the release I had craved since the last time I had her.
“Oh god,” I groaned, the orgasm rolling over me like a steamroller, gripping my body and straining every muscle as I exploded inside her.
Her soft whimpers turned to cries of pleasure as she joined me in ecstasy. I held myself off her as the spasms rocked through both of us for a full minute after the orgasms. I dropped beside her, already missing her snug warmth around me, and pulled her into my arms. She felt so right next to me. I couldn’t imagine ever holding anyone close to me other than her. She was made for me. I knew that as surely as I knew my own name.
“You know, I’ve always had a thing for you, even when I wasn’t supposed to. It wasn’t necessarily a sexual attraction I felt, but I liked being around you. Your happiness and easygoing nature just pulled me in. It was truly like a magnetic attraction. Whenever I would come by the house, I would feel drawn to be in the same room as you,” I told her.
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