Forever and Ever (Complete #1-7)

by E. L. Todd

  Sometimes I wanted to slap him. “Did your parents never teach you to ring the doorbell? What did you do when you went trick-or-treating? Just stood there and waited for them to open the door by chance?”

  He put his hands in his pockets. “I never went trick-or-treating.”

  My eyes fell. “Never?”

  He shook his head.

  That broke my heart for some inexplicable reason. I assumed he didn’t have a great childhood, but he’d never been trick-or-treating? Was that possible? “Oh, sorry.”

  “It’s okay.” He shrugged then avoided eye contact.

  “Well, please knock on the door.”

  Judging by his reaction, he still wasn’t going to.

  I decided to just let it go. “Are you ready?”

  “Yeah.” He looked down at me again, eyeing my legs under the dress. Then he stepped closer to me, his eyes dark. He slowly herded me against the wall then pressed his body into mine. “I like this. A lot.”

  I moved my hands up his chest. “I like this.”

  “What?” he asked. “The jacket or the shirt?”

  “Neither.” I gave him a meaningful look then pressed my hands farther into his chest.

  A quiet growl escaped his lips. His eyes were dark but playful at the same time. His messy hair and strong jaw made him beautiful in an obvious way. The light hair on his face made him seem rugged. I could stare at that face forever.

  His hands moved to my hips, and he slowly lifted my dress, exposing my black thong underneath.

  “I like this too,” he whispered.

  “Yeah?” I undid the button of his jeans and heard him take a loud breath. When I slid them down, his boxers were revealed. “I like this.”

  He gripped my thong and started to pull it down.

  I knew where this was going and we would be late for dinner, but I didn’t care anymore.

  He kneeled as he pulled my panties off all the way. Then he kissed my inner thighs as he moved up. He placed a gentle kiss at the apex of my thighs, making me shake slightly, and then he rose again.

  I yanked his boxers off aggressively, not being delicate like he was.

  “Eager?” A cocky grin was on his face.

  “Shut up.”

  He gripped me then lifted me, my back against the wall. His cheek was pressed to mine as I wrapped my legs around his waist. “I hope you don’t mind if we’re late.”

  “No.” My voice came out as a plea. I gripped him and held on.

  “Good, because this is going to take a while.” He kissed the corner of my mouth gently. “I’m not going to stop until your legs shake, you scream, and your landlord evicts you.”

  “Sounds good to me.”

  Arsen was apprehensive about walking inside the restaurant.

  “I don’t get you,” I said. “You’re fearless when you ride a motorcycle without a helmet, but you can’t go on a double date with me?”

  He shot me a glare. “It’s more complicated than that.”

  “How?” I demanded.

  “The more people who know about me, the more there are to tell you to stay clear of me.” He accompanied his sentence with a sigh.

  “No one is going to say that.”

  He gave me a doubtful look.

  “And if they did, I wouldn’t care.”

  “Even worse…”

  “We’re already late as it is,” I said in an annoyed voice.

  “Whose fault is that?” he demanded.

  “Not mine,” I said. “You’re the one who came on to me.”

  “You’re the one who had to wear that dress,” he snapped.

  I grabbed his hand. “Let’s just go in. I’m starving.”

  “What’s new?” he teased.

  We headed inside then found Denise and her date at a table.

  “Hey!” Denise smiled and waved. A margarita was in front of her. Her cheeks were slightly red like she’d already had too many drinks.

  “Hey.” I reached their table then hugged her. “Cute jacket.”

  “Nice dress.” She eyed me. “Or shirt…I can’t tell.”

  I hit her arm playfully. “Who’s this handsome guy next to you?”

  Her date smiled. “Shane.” He extended his hand to shake mine. “Nice to meet you.”

  “You too. I’m Silke.” I pulled Arsen next to me. “This is my boyfriend, Arsen.”

  “Hey, man.” Arsen shook hands with him then stepped back.

  Denise eyed Arsen then turned to Shane. “You should get a leather jacket.”

  Shane laughed it off. “I’ll think about it.”

  We moved to our seats, and Arsen quickly pulled out the chair for me and gave me a hesitant look, like he wasn’t sure if he’d done it right.

  I smiled, feeling warm, and then sat down.

  Arsen settled beside me and sat up straight. He usually slouched and did whatever he wanted. He’d even put his feet on the table if he could get away with it. Arsen grabbed a menu and handed it to me. Then he looked at his own.

  “Why are you guys late?” Denise blurted.

  “Traffic,” I said vaguely.

  “Was there an accident?” Shane asked.

  “No,” Arsen said. “When Silke said traffic, she meant we were fucking.”

  Shane looked extremely awkward. “Oh…alright. Cool.”

  I shot him a glare. “They didn’t need to know that.”

  “Like we weren’t thinking it anyway,” Denise said. “Did he make you come?”

  “Denise, you’re already drunk,” I said.

  “Twice,” Arsen answered.

  Denise leaned toward me. “I need to start dating bad boys.”

  Shane shot her an irritated look.

  “He’s not a bad boy,” I said. “He just tries to act like it.”

  Arsen gave me a look that held an entire conversation in it.

  “Whatever,” Denise said. “I want one of those.”

  “I can be bad…” Shane shrugged.

  “You have my attention.” Denise leaned toward him.

  While she was distracted, I leaned toward Arsen. “What the hell was that?”

  “I told you people wouldn’t like me.”

  “They won’t if that’s your goal,” I hissed.

  “I’m just being myself,” he said. “Or do you want me to act differently?” He challenged me with a look.

  “I want you to be exactly how you are when we’re alone together.”

  He shook his head slightly. “I only act that way around you for a reason.”

  “What reason is that?” I asked.

  He gave me a long look. “You already know.”

  I sighed and let it go. Baby steps. Baby steps.

  Arsen put his arm along the back of my chair, and his hand rested on my shoulder. His touch brought me back to earth.

  “I don’t know anything about you,” Denise said. “Silke hardly talks about you.”

  “I guess I’m her dirty little secret,” Arsen said playfully.

  “You wouldn’t be here if you were,” I said.

  “So, tell me about yourself,” Denise pressed.

  I wasn’t sure how Arsen would handle this question. I let him take the reins.

  “My Harley is my best friend. I live in the moment. And Silke is the only woman who can tame me.” He stared at her and fell silent.

  Denise stared at him, expecting him to say more. “Is that it?”

  He shrugged. “I’m pretty simple. What about you?”

  “I’m a computer science major,” she said. “My dad forced me to do it, but it’s not so bad. I love the…” Denise talked about herself for fifteen minutes, slurring most of the time.

  Arsen successfully diverted the conversation away from himself.

  Food and more rounds of drinks were ordered. When we were eating, Arsen kept his hand on my thigh. I liked the affection he was giving me. He was being a real boyfriend, and he was doing a pretty good job of it. Denise and Shane seemed to like him and a
ppreciated his uniqueness.

  “Please excuse me.” Arsen rose from the table and headed to the bathroom.

  “I’m glad to see you guys getting along,” Denise said.

  “It comes and goes,” I said with a shrug.

  “But you seem happy,” Denise said.

  I couldn’t deny that. “I’m very happy with him.”

  “Then I’m cool with him,” Denise said. “As long as he treats you right, I’m okay with that.”

  “Thanks.” Having her approval meant a lot to me.

  I felt bad Shane was ignored most of the night, living in Arsen’s shadow, so I asked him about school and his life. As I expected, he was boring. Even though Arsen was annoying because he was so sporadic and unpredictable, there was never a dull moment with him. Shane was going to put me to sleep.

  When I glanced toward the bathroom, I saw Arsen leaning against the wall with a smirk on his face. A busty brunette was talking to him. Her head rolled back as she laughed. Her face was heavy with makeup, and she was definitely a looker.

  Arsen kept his hands in his pockets and didn’t touch her, but he didn’t walk away either.

  Denise followed my gaze. “You want me to kick her ass?”

  I smirked. “No, thanks. I can take her. But she’s not worth my time.”

  “What happened to your spunk?” she asked. “She’s totally flirting with your man.”

  “I’m not worried about it.” I ate more chips then downed my margarita.

  “His leather jacket isn’t even that nice…” Shane glanced at him then looked away.

  “Does he have any piercings?” Denise asked.

  “No.”

  “Tattoos?” she asked hopefully.

  “No.”

  “Really?” She was shocked.

  I shrugged. “Arsen is an enigma. I’ve spent a year trying to understand him, but I haven’t covered much ground.”

  “I could get a tattoo,” Shane said.

  “I’m sure you could, baby.” She patted his back then rubbed it.

  When I glanced at Arsen, he was still talking to the girl. Actually, she was talking to him. But he was still standing there listening.

  The tab came, and I paid for our half.

  Shane paid for the other.

  “Did you guys come here on his Harley?” she asked.

  “Yep.”

  “Was it scary?” she asked. “If my parents found out I rode a motorcycle, they would kill me.”

  “Arsen is a good driver. And my parents wouldn’t care. Actually, my dad would want a go on it.”

  “Your parents sound cool,” she said. “My parents are so traditional and stiff. Boring.”

  My parents definitely weren’t boring. They screamed at each other night and day. Sometimes I wasn’t sure why they were still together. “Every day is an adventure with my family.”

  We grabbed our stuff then prepared to walk out.

  “Are you going to retrieve him or what?” Denise asked.

  “No.” I turned to Shane. “Can you give me a ride?”

  “You aren’t going to wait for him?” Shane asked.

  I didn’t care if Arsen talked to girls because I trusted him, but he’d been talking to her for nearly twenty minutes, and I was irritated by his rudeness. He was supposed to make a good impression, not chat up some big-tit brunette. “No.” I walked out with them until we reached the street. “Where did you park?”

  “Over here.” Shane led the way. “I guess having a nice guy isn’t so bad after all…” He gave Denise a knowing look.

  She hooked her arm through his. “Not at all.”

  I walked behind them and didn’t bother checking for Arsen.

  “Silke!”

  I recognized his voice but kept walking.

  His hand gripped my wrist. “Where are you running off to?” He pulled me to him.

  “Sorry? Are you talking to me now?” I gave him as much attitude as possible.

  Denise and Shane stopped and stared at us.

  I knew this would take a while. “Arsen will take me home. Don’t worry about us.”

  Denise gave me a sad look before she walked away with Shane.

  “Excuse me?” Arsen said. “You were just going to take off without telling me where you were going?”

  “Were you going to spend our date with me or that chick?” I demanded.

  He rolled his eyes. “Don’t get jealous…”

  “I’m not jealous,” I hissed. “I’m pissed off that you were rude. You were gone for twenty minutes, and you were supposed to get to know Denise better. If you want to make a good first impression, don’t flirt with some bimbo by the bathroom. You made yourself look like an ass.”

  “I wasn’t flirting—”

  “Shut up.” I held up my hand. “You want to be with me, Arsen? You want to or not?”

  He clenched his jaw.

  “Is that a yes? Then get your shit together.”

  “She’s one of my buyers.” His words came out barely audible.

  “What the hell does that mean?” I snapped.

  “She buys weed from me.” He put his hands in his pockets.

  “That still doesn’t mean anything to me. You can talk to your clients on your own time.”

  “Well, she wanted to buy a few ounces, and I happened to have some on me. Why turn down a great opportunity?”

  My eyes snapped wide open. “You were selling drugs on our date?”

  “I wasn’t planning on it,” he argued. “It just happened. If some woman wanted to buy a piece of art from you, would you turn her down because you were at dinner?”

  “Not the same thing, and you know it, Arsen! What you did was illegal.”

  “Technically, selling a sculpture would be too,” he snapped. “You need a business license to do that. The government needs their taxes.”

  I hated it when he was a smartass. “You want me to slap you?”

  “I don’t give a damn. Do it.” He stepped closer. “You have a weak arm anyway.”

  “I can knee you in the balls instead, if you like?”

  “I’m calling your bluff, Silke.”

  He had me.

  “You know what I do for a living. The fact that I did it one time in your presence shouldn’t be a big deal.”

  “But it is when you’re trying to get along with my friends.”

  He glared at me. “What happened to wanting to be with me no matter what anyone says? Were you just pulling that out of your ass?”

  “Of course not.”

  “Then you need to chill out.”

  “I need to chill out?” I asked. “You could have done your business in two minutes. You didn’t need to be gone that long.”

  “Well, she wouldn’t shut up, and I was waiting for her to pay me.”

  “You’re a drug dealer,” I hissed. “You should be able to figure out how to speed things along.”

  “Well, she and I kinda have a history…”

  That just pissed me off even more. “You slept with her?”

  He held my gaze and didn’t look away. “I’ve slept with a lot of people. That isn’t news.”

  “Fuck you, Arsen.” I marched off and hoped he wouldn’t follow me.

  He caught up to me. “What? You want me to lie?”

  “No. I want you to go back in time and erase what just happened. That’s what I want.”

  He sighed and kept walking with me. “Don’t be jealous. She’s got nothing on you, Silke.”

  I turned around and got in his face. “I’m not jealous. How many times do I have to say that? I don’t care whom you talk to or what you do. I just want you to make an effort for a damn hour. Just an hour!” I stormed off again.

  He blocked my path. “Silke, calm down.”

  “Just leave me alone, Arsen. I don’t want to see you right now.” I tried to walk around him again.

  He gripped me then pulled me back in front of him. “I made it clear this wouldn’t be easy. Our relationship
would be an ordeal. You need to be patient with me. I didn’t realize I was doing anything wrong. Now I know, and I won’t do it again. Okay?”

  He had a point. I promised I would take baby steps with him, but when he pissed me off, my anger got to me.

  “I wasn’t flirting with her,” he said firmly. “I don’t flirt with anyone but you. You’re the only girl on the back of my bike, in my bed, and in my thoughts.”

  It was one of the sweetest things I’d heard him say. “I never thought otherwise, Arsen.”

  “Then why are you jealous?”

  “Like I said a hundred times, I’m not jealous. I was pissed off you were being rude. That’s all. If I were jealous, I would have marched over there and told her where to go. But I didn’t.”

  “Really?” His anger softened.

  “Really.”

  His shoulders relaxed, and a slight smile formed on his mouth. “That means a lot to me.”

  I moved into his chest and rested my head against him. His arms circled me and held me close. His chin rested on my head. People passed us on the sidewalk while we held each other close.

  “Can I take you home now?” he whispered.

  I nodded.

  “Then let’s go.”

  We got into bed then turned off all the lights. Arsen wrapped his body around mine and held me close. Whenever I was in his arms, I felt relaxed, like I was sleeping on a cloud. I loved feeling his naked skin against mine. His natural scent came into my nose and made me feel safe. The nights spent with him were the best of my life.

  “Beauty?” His lips were pressed to my ear.

  “Hmm?”

  “You’re on the pill, right?”

  “I already told you that.” I kept my eyes closed, feeling tired.

  His hand moved under my t-shirt and to my stomach. “Well, I’m not sleeping with anyone else, and neither are you.”

  “What’s your point?” I yawned.

  “I want to feel you…without wearing anything.”

  I opened my eyes and looked at him over my shoulder. “I do too.”

  He pressed his lips to my ear. “You’re ready for that?”

  “If you are.”

  “I’ve been ready for a while, before you dragged all that mushy shit out of me.” He gave me a playful smirk.

  “Well, you just told me you’ve slept with all of Boston,” I said. “Are you clean?”

  He nodded. “I get checked pretty often.” He didn’t ask the same question of me.