FOREVER SERIES: COMPLETE BOX SET

by Lynn, Sandi

  “My sister’s name is Cassidy, and I had a twin brother, Collin.”

  I gasped as my eyes widened. “How the hell could you not tell me you were a twin?”

  He sighed and took hold of my hand.

  “Are you going to ask a million questions, or are you going to let me finish?”

  “Okay, I promise not to ask any questions at all. Go ahead.”

  “Are you sure?” he asked with a smirk.

  I nodded my head and made the zip-my-lip motion across my mouth. He smiled and continued.

  “Collin died when he was seven years old from a virus that attacked his heart.”

  I swallowed hard. I wanted to throw my arms around him and comfort him because I knew how hard this was for him to tell me.

  “My mom and dad had a hard time with his death, and their way of dealing with it was to get pregnant with my sister. When Cassidy was eighteen, she got pregnant from some guy who tossed her to the side when he found out. You asked me why my company is involved with the autism charity. It’s because of my sister’s five-year-old son. My nephew is autistic.”

  I put my hand on his leg. “I’m sorry, Connor. You don’t have to say any more.”

  My sympathy ran deep for him, and my stomach was in knots for behaving the way I did and forcing him to tell me about his family.

  He placed his hand on top of mine and glanced at me.

  “It’s okay. I want to tell you. My father built Black Enterprises from the ground up and started grooming me when I was around thirteen. I worked hard, learned fast, went to Harvard, and two years ago, he retired. He handed over his company to me, and in those two years, I doubled the company’s profits. So, now you know about my family.”

  “What about past relationships?”

  I knew that was crossing the line with him, but I was hoping he would feel comfortable enough to tell me since he was telling me about his family.

  He pressed his lips together and took in a deep breath.

  “I don’t talk about my past relationships; there’s no point. Why revisit the past? I don’t have a girlfriend, nor do I want one.”

  His comment hurt deep down. Just hearing him say he didn’t want a girlfriend was heartbreaking. It was for the best, though, because I could never be his girlfriend, and he could never be my boyfriend. I figured if I kept telling myself that, I’d actually convince myself.

  “Why don’t you? Even if you’ve been hurt before, you just have to pick yourself up and move on. Everyone’s been hurt at least once in their life, some more than others, but you have to make a choice what to do with that pain.” I sounded way too casual about that, and who was I to talk anyway?

  “It’s not that simple, Ellery. Trust me.”

  “So, you don’t ever want to get married or have children and do the whole perfect family thing?”

  He looked at me with such seriousness it startled me.

  “No, I never want any of that, and to quote you, nothing lasts forever.”

  I could just kick myself for saying that to him. It was true, but I didn’t mean to live a life of loneliness and misery.

  “You really need to stop quoting that, Connor. I think you took it the wrong way.”

  “Regardless of which way I took it, I already told you that I don’t do relationships, and I mean that.”

  I looked out the window. “I know.”

  I was starting to regret asking him to tell me about himself. I thought it was better if I didn’t know, and maybe then, I wouldn’t be hurting so much.

  Chapter 19

  We’d been driving for about four hours when Connor pulled off the expressway and stopped for gas.

  “I’m going to fill her up and then we’ll stop for something to eat,” he said as he got out of the car.

  I got out and walked around, stretching out my back and legs. I walked over to the gas pump where Connor was pumping gas and kissed him on the cheek.

  “What was that for?” he asked.

  “It’s just a thank you for telling me about your family.”

  He gave me that heart-melting smile of his.

  “I’m going in the shop to get a couple of things.”

  I entered the store and headed right to the candy aisle. I scanned the rows, trying to decide what I wanted when Connor came up behind me.

  “You’re going to fill your body with this junk?” he asked.

  I turned quickly to face him, and a wave of dizziness fell over me as I stumbled into him, and he caught me.

  “Ellery, are you all right?”

  “I’m fine; I just got a little light-headed,” I spoke as I placed my hand on my head.

  He held me until it passed.

  “I knew we should have waited an extra day to leave. You’re not ready to travel yet. You need more time to recover from your fall.”

  I was feeling better and could have lifted my head up from his chest, but I liked where it was.

  “Connor, stop being so protective. I’m fine. Tt’s probably from the pain meds I took,” I lied. I never took any, but I didn’t want him worrying about me.

  “Well, I’m finding us a hotel, and we’re stopping for the rest of the day. We’ll continue first thing tomorrow. We’ll be in Michigan in plenty of time for the funeral.”

  “Okay, but let’s get something to eat and drive for a couple of more hours before stopping for the night. Go grab one of those little baskets over there,” I said as I pointed by the door.

  “You aren’t seriously buying that much, are you?”

  “Okay, Mr. Black, if you must know the truth, it’s my PMS time.”

  He took a step back and put his hands up. “Whoa, enough said.”

  I grinned as I picked up a bag of Fritos, Cheetos, a Hershey bar (king size), a Twix bar, a small pack of chocolate donuts, three cans of Coke, a bag of tiny twist pretzels, and a jar of Nutella. Connor looked in the basket and then at me with a horrified look on his face.

  “Hey, you’re the one who wanted to take me on this road trip. I’m just trying to keep the peace because without these foods for a woman at that time of the month…” I waved my hand. “Well, you don’t really want to know.”

  I put the basket on the counter. The cashier overheard our conversation and looked at Connor.

  “Trust her. We girls are two sheets short of psycho when it comes to our special little time.” Her brow raised.

  He just stood there and looked at both of us, speechless, as she rang up the food. She gave me the total, and I lightly smacked Connor’s arm.

  He looked at me in confusion. “Really? You want me to pay for this crap?”

  The cashier leaned over the counter and looked at him straight in the eyes.

  “Remember, two sheets short of psycho.”

  He pulled out his wallet and paid as he was mumbling under his breath. He took the bag and headed out. I looked at the cashier and high-fived her.

  “Thank you.”

  “We girls need to stick together.” She smiled.

  I walked out of the store, smiling as he sat in the car, waiting for me. Once we headed back to the interstate, he glanced at me.

  “What?” I smiled.

  “You’re crazy. I just wanted you to know that.”

  I laughed. “Aw, sweetie, I know, but I promise it’s only for a few days.”

  He shook his head, and I saw how hard he was trying to fight a smile. We saw some signs on the interstate for some restaurants. I was going to be polite and let him pick where he wanted to eat. He got off at the next exit, and we entered restaurant heaven.

  “Take your pick, Mr. Black. The call’s yours,” I said as I moved my hand around.

  “You really don’t care where we eat?”

  I looked at him and cocked my head.

  “No. Pick wherever you want. I like just about anything.”

  “Okay, then.” He smiled. “There’s a seafood restaurant over there.”

  I pressed my lips together and didn’t say anything. I d
idn’t like seafood, but I said it was his pick, and if that was what he wanted, then that was what we’d have. They had to have something non-seafood. We got out of the car as he held his arm out for me. I hooked my arm around his as we walked into the restaurant.

  “Wow,” I said as I looked around at the sharks and swordfish mounted to the walls.

  A cute little blonde girl walked over to us and said there was about a thirty-minute wait. This was my chance to get the hell out of here. I didn’t like staring at those things on the wall. They were creepy.

  “Thirty minutes is a long time to wait, Connor, maybe we should go somewhere else.”

  He looked at me with a smile. “Thirty minutes is nothing, and time will fly by. Go look at those lobsters over there.”

  I flinched because I hated to see them in those glass tanks, moving around, not knowing they were next to be thrown into a pot of boiling water. He grabbed my hand and led me to the bar.

  “We’ll sit here and have a drink until they call us.”

  I sat on the stool as the bartender, a very attractive woman with long, brown curly hair and large, perky boobs, walked over to us, but only made eye contact with Connor. She leaned over the bar, not taking notice that I was sitting right next to him, and with her low-cut top and cleavage hanging out, she asked, “What will it be, handsome?”

  He gave her a flirtatious smile and leaned in closer.

  “I’ll have a sex with the bartender.”

  I gasped, and with a horrified look on my face, I stared at him.

  “One sex with a bartender coming right up, stud.” She winked.

  He looked over at me as I clenched my jaw and took in a deep breath. I couldn’t believe he just did that right in front of me. I bit the inside of my cheek and contemplated.

  “Um, sweetheart, when you get his drink, don’t forget to bring those luscious boobies over here.” I smiled.

  The look on Connor’s face was priceless.

  “Ellery, what the hell are you doing?” he whispered.

  “What? Am I embarrassing you, Mr. ‘I’ll Have Sex with a Bartender’?”

  She came over and handed him his drink, looked at me and, in an irritated way, asked me what I wanted. I looked at her and pouted.

  “Don’t you think it’s only fair that you give me the same kind of service that you’re giving him? Why should he be the only one to get to see your boobies?”

  Connor threw some money on the bar and stood up. “Come on, honey. I think our table is ready.”

  I smiled and winked at her as she gave me a dirty look and turned away. Connor leaned over to me and whispered in my ear.

  “Point taken, you bad girl.”

  “You love it, Mr. Black, and you know it.”

  He smiled as the waitress showed us to our table.

  I opened the menu and, guess what, no non-seafood items existed. Shit, I thought to myself. What was I going to order? Well, I did have a car full of junk food if it came down to it.

  “What are you going to order, Ellery?”

  I looked up from my menu and glared at him.

  “I’m not sure. I’m torn at the moment.”

  The waitress came by and asked to take our drink orders. Connor spoke up before I could tell her that I wanted a Cosmopolitan.

  “I’m set, and she’ll have a Coke.”

  I frowned. “I wanted a Cosmo, Connor.”

  “Not after that little stunt, and who knows what that bartender would do to that drink.”

  I laughed and continued looking at the menu. As soon as the waitress brought my Coke, she asked us if we were ready to order. Connor closed his menu and looked at me. I glanced up at the waitress and bit my lip. Connor looked at her.

  “Give us a minute, please.”

  The way I looked at him, I think he realized I didn’t like seafood.

  “You don’t like seafood, do you?”

  I stared at him while biting my lower lip.

  “Why didn’t you say something?” he asked as he ran his hands through his hair.

  “Well, I wanted you to have what you wanted.”

  He stared at me with those beautiful green eyes and, suddenly, they turned evil. He didn’t say a word, but he was scaring me as he waved for the waitress to come back.

  “I’m going to order for us,” he said.

  Uh oh, now I’m in trouble.

  “We will start with an order of calamari, crab legs, and a lobster tail for each of us. Also, please throw in an order of broiled scallops.

  The waitress looked at me, and I managed a slight smile. Connor crossed his hands and placed his elbows on the table.

  “Remember the times when you made me eat things? The pizza, hot dog, and let’s not forget the use of the chopsticks?”

  I stared at him as I picked up my glass. Two could play this game.

  “Yes, I do, and I’m fine with everything you ordered.”

  “We’ll see about that.” He smirked.

  I leaned over the table. “You’re a vicious man, Connor Black.”

  He leaned in closer until we were face to face. “Not as vicious as you, darling.”

  I sat back, smiled, and reveled in the moment when he called me “darling.”

  The waitress came and set the calamari in the center of the table. I looked at it and then at Connor. I got out my phone and Googled calamari; my eyes widened as “squid” appeared. I looked up at Connor. He was laughing at me.

  “You Googled ‘calamari,’ didn’t you?”

  I nodded my head and took a sip of my Coke. His laughter subsided, and he looked at me with a serious face.

  “You don’t have to eat it. I’m sorry.”

  I took in a deep breath. “No, it’s okay, and I’m going to try it. It’s the least I can do for everything you’ve done for me.”

  He smiled as I took a piece from the plate and inspected it.

  “Seriously, Elle, don’t. I know you don’t want to.”

  I took a small bite and started chewing. His eyes intently watched me as I was eating the calamari and making faces. He took out his phone and started taking pictures of me.

  “This is classic.” He laughed.

  The calamari wasn’t as awful as I thought it would be.

  “Okay, bad boy, bring on the next one.”

  Connor threw his head back and laughed as the waitress brought the scallops and lobster tails. I stabbed a scallop with my fork and held it up to my mouth as he smiled and took a picture. I ate it and, to my surprise, I enjoyed it. I held up the lobster tail and pouted at it as he took another picture. We both laughed and talked throughout dinner. I’d admit I liked it all. This new seafood experience agreed with me. We finished up and left the restaurant. Connor put his arm around me and pulled me close. I put my hand on his chest and laid my head on his shoulder as we walked to the Range Rover.

  We drove until we found a hotel. We only passed a billion of them, but Mr. Fancy Pants had to have the best, so we drove out of the way to the Ritz Carlton.

  Chapter 20

  We pulled up as he let the valet park his Range Rover. He walked up to the desk and gave them his last name. I watched the girls behind the counter giggle and eye him. He must have seen it too because he flashed them his flirty smile. I rolled my eyes.

  The bellhop took our suitcases and led us in the elevator.

  “Good evening, Mr. and Mrs. Black, and welcome to the Ritz Carlton.”

  I looked over at Connor as he began to speak.

  “Oh, we’re not—”

  I cut him off.

  “Thank you so much. What my husband is trying to say is that we won’t be staying long.

  Connor gave me a perplexed look. The elevator took us to the Presidential Suite. The door opened, and I glanced over at Connor.

  “The Presidential Suite, really? Just for one night?”

  “I will have nothing but the best room for my beautiful wife. Isn’t my wife beautiful?” Connor asked the bellhop with a wide grin.
/>   “Yes, sir, she’s very beautiful.”

  I glared at Connor and then smiled at the bellhop.

  “Darling, husband, make sure you tip this nice young man well.”

  He pulled out a wad of money from his pocket and started thumbing through the bills. I walked over to him and grabbed a one-hundred-dollar bill and handed it to the bellhop.

  “Do you have a wife or girlfriend?” I asked.

  “Yes, I do. Thank you, ma’am, and thank you for your generosity.”

  “Go buy her something beautiful, perhaps a nice necklace.”

  Connor looked at me and clenched his jaw.

  “Thank you, ma’am, sir, thank you,” he spoke with excitement as he walked out, shutting the door behind him.

  “Really, a one-hundred-dollar tip?”

  “Well, it’s what you tipped the cab driver.”

  “Cab driver, what are you talking about?”

  “The night I brought you home, I had to pay the driver, and I didn’t have enough money, so I went in your wallet and gave him a hundred. That was before you told me you were going to fuck me really hard.”

  His jaw dropped. “I said that to you?”

  I smiled. “Yeah, but you were drunk, so I forgave you.”

  He started walking towards me. “A one-hundred-dollar tip, Ellery?” he kept saying as he was smiling with a playful look in his eyes.

  “Connor, relax. It’s only money, and you said yourself that you have plenty of it.”

  He was heading straight for me. I screamed and ran behind a chair. He started to chase me around the suite, saying over and over, “A hundred dollars?”

  He caught me as I ran into the bedroom and he threw me on the bed. He straddled me and pinned my arms over my head. We were both out of breath as he looked down at me, staring into my eyes. I stopped fighting him and held his gaze. My heart was racing, and my skin was on fire. My body ached for him, and my lips begged him to kiss me. He held my wrists and lowered his head until his lips lightly brushed against mine. He looked at me again and let go of my wrists. He softly stroked my cheek with the back of his hand and stared into my eyes as I moved my hands through his hair. He swallowed hard and I could hear the rapid beating of his heart; he felt the same way as I did. He stared at me as if he was searching my soul, then his lips touched mine and, as we kissed, he fell onto me as our tongues met for the first time. This was our first kiss and it was filled with such passion and emotion. He was gentle and not forceful. He took his time exploring my mouth in such a way that made me feel loved. He abruptly broke our kiss and pulled back, getting off me and sitting on the edge of the bed.