Breathless, I close out our kiss with a few pecks to Ty’s throat. He buries his face into my neck, “Feel better now?”
“Hell, no. I’m horny as hell in a public place.”
“But you’re not scared anymore?” His warm breath on my skin sends tingles down to my toes.
My eyes meet his. “No. Not scared.”
He kisses me again, lowering his hands down my shoulders, the length of my arms until his fingers thread through mine. “Then, let’s go take a look.” He stays focused on me out of the corner of his eyes as he leads us to the indoor observation deck.
I suck in a gulp of air before we reach the glass.
“Breathe, baby.”
I exhale, not even realizing I had forgotten to.
With one hand in his, I scoot closer to him and hold his arm with my other hand. I feel like a little kid hiding, and peeking out from behind a door or wall. I glance down at my grasp on Ty and smirk at the white knuckles on my hand. I loosen my hold a bit.
“Thank you,” he says. “I was starting to lose feeling in my arm.”
“Shut up. You got me up here so if you have to have your arm or fingers amputated because I’m cutting off your blood circulation, it’s your own damn fault.”
He chuckles.
“Don’t laugh at me, you jackass. This is fucking scary. I feel like I’m going to fall a hundred floors to my death.”
He touches the glass. “You’re not going anywhere, Melly. You’re completely safe.”
“Bite me.”
“Later.” He smiles, his eyes softening. “Now, I can’t distract you with kisses forever. Let’s enjoy the view.”
“Kisses sound better.” I take another deep breath trying to calm myself since apparently Ty’s not going to stick his tongue down my throat again until I take a look.
“You can do it, babe. Have a look. It’s beautiful.” He reaches behind me, placing his hand on the small of my back, and pushes me forward. “Now, open your eyes.”
My eyes are closed? Yeah, I guess they are. With another swoosh of air, my eyelids pry open and I’m breathless again.
But not because I’m hot and bothered, or because I fear for my life, but because of the view.
He was right. Like always.
It’s spectacular.
“I swear I can see my house from here. It’s amazing,” I tell him.
“It’s crazy how the hotels look so close together from here, but if you were to walk from one to another it could take hours.”
“And some of them look so small.”
“How are you feeling?” he asks with a squeeze of my shoulder.
I look up at him. “I’m okay. Still a little rattled. But this is worth it. Thank you for this.” Most of my fondest memories are shared with Tyler, and Shelly. And this just adds to them. He has a way of getting me out of my comfort zone to experience some amazing things. As we slowly walk the entire 360 degrees around the deck, when I see the Red Rocks, I remember our trip to the Grand Canyon. Shel and I were in junior high and I went on a family vacation with them. I was too afraid to get too close to the edge at the many viewpoints. At one stop, while the others were eating and taking pictures, Ty took me by the hand and led me to one of the look-outs. I didn’t even realize where we were until he stopped talking and the entire abyss of the canyon was below my feet. I looked down at the gorgeous layers of rock and up into his smiling eyes, and almost cried right there. I was so happy to see it, and so happy that he cared enough to help me experience it.
“What are you thinking about?” he asks.
A smile forms on my lips. “The Grand Canyon.”
A spark of sweetness flashes in his eyes. “That was the first time I really held your hand. I didn’t want to let you go. I can still remember the cheesy smile on your face when you looked down into the canyon. It was priceless.”
“Kind of like my cheesy smile now?”
Ty leans down and presses a gentle kiss to my temple. I close my eyes to his touch and enjoy the moment with everything I have.
Things haven’t changed much since I was a kid. Ty is still helping me conquer my fears and I’m still following him around like a lovesick puppy dog.
Chapter 5
Shelly
“Hey, Matty,” I call over my shoulder to my new husband. I still haven’t gotten sick of calling him that. My husband. Let me say it again. My very sexy, hot and sweet husband. “Did you put Mel’s wine in the freezer? You know she loves it wicked cold.”
My new husband walks into the bathroom as I’m brushing mascara onto my lashes. “Yeah, of course. I put your beer in there too.” His hands slide around my waist from behind and meet in the front. I raise a brow at him as his fingers travel under my shirt and the warmth of his palm on my skin sends heat pooling between my thighs.
“Oh no, buddy. They’re gonna be here any minute. I can’t have my brother seeing me all flushed after we get busy.”
“Get busy?” Matt laughs into my neck.
I smile at him in the mirror when his eyes meet mine. “Knock boots?”
“Sure, just don’t say bump uglies because there is nothing ugly,” his hand starts to slide down the front of my shorts, “about this.”
Dropping the tube of makeup onto the counter, I lean into his chest and tilt my head back to press kisses to his neck.
Matty’s mouth finds mine just as the doorbell sounds.
“My brother sucks!”
“Give me a minute,” he says, pushing his hardness into my ass. The thin material of our clothing separates us but there is no mistaking my man’s wood.
I swivel my hips into him and then tear myself away. “Later.”
“Count on it.”
“You’re finally back!” Mel shouts as I open the door. Her outstretched arms circle me as she steps inside the house. My brother follows her with a shake of his head.
“You two act like it’s been years since you’ve seen each other. It’s barely been a week.” He leans over and kisses the top of my head. “How was Harry?”
“Oh my god. Amazing. Come in and let’s get some drinks, and we’ll tell you all about it.” I turn on my heels and walk toward our kitchen. “And by the way, buttface, it’s been over a week since I’ve seen my bestie. I don’t think we’ve gone that long without seeing each other since …”
“Ever,” Mel answers.
“Where’s Matt?” Ty asks.
If I’m right, he’s in the shower. Nothing like a dose of cold water on his nuts to get the bad boy to go down. “He’ll be out in a minute.” I try not to snicker, but I can’t hide the smile spreading over my face or the shaking of my shoulders.
“Did you guys just finish doing it?” Mel asks. “I guess the honeymoon isn’t over.” My best friend flutters her brows at me and if my bro wasn’t standing there glaring at me with a disgusted look on his face, I’d high five her.
“No, we didn’t just do it.” Ty looks relieved, placing a hand to his chest and letting out a long breath of air. So dramatic. I can’t let that go. “But we were about to when you showed up so Matty’s waiting till he’s not pitching a tent in his pants before he comes out.”
“Oh god.” Ty presses his hand to his forehead. He opens the fridge, closes it, and then pulls the bottom drawer of the freezer open. He grabs a bottle, twists off the cap and downs a few gulps of brew. “I’ll be in the other room trying to forget my little sister has a husband.”
Matty chooses this time to walk into the kitchen. Ty snarls at him on his way out. “What’d I do, bro?”
Mel pours salt in my brother’s wounds. “You’re boinking his sister, who he still likes to imagine in pigtails.”
He slides up behind me and kisses my cheek with a chuckle. “Oh, I’ve imagined you in pigtails too. And a plaid skirt and your shirt tied up to …” The loud groan coming from the living room stops my hubby from elaborating further.
“Hey, Ty,” Mel calls out. “Maybe we should leave. You’re sister wants to
do the nasty.” Her sing-song voice and booty-spanking gestures make my hubby and me crack up, and my brother growl even louder.
“Want some wine?” I ask her, not that she needs it.
“Does a bear shit in the woods?”
Matty pulls a single glass out of the cabinet for her while I take out our electric bottle opener. Within seconds the thing is uncorked and I’m pouring her a glass. “I don’t know why you even bother with a glass. I should just get you a straw so you don’t look like such a snob drinking your grape juice with a pinky in the air.” My husband passes me a beer and I take a swig.
“At least it’s more lady-like. Every time I see you chug a beer, I feel like any minute you’re gonna scratch your balls and hack a loogie.”
Just for fun, I let out a big burp and scratch at my crotch dramatically.
“I’m okay with your passing gas, but if you’re gonna keep strumming your cooch, I’m leaving.” She takes her glass and follows the path to my brother.
“I thought they’d never leave,” I say when Matty and Tyler finally head outside to get the grill going. “So what’s happening? How was Vegas? Are you and my brother like … a couple now?” I tried talking to her about this while I was on my honeymoon and I found out they were in Sin City. I half expected to come home and find they had eloped. As much as it would’ve killed me to miss my brother’s wedding to my best friend, I’m kind of disappointed he didn’t slap a ring on it and call it a day. They’ve been doing this dance half their lives already. What the hell are they waiting for?
“Shelly?” She waves her hands in the air. “Where are you?”
“Oh. Sorry,” I say, snapping out of my thoughts. “Carry on. Tell me. What’s happening?”
She kicks off her flip flops and tucks her feet under her as she turns toward me with her elbow resting on the back of the sofa. “Am I talking to my best friend right now? Or Tyler’s sister?”
“Can’t I be both?”
She’s all fidgety and serious. So unlike Mel. “No, you can’t. My best friend will listen to me and give me advice. Tyler’s sister will listen and then tell him everything I say and possibly mess everything up.”
I get it. I think, anyway. “So you’re saying, you want me to listen but keep my big trap shut with my brother.”
She groans. “When you put it that way, there’s no fucking way you can do it. Anything I tell you will turn into a long drawn out convo with your bro and I’ll never know how he truly feels. I’ll always wonder if he’s with me because he wants to be or because he’s afraid of his little sister.”
I can see the tears flooding her eyes as she hangs her head. Oh no. What the hell did he do to my friend? This is not the Mel I know. The strong Melissa who decked her ex-husband’s floozy in a parking lot, had a good cry, and moved on in a matter of days. This Mel looks like she’s about to drown in heartbreak with her quivering lip and glassy eyes. “Melly belly, don’t be sad. I’m your best friend and I always will be. I’ve got your back, even when it comes to my brother. Unless you do something to hurt him, then I’ll have to kill you with my bare hands.”
She glances up at me with the corners of her mouth lifting. “I’d never hurt him and you know that. I’ve loved that guy since the first time I realized I thought boys were cute. I’d never hurt him.”
“Then, is he hurting you? You’re obviously upset.”
She wipes her eyes with the back of her hand and sucks in a mouthful of air before exhaling slowly. “Here’s the deal. I have no idea what’s going to happen once Tyler leaves tonight. We still have close to two months of school left and I don’t know if I’ll even see him during that time. I want to see him. I want this thing we have to continue, but I’m not sure it will.” She pauses and takes another long breath. “But what I don’t want is for you to say something to him. I can’t have you telling him to be with me or not to hurt me. If he decides he wants it to work, I want it to be real. I don’t want you influencing him or pressuring him to do anything he doesn’t want to do.”
I nod, knowing exactly what she means. I’d want the same thing for me if I were her. “Don’t worry. I get you. I won’t say a thing to him. But can I tell you something?”
Her eyes perk up. “Sure. Shoot.”
“I want you two to stay together. Besides the fact that you’re meant to be, I really love having him around. I can tell he’s happy with you and I’m happy to see him. I’ve missed him so much since he left. So I’m being a little selfish by wanting you guys to make a go of it.”
“I’m also being selfish when I say I want it to work too, but at what cost?” She looks down at her tiny hands and perfect manicure. “I don’t want to move. And I don’t want him to have to move either. But this long distance thing sucks ass. He hasn’t even left yet and I already miss him.”
“Honey, don’t worry just yet. You’re talking like a relationship with my brother is doomed before it’s even had the chance to get started. Things have a way of working out. Look at me and Matty. Who woulda thunk it?” I sure as hell wouldn’t have. For a few years, he had been our sidekick. Like our mascot. Matty would go shopping with us, tag along to the movies to see chick-flicks, and a couple times he even went with us to get our toes done. While I always thought he was good looking, I never considered him doable. Now, I take any chance I can to do him.
“I always knew,” Mel says, interrupting my thoughts of my naked husband. “You don’t think he hung around with us because he liked to talk shit about Summer and eat chocolate, do you? I’m sure he only went with us to see Something Borrowed because he wanted to figure out a way to borrow you from Chase. He’s been hot for you since the day we met him.”
I like her way of thinking. I never saw it but I must say, it makes me feel pretty damn good to hear it. I glance over my shoulder at the sliding door leading to our back yard. Beyond the patio, my husband and brother are chatting, both with beers in hand, and Matty holding a long spatula in his other. Ty must have said something funny, causing my man to tip his head back with laughter. “They look so cute out there. I’m so relieved they get along so well.”
Mel nods. “They’re both easy going so there’s no surprise there.”
I down what’s left of my beer and hop to my feet. “Let’s go join them. I haven’t spent this much time without touching my husband since the night before our wedding. I’m itching to get my hands in his pants so we might need to cut this dinner short.”
Mel snorts at this just as she’s taking a drink of her wine. Her face scrunches up as she tries to get the liquid down before she starts coughing. “Are you trying to kill me?”
“It’s that damn wine again. I think you’re finally starting to come to your senses. You’ve barely had a sip.”
“I blame it on your wedding. I haven’t been able to drink much of anything since.”
“An open bar has that effect on people.”
“I guess,” she says, placing her glass on the counter.
“There’s some water in the cooler outside. I should probably drink some too to cool me down.” I wave my hand in front of my face.
She shakes her head with a chuckle. “Don’t worry, we only have a few hours before I have to get your brother off to the airport again. So you’ll have a handful of nuts in no time.”
I rub my hands together as we walk out onto the patio. “I can’t wait.”
Chapter 6
Melissa
The wheels are turning at G force speeds in my head. Before I can grasp anything I’m actually thinking, my mind wanders to something new. I gaze at Tyler, driving my car, while we head to the airport.
We had a great dinner with Shelly and Matt. They look amazing, and so very happy. I was married before, but I don’t remember feeling that sweet glow that Shel exudes with such intensity and sincerity. And the way Matt looks at her makes my heart swell with joy. His eyes light up when she walks into the room. He hangs on her every word like it’s the most important thing he’ll hear that day.
The love in their eyes when they look at each other is that of a movie. I swear they’re Noah and Allie. Only they didn’t have to wait so long to finally end up together. But that love, everlasting and true? It’s there.
“What are you thinking about?” Ty asks, glancing over at me as he turns into a parking structure.
I can’t help but smile, in awe of my friends. “Shel and Matt.”
“They’re kinda perfect together, aren’t they?” His smile reaches all the way to his eyes as he speaks of his sister. “I’m so happy for her. He’s a great guy and it makes me feel good knowing how much he loves my little sister. I can see just how much every time he looks at her.”
“Well, they’re not kinda perfect. They really are perfect. They could bottle up their happiness and sell that stuff. Just thinking of them puts a smile on my face.”
He reaches across the center console of my car and places his hand over mine. “I love it when you smile.”
As much as I’d like to flash him my pearly whites, the reality of what’s about to happen sets in as he parks the car, and my smile fades. “Why are we parking? I can’t go in the terminal.”
“I know. But we have some extra time. I thought I could spend my last few minutes with you talking, and maybe a little kissing.”
My belly is filled with butterflies, skittering around, wings flapping and sending flutters of nerves bouncing around my insides.
The thought of kissing Tyler for the final minutes of him being in the same city as me sounds fantastic, but it doesn’t stop the uneasiness I feel down deep in my gut.
I’m so in love with him, my heart doesn’t know whether to beat like crazy out of sheer happiness, or pound out of pain. Every time he leaves, it’s like a hole rips open in my chest and I can’t stop reliving having to say goodbye and wondering what will happen next.
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